Should I eliminate all grains/carbs? Need advise.

[Ironpants]

I feel like that is the only viable option at this point for me because I've tried everything else and still can't reach my goal of lowering BF%, which wont drop for some reason.

I'm a newbie here who needs some advise from more knowledgeable people then I on training diets, because I must be doing something wrong.....

O.K. so I've been training hard on a consistent basis for 2 and a half years. Lift 4 x a week and do running 3 x a week (3 k run, power hiking with weights) . Never deviated from this routine except for an occasional off week every 3 months or so. I've made considerable gains in strengths since I started and have only made minimal gains in size/weight (20 pounds).It's safe to say that I train pretty hard, however by looking at my physique you'd never know it. I look like the ordinary prototypical couch potato that's never pumped a weight in his life, I'm not fat (I'm 6'0 165) but I'm very soft (with a small gut) and out of shape looking despite my activity level. So my goal is to start dropping my BF% (I'm about 18%) but I've never lost any of the fat on me since I started 2 years and 3 months ago. I know that I have gained muscle mass but the fat hasn't burned off. So like I said before is it simply a matter of removing all carbs, esp from grain sources?

I think I'm (or thought i was) pretty decent when it come to carb intake. I avoid all white bread and pastas, no junk food, ect. I eat oatmeal for breakfast and as a snack here and there, lots of fruits like bananas and apples (maybe 1 apple a day and 3 bananas a day, mostly as a post work out snake w/ a protein shake). I eat a serving and a half of whole grain pasta or brown rice every day for lunch, sweet potatoes ect. I get plenty of protein from both animal (chicken, fish, pork) and non animal (soy, milk , peanut butter, various nuts) sources. Oh, and I eat tons of egg whites. I keep the 3-5 servings of veggies up there too. I keep my fat intake at about 50 grams per day and my carbs no more then 150-250 grams per day. I'd say that I run a 3,000 calorie diet.

Is removing carbs and grains from my diet in order to reach my goal a viable thing for me to do? I thought that I eat a very clean and balanced diet for gaining mass and shedding body fat and I can't really think of anything else at this point... I feel sometimes as though I might as well be feeding my self Twinkies bars and big Macs because apparently my diet has no effect on my body.

Any help/advise is much appreciated.

 

[Oblivian]

You have a body image disorder.

 

[Jaedong]

I feel like that is the only viable option at this point for me because I've tried everything else and still can't reach my goal of lowering BF%, which wont drop for some reason.

I'm a newbie here who needs some advise from more knowledgeable people then I on training diets, because I must be doing something wrong.....

O.K. so I've been training hard on a consistent basis for 2 and a half years. Lift 4 x a week and do running 3 x a week (3 k run, power hiking with weights) . Never deviated from this routine except for an occasional off week every 3 months or so. I've made considerable gains in strengths since I started and have only made minimal gains in size/weight (20 pounds).It's safe to say that I train pretty hard, however by looking at my physique you'd never know it. I look like the ordinary prototypical couch potato that's never pumped a weight in his life, I'm not fat (I'm 6'0 165) but I'm very soft (with a small gut) and out of shape looking despite my activity level. So my goal is to start dropping my BF% (I'm about 18%) but I've never lost any of the fat on me since I started 2 years and 3 months ago. I know that I have gained muscle mass but the fat hasn't burned off. So like I said before is it simply a matter of removing all carbs, esp from grain sources?

I think I'm (or thought i was) pretty decent when it come to carb intake. I avoid all white bread and pastas, no junk food, ect. I eat oatmeal for breakfast and as a snack here and there, lots of fruits like bananas and apples (maybe 1 apple a day and 3 bananas a day, mostly as a post work out snake w/ a protein shake). I eat a serving and a half of whole grain pasta or brown rice every day for lunch, sweet potatoes ect. I get plenty of protein from both animal (chicken, fish, pork) and non animal (soy, milk , peanut butter, various nuts) sources. Oh, and I eat tons of egg whites. I keep the 3-5 servings of veggies up there too. I keep my fat intake at about 50 grams per day and my carbs no more then 150-250 grams per day. I'd say that I run a 3,000 calorie diet.

Is removing carbs and grains from my diet in order to reach my goal a viable thing for me to do? I thought that I eat a very clean and balanced diet for gaining mass and shedding body fat and I can't really think of anything else at this point... I feel sometimes as though I might as well be feeding my self Twinkies bars and big Macs because apparently my diet has no effect on my body.

Any help/advise is much appreciated.

So you are eating eating 387.5 gramms of protein a day at your weight of 165 pounds ?

I think you should bulk up a little and do an established strength program like starting strength or 5X5 and then when you have some muscle diet down the fat.

 

[Oblivian]

I don't know if anyone remembers when I cut down to 155, but I posted some photos. Prior to cutting water weight, I was 160 lbs. I am 5'9". I looked ridiculously skinny. I can't imagine someone being 6'0" and 165 lbs and feeling fat.

 

[Ironpants]

I don't know if anyone remembers when I cut down to 155, but I posted some photos. Prior to cutting water weight, I was 160 lbs. I am 5'9". I looked ridiculously skinny. I can't imagine someone being 6'0" and 165 lbs and feeling fat.

Not fat, just out of shape with zero visible muscle mass and much visible body fat.

You can have an average weight/height and have a high BF% if I'm not mistaken.

I defiantly don't look like someone that lifts.

 

[Oblivian]

You need to eat more and lift more. The last thing I would be doing is cutting out grains if I was 6'0" 165 lbs.

 

[immovablestone]

I defiantly don't look like someone that lifts.

Then you're not lifting properly.

 

[XTrainer]

You need to eat more and lift more.

Exactly.


To the OP, I don't know how you're getting, "I'm scrawny, so I should eat less carbs." :icon_conf

 

[Jaedong]

If you want serious help you need to write out your training program, which exercises do you do for how many sets and reps. Also how much rest time between sets, this you can just answer approximately.

Also do you sleep and rest enough ?

 

[Envy]

Honestly, if you were a "ripped" 145 at 6'0, you'd look fucking ridiculous. I'd give you half my sandwich if I saw you on a street corner.

As far as diet, you should try doubling your fat intake. You're currently at 15% of calories from fats, and generally for optimal hormone production (and in my experience) 30% is where you want to be.

And 388 grams of protein? What are you, Jay Cutler? With that low amount of fat you must be eating 12 chicken breasts a day.

I imagine your calories aren't even close to what you think they are. Start using fitday and a food scale. You're probably starving yourself on way too low calories.

And if I were you, I'd start doing Starting strength or a 5x5 and eating about 4000-6000 calories a day, and replacing the distance runs with Tabata's or sprints. It's going to be a lot easier to cut a year or two from now when you're 40-50 pounds heavier and eating 6000 calories a day.

 

[Monger]

As far as diet, you should try doubling your fat intake. You're currently at 15% of calories from fats, and generally for optimal hormone production (and in my experience) 30% is where you want to be.

Do you have a source for that? Most research that I've seen suggests that hormones are negatively affected with fat intakes less that 15-20%. Anything above that mark shows no improvement.

 

[Ironpants]

Honestly, if you were a "ripped" 145 at 6'0, you'd look fucking ridiculous. I'd give you half my sandwich if I saw you on a street corner.

As far as diet, you should try doubling your fat intake. You're currently at 15% of calories from fats, and generally for optimal hormone production (and in my experience) 30% is where you want to be.

And 388 grams of protein? What are you, Jay Cutler? With that low amount of fat you must be eating 12 chicken breasts a day.

I imagine your calories aren't even close to what you think they are. Start using fitday and a food scale. You're probably starving yourself on way too low calories.

And if I were you, I'd start doing Starting strength or a 5x5 and eating about 4000-6000 calories a day, and replacing the distance runs with Tabata's or sprints. It's going to be a lot easier to cut a year or two from now when you're 40-50 pounds heavier and eating 6000 calories a day.

1) I was not aware of this. So I should be eating like 100+ grams of good fats? I was under the impression that high fat diets were a no no?

2) No not exactly. I don't know where that number came from. I get in at least 200 grams a day.

3) To clear things up, my carb intake is 150-200 from grains like whole wheat pasta and brown rice. I get another 250 or so from fruits and oatmeal.

For the people saying I should lift more, I really do push my self in the weight room 4 times a week doing a low rep high weight routine.

 

[Jaedong]

1) I was not aware of this. So I should be eating like 100+ grams of good fats? I was under the impression that high fat diets were a no no?

2) No not exactly. I don't know where that number came from. I get in at least 200 grams a day.

3) To clear things up, my carb intake is 150-200 from grains like whole wheat pasta and brown rice. I get another 250 or so from fruits and oatmeal.

For the people saying I should lift more, I really do push my self in the weight room 4 times a week doing a low rep high weight routine.

I also thought I had a good training regime but you need to get specific. I personally had way to much volume and exercises. If you eat all that and train properly then I don't see why you are only 160 pounds.

2) the number came from you not mentioning those other 250 g carbs.

 

[Oblivian]

Honestly, the way that you are monitoring your eating right now obviously isn't working. This may be different than what people in here will tell you, but don't worry about your fat from calorie %, amount of carbs, etc. If you are 6'0" and 165 lbs, you need to just eat a fuckload. Drink milk, eat oats, eat peanut butter, and eat a shitload of meat. Obsessing over small shit is stupid with your current stats. Eat heavy and lift heavy.

 

[largemansmay***]

I don't know if anyone remembers when I cut down to 155, but I posted some photos. Prior to cutting water weight, I was 160 lbs. I am 5'9". I looked ridiculously skinny. I can't imagine someone being 6'0" and 165 lbs and feeling fat.

The dude probably has absolutely no muscle on him.

Anyway, the simple answer to your question: stop eating 3,000 calories. Drop it to 2,000 calories for a couple months and see what happens.

EDIT: oh, I thought you wanted to lose weight. lol, you obviously are doing something wrong if you can't gain weight at your ridiculously skinny state.

 

[Ironpants]

The dude probably has absolutely no muscle on him.

Anyway, the simple answer to your question: stop eating 3,000 calories. Drop it to 2,000 calories for a couple months and see what happens.

EDIT: oh, I thought you wanted to lose weight. lol, you obviously are doing something wrong if you can't gain weight at your ridiculously skinny state.

No no, just BF%. Goal is to gain lean mucsle weight and drop the body fat %-tage.

I actually just weighted in at 171 today.

 

[Oblivian]

You just need to worry about putting on muscle and quit worrying about your bf%. The problem has to be that you have no muscle. I have a hard time believing that you are carrying around a lot of fat either. Just worry about eating a lot and increasing on your lifts. You should gain weight that will be muscle and fat. The bottom line right now is that you should worry about putting on muscle, not dropping fat.

 

[ronin0352]

If you want serious help you need to write out your training program, which exercises do you do for how many sets and reps. Also how much rest time between sets, this you can just answer approximately.

Also do you sleep and rest enough ?

This

You just need to worry about putting on muscle and quit worrying about your bf%. The problem has to be that you have no muscle. I have a hard time believing that you are carrying around a lot of fat either. Just worry about eating a lot and increasing on your lifts. You should gain weight that will be muscle and fat. The bottom line right now is that you should worry about putting on muscle, not dropping fat.

And this

 

[Ironpants]

You just need to worry about putting on muscle and quit worrying about your bf%. The problem has to be that you have no muscle. I have a hard time believing that you are carrying around a lot of fat either. Just worry about eating a lot and increasing on your lifts. You should gain weight that will be muscle and fat. The bottom line right now is that you should worry about putting on muscle, not dropping fat.

So I guess I should just stick to mass gain and wory about BF% cuts later?

I guess its that I'm frustated that after 2 years of killing myself in the gym and eating a spartan-like diet my phyique still looks pathetic. My actual lifts are decent too, I'm doing 180 benches and mid 5's on the mile run. I know that I do have muscle mass under there somewhere but like I said I stil have that soft body look of an out of shape person.


Anyway thanks for all the help guys.

 

[XTrainer]

Forget about "mass gain." You need to think about getting stronger, first and foremost. That means lifting seriously, which you have not been doing.

The size part follows naturally when you eat enough.

Also, stop telling yourself you have muscle mass "under there." If you're not totally ripped at 6' 170, you don't have much muscle mass. Period. And I'm speaking from experience here.