Off season to pre contest diet

[beefybollocks]

Hi,

I was wondering how I start a pre contest diet. I know my current offseason macros
274g protein, 570g carbs, 128g fat, 4528 kcals

Say if every 2 weeks I drop 50g of carbs do I replace it with 50g protein, essentially just switch around the macros, or do I keep protein the same and just drop carbs creating a deficit

Had a productive offseason and just don't want to lose any muscle

Thanks

 

[jimmyjones]

Depends on how much fat you have to remove and what kind of time table you are working...

Some real stats or a picture could help ....

 

[beefybollocks]

I'm 206 and 16% b.f 5 10"

Lookin to go to 8% bf

I've gone down to 8% bf before but starting point was 185 lbs so I just dropped down to 100g carbs and went very lean but lost too much muscle

This time I'm on 570g carbs so a drop to 100g would be too drastic so wud I do this gradually, say 50g every 2 weeks?

I have no time frame as it isn't for a show

 

[jimmyjones]

570grams day in and day out will not help you much in the fat loss department.

You need to carb cycle. Some high carb days, some medium, and some near zero carb days.

Leg days usually are the high carb days....

Small body parts usually are the medium carb days....

Off days are usually the days you run on near zero carbs.....and those are the days you kill yourself with cardio.

The overall calories need to come down as well. I think 3000 cals is a good place to start and work your way down from there.

 

[jimmyjones]

Oh and more one thing....

Fat and carbs are inverse proportional...

Meaning.....if its a HIGH carb day....fat intake must be VERY low....

If its a LOW carb day....fat intake can come up a tiny bit more...

 

[jharper001]

Could you give a suggestion for where his macros should be at 3k cals. Also is there a ratio to adhere to on these different carb loading days?

 

[jharper001]

Not trying to hijack, just looking for similar information and helping him also helps me

 

[tr]

Not trying to hijack, just looking for similar information and helping him also helps me

Depending on where you are at, how you look scenario could be:
1st step - cut all added dietary fats (take only some fish oil, some MCT oil). Still have red meat meal ed or eod, keep yolk or two
2nd step - cut carbs a little bit
3rd step - cut red meat (replace with chicken), yollks (replace with egg whites)
4th step - replace chicken with fish and cut carbs again. At this point you are eating just oats,rice,fish and egg whites and depending on your progress continue to dropping carbs further if you are not losing fat, or upping carbs a bit if you are getting in shape too quicky, dropping to much weight.

 

[jackjack]

Depending on where you are at, how you look scenario could be:
1st step - cut all added dietary fats (take only some fish oil, some MCT oil). Still have red meat meal ed or eod, keep yolk or two
2nd step - cut carbs a little bit
3rd step - cut red meat (replace with chicken), yollks (replace with egg whites)
4th step - replace chicken with fish and cut carbs again. At this point you are eating just oats,rice,fish and egg whites and depending on your progress continue to dropping carbs further if you are not losing fat, or upping carbs a bit if you are getting in shape too quicky, dropping to much weight.

Very sound advice, I haven't dieting too low in years as I don't compete and am married, not much use for being super lean. But last time I did diet down, I used the carb cycling method that someone suggested above. I find it useful to keep your metabolism burning hot (high carb days) and still taking advantage of low days. Plus it allows for you to keep mental sanity by having some days like your leg day to go a little crazy maybe a cheat meal or two.

Only thing I'd add to TRs suggestion, is that if not for contest you can keep red meat throughout the entire process as I did. I love red meat and if i can't eat it I feel very deprived so I like to get it 2-3X a week. If its not for a contest just go slow and listen to your body. Always keep that protein up to help spare the muscle and don't neglect good fats, alot of people over look these and I feel they are essential especially during a diet down phase.

EDIT: Oh and if your going to do cardio remember use the cardio to supplement fat loss, let your diet do the work, using cardio too aggressively and you stand your greatest chance to lose muscle tissue, especially if your not AAS assisted. You said you've dieted before, learn from your past mistakes and apply that knowledge this time around.

 

[letsrun4it]

Depending on where you are at, how you look scenario could be:
1st step - cut all added dietary fats (take only some fish oil, some MCT oil). Still have red meat meal ed or eod, keep yolk or two
2nd step - cut carbs a little bit
3rd step - cut red meat (replace with chicken), yollks (replace with egg whites)
4th step - replace chicken with fish and cut carbs again. At this point you are eating just oats,rice,fish and egg whites and depending on your progress continue to dropping carbs further if you are not losing fat, or upping carbs a bit if you are getting in shape too quicky, dropping to much weight.

BOOM! Good advice.

Only thing I'd add (and maybe this goes without saying) but even in step one when you're not cutting carbs they need to be clean carbs. It's not that tough to diet when you're eating a ton of carbs so keep it clean-- oats, potatoes, rice.

 

[Rome1]

Depending on where you are at, how you look scenario could be:
1st step - cut all added dietary fats (take only some fish oil, some MCT oil). Still have red meat meal ed or eod, keep yolk or two
2nd step - cut carbs a little bit
3rd step - cut red meat (replace with chicken), yollks (replace with egg whites)
4th step - replace chicken with fish and cut carbs again. At this point you are eating just oats,rice,fish and egg whites and depending on your progress continue to dropping carbs further if you are not losing fat, or upping carbs a bit if you are getting in shape too quicky, dropping to much weight.

This...Nice quick layout