Controlling food volume in offseason

[cornflakeshot]

Hello guys

Finishing up a cut where I’ve gotten lean enough that feel comfortable to really push here soon.

As someone with less than blessed genetics structurally, I really want to do my best to control my waist growth.

I plan to eat clean, minimal to no cheat meals, use a waist trainer during cardio, and practice vacuums (these are all already things I am currently doing and plan to continue).

I am curious, do you guys strategically try to limit specifically the volume eaten as well with food choices? Rice over potatoes, less veggies, cream of rice over oats etc

Any experience or advice is appreciated!

 

[buck]

I don't buy or cook things that are not part of my diet. Bulking or cutting. Hard to eat what isn't there.

 

[cornflakeshot]

I don't buy or cook things that are not part of my diet. Bulking or cutting. Hard to eat what isn't there.

I don’t know what this has to do with my question :/

 

[d4ve]

Hello guys

Finishing up a cut where I’ve gotten lean enough that feel comfortable to really push here soon.

As someone with less than blessed genetics structurally, I really want to do my best to control my waist growth.

I plan to eat clean, minimal to no cheat meals, use a waist trainer during cardio, and practice vacuums (these are all already things I am currently doing and plan to continue).

I am curious, do you guys strategically try to limit specifically the volume eaten as well with food choices? Rice over potatoes, less veggies, cream of rice over oats etc

Any experience or advice is appreciated!

You don't necessarily want to limit volume wherever possible...which perhaps isn't your assumption, but I think it is many a bodybuilder's assumption. I.e. "Don't eat vegetables during the off-season because they'll make it harder to get down your caloric food." Not smart IMO. You want your body to be a food processing machine that handles the volume like a champ.

Good carb choices are going to help, to a degree. But if you're already eating primarily white rice - which you probably should be if your carbs are north of 500-600 - there's not a ton more you can do. Cream of rice might be a bit less volume, but I haven't found it to digest any better or faster than white rice. I think part of the reason people say that it does is that they always make cream of rice fresh, whereas rice is often refrigerated and reheated, at which point you're dealing with resistant starch. Solution - try to keep your rice on warm in the rice cooker, and at least cook it fresh daily.

The right amount of fiber helps, as well as the right kinds. I get a good amount of soluble fiber from a daily bowl of oats and from using fibrous foods as my fat sources - avocados, nuts / nut butters, and chia seeds. Really helps keep you regular. That, along with 100-150g vegetables with my rice meals, really seems to help. So does a few pieces of fruit per day.

I have a huge appetite, so I haven't really had to implement a lot of "hacks," but I also don't see a ton of success among guys who try to - meaning they still struggle with digestive problems and complain frequently about distention.

Making your food taste good and eating it reasonably fresh (cooked 1-3 days ago vs. 5) goes a loooong way.

 

[slesh]

You don't necessarily want to limit volume wherever possible...which perhaps isn't your assumption, but I think it is many a bodybuilder's assumption. I.e. "Don't eat vegetables during the off-season because they'll make it harder to get down your caloric food." Not smart IMO. You want your body to be a food processing machine that handles the volume like a champ.

Good carb choices are going to help, to a degree. But if you're already eating primarily white rice - which you probably should be if your carbs are north of 500-600 - there's not a ton more you can do. Cream of rice might be a bit less volume, but I haven't found it to digest any better or faster than white rice. I think part of the reason people say that it does is that they always make cream of rice fresh, whereas rice is often refrigerated and reheated, at which point you're dealing with resistant starch. Solution - try to keep your rice on warm in the rice cooker, and at least cook it fresh daily.

The right amount of fiber helps, as well as the right kinds. I get a good amount of soluble fiber from a daily bowl of oats and from using fibrous foods as my fat sources - avocados, nuts / nut butters, and chia seeds. Really helps keep you regular. That, along with 100-150g vegetables with my rice meals, really seems to help. So does a few pieces of fruit per day.

I have a huge appetite, so I haven't really had to implement a lot of "hacks," but I also don't see a ton of success among guys who try to - meaning they still struggle with digestive problems and complain frequently about distention.

Making your food taste good and eating it reasonably fresh (cooked 1-3 days ago vs. 5) goes a loooong way.

@cornflakeshot say thank you @d4ve because that dude just showed you the light

PS - I’m hiiiiigh

 

[cornflakeshot]

You don't necessarily want to limit volume wherever possible...which perhaps isn't your assumption, but I think it is many a bodybuilder's assumption. I.e. "Don't eat vegetables during the off-season because they'll make it harder to get down your caloric food." Not smart IMO. You want your body to be a food processing machine that handles the volume like a champ.

Good carb choices are going to help, to a degree. But if you're already eating primarily white rice - which you probably should be if your carbs are north of 500-600 - there's not a ton more you can do. Cream of rice might be a bit less volume, but I haven't found it to digest any better or faster than white rice. I think part of the reason people say that it does is that they always make cream of rice fresh, whereas rice is often refrigerated and reheated, at which point you're dealing with resistant starch. Solution - try to keep your rice on warm in the rice cooker, and at least cook it fresh daily.

The right amount of fiber helps, as well as the right kinds. I get a good amount of soluble fiber from a daily bowl of oats and from using fibrous foods as my fat sources - avocados, nuts / nut butters, and chia seeds. Really helps keep you regular. That, along with 100-150g vegetables with my rice meals, really seems to help. So does a few pieces of fruit per day.

I have a huge appetite, so I haven't really had to implement a lot of "hacks," but I also don't see a ton of success among guys who try to - meaning they still struggle with digestive problems and complain frequently about distention.

Making your food taste good and eating it reasonably fresh (cooked 1-3 days ago vs. 5) goes a loooong way.

Holy shit. Great response, thank you so much.

@slesh does this mean I need to go get high to fully embrace the light?

 

[alfresco]

I don’t know what this has to do with my question :/

Buck is right on.
Think about it.
And then think about it again.
It’s all there.

 

[buck]

I don’t know what this has to do with my question :/

I guess you are looking to be told which foods will satisfy you, digest well, and leave you ready to go for your next meal. I find that is something each person figures on their own as what work well for me doesn't work well for others. I buy and cook foods and have them on hand for what will accomplish the task i need.

 

[buck]

If you do a search over on the members logs section you will se how many of the guys eat and you can scale it to your calories/macro's

 

[MackCoach]

“use a waist trainer during cardio,”

Please do not post pictures of that ……

When I go to gyms in Miami I see a lot of girls doing the waist trainer thing……

 

[MackCoach]

Last week in the locker room of LA Fitness I saw some fat guy wrapping his waist in Saran Wrap …. Insert smack head to forehead GIF…..

As if this shit is really going to help you…..

Don’t over stress don’t overthink this stuff bro
Make sensible decisions

 

[cornflakeshot]

I guess you are looking to be told which foods will satisfy you, digest well, and leave you ready to go for your next meal. I find that is something each person figures on their own as what work well for me doesn't work well for others. I buy and cook foods and have them on hand for what will accomplish the task i need.

I have no idea what you’re talking about in relation to what I asked tbh dude. I was asking moreso if people concern themselves with purposefully trying to limit the volume of their food specifically to try and counteract waist growth in the offseason.

But I appreciate you responding.

 

[heavyhitter]

I have no idea what you’re talking about in relation to what I asked tbh dude

He’s saying it’s different for everyone, so giving someone a list won’t be all that helpful. For example, most people digest chicken breast pretty quickly, but it takes me 3-4 hours to feel hungry again after eating 8 ounces of chicken breast. But a 12 ounce ribeye and I’m hungry again in 2 hours. Find what foods you digest quickly and cause the least amount of bloating

 

[cornflakeshot]

He’s saying it’s different for everyone, so giving someone a list won’t be all that helpful. For example, most people digest chicken breast pretty quickly, but it takes me 3-4 hours to feel hungry again after eating 8 ounces of chicken breast. But a 12 ounce ribeye and I’m hungry again in 2 hours. Find what foods you digest quickly and cause the least amount of bloating

I get that but I wasn’t looking for a list, I was asking if people specifically limit food volume in the off-season to prevent waist growth. But I do see what you’re saying, fortunately been at it long enough now that I’ve found foods that do agree with me very well!

 

[TheOtherOne55]

I have never met anyone whose waist has grown out of normal growth coming from a lean state. At least from my own time, waist growth happens when insulin resistance is higher, ie you’ve been in an offseason growth phase for quite awhile andd you are pushing food. Stuff starts going sideways. But if you are lean, ie about to rebound up, your waist isn’t going to grow. No chance.

The trick is the fight to maintain insulin sensitivity, maintain appetite, maintain good habits as long as humanly possible. Obviously some structures are more blessed than others, but I’m a walking example right now. Waist growth isn’t happening when I’m lean, it’s happening right now. 30 weeks post show fighting tooth and nail to get food down lol.

Do your vacuums, where your waist trainer, but I wouldn’t stress about waist growth until your body fat is nearing that mental max limit.

 

[cornflakeshot]

I have never met anyone whose waist has grown out of normal growth coming from a lean state. At least from my own time, waist growth happens when insulin resistance is higher, ie you’ve been in an offseason growth phase for quite awhile andd you are pushing food. Stuff starts going sideways. But if you are lean, ie about to rebound up, your waist isn’t going to grow. No chance.

The trick is the fight to maintain insulin sensitivity, maintain appetite, maintain good habits as long as humanly possible. Obviously some structures are more blessed than others, but I’m a walking example right now. Waist growth isn’t happening when I’m lean, it’s happening right now. 30 weeks post show fighting tooth and nail to get food down lol.

Do your vacuums, where your waist trainer, but I wouldn’t stress about waist growth until your body fat is nearing that mental max limit.

Thanks man. I actually follow your log and was gonna tag you cause I know you struggle with the structure side as well, but damn with your size at what? 320? You’ve outmuscled it

 

[heavyhitter]

I get that but I wasn’t looking for a list, I was asking if people specifically limit food volume in the off-season to prevent waist growth. But I do see what you’re saying, fortunately been at it long enough now that I’ve found foods that do agree with me very well!

No. Most people just use more calorically dense foods. Beef instead of fish/chicken. White rice because it digests quickly, etc.

 

[need4tren]

you’d by surprised how little “food” you need to eat per meal Aslong as your able to get those 6 meals in. Just keep it clean. Keep your meals a size you can eat again in 2 hours. Stay away from sugar and greasy food as it will cause gut inflammation

 

[AllOkJumpmaster]

keeping as many carbs in the peri workout window as possible, and limiting them elsewhere can help, as well as erring on the lower side if high FODMAP foods. Digestion aiding supplements like betaine hcl, pepsin, bromelain, digestive enzymes, and probiotics as well. This shit is highly individual, and often times trial and error.

 

[heavyhitter]

keeping as many carbs in the peri workout window as possible, and limiting them elsewhere can help, as well as erring on the lower side if high FODMAP foods. Digestion aiding supplements like betaine hcl, pepsin, bromelain, digestive enzymes, and probiotics as well. This shit is highly individual, and often times trial and error.

This