First offseason/diet question

[machomadness22]

Hey guys,
Ive been lifting seriously for 8 years now natural and I would consider myself more of an "endomorph". I tend to put on bf very easily. I just competed in my first NPC show last June since then I have been looking to put on more size. I seem to be getting bigger and stronger but my bodyfat is increasing slightly im up to about 12% right now. I also doing 0 cardio. During my contest prep I followed a keto diet w/ 0 carbs with 1 reefed day with 2 cardio sessions a day. I am worried if I cut carbs out and add cardio in now I won't respond as well for my next prep. Any advice I plan to stay natural for a couple shows just to learn first before I seek other means.
Here is my diet for the most part some of my protein sources may be changed but the macros tend to always stay the same,my strength is going up just looking for some advice on what to add or ditch.
MEAL 1: 4 eggs, 1 cup oats and fruit.
MEAL 2: 6-8 oz chicken 1-2 cups white rice
MEAL 3&4: SAME AS MEAL 2.
POST WORKOUT: CHOCOLATE MILK (or something high in carbs)
MEAL 5 (POST-WORKOUT) I usually opt for 6-8 oz of lean ground beef or a leaner steak with a cup of rice.
MEAL 6: (PRE-BEDTIME) 1 cup of cottage cheese or casein shake and 1 scoop peanut butter.
Thanks guys.

 

[ALLEX]

Well, I've never competed, but dairy and oats bloat me.

If you're gaining fat, that generally means you're eating too many carbs.

 

[machomadness22]

Well, I've never competed, but dairy and oats bloat me.

If you're gaining fat, that generally means you're eating too many carbs.

Yeah I didn't eat any oats or dairy during my prep just now because they are easy carbs/protein sources plus I love milk. I think this week I am going to take down my carbs a bit see what happens with that. What do you think about cardio?

 

[ALLEX]

What do you think about cardio?

15-20 minutes fasted will keep your BF down.

 

[machomadness22]

15-20 minutes fasted will keep your BF down.

Cool thank you

 

[mands]

I would switch over to brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice. Also, maybe 1 cup not two cups. Don't cut your carbs out, but you could cycle them with success I'm sure.

mands

 

[beastmode121]

Well, I've never competed, but dairy and oats bloat me.



If you're gaining fat, that generally means you're eating too many carbs.

You mean eating a lot of calories. carbs don't make you fat

What kinda advice am I reading in this thread; a lot of you so misinformed.
OP reevaluate your calorie intake; you can gain muscle with no fat gain unless you're on some tren

 

[machomadness22]

I would switch over to brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice. Also, maybe 1 cup not two cups. Don't cut your carbs out, but you could cycle them with success I'm sure.

mands

Yeah so far today I've been doing a 1/2 cup brown rice w/ 4 meals thanks for the input.

 

[Stayinfit]

My opinion...there has to be a starting point to the diet. After a couple of weeks there, if you gained fat or not gained anything or even lost weight, start adding or subtracting macros.

For example... buddy of mine took his bodyweight which at that time he was pretty darn lean. Multiplied that by 12 as a starting point and that was his beginning maintenance level because after two weeks he neither lost weight or gained. Trained 5 days a week. Off days he ate less carbs, protein stayed the same, fats stayed the same. So after those two weeks he upped his protein to 1.25 per lbm, added a little more carbs, fats stayed the same. Altogether he added 150 calories to his diet. He started gaining. After that stopped he added another 150 calories mostly in carbs. He gauged whether he was gaining fat or muscle by his abs or overall leanness. He still looked about the same as from the starting point so after awhile when he stopped gainining again, he added another 150 calories...upped protein to 1.5 and a little more carbs and a tad more fat.

Anyway, I think you see what he did. He wrote everything down so he new how much to add in macros. After awhile he started to really smooth out so he cut back his carbs on certain days and in time went back to being just as lean.

Just an example of how I know someone did it.

 

[machomadness22]

My opinion...there has to be a starting point to the diet. After a couple of weeks there, if you gained fat or not gained anything or even lost weight, start adding or subtracting macros.

For example... buddy of mine took his bodyweight which at that time he was pretty darn lean. Multiplied that by 12 as a starting point and that was his beginning maintenance level because after two weeks he neither lost weight or gained. Trained 5 days a week. Off days he ate less carbs, protein stayed the same, fats stayed the same. So after those two weeks he upped his protein to 1.25 per lbm, added a little more carbs, fats stayed the same. Altogether he added 150 calories to his diet. He started gaining. After that stopped he added another 150 calories mostly in carbs. He gauged whether he was gaining fat or muscle by his abs or overall leanness. He still looked about the same as from the starting point so after awhile when he stopped gainining again, he added another 150 calories...upped protein to 1.5 and a little more carbs and a tad more fat.

Anyway, I think you see what he did. He wrote everything down so he new how much to add in macros. After awhile he started to really smooth out so he cut back his carbs on certain days and in time went back to being just as lean.

Just an example of how I know someone did it.

Yeah I should have done that its almost like right now I feel like I'm gaining size and putting on body fat, does that make sense? Haha

 

[swolen22]

How much do you weigh

 

[machomadness22]

How much do you weigh

Right now I'm 180 @ 11-12% bodyfat

 

[jrock00123]

Your natural and been training for 8 years. It is very unlikely that you will make fat free gains. The best you can do is try to optimize the lean mass to fat ratio that you gain. Anything over 70/30 is excellent. The approach stayinfit outlined is solid.

 

[ALLEX]

You mean eating a lot of calories. carbs don't make you fat

What kinda advice am I reading in this thread; a lot of you so misinformed.
OP reevaluate your calorie intake; you can gain muscle with no fat gain unless you're on some tren

I don't think all calories are created equal.

2000 calories from chicken breast will not yeld similar results to 2000 calories from sugar.

 

[mytreefiddy]

I dunno....call me crazy but if i strip carbs, I get leaner.