Time to get ripped

[Yellowjacket]

Hi everyone,

I have been lifting weights for years now but in all that time, I have always been nervous to diet and lose precious muscle.  I'm not the most bulky person so every ounce of lean is precious to me.  Now, the problem is that the underlying lean bodymass is covered by unsightly fat so my wife doesn't get to enjoy it.  When I was 26 I was 206lbs at approx. 12 - 14% bodyfat  (Judging by comparison pictures) and now I'm 34 and 265lbs at approx. 27% bodyfat  (Again, comparison photos) after an unsuccessful attempt at 'bulking up'.  This is a max of about 10lbs of muscle gain with many more unnecessary pounds of fat. 
The mistakes that were made were simple.

1) I did not record what I was eating.

2) I did not use my tape measure

3) I did not step on a scale.

4) I did not take regular photos.

All these steps would have kept me on track, so I'm taking them now.

 

My goal is to get this fat peeled off so people can see how in shape I really am, and not be surprised by what I can do only when they see me at the gym. I will attempt to lose an inch off of my waist each month since slow fat loss is best for preserving Lean Body Mass.

 

My weight training regime is based on compound movements with isolation exercises done afterword to further develop the muscles.  It is very much bodybuilding influenced in approach, but I would say bodybuilding as taught by 'natural' and 'amateur' athletes, not the genetic freak shows.  The 4 - 5 days a week in the gym are suitable to someone with my metabolism and are really used to boost my metabolic rate and retain lean body mass.

The diet is important.  The 'principles' are paleo with the following modifications:

 

1) I eat oats in the morning along with eggs and whatever berries or fruit I want.
2) I have whey protein and whole milk directly post workout.

3) I eat regularly, every 2 - 3 hours.

4) I am tracking my calorie intake to 2,500 calories per day and eating 200grams of protein per day.  I will raise or drop the calories depending on how my body responds, but I think my caloric expenditure is fairly high right now, especially with the frequent feedings.  I don't want to make the mistake of not eating enough.

5) Aside from mornings I eat little to no carbs except directly before and after a workout.  So there is some manipulation of calories going on here.
I'll keep everyone posted as I progress.

Take care!

YJ
 


 

[legangles]

Hi hi

Thought I would pop by and cheer you on.

[Yellowjacket]

Thanks!  Things are going well over in the challenge forum!