Diet to reduce BF %

KissMeArse

Hi all,

I know there's a few threads knocking around here about this subject but I didn't want to hijack those so I've set my own one up.
As the title says, I'd like to cut body fat to a point where I've more defined abs and muscles. I'm happy enough with my training, the last 8 or 9 months I've been doing weights (mainly compound movements) and the last month I've started to lift heavier weights/less reps. I've noticed a nice change in my overall physique but I'm probably slightly disappointed that I've still a noticeable layer if visceral fat, particularly around the navel area.
Now I know spot reduction isn't possible and I'm not one of these clowns who thinks doing 1000 sit ups a night will have me a 6 pack by next week. I know it's mostly down to diet so I'm looking to know what I can chop and change in my diet that can help achieve this. I also know it's not something that happens quick so I won't be getting p!ssed off if I don't see results in a few weeks!
I'm guessing it'll be a case of going low carb? My typical diet is this:

Breakfast (6/6.30): 30g porridge with one or two weetabix biscuits in full fat milk.

Break in work at 10.30: banana, half handful Brazil/almond nuts, biscuit, coffee with dash of milk.

Lunch: two slices ryvita with avocado, turkey breast slices, sprinkle grated cheese, spinach leaves.
OR
Whole meal wrap with two boiled eggs, avocado, sprinkle grated cheese, spinach leaves.
(I alternate between these two each day)
Handful grapes, biscuit, half handful Brazil/almond nuts.

Dinner: steak with veg and sweet potato
Or
Chicken fajitas incl chicken breast, onion, pepper, fajita mix, wrap x2
Or
Homemade lasagne
Or
Cooked whole chicken with rice and veg
Or
Homemade shepherds pie

Snack: small bowl of Greek yogurt with peanut butter, 2x rice cakes with cottage cheese on them.

3L water + per day (gave up fizzy drinks years ago)

So what could I change there? I'm going to guess take it easy on the fruit, replace the porridge with eggs for breakfast, cut back on the things like pasta, rice spuds etc??
I'd have no problem having eggs for breakfast but don't really know what else I could have for lunch (I should point out I'm allergic to all seafood so that's off the menu unfortunately)

Could anyone even give me some figures as to how much carbs a day to limit myself to maybe, if that's the way to go? At least then I'd have something to aim for.

I'm a 26 year old male, weigh 76kg and 5'8".
Any helpful input would be hugely appreciated thanks lads.

ford2600

Try limiting carbs to liberal non starchy veg, with fruit limited to post workout only.

Eat more fat, butter, cream, meat (I avoid poultry with exception of free range chicken, which I eat except breast meat), lamb stew, pork belly, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado etc.

I've never had a weight issue, but without change in weight have lost 1.5" of waist eating like described above. Eat twice a day typically.

Might not work for you. No one diet suits all.

Hard not to get enough protein on this diet but easy to over do it.

thegreatiam

KissMeArse wrote: »

I'm guessing it'll be a case of going low carb? My typical diet is this:

Breakfast (6/6.30): 30g porridge with one or two weetabix biscuits in full fat milk.

Break in work at 10.30: banana, half handful Brazil/almond nuts, biscuit, coffee with dash of milk.

Lunch: two slices ryvita with avocado, turkey breast slices, sprinkle grated cheese, spinach leaves.
OR
Whole meal wrap with two boiled eggs, avocado, sprinkle grated cheese, spinach leaves.
(I alternate between these two each day)
Handful grapes, biscuit, half handful Brazil/almond nuts.

Dinner: steak with veg and sweet potato
Or
Chicken fajitas incl chicken breast, onion, pepper, fajita mix, wrap x2
Or
Homemade lasagne
Or
Cooked whole chicken with rice and veg
Or
Homemade shepherds pie

Snack: small bowl of Greek yogurt with peanut butter, 2x rice cakes with cottage cheese on them.

3L water + per day (gave up fizzy drinks years ago)

how many calories per day do you consume? what does all of this add up to?
low carb, high carb or a middling amount of carbs makes no difference if you aren't consuming the right amount of calories

weigh your food, there are no portion sizes in that list. HOw much greek yoghurt in that snack? how much cottage cheese. be accurate,
"some" veg is not a measurement. 1 chicken fajita is not a measurement.

100g of chicken, 1 50g flour tortilla, 25g of cheese, etc. add it into myfitnesspal and it will tell you your total calories and break it down into macro nutrients.

KissMeArse wrote: »

So what could I change there? I'm going to guess take it easy on the fruit, replace the porridge with eggs for breakfast, cut back on the things like pasta, rice spuds etc??
I'd have no problem having eggs for breakfast but don't really know what else I could have for lunch (I should point out I'm allergic to all seafood so that's off the menu unfortunately)

Could anyone even give me some figures as to how much carbs a day to limit myself to maybe, if that's the way to go? At least then I'd have something to aim for.

I'm a 26 year old male, weigh 76kg and 5'8".
Any helpful input would be hugely appreciated thanks lads.

add all of your details, height weight age and activity, into a site like http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/, or another tdee /bmr calculator. , that will calculate a ball park figure as to how many calories you need to consume a day, adjust it according to your goals and eat what it tells you to eat.

the actual diet you choose makes no difference to the end result, the only thing that affects it is calories in < calories out. do that and you will lose weight.

low carb is fine, but not a requirement. just make sure you get the right amount of protein and fats and use the rest of your total on carbs. most likely you will be eating more carbs on workout days and less on rest days.

colman1212

Go paleo. Carbs only before and after training!
Fats and protein the rest of the time.

oscar_mike

There's a lot of carbs in your diet and unless your a marathon runner or something they will get up causing you weight gain if you have to much of them. Cut down on the rice and spud and only have them the odd time, like once/twice a week max. Also ditch the rice cakes, wraps and weetabix, useless foods! and as far as good solid breakfasts go, weetabix is about as nutritious as cardboard and full of sugar. Don't be fooled by the "good grains" or "slow release energy" crap.

Get in more blueberries, strawberries, avocados, broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, eggs, cheese and nuts to fill the gap


Cutting carbs to below 100g a day is typically well within the low carb diet range but the lower you go the better the effect generally. Also work out you daily calorie intake and dont go past it, unless you do regular vigorous exercise.

oscar_mike

Also, a good alternative to eggs is a bowel of strawberries, blueberries and walnuts with some greek yogurt. Can be blended either.

runawaybishop

thegreatiam wrote: »

how many calories per day do you consume? what does all of this add up to?
low carb, high carb or a middling amount of carbs makes no difference if you aren't consuming the right amount of calories

Can we just get this bit added to every post that mentions going keto or paleo to lose weight?

KissMeArse

OP here, thanks for the advice and suggestions much appreciated.

Probably should have included some numbers, I would take in about 2300 cals per day, my BMR worked out at 1800 and TDEE at 2356. I guess I'll use the TDEE figure to base my eating around which will consist of mainly protein and fats.
I plugged in what I ate today into myfitnesspal and it worked out at just over 2000 cals with a breakdown of 21% carbs, 29% protein and 49% fat.

Just a question on the strawberries/blueberries recipe a poster mentioned above, sounds good but should I not be trying to cut the fruit? Or maybe have it on workout days? I've stocked up on some things like cheese, cream, veg. I'll start weighing them out too and continue to plug them into MFP.

Also a question on eggs, I'm putting together an eating plan day to day. I'm going to have 2 eggs for breakfast every morning. (On workout days im going to make a pancake of 2 eggs, half a small banana, scoop of protein powder served with teaspoon peanut butter and two teaspoons of Greek yogurt).
Is there anything bad about having a few eggs every day? (I'm aware there's a lot if myths out there re eggs!)

Finally, do you think it would have much effect if I had a "cheat" or two at the weekend? I don't really drink, I'm talking more of a pizza/chips/burger/chocolate etc. without going overboard!

Thanks lads.

thegreatiam

No. Eggs are fine. And 2 eggs a day is certainly fine.

As for the rest it all come down to staying under your calorie total.

Things like fruit are high in sugar. So your basically wasting your limited calories on a fast burning fuel.

If I said build a bonfire you can only spend 10 euro on fuel you could by 10 euro of logs or 10 euro of petrol. Which will keep you warm the longest?
Fruit is the petrol. Light it up and it will burn for a minute or two. But youll spend the rest of the day shivering.
Sure you can bring a little. But make sure you get enough sustainable fuel for the fire to last the day.

If you spend your budget on things like fruit the you can still lose weight provided you don't go over budget. You'll just be hungrier more often.

Cheat meals are also fine. But realise what a cheat meal is.

It needs to still come under your weekly total. If you eat 2000 call a day then that's 14000 a week. You could eat 1900 a day and have 2600 on your cheat day and still be under 14000 for the week.

But rather than sacrificing all week and looking forward to 1 day of binging. Which may leave you craving more bad choices just shape your whole diet so that you include enjoyable foods. Diet is not about abstinence or avoiding food. It's about getting the balance correct.

It was pancake day yesterday. Do you think I abstained or avoided it? No. I simply factored a plate full of Nutella into my meal plan. I fell slightly short of my protein goals but within a decent range that it won't matter.

It's a long term project over years. One or two slip ups or deliberate deviations won't change the journey