*** The 2017 Gym Rats Thread ***

PaulStat said:
Ok thanks, I was just going by the body weight in lbs * 18 in the gordyr thread perhaps I read it wrong
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It's a bit of a broad stroke. Most people use online calculators which spit out an estimation of your BMR + activity levels to give you a total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) then you can use their +/- amounts for gaining or dieting for a couple of weeks, see what happens with the scales and gym performance and then start adjusting yourself to fit in with what's regarding as health rates of weight gain or loss (-0.5 to 1% of total body weight a week for dieting, and +0.5-1% of total bodyweight per month for gaining as the leaner you are, the slower you want the losses to be, and the more muscle mass you have, the slower you want the gains to be since an advanced lifter can't add mass like a noobie).

An example of a calculator is one like:
https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator
 
GiraffePencils said:
maybe I've missed the post,
but what calculation are you guys using to get these numbers?

also where do most people find their fat percentage?!

My current plan was to just keep adding calories till my weight finally goes up!!
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Online calculators (see post above), or just using some basic maths - watch Eric Helms pyramid series on YouTube

BF% is largely guesswork as the most accurate(ish) methods involve proper testing kit like a DEXA scan or BodPod. For the most part you just have to compare yourself to pictures (and then add a couple of % as men are never as lean as they think they are):

http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages
https://www.ruled.me/visually-estimate-body-fat-percentage/

Loads of others out there.
 
Thanks,
I'd jumped on that calculator when you'd posted it :p
mostly in line with what I was going for, probably fail to hit those targets most days :/

Hmm, pics would put me at 15-19% sounds a bit low to how I feel haha

I always tend to let my calorie intake drop on rest days, Should I be keeping the macro intake constant day to day?
 
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GiraffePencils said:
Thanks,
I'd jumped on that calculator when you'd posted it :p
mostly in line with what I was going for, probably fail to hit those targets most days :/

Hmm, pics would put me at 15-19% sounds a bit low to how I feel haha
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Look at the 10% vs 10% picture on the Leigh Peele one. Lean mass is crucial to how you actually look at lower %'s and being jacked generally makes estimating a bit easier. At the same time you shouldn't worry about it too much; unless you're really overweight things like protein recommendations for intake using LBM v.s. using total mass aren't going to give hugely different results. I think just tracking total calories and protein is sufficient for most people and if you find it easy to sit around a certain weight and not gain or lose then it's worth tracking what goes in your mouth to ensure you don't waste your time not growing or leaning out (the latter I'm great at, the former... guilty of not stuffing my face enough).

MattTheTall77 said:
I work in IT so at the desk most of the day, but I try and go to the gym 4 days a week for an hour a day doing weights. I've always been able to eat what I want, an extreme hard gainer. I started off around 12 stone back in 2015 after not going to the gym for a couple of years, was up to over 14st last year but stopped going to the gym in April and keeping up the calories and within a couple of months was back down to 12.5. This time I've been trying to eat a lot cleaner with brown rice, wholemeal bread/bagels, wholewheat pasta, fruit, sweet potatoes, Huel etc. Tbh it's becoming a bit of a chore eating so much (vegetarian as well so limits things)

When I first started the weights in 2015 I was doing 2 hours a day on a 2 day split twice a week (Mon & Tues then Thurs & Fri). Not seeing as much progression with just an hour per day on a 4 day split at the moment. I'm tempted to try the ICF5x5 for a change and to increase volume.
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Do you count the calories/carbs from fibre as part of your total carbs? Also how high is your protein intake, since a very high protein intake will have a larger TEF/thermic effect from food and your surplus won't be as large in calories in terms as if you got the same cals from fats/carbs. In either case you might be logging 4k cals but the actual calories in might not be that much.

Also great example of why if most of your intake is whole-foods based that getting some calories in from 'other' (Oreos are vegetarian right? :D) sources can be helpful for hitting calorie targets; your micronutrient and fibre needs will be sorted already so there's no harm getting a bunch of calories from energy dense sources just to make eating a lot less of a chore.
 
Do you count the calories/carbs from fibre as part of your total carbs? Also how high is your protein intake, since a very high protein intake will have a larger TEF/thermic effect from food and your surplus won't be as large in calories in terms as if you got the same cals from fats/carbs. In either case you might be logging 4k cals but the actual calories in might not be that much.

Also great example of why if most of your intake is whole-foods based that getting some calories in from 'other' (Oreos are vegetarian right? :D) sources can be helpful for hitting calorie targets; your micronutrient and fibre needs will be sorted already so there's no harm getting a bunch of calories from energy dense sources just to make eating a lot less of a chore.
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To be honest I'm not sure, I use MyFitnessPal to keep a track of calories. When I say cleaner I may have over exaggerated how clean it is, there's still lots of 'bad' calories going in, lots. But it's not as bad as it was haha. Looking back on Fitness pal I haven't been consistent the last two weeks due to how busy work has been, some days down to 3.6k. Weekends are hard as well as I can't stick to a routine with SWMBO taking me out to help with the horse. Anyway, I'm popping my helmet on and hiding behind the sofa, here it is http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/LankyLurch77

I need to see a dietician really although they may be horrified by what I eat and what I can't/won't eat.
 
I'd only worry about seeing an RD if you feel you suffer from something clinical that hasn't yet been diagnosed properly - for everything else the evidence-based community online has plenty up to date and peer-reviewed stuff out/constantly coming out on nutrition, with some of the guys being Dr.s and running clinical studies themselves; the Alan Aragons/James Krieger/Brad Schoenfeld/Lyle McDonald/Eric Helms of the world basically. Just follow all those guys on social media.

For a vegetarian your diet is badly lacking in greenery/vegetables (chips don't count)!
 
Shoulder rehab is going well. Doubt I will ever bench press well again though. On the plus side, reverse grip bench press is safe for an ac joint injury and doesn't bother it. Not pretty I know, but a better alternative than nothing. Dumbells should be ok down the line too. Resting it as best I can.
 
Somnambulist said:
I'd only worry about seeing an RD if you feel you suffer from something clinical that hasn't yet been diagnosed properly - for everything else the evidence-based community online has plenty up to date and peer-reviewed stuff out/constantly coming out on nutrition, with some of the guys being Dr.s and running clinical studies themselves; the Alan Aragons/James Krieger/Brad Schoenfeld/Lyle McDonald/Eric Helms of the world basically. Just follow all those guys on social media.

For a vegetarian your diet is badly lacking in greenery/vegetables (chips don't count)!
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Thanks for the advice it's much appreciated.

As for the vegetables, I'm a vegetarian who doesn't like veg, which makes eating awkward and limited :) Unless it's on pizza, or peppers in the chilli haha!
 
CaptainRAVE said:
Shoulder rehab is going well. Doubt I will ever bench press well again though. On the plus side, reverse grip bench press is safe for an ac joint injury and doesn't bother it. Not pretty I know, but a better alternative than nothing. Dumbells should be ok down the line too. Resting it as best I can.
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Stick at it and you'll be surprised how well you can heal.

There was a time I was told I'd lift nothing of any note using my very broken shoulders, I've benched 120kg and put 90kg over head since then.
 
MattTheTall77 said:
Thanks for the advice it's much appreciated.

As for the vegetables, I'm a vegetarian who doesn't like veg, which makes eating awkward and limited :) Unless it's on pizza, or peppers in the chilli haha!
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Stuff like Huel is pretty vital to hit your micros then! Also although this article is for vegans I'm sure you could get something useful out of it yourself - it's written for the personal training school I'm currently attending (would like to do nutritional and fitness advising/consulting in future).
 
MattTheTall77 said:
To be honest I'm not sure, I use MyFitnessPal to keep a track of calories. When I say cleaner I may have over exaggerated how clean it is, there's still lots of 'bad' calories going in, lots. But it's not as bad as it was haha. Looking back on Fitness pal I haven't been consistent the last two weeks due to how busy work has been, some days down to 3.6k. Weekends are hard as well as I can't stick to a routine with SWMBO taking me out to help with the horse. Anyway, I'm popping my helmet on and hiding behind the sofa, here it is http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/LankyLurch77

I need to see a dietician really although they may be horrified by what I eat and what I can't/won't eat.
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I can't believe the number of calories you pack in - wow! Are you trying to reduce your calorie intake? Because your snack section is amazing.
 
dirtychinchilla said:
I can't believe the number of calories you pack in - wow! Are you trying to reduce your calorie intake? Because your snack section is amazing.
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I bumped up to 4k when my 3.6k a day weight increase plateaued for a couple of weeks. The 4k has been working slowly, but lost 3lbs the other week probably due to not hitting the 4k every day. The additions in my snack section, excluding my morning and night protein, are to help bump up calories if I'm running behind a bit. I need to look at adding more throughout the day instead of lots later at night. Giant Buttons are good and easy to shovel down, melt in the middle choc puds with double cream have lots of calories, and Fox's chocolate rounds are over 80 calories per biscuit. Those are my main three favourites :)

Somnambulist said:
Stuff like Huel is pretty vital to hit your micros then! Also although this article is for vegans I'm sure you could get something useful out of it yourself - it's written for the personal training school I'm currently attending (would like to do nutritional and fitness advising/consulting in future).
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Thanks again for the info, will have a read up. Huel is a great help, I used to take separate multi vitamins but as I have problems swallowing tablets I had big chewable ones instead >.<
 
CaptainRAVE said:
Shoulder rehab is going well. Doubt I will ever bench press well again though. On the plus side, reverse grip bench press is safe for an ac joint injury and doesn't bother it. Not pretty I know, but a better alternative than nothing. Dumbells should be ok down the line too. Resting it as best I can.
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Dumbells are much better for your shoulder health as well as for gains. Nothing wrong with that.

MattTheTall77 said:
I bumped up to 4k when my 3.6k a day weight increase plateaued for a couple of weeks. The 4k has been working slowly, but lost 3lbs the other week probably due to not hitting the 4k every day. The additions in my snack section, excluding my morning and night protein, are to help bump up calories if I'm running behind a bit. I need to look at adding more throughout the day instead of lots later at night. Giant Buttons are good and easy to shovel down, melt in the middle choc puds with double cream have lots of calories, and Fox's chocolate rounds are over 80 calories per biscuit. Those are my main three favourites :)



Thanks again for the info, will have a read up. Huel is a great help, I used to take separate multi vitamins but as I have problems swallowing tablets I had big chewable ones instead >.<
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My suggestion is that you do some cognitive behavioural therapy because your diet - if it is a long term thing - would scare medics for a reason.

Good luck with it all, however! :)
 
Baxter said:
Previous max was 225kg but haven't tested for a while. Wasn't expecting an increase at all but felt strong so thought I'd have a go.
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i dont do that heavy weight on dead lift. i am scared that my back bone will get effected because of that weight.
 
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