HELP me with my physique plan - diet, training! (Detailed info)

[jeffsket]

OK, I love this set of message boards and I really feel there are a lot of people who know a lot about fitness and really are interested in helping people. I ask you for your advice and input on what I am doing and what I can change to get better results.

ME:
-Male
-26 years old
-220
-5' 10"
-19-21% Bodyfat
-got into athletics late in life - lifting weights consistently for last 2 years, though (3-5 times per week)
-Endomorph, "heavy" all my life - fat as a kid
-slimmed down in college, and once got to 180lbs 4 years ago training for, and running, a marathon
-I have the kind of body where everyday people would look at me and say I am a "big" guy, but I am not "huge" or anything
-I feel I have a pretty "slow" metabolism and I feel also I am "carb-sensitive", meaning that I will gain fat quickly if I eat too much total or too much carbs for 2-3 days, even
-VERY sedentary job (tech support on phones)
-carry most bodyfat in hips and stomach

MY GOALS:
1) Lose bodyfat so I can see my abs. Just once in my life. Probably 10% BF for a short period once I reach this goal, then something more like 13-15% for longer-term
2) Build up my overall musculature - I want arms that "pop" and sculpted legs along with chest, back, shoulders, etc. But I would rather put on a very little muscle and lose a lot of bodtfat to achieve good definition, than put on more muscle, but lean out less.
3) I wish to do this without the use of anabolic steroids or other controlled substances. I will take ECA's and other over-the-counter supp's if they are recommended.

Here's what I still can't figure out: HOW MUCH SHOULD I EAT? I know the importance of high-protein, moderate carbs and low fat as the basis of an ongoing bodybuilding diet, but the total calories to eat has got me mixed up especially.

I have recently been keeping track of what have I been eating and how I'm training for the last 4 months, and this is a VERY TYPICAL day:

5:15am: wake up

5:45am: go to gym - lift weights (4-5 times per week, 1-2 bodyparts, high intensity, low weight, about 40 minutes in the gym each day)

7am - Meal #1 - Chocolate Myoplex MRP with 16oz water (285cal/42p/24/c/3f) and I dose ECA (2 caps Ripped Fuel)

10:30am - Meal #2 - two chicken breasts (10oz) and 2 packets instant PLAIN oatmeal (no added sugar or flavorings, just plain) (448cal/54p/44c/8f)

1:15-1:35 - work break for lunch - go to gym and run on treadmill, medium intensity for 25 minutes

2:30pm - Meal #3 - 2 cups Fat Free cottage Cheese and 1.5 cups mixed fruit (combo of strawberries, melon balls, pineapple, peaches and grapes) (424cal/56p/50c/0f)

4:30pm - Meal #4 - Chocolate Myoplex MRP with 16oz water (285cal/42p/24/c/3f) and I dose ECA (2 caps Ripped Fuel)

7:30pm - Meal #5 - 2 baked catfish fillets and 2 cups steamed veggies (carrot, cauliflower, broccoli) (232 cal/34p/10c/7f)

totals: 1674cal - 210g protein/152g carb/21g fat

This is what I do 6 days a week - the seventh day I eat whatever I want to keep my sanity, but no massive starchy carbs, like crackers, chips or bread products. Mostly a bit of ice cream and more leniency with my fat intake. (maybe this is what's killing me?) Calories for this one day (Saturday) probably go to about 2500 this ONE day a week.

This overall feels like i am eating a good amount of food during my normal 6 days - and it is in fact more than I used to eat (3x a day, but lots of carbs, moderate fat and not nearly enough protein) , but I am looking at bodybuilding calorie calculators that say I should be eating 2500-2800 CALORIES EACH DAY!!! and about 300g PROTEIN - WTF!?!? I feel I would blow up like a pig and get really fat if I did that, but I see people posting here that they eat this much and more? I don't get it AT ALL. How does one eat this much and still look muscular. It just "feels" like this higher amount is a LOT of food/calories.

But, maybe I have really been "starving" myself and if I feed my muscles according to this kind of calorie rate, then I would put on muscle and then burn more bodyfat thereforefue to a higher Basal Metabolic Rate. Sounds good in theory, but I am SHIT-SCARED to possibly "bulk up" accidentally by doing this and then be worse off (fatter) even if I technically put on more muscle. I do NOT want to gain weight because I know that if I looked the way I want to look, I would still be physically smaller.

-How many calories should I REALLY eat each day? 1600-1800 or 2600-2800? Or something in the middle? What can I expect with each amount?
-Do I need to cycle high-calorie days with low-calorie days?
-Am I getting enough protein?
-Am I on the right track with my current diet plan, or do I need major revisions?
-Do I need to reduce "cheat day" to "cheat meal" or eliminate it altogether even?
-Do I need to do more cardio? If so, how much are we talking about? I can run on a treadmill or stationary bike, or both
-Does cardio in the afternoon like I am doing do anything for fat loss, or am I kidding myself?
-Should I do my cardio on an empty stomach in the morning instead?
-Does weight training in the morning on an empty stomach produce the same sort of fat-burning effects as cardio?
-Can I NOT build muscle and lose bodyfat at the same time, or what?

I know this is long, but anyone else who asks for help seems to leave out important information that somebody asks for eventually, so I thought I would cover all the bases initially.

I am committed to try something consistently - I appreciate any comments people want to make about anything I have documented here. Thank you all so much for reading and thank you more if you respond to me!
-Jeff

 

[bignate73]

just briefly, i see nothing wrong with your food intake. you count your cals and could probably have a bit more carbs if you want to bump you up around 1900 cals. keep tracking what you eat and give it some time. if i had to guess, you should be dropping about 2 lbs a week on what you are eating and the intensity you are working out. hang with it for a while. if you arent losing, then re assess your food intake, and maybe shift your macronutrient ratios.

 

[jeffsket]

bignate73, thanks for your input - it assures me a little, but I still cant get how some people who are my size or smaller can eat 2800 calories, or be told to eat 2800 calories and not blow up. Is this just because 2800 cals would be for bulking and 1800 would be for "cutting"?

Thanks again,

 

[bignate73]

actually i'm cutting on a little less than 2800. i used 2600 as my precontest calorie range, dipping as low as 2400.
its not uncommon for 2800 to be a cutting range. it depends on the amount of LBM and the amount of workload in and out of the gym.

chances are you are making better food choices and that includes lower fat foods which will equal more volume. so it will seem that you are eating more but calorie-wise you may not. if you are gaining weight on 2800 cals then it is a possibility that your metabolism/lifestyle is such that 2800 is above maintenance. if this is the case, then 1800-2200 should be fine for you. fluctuate it though. have some low days followed by a high day to keep your body from becoming accustomed to the new lower cals and suppressing your bmr to match it.

remember

E(in)=E(out) (to stay the same weight)

change the balance of that equation and you have weight loss or weight gain. manipulate it however is comfortable with either food or exercise output. little more out, and you can go a little more up and still make progress.