Cutting for summer - critique please

[frankenfurter]

I'm 6'0 - 220, bodyfat i'd estimate at 15%-18%. I'd like to get down to 200 by mid July. Some muscle loss is okay, fat loss is the main objective. Here's my breakdown:

Diet:
1800 cals
160g protein
80g fat
80g carbs

Fat is from flax and olive oil. Carbs is oatmeal and blueberries in morning shake, and carrots at lunch. No carbs after 1pm at all.

Workout:

Upper body (12 sets total) Monday and Thursday w/ 12 mins HIIT cardio right after
Lower body (12 sets total) Tuesday and Friday w/ 12 mins HIIT cardio right after

Wednesday and Saturday - 24 mins HIIT cardio

Sunday - Rest

Opinions, criticism, suggestions, please! I should probably mention that I have gotten down from 275 with Atkins during the past year.

 

[frankenfurter]

Bump - anyone?

 

[ucdkid]

Post your full diet plan and I can give you some suggestions

Some quick suggestions of the top of my head:

-add fish oils to your diet
-look into yohimburn/rala: I live by it
-I would change your training split- no need to hit a body part more than once a week

I've never tried hiit cardio, I've always done low intensity cardio in the morning, but I know tons of people swear by it ...

Later
UcdKid

 

[frankenfurter]

Ok, here are my meals:

1.
1 cup skim milk
1 cup ice water
.5 cup blueberries
.5 cup dry oatmeal
2 scoops optimum whey
2 tbsp Flax oil
1 tsp cinnamon

-all the above in blender - gulp.

2.
Either a carb solutions protein bar OR 2 tbsp peanut butter/1 slice whole wheat

3.
4 oz deli turkey
1 cup carrots

4.
1 can tuna

5.
1 large grilled chicken breast
1 slice pepper cheese
3 cups raw spinach
2 tbsp EV olive oil

1800 cals
180 protein
80 fat
80 carbs


- I take one R-ala (Glucorell) with meal 1 and 3

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Scythian_Blade]

If I were you I would start with a higher caloric total so you don't hit a plateau. Maybe 12-13X your current bodyweight in kcals and go as low as 10Xbw if you eventually have to. 4 HIIT session a week is a lot also. Some people do well with only 2 or 3 since they are quite taxing on your recovery system.

The problem with starting at ~1800 or ending anything less than 10X bodyweight is that you will have nowhere to go when fatloss stalls (You would be forced to refeed/up kcals to boost metabolism). The ability to lower kcals, do more cardio, and introduce fat burners are all trumps. Hold them until you really need them.

Aim for at least 1 gram/lb. bodyweight in complete protein.
bump on ucdkid's suggestion to add some fish oil
A couple really nitpicky things...
go easy on the milk due to high lactose content.
Deli turkey=too high in sodium can make you retain fluid.

Best of Luck!
-Blade

 

[frankenfurter]

I thought it was 1 gram of protein for every pound of <b>LEAN</b> body mass, not actual weight. My LBM in pounds is probably around 170, so I'm not that far off.

Then again, I may be wrong about that, so please correct me if it is 1 gram per 1 pound ACTUAL body weight.