diet help for a chic

[fitnesschic]

Ok, you guys....I need something that works for a female.
I am trying hard to lean down for summer (which is here in my part of the country). I am 16% bf and it isn't going down.

I eat extremely clean!
I train 3-4 times a week and do cardio 5-6 for 45 min.

Low carbs seem so be what most do to drop the body fat but if i go below say 120 I am so low on energy I drag myself around.
(I usually eat 40C-40P-20F.) Then I can barely train or do cardio.


I have a mesomorph frame and I don't think that helps any.


Any suggestions?

 

[bignate73]

shift your nutrient ratios.

dont dip below 50% carbs unless you are going keto. you'll feel the difference for sure. i would say go to 55-60% carbs 25-30% proteins and starve the fat you have by dropping your fat intake lower to around 15%. starve the fat, fuel the workout and feed the muscle recovery. thats the principle. if you eat "clean", do you count your calories? sounds like you have your ratios down but may be a tad over on cals possibly if you are not losing, OR your body is accustomed to the steady caloric intake.

try varying your intake. go 3 days lower, and then bump the cal count up 400 or so in the form of carbs. this will keep the body from becoming accustomed to the regular caloric intake and lowering your bmr to match.

example:

maintenance for you (possibly) 2000-2200

days 1-3 1400-1600
day 4 1750-1900

notice both are still under maintenance and your cardio/workouts will probably put you in a further deficit, so watch for weight loss thats too rapid and adjust calories to slow it down and preserve LBM. if you go over 2.5 lbs per week, throw a few more carbs in to slow it to 1.5-2.

or so. its a rough guideline. you could probably get away with a bit lower but since your activity level is high, i see no need.

keep in mind i have in no way assessed your daily activity, nor calculated your bmr (the above was an example of how to zigzag your cals)

hope that helps.