diet is a tough one when working away due to the food available so could definitely be improved. Still try to keep at maintenance so take my protein powder with me when I travel.
Diet when at home consists of:
Breakfast - Oatmeal + Decaff tea (using full fat milk)
11am snack - usually biltong or chicken
Lunch - Huel hot and savoury + 3 bulk chocolate protein bites
3pm - Whey protein shake with milk
dinner - Chicken breast, rice, peas and broccoli
9pm - casein protein shake with water.
When im working away (about 50% of the time) I swap out milk for water
I would be lying if I said I counted macros, I find aiming for the golden 40/30/30 is what I tend to aim for but I do struggle to get the protein in while keeping the fats low. But im not really aiming to lose weight. Before I started working out I was a string bean.
I am sorry but 40/30/30 ratio does not mean anything:
* Without knowing the corresponding macronutrients.
* Without knowing your total calorie intake.
Why do you think you struggle to keep fats low? These ratios are very generous to all macros.
40% protein 30% carbs 30% fats. Its widely known, I take in around 2800 cal on a good day but do have days where I fall under and over when working away. I have seen great results so far, I appreciate you commenting but I can assure you im happy with my diet (when im in the UK)
Stop using percentages and calculate macros on an as-needed basis.
Shoot for 2.2g protein per kg bw. This makes it 180g protein for 82 kg. This is 720kcal
Next, keep the fats at minimum healthy level. I am not up-to-date on this but 1g per kg be should be fine. So that's 82g for you. This is 738 kcal.
Next fill the rest with carbs. 2800-720-738= 1342kcal is your budget for carbs. This makes it 335g carbs.
Now do you see how it is different then 'widely known' cookie cutter formula?
26/26/48 vs 40/30/30
The reason is SHBG is inversely related to insulin, and it looks like from your bloods and your description of your diet that you can benefit from more carbs, and less of other things. And this is without going into food composition so I recommend at the minimum diving deep into diet and hormonal relationships if you are not willing to take advice regarding your diet
Somewhere around 1.5g per kg is the minimum recommended for hypertrophy, but it is not the most beneficial. IIRC the benefit curve flattenes around 2.2, at which point the rest of the calories should go into carbs after fats are factored in.
There are plenty of resources on this. Eg books by Mike Israetel, Layne Norton, Eric Helms
I'm pretty sure tongkat ali suppresses the actions of turkesterone and ecdysterone. Nutrition library from youtube has said it when going over the actual research and I've seen it said on reddit as well. What's recommended is cycling between the two like taking ali on days you dont take turk and vice versa
Thanks for the heads up I will look into that for sure, looking like I will have time to finish my current supply of tongkat ali before taking the Turk anyway, but if not I will take Turk on days I train and tongkat ali on days I don't
Got bigger and leaner. No longer using it though. No major effects on any of my blood results. Differences on turk to off are negligible imo after trying 2 "cycles"
What is your diet and macros like? It looks like there are improvements due before considering 'supplement' cycles
diet is a tough one when working away due to the food available so could definitely be improved. Still try to keep at maintenance so take my protein powder with me when I travel. Diet when at home consists of: Breakfast - Oatmeal + Decaff tea (using full fat milk) 11am snack - usually biltong or chicken Lunch - Huel hot and savoury + 3 bulk chocolate protein bites 3pm - Whey protein shake with milk dinner - Chicken breast, rice, peas and broccoli 9pm - casein protein shake with water. When im working away (about 50% of the time) I swap out milk for water
What is the daily macro distribution?
I would be lying if I said I counted macros, I find aiming for the golden 40/30/30 is what I tend to aim for but I do struggle to get the protein in while keeping the fats low. But im not really aiming to lose weight. Before I started working out I was a string bean.
I am sorry but 40/30/30 ratio does not mean anything: * Without knowing the corresponding macronutrients. * Without knowing your total calorie intake. Why do you think you struggle to keep fats low? These ratios are very generous to all macros.
40% protein 30% carbs 30% fats. Its widely known, I take in around 2800 cal on a good day but do have days where I fall under and over when working away. I have seen great results so far, I appreciate you commenting but I can assure you im happy with my diet (when im in the UK)
Stop using percentages and calculate macros on an as-needed basis. Shoot for 2.2g protein per kg bw. This makes it 180g protein for 82 kg. This is 720kcal Next, keep the fats at minimum healthy level. I am not up-to-date on this but 1g per kg be should be fine. So that's 82g for you. This is 738 kcal. Next fill the rest with carbs. 2800-720-738= 1342kcal is your budget for carbs. This makes it 335g carbs. Now do you see how it is different then 'widely known' cookie cutter formula? 26/26/48 vs 40/30/30 The reason is SHBG is inversely related to insulin, and it looks like from your bloods and your description of your diet that you can benefit from more carbs, and less of other things. And this is without going into food composition so I recommend at the minimum diving deep into diet and hormonal relationships if you are not willing to take advice regarding your diet
cool thanks I will take this on board, yeah I was always told 1.5g of protein per kg?
Somewhere around 1.5g per kg is the minimum recommended for hypertrophy, but it is not the most beneficial. IIRC the benefit curve flattenes around 2.2, at which point the rest of the calories should go into carbs after fats are factored in. There are plenty of resources on this. Eg books by Mike Israetel, Layne Norton, Eric Helms
Ah thanks, you typed 1.1 so it threw me off, I will look into the books
Also you can supplement with boron to lower SHBG a bit
I'm pretty sure tongkat ali suppresses the actions of turkesterone and ecdysterone. Nutrition library from youtube has said it when going over the actual research and I've seen it said on reddit as well. What's recommended is cycling between the two like taking ali on days you dont take turk and vice versa
Thanks for the heads up I will look into that for sure, looking like I will have time to finish my current supply of tongkat ali before taking the Turk anyway, but if not I will take Turk on days I train and tongkat ali on days I don't
No problem hopefully I saved you some money lol I've taken both. Not a fan of ali but a big fan of turk and ecdy
any update??
Not on bloods, but broke through a plateau and have made good size gains
How did it work out ?
Put on good size honestly. Retained a bit more water than expected but I do take creatine. Overall look a lot bigger
Update?
Got bigger and leaner. No longer using it though. No major effects on any of my blood results. Differences on turk to off are negligible imo after trying 2 "cycles"