Need 8-month plan to hit 10% bodyfat

[Pennglock]

You realize that pursuing 10% bodyfat is probably going to destroy your rowing performance, right?

 

[akatsuki]

Originally Posted by Pennglock

You realize that pursuing 10% bodyfat is probably going to destroy your rowing performance, right?

Generally I'd agree. Trying to strip while maintaining power is tough.

I'd also say just get rid of processed grains - no bread, no sugar - no starches either. That will probably be enough right there. Go ahead and eat whatever else you want if you are training, hell, I'd probably even not worry about lean meats so much since fat in the diet will be helpful to keep you full and energized.

If you can't afford grass fed meat, then take fish oil to up your Omega 3 fat intake. Creatine is probably the only other supplement that is worth anything and should help with recovery a bit.

And, honestly, go get either a DEXA scan or a tank dunk to see your body composition in real numbers. All the other methods are just approximations and are really far too subjective. Neither is that expensive, and when you get one again in 8 months, you will have actual numbers to work with.

 

[Mr. Lee]

It will be very hard and VERY hard to maintain. So, have you considered hiring a nutritionist, even an on-line one that works with bodybuilders and celebrities? Try Chris Aceto.

 

[mrchariybrown]

I see a lot of detailed and individual-specific advice here.. in other words, in my opinion, very bad advice to give.

I suggest just estimating your maintenance calories and eat about 300 in deficit with about 40/25/35 split, and modify your calories once progress halts. eat fairly clean. can't really get any more simple than that. don't worry about all those supplements before you get your diet straightened out.

and one more thing.. sorry to burst your bubble but given you're about 17.5% bf, you'll be lucky if you hit 175 @ 10%.

 

[mrchariybrown]

Originally Posted by Mr. Lee

It will be very hard and VERY hard to maintain..

what will be hard and very hard to maintain? getting to 10% bodyfat? or maintaining his strength levels getting down from his current bf% to 10%?

if the former, I completely disagree for the majority of people.

if the latter, possibly. he may get a bit weaker or easily maintain his strength levels. hell, he may even get stronger. 10% ain't that low. most people will find it pretty easy to maintain or get stronger at 10%. I find it that at sub 8%, is where most people will find it hard to maintain strength. at least in my experience.

 

[Kajak]

Based off of appearances, I notice that sub 8% is when I start to die in general w/r/t strength, speed, etc. Usually happened at the end of training camp, I'd be shredded but could barely finish work outs. I'd finish camp, get home, and be faster in 2 weeks of recovery...

 

[wmmk]

Originally Posted by Pennglock

You realize that pursuing 10% bodyfat is probably going to destroy your rowing performance, right?

To be honest, I didn't. I would think that decreasing bodyfat would end up helping with cardio, making the boat a little lighter, etc.

Anyway, I really just want to get leaner, lose any noticeable excess bodyfat, and develop some good muscle definition. If that happens at, say, 12% or 14%, I'll be perfectly happy. 10% was admittedly a pretty arbitrary number.

 

[vm1336]

If you want to continue to be able to compete in rowing, the book "Paleo Diet for Athletes" might be a good method to follow. It sticks with some of the advice already given here about mostly eating lean protein, fruits & veggies, seeds and nuts, but it explains how to properly "cheat" around your workouts so you have sufficient carbs to make it through the sets (and replenish glycogen stores after workouts).

One of my coworkers is currently doing the Carb Haters Diet and she has had to reduce her normal exercise because she doesn't have the energy. Her body is slowly getting used to having no carbs as fuel and she is getting more energy (and looking pretty ripped), but she isn't doing competitive sports like you. It's probably not advised.

 

[Maserati]

I have been on the "Anabolic Diet" for a while now and it works really well. If you look it up, you will find a wealth of info across various bodybuilding forums. With this diet, you can maintain 10% bodyfat year round.
Basically, you don't eat any carbs for the first 12 days in order to get your body into a state of ketosis. After the initial 12 day period of no carbs, you eat good carbs 1.5 days a week.
For example: I started the 12 day period on a Monday, so, every week my carb days are Saturday night and Sunday. It's nice since you just have to make it through the week without eating carbs and can look forward to them on the weekend.

In regards to working out; I lift 5 days a week and also run 1-2 miles each day after my workout.
It's all about finding what works for you and how you respond to different programs. I have tried many, and I find myself really able to stick to this routine and it has helped me achieve the best results.

Hope this helps

 

[cretaceous_cretin]

Originally Posted by akatsuki

Generally I'd agree. Trying to strip while maintaining power is tough.

I'd also say just get rid of processed grains - no bread, no sugar - no starches either. That will probably be enough right there. Go ahead and eat whatever else you want if you are training, hell, I'd probably even not worry about lean meats so much since fat in the diet will be helpful to keep you full and energized.

If you can't afford grass fed meat, then take fish oil to up your Omega 3 fat intake. Creatine is probably the only other supplement that is worth anything and should help with recovery a bit.

And, honestly, go get either a DEXA scan or a tank dunk to see your body composition in real numbers. All the other methods are just approximations and are really far too subjective. Neither is that expensive, and when you get one again in 8 months, you will have actual numbers to work with.


I would second the DEXA scan - if will give you a reading on body mass composition that is within 2% accuracy. You will need two of them, the first one a baseline. Due to low-energy xrays, you can't get another for at least 6 months. The second one should be done at the end of your program to assess how well you have met the goal.

 

[rjmaiorano]

Yo Willie, you should stop with this cutting bullshit if you want to row for a DI program next year.

These are the years were you eat all the **** you want, bust your ass and get as big and strong as possible. Test levels for you are only going to get lower (generally speaking) and you're going to have to bust your ass to build muscle in the future whereas your body is prime for putting on quality mass right now. And you are not 16-20% bf, at the very very most you are 14% and that is even pushing it.

No offense to the posters responding, but unless they've got an idea of how much work goes in to training for a competitive rowing program, they don't know the diet you should be consuming. I put in 500+ carbs per day when I rowed... You are going to get worse times on your 2k's, 6k's if you decide to drop calories now. Will power/weight ratio improve, maybe, but will a DI coach care right now? No. You probably won't be rowing V8+ your freshman year so a 6:15 2k @ 200lb looks way nicer than 6:40 @175lb. I'm sure you've talked to coaches and their optimum usually lies in the 195-215 range, the best in the world are in this range. Don't put yourself behind because you want to look a bit better in the mirror now. Translating that weight in to power down the road is much easier than trying to bulk up in the middle of 20k water days.

 

[Kajak]

I'd think he's smart enough to do erg tests to make sure that his performance isn't suffering due to vanity.

And take everything I say with a grain of "this worked for me training 10x a week."

 

[Mr Herbert]

i see people recommending calculating daily calorific requirement but how is this done exactly? how do you account for differences in peoples metabolisms

 

[jarude]

1. track everything you eat for a week. don't change your eating habits, just eat as you would
2. determine whether or not you have gained weight at the end of the week
3. assuming you've stayed the same weight, divide that weekly calorie total by 7. you now have a approximation of your daily maintenance calorie level

don't fret too much about gaining weight/not gaining weight. all this is meant to do is give you a starting point. continue to track your intake, see what happens.