[MikeJ]

Guys, personally I’d take the advice and shape it to work for you. I wouldn’t get too set on the fixed number of 200 – 250 calories that’s just a guide when starting out. So yeah keep going up in chunks of 200-250 cals (I’m assuming we are focusing on carbs increases) but if you lump fat on quickly taper it back. Alternatively if you don’t see progress go up again. Personally If my weight doesn’t move for a week and I’ve been on plan with food, training & drugs I’ll up my carbs intra, pre & post. Obviously you can only eat so much in one go so then look at increases at breakfast and other carb based meals.

Regarding rest days again it’s for you to experiment with but I drop my pre, post & intra carbs. If your recovery is affective then look to add some back in.

[MikeJ]

Depends who you read mate but 1.5g per kilo of body weight should serve you well.

[MikeJ]

I’ve always used fitness pal. Think it’s the most popular. Does all I need it to and it’s free.

[MikeJ]

Personally I’d stick to the numbers. You set them there for a reason right so they must be optimal? Stick tho them and see what happens. If you aren’t dropping weight like you’d expect then look to reduce cals or increase output. If you’ve got 20 weeks there’s no rush and like the guys have said if you start losing weight by eating in to muscle it’s pretty pointless.

[MikeJ]

Hi buddy no cals / macros on your pic but If fat is going on too fast I’d simply look to decrease cals. Alternatively increase output by getting in more steps etc. Nothing that will negatively affect your Energy for workouts though. You can bring some of your carbs forward into your breakfast / pre workout meal too. Will put them to better use and should improve your lifts. If you load your carbs pre, intra, post and the meal after post then eat fats for the rest of the day you should be good to go. I’d try that first before reducing anything.

[MikeJ]

Thanks Corinne. If I’m in a gaining stage and my weight drops after a rest day should I look to increase? Or should I look at the bigger picture and just focus on what my weight is doing week on week?

[MikeJ]

Carbs down to around 150-200 fat & protein stays the same.

[MikeJ]

Before I started lifting I had bad acne and had 2 courses or roaccutane. First course cleared me up like Magic but Only lasted about 18 months. Touch wood it’s been 4 years since I last used it and my skins fine, even on cycle. Only side affects I suffered with were nose bleeds and really dry skin & lips. Certainly works though mate but agree it should be a last resort. Very expensive online for the real thing so if you can get it prescribed it’s a bonus.

[MikeJ]

Hi Corinne, thanks.

I usually train Monday to Thursday resting Friday and training 1 day on the weekend. Push pull legs split. Focused on progressive overload on compounds. I weight 102kg. Cals on training days are at 3500 split over 8 meals. Training day macros are around 300 protein, 400 carb and 80 fat plus trace. Weight steadily increasing. Took notes from JP’s strategies for bulking article. So carbs split out over breakfast, meal 4, pre, intra and post. Cyclic dextrin used intra I figure is a no brainer to take out also usually take in simple carbs post that I planned on dropping.

Also running 200mg test e & 200mg parabolan a week.

[MikeJ]

If you’re on really high carbs it’s an option to get them in but for me I’d leave it until PWO meal. Personally I don’t have a PWO shake and then a PWO meal. If you’ve had a good protein source pre workout there’s no rush to get it in right after training.

[MikeJ]

Agreed, Aldi. £5.50 for a kilo of chicken and 6:40 for Kilo 5% mince. Cheap for cereals, potatoes etc. All trackable too. No macros when you get it from a butchers.

[MikeJ]

I’d say use whatever suits you best as long as it gives positive results. If you watch James’s video on setting his nutrition up he talks about moving away from the typical chicken and rice and using foods you enjoy and can stick too. Obviously you need structure to it but if you’re hitting your daily macros and getting the timings right you’re good to go. GI may be worth considering when thinking about carb sources and when to have them. Personally I save carbs with high sugar content for post workout. JP has a good article on bulking strategies that helped me.