BackInTheGame78
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Have been experimenting with something the past month, and that is looking at weekly caloric totals to determine caloric deficits instead of daily.
Why? Because I realized something that I probably should have realized a while ago.
I can eat anabolically to build muscle on days when I am lifting heavily and doing weighted sled pulls, maintenance levels on the other 2 days, and still be in a significant caloric deficit at the end of the week since I fast twice a week.
My TDEE based on my activity level is somewhere between 2900-3050 depending on what calculator I use. I just use the low end. I am extremely active in terms of activities...intense strength training 4 days a week, weighted sled pulls on leg and back days that act as HIIT, and walk 12-15K steps at least 5 times a week of not every day.
My body needs fuel. And I realized something along the way...I can be more effective eating anabolically during training days and fasting twice a week than I could of I simply did a 500 calorie deficit each day OR of I fasted twice a week and didn't up calories the other days.
Let's do the simple math.
2900x7=20,300 calories a week
Running a 500 calorie deficit each day would give me 16,800 calories for the week.
Now, let's do the math on what I do instead:
Leg day and back day with sled pulls: 3400 calsx2=6800 calories
Chest day and arm/shoulder day: 2900 calsx2=5800 calories
Non-fasting off day/pilates: 2700 calories
2 fast days:0 calories
Weekly caloric totals: 6800+5800+2700=15,300
Not only am I creating a 5000 net calorie deficit on a weekly basis versus a 3500 calorie deficit if I simply did a deficit of 500 calories a day, I am also eating anabolically or at maintenance for 4 of those days, which is going to aid in building muscle on those days.
The results have been pretty astonishing to me so far...the scale has roughly stayed the same but I look bigger, the tape measure is lowe around the waist and bigger everywhere else, veins are popping and looking spidery which is clear sign bodyfat is disappearing and my abs are starting to really come in as well as my obliques.
IMHO, taking a bigger picture view and stepping back from the daily and out to the weekly has helped tremendously with progress in terms of recomping and did it far more effectively than fasting and eating deficit calories.
Would suggest more people try this. Even if you don't want to fast, eat anabolically on lifting days and then cut calories steeper to create a deficit on off days and track your progress compared to a steady deficit.
Why? Because I realized something that I probably should have realized a while ago.
I can eat anabolically to build muscle on days when I am lifting heavily and doing weighted sled pulls, maintenance levels on the other 2 days, and still be in a significant caloric deficit at the end of the week since I fast twice a week.
My TDEE based on my activity level is somewhere between 2900-3050 depending on what calculator I use. I just use the low end. I am extremely active in terms of activities...intense strength training 4 days a week, weighted sled pulls on leg and back days that act as HIIT, and walk 12-15K steps at least 5 times a week of not every day.
My body needs fuel. And I realized something along the way...I can be more effective eating anabolically during training days and fasting twice a week than I could of I simply did a 500 calorie deficit each day OR of I fasted twice a week and didn't up calories the other days.
Let's do the simple math.
2900x7=20,300 calories a week
Running a 500 calorie deficit each day would give me 16,800 calories for the week.
Now, let's do the math on what I do instead:
Leg day and back day with sled pulls: 3400 calsx2=6800 calories
Chest day and arm/shoulder day: 2900 calsx2=5800 calories
Non-fasting off day/pilates: 2700 calories
2 fast days:0 calories
Weekly caloric totals: 6800+5800+2700=15,300
Not only am I creating a 5000 net calorie deficit on a weekly basis versus a 3500 calorie deficit if I simply did a deficit of 500 calories a day, I am also eating anabolically or at maintenance for 4 of those days, which is going to aid in building muscle on those days.
The results have been pretty astonishing to me so far...the scale has roughly stayed the same but I look bigger, the tape measure is lowe around the waist and bigger everywhere else, veins are popping and looking spidery which is clear sign bodyfat is disappearing and my abs are starting to really come in as well as my obliques.
IMHO, taking a bigger picture view and stepping back from the daily and out to the weekly has helped tremendously with progress in terms of recomping and did it far more effectively than fasting and eating deficit calories.
Would suggest more people try this. Even if you don't want to fast, eat anabolically on lifting days and then cut calories steeper to create a deficit on off days and track your progress compared to a steady deficit.
