Minimum calories per day.

[endborn]

Hi, i've been working out for about 6 months now. I work out 5 days a week. 3 hours of weights right when I wake up, and then a jog about an hour after.
(20 min walk warm up, 20 mins jogging, 10 more minutes walking then another 20 minutes jogging) and then I do that same jog again after supper.

My question is this. I can see my abs now, but only the top 3/4. I still have a ridge of fat at the bottom I just can't shake. I was thinking I should go on a
calorie diet. What is the minimum amount of calories I could eat and remain healthy? I read somewhere 1,500 should be okay? Does anyone have any
advice for me?

Thanks.

[Praetorian]

First off its not about calories...1500 calories of what pasta or 1500 calories of steak? Also 3 hours of weights when you get up? why? And jogging is the antithesis of bodybuilding...so if you are trying to lose a tonne of muscle you are on the right track.

Resistance Training: 1.5 hrs max per day...4-5 days per week
Cardio: brisk walking...start low..ie 20min once per day 7 days per week first thing in the morning before eating. Gradually increase cardio weekly by 5-10 min depending on fat loss...once you reach an hour start spitting up the sessions..morning and evening..preferably on empty stomach
Nutrition: Google Dave Palumbo diet for 200lb man and start with that...you may have to adjust things as you go...just post some questions if you are unsure.

Its never about calories...different macro nutrients illicit different hormonal responses...calorie counting approx if fine but what is more important s the type of food you eat.

P

[endborn]

Thank you for replying. I'm really pretty new to taking care of myself, 6 months ago my idea of nutrition was a bigmac meal with a coke and a cigarette. But now i'm really
driven to make a change in my life. Quit smoking, no more soda, no sugary foods.

To answer your questions.

[1500 calories of what pasta or 1500 calories of steak?]

I don't know, I was hoping I could just try to eat around 1,500 calories and cut this bit of excess fat. Right now my diet is as follows.

-I take a bottle of Super Pump in the morning for my workout.
-After workout, I have a protein shake.
-After my run I have a bowl of vector and an apple.
-About an hour after that, I have supper. (Usually a portion of Meat [Chicken or beef], and vegetables pea's or corn usually, or sometimes rice
[white rice, which isn't any good I hear])
-Then I do my final run, after that, I have a smaller meal of leftovers from supper. Or a bowl of vector.
-Then usually a couple banana's.
-And if i'm still hungry after that a bowl of popcorn.

That's pretty much been my diet for the past 6 months.

[Also 3 hours of weights when you get up? why?]
-I don't know why, it's just what I started doing.

[And jogging is the antithesis of bodybuilding...so if you are trying to lose a tonne of muscle you are on the right track.]
-Well yes, I want to gain muscle, but I would like to get lean first and then build from there, I would love to scale back my run. But I want to get rid of this damn ridge of
stomach fat first.

Thanks for all your help. I'm going to look into this Dave Palumbo diet right now.

[endborn]

Oh and potatoes with supper. Plus I drink around 3 glasses of milk a day. And that's about it.

[Praetorian]

Start the DP diet, stop running and use my suggestion for cardio, curtail training to an intense 1.5 hrs max 5 days per week and you will lose fat and hold the muscle you have. Jogging doesn't just burn fat calories it destroys muscle...and it is completely unnecessary for fat loss. I have prepared hundreds of clients for competition and they never did one second of jogging. Jogging is a 1970's participaction commercial....

P

[D.J.Brock]

Jogging is a 1970's participaction commercial....

That has to be the best quote I have ever seen! lol

[endborn]

Hi, me again. Thanks for all your advice so far. I'm going to give it a try. I have just a couple more questions for you though.

The DP diet: Is it alright to use a little margarine to grease the pan for the eggs? And similarly I suppose I should be cooking my chicken in water, and not in canola oil?

My other question is, when is the best time for me to workout? Immediately after my 20 min. morning walk? Or should I work out after Meal #1?

Thanks for all your advice.

[Praetorian]

Use butter...margarine is for those who want cancer. Cook chicken small amount of extra virgin olive oil...Canola goes into the same garbage pail as margarine. Always work out after having a meal...NEVER on an empty stomach and NEVER immediately after cardio. If you do cardio first thing before breakfast then eat after cardio then go to the gym or go later in the afternoon.

P

[endborn]

Thanks for all the advice, i'll just put in the time and work now. I really appreciate the advice.

[endborn]

Crap. Got another question. I usually drink a couple glasses of milk a day, in addition to the milk I add to my protein powder. But Milk has carbs. So I guess I should stop
drinking milk for now? And I should be mixing my protein powder with water now?

[Delt King]

No milk. Water with your shakes. Drink lots of water!

[endborn]

Hey Praetorian. How would you recommend handling my cheat meal? I've heard lots of people say lots of different things. Some people say they eat whatever for three hours, some people say they eat whatever for an hour, some people say they just have one meal. I was thinking i'd probably just eat one meal at the end of the day. Can I eat anything? How do you cheat?

[endborn]

Thanks Delt, that's too bad, haha, protein powder tastes alot better with milk. To me anyway.

[Delt King]

The cheat on palumbo or most keto's is mainly carb based and lower fat and like you said the last meal of the day. I've done lots of pasta or a huge stack of pancakes and syrup. I've also done my own baked sweet potatoe fries. The odd time pizza and cookies lol.

[endborn]

Thanks Delt, i'll maybe try spaghetti. Pizza and cookies sounds pretty tempting to, but this is my first week and i've apparently already been cheating with my milk, so I should probably not go too crazy. Thanks again.

[Delt King]

Standard is to go a full two weeks before the first reload meal. Then once a week thereafter.

[endborn]

Okay, i'll do that then. Felt like this week was a waste anyway because of that damn milk. Had a couple glasses with my meals, plus I added it to my scrambled eggs. Thanks King.