lowering body fat while maintaing new weight

[tomclub]

Ok I'm a touch over 6 ft tall and 59 yrs old but still trying ! I started at 190 with a goal of gaining weight . I am now 220 with around what I would guess to be about 23%bf. I know i have to maintain this weight for at least three months so that my body is used to it before trying to get cut.
I ate pretty clean -chicken, lean hamburger(95%), brown rice, beans, potatoes, oatmeal, protein powder and some other vegetables , (cauliflower , corn etc) To gain the weight I also ate bagels, peanut butter, Metrax protein bars, nuts and cereal like rice krispies, cornflakes, and special k. I am thinking of cutting out the nuts, bagel, peanut butter and cereals to try and firm up and lower my bf. I have been training for years and started at a weight of about 170. Currently I train 5 days a week doing 4exercises per body part. Monday-Arms, Tuesday- Shoulders, Weds- Legs Thursday-Chest and Friday- Back. Along with this I ride a recumbent bike each workout for 20 mins at 135 bpm.
I'd like to get tighter and lose BF so I was wondering if low intensity cardio or HI interval training is a better way to go. Plus should I spend more time doing higher reps or more sets .
I tend to gain weight mainly in my torso waist and chest.
Any suggestions would be appreciated

 

[cybrsage]

You will just have to tough it out for the three months of maintenance - if you reduce your calories by cutting out the nuts and such, you are not doing maintenance. If you notice your weight keeps going up, then cut them out, to be sure. Just tough it out and then do your cut - the cut will be much more effective that way.

 

[Milton]

Load up on the fiber and read up here for a great fat burning read http://www.steroidology.com/forum/diet-forum/681062-mct-oil-benefits-protocol-weight-loss-3j.html

 

[Roush]

imo, it is way easier to decide to cut out 'calories' and 'macros' then deciding to cut out some sort of certain foods you may like.

example: instead of saying I'm going to cut out nuts and bagels,, you need to say "I'm going to cut out 250 calories from my diet in the form of 50 grams of carbs" ..

that way you can still eat the foods you want. you can cut out those calories out from any meal ,, it could be cutting out one cup of rice with your chicken and skipping the morning oatmeal.

you can get fat on 'clean' foods if you consume too many calories, you can get lean on 'dirty' foods if you consume a calorie deficit.. your better off, imo, calculating your macros and calories and just going from there. Figure out your maintenance, eat how you want within that , and then stick it out for 3 months.

 

[tomclub]

Thanks

You will just have to tough it out for the three months of maintenance - if you reduce your calories by cutting out the nuts and such, you are not doing maintenance. If you notice your weight keeps going up, then cut them out, to be sure. Just tough it out and then do your cut - the cut will be much more effective that way.

I think this make the most sense. I'll tough it out and see if my workouts can provide some fat reduction.
Thanks!

 

[oldmusclemike]

imo, it is way easier to decide to cut out 'calories' and 'macros' then deciding to cut out some sort of certain foods you may like.

example: instead of saying I'm going to cut out nuts and bagels,, you need to say "I'm going to cut out 250 calories from my diet in the form of 50 grams of carbs" ..

that way you can still eat the foods you want. you can cut out those calories out from any meal ,, it could be cutting out one cup of rice with your chicken and skipping the morning oatmeal.

you can get fat on 'clean' foods if you consume too many calories, you can get lean on 'dirty' foods if you consume a calorie deficit.. your better off, imo, calculating your macros and calories and just going from there. Figure out your maintenance, eat how you want within that , and then stick it out for 3 months.

This ^^^^^. You know when a BB cuts for a show he still maintains his muscle. I'm lean and stay lean. Right now and I've done it before I hold a little fat tissue around my waist at my bell button area, Ya know.

Using Test and keeping my protein up with supplements also I can build or hold muscle do to my metab... synthesizing protein into muscle with my workout and at the same time loosing that fat tissue. Me, like you I ride the stationary bike only for aerobics.

It takes time but it will go away. I have found that 20 min was not long enough. So I go at a fast pace then slower to maintain the more time on the bike therefore continuing the burning of fat longer. Make sense. However I have never been higher than 16%- 17% body fat. I'm an ectomorph.

My 2c ..........as halfwit would say.