Ok…I think it’s time to put all this in layman’s terms.
I’ve been asked several times in the last week about these topics and well…I always tend to give relatively the same answer. Not because I’m the smartest human but because the art and science is all pretty much lined up together…and people need to stop overthinking so damn much.
**Fat Loss: Guys…Calories matter (deficit for fat loss). Protein next. What you do with carbs/fats is pretty preferential barring any medical/hormonal issues. You like more fat than carbs? Have at it. Simple. Like more carbs than fat? You’re normal. Have at it. Like more carbs on training days on less on off days? Kudos. Want more calories on training days and want less on off days? PERFECT. Want to intermittent fast? CRUSH your 4-8 hours window.
Get it? Got it? Good. Because again…as long as calories and protein is constant, the rest is pretty much your choice…and my thoughts on keto? Guys, Im not going to nail this in anymore so I’ll just tell you do what you want but who the heck doesn’t like carbs? LOL. Sorry, artichoke pizza crust just doesn’t seem to appealing…have a real pizza slice.
**Maintenance: Look, just like your deficit…and surplus…maintenance is an elastic, area. If you move less, your maintenance is less. If you move more, your maintenance is higher. You will fluctuate in both directions while in maintenance. But if you did 2 months of maintenance and weighed every day (just as an example), even with the ups and downs, the averages will basically be the same. It’s not a concrete number. All you’re doing is maintaining.
Oh…and if you are a newbie to training…on gear…or coming off a long spell of not training, you have the ability burn fat *and* put on muscle in this area…but for everyone else…pick and choose a deficit if you have a little more fat to lose or if you find yourself to be “skinny”, “lean”, or the elusive “skinny-fat”, you may want to go in to a build to build muscle then go in to a cut after.
http://muscularstrength.com/includes/images/articles/99234_1475149527.jpg
**Reverse Dieting: It’s all the rage. But in all honesty, it’s pointless. Raising your carbs 10g/week is just silly. That’s literally a measuring error. Look, dieting is not only tough mentally and physically, there is hormonal and metabolic consequences of dieting and if you want to do this thing the right way, after you diet, go in to maintenance immediately.
All these claims of “I can eat 2800kcals and weight 130lbs” is nonsense. Here’s how it works: The more you eat, the more energy you have…this is a no-brainer. And most competitors I know (and fitness enthusiasts) don’t change their training much. So they’re still doing a crap ton of cardio and training. Of course with all that energy out, you need more energy (kcals) to maintain. This isn’t magic. It’s physiology. The moment stops their cardio and cuts back training volume, better believe their energy output drops and their maintenance cals are MUCH lower. Don’t be fooled. If you want to be healthy and do this: diet correctly, go in to maintenance, then diet again if it’s appropriate or go in to a build then back in to maintenance then diet.
The goal of maintenance is to *maintain* that new loss you have or the new muscle building you have before transferring in to the next phase.
**Fluctuations: This happens in all the above. More carbs = more glycogen = more water. More sodium = more water. Little fiber = more poop in your system. Trained hard? Holding on to weight. Stressing that you’re not losing = holding on to weight. No sleeping much = hold on to weight. Hormones matter. Poop matters. Metabolism matters. Sleep matters. Focus on the root problems. This requires a bit of self-awareness. The more self-aware you become, the better your journey becomes.
http://scene7.zumiez.com/is/image/zumiez/pdp_hero/WattzUp-Rainbow-Poop-Emoji-Power-Bank-Portable-Charger-_272505-front-US.jpg
I really wanna talk poo though. LOL.
Don’t believe me? Weigh yourself before you poo then weigh yourself after. “Oh man, i haven’t budged in a week” :poops: “WOW IM DOWN 2LBS!” (LOL Happened to me this week 
)
If you can just relax, stop trying to be perfect, understand this stuff isn’t happening overnight…that it’s a long road…and your body’s appearance is essentially the outward manifestation of the choices you make when it comes to your food, how you control stress, and how much (or how little) you exercise, you can start creating a sustainable plan that fits your needs and meets you where you are.
And not-so-shameless plug…I’m taking on 1-on-1 clients right now and I know you need the help…it’s why you made it this far down. Let’s rock:www.louisguarino.com/online-coaching