Non ectos, staying lean year round

[ajdonutz]

Ok guys.. Any non ectos around here that are able to stay lean year round? If so, what has been your secret? Certain training, strict diet year round, extra cardio, supplementation what?

I have no problem getting to competition shape, no problem looking solid in a tank offseason, but I ALWAYS get a ton of fat built up around midsection and lower back thighs love handles lower outter chest etc. Never really cared before but I'd like to stay lean year round, obviously I know I could stay at maintenance calories year round, but I'm look I g for real world experience for guys who can't just eat 6k cals every day and keep a 6 pack, on what tricks you've found to help out without 100% strict diet.

Hopefully this sparks a convo and we can all pitch and help with tips

 

[tommyguns2]

It's a great question, but in all the years I haven't found a secret other than solid diet coupled with regular cardio. If I'm trying to cut weight then the diet has to get quite strict and once I'm below 10% BF I hae to cycle my carbs with low carbs throughout the week and carb up meals on M and Th evenings. It's no fun. Running GH throughout the year allows me to hold a certain level of conditioning and relax the diet, but even then if I let myself go crazy, the bodyfat will come back on. So I have to be reasonable with alcohol intake and stay away from the simple sugars excepts for special treats (maybe once or twice per week).

If looking lean and ripped were easy, then you'd see a lot more people looking like that.

 

[RAIDEN]

Rule #1 stay away from cookies and milk.

Rule #2 follow rule #1

 

[ajdonutz]

Hahah oh trust me, I'm more than aware there's no magic approach, just looking for little tips and tricks. Honestly, I'm one of the people who have to be extremely lean to have abs, which means unless I'm painfully lean my midsection doesn't look like I'd like. My abs usually come in after every other body part is peeled and ready for stage which annoys me and so far I haven't found a way to keep them when im not in a deficit. I have no problem dieting down or gaining weight either way, but maintenance has never been my strong point lol

 

[macgyver]

Ok guys.. Any non ectos around here that are able to stay lean year round? If so, what has been your secret? Certain training, strict diet year round, extra cardio, supplementation what?

I have no problem getting to competition shape, no problem looking solid in a tank offseason, but I ALWAYS get a ton of fat built up around midsection and lower back thighs love handles lower outter chest etc. Never really cared before but I'd like to stay lean year round, obviously I know I could stay at maintenance calories year round, but I'm look I g for real world experience for guys who can't just eat 6k cals every day and keep a 6 pack, on what tricks you've found to help out without 100% strict diet.

Hopefully this sparks a convo and we can all pitch and help with tips

Somatotypes are not really an accurate way of describing people.....so I wont even address the "ecto" part.

I will say that I am not a naturally lean person. Never have been even in my teens. I suffer typical male fat patterns with all my fat stored in my midsection. I can have ripped striated vascular legs and NO abs.

There is no secret to being lean.....just eat less. I dont do much of any cardio. I just monitor my diet. I meet my protein requirements first, along with fat and the rest are carbs. As for carbs.... it doesnt matter (from a fat gain perspective) when I eat them, or what they are (eg....white rice or candy or whole grain whatever).... For the most part...carbs are carbs. (I will say I do manipulate carbs for performance...and once you drop below 10%ish, carb timing can seem to make a small difference).

My big thing is to get and stay lean WHILE maintaining my strength. (I am decently strong for a guy my size). I think the key to that is not trying to drop weight too fast.

This has been my body comp for a while now. It is pretty effortless to maintain....and I still eat weekly; pizza, pasta, and have icecream at least 3 times a week...etc. It is all portion control though. I know I am not super lean in the pics....but this is a body comp I can maintain fairly easily. I think going much leaner would be too restrictive for me, but next year I am going to try to dial it in just a touch more.

For winter months, I am letting my weight drift up about 5lbs MAX. That for me is plenty to give my joints a break and it only puts me a few weeks out from being where I want to be again.


As for tips.....I have evolved into a informal carb cycling routine. I eat more carbs on workout days and focus them pre and post workout. I seem to be able to take in a lot more carbs post w/o without much negative effect. On non-workout days, I eat about 150g of carbs. Heck....I dont even really track on a daily basis as I am so used to my routine. I just pull the food scale out for proteins and keep a rough total.

 

[PillarofBalance]

Pm me for one weird trick. Personal trainers hate me for discovering this new steroid alternative.

 

[macgyver]

Pm me for one weird trick. Personal trainers hate me for discovering this new steroid alternative.

That almost made me spit out my coffee!

And I also heard you know the 5 simple foods to avoid gaining fat!

 

[tommyguns2]

I can show you how to pack 3" onto your arms in 3 weeks!

 

[RAIDEN]

Pm me for one weird trick. Personal trainers hate me for discovering this new steroid alternative.

Bwaaaahaha. This guy.

 

[PillarofBalance]

I can show you how to pack 3" onto your arms in 3 weeks!

 

[macgyver]

Just send away for the secret 15 min tip that will change your life.


Ahhh the good old days where at least they were not claiming consuming some supp would do it. They just had you give them the money directly!