I’ve only been dieting for 6 days, but I already noticed a pretty dramatic drop in gym performance and I’m trying to figure out if there’s a smarter way to structure my diet.

For context, I’m lifting in a calorie deficit (about 700 calories/day as a 270 pound male) and eating very low carb (under 20g carbs/day). Earlier this month, I was able to reach my lifetime goal of seated shoulder press with 60 pound dumbbells, which is probably my favorite exercise and the only lift I care most about preserving.

All week, I felt noticeably weaker and so I took a rest day yesterday, got plenty of sleep, and repeated my same exact morning routine from earlier this month when I finally hit my shoulder press strength goal on May 8th. (protein shake and banana 30 minutes after getting out of bed then gym 90 minutes later)

If I maintain a weekly calorie deficit of 3500 calories, is it possible to strategically have 1 (or maybe 2) higher-calorie days per week? Something like:

  • Friday thru Tuesday 1000 calorie deficit
  • Wednesday 500 calories surplus
  • Thursday 1000 calorie surplus
  • Do my strength workout on Friday morning after protein shake and banana

Would something like this work? I just grabbed these numbers out of thin air and would appreciate any guidance today on how to maintain strength while losing 1 pound per week. 💪

  • alliwantsoda@lemmy.worldOP
    1·
    19 days ago

    Just to sidestep a bit, why do you want to prioritize this lift over losing weight which can be argued to be more important for health?

    Now that a few days have passed since my failed 60lb lift, I’m not as bothered by it anymore. I can still do triples (3 reps) of 50lb and I find that enjoyable and immensely satisfying, even on a hard deficit. 💪

    Weight loss is now top priority with respect to physical fitness. Also, if I can hit 60 pounds at a much lower weight (at 220lb bodyweight), that will be more impressive than hitting it at 265 (my current weight). Plus it gives me a new challenge to pursue once I reach my target weight of around 220ish.

      • alliwantsoda@lemmy.worldOP
        1·
        15 days ago

        https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/dumbbell-shoulder-press/lb

        On the strength standards website, does this shoulder press exercise mean with no leg drive? I watched a Jeff Nippard video (or similar creator) a while back that said it’s almost impossible to not let your legs boost your strength, which is why you should always do seated version unless you are in a country or sport where standing shoulder press is the norm or customary variation (such as in military or firefighters).

        I’ve never tried the standing version for that reason but I’m curious as to why the strength-level website doesn’t have the seated version, and I’m unsure if my seated numbers can compare directly to the standing version or if most lifters add their data with 10% boosted weight via leg drive?