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. 💪
Just my opinion but I would level it out a bit, you don’t need that large a surplus to feel good for your workout, maybe just no deficit wednesday and 250 cal thursday.
Do you workout every day? And do you do just strength or also cardio?
20g carbs per day while doing sports is very low. It is possible your glycogen stores are depleting and making it harder for your muscles to keep working throughout your workout. So maybe also increase carbs on the days around your workout.
Finally, also eat slightly more just after your workout so your body feels it can put energy into muscle growth.
Maintaining strength with such a large deficit will always be super difficult, and remember that also weight moves weight, so don’t compare your pbs in weight as you shed pounds but in percentage bodyweight. The first weeks will be the toughest as your body adapts. Good luck!