I really need some advice

[needsleep]

I have a big problem, seriously this has me exceedingly demotivated and very worried.

My problem is that I had been bulking, I'd been reading everyones posts here about how food is the best anabolic substance and how they eat so much food. For four months I piled in the food, taking in 350+grams of protein a day and averaging 5000kcal, I went from 196lbs to 218lbs. Along this journey I added fat, I want to be big and buff looking but being a strong fat guy was deffinately not my agenda.

So at 218lbs I started a diet, I went down to 2500kcal a day started taking a thermogenic and incorporating sprints into my training. What got me worried was that at 218lbs an electrical impedance machine read me as being 26.0% body fat, this really upset me, the majority of my gains had been fat, shit I don't need to go to the gym 3-4 times a week to put on fat.

After 4 weeks of dieting and being really strict always having 2200-2500kcal, taking flax oil and fish oil and having 250g of protein I weighed myself and got my body fat measured. I weighed 200lbs, yay 18lbs lost, but my body fat went up to 29%. I could have cried, seriously it was like being spat at by all the training I had done and the carefullness of my diet. My only way out is if the electrical impedance machine was incorrect, otherwise I lost a load of muscle and actually gained fat, I am not sure if many know how I feel having this happen.

I feel pretty bad right now and have no idea what to do, I look in the mirror and I'm sure I look better, but it's probably just my mind seeing what I want to see.

As for advice, I honestly want advice on how to continue.
Not sure how private messages work but I'd prefer to talk privately if anyone thinks they can give me some good advice, otherwise please reply here.

 

[Lee]

honestly, dont get your bodyfat tested. just stick to a very strict diet and keep at it and you will get to where you want to be.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

You might want to check out the CKD diet on the diet discussion board.

 

[Scotsman]

Problem with electoempedance machine is it is based on water content for transmisivity. If you are dehydrated a little they won't work right. If you have a lot of muscle mass they don't work right. If you have worked out within 12 hours they don't work right. Basically unless you are a lazy water dweller they don't work right. If you want to know your bodyfat either get a dunk test or find someone who really knows what they are doing with calipers. Then do it two more times over a couple of days and average the info together. Trust me I saw a girl use the electro and her body fat was like %4 with the calipers it was %16 which is much more realistic. Also look in the mirror that is a better guage of your body than any machine ever will be.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[Hannibal]

honestly, dont get your bodyfat tested.

If he is concerned with body composition...why wouldn't he get it tested. Having said that I would find a more accurate way than the one he is using now...like hydrostatic weighing or a bod pod. At the very least find a "trainer" to use caliper...the number he gets might not be accurate, but as long as they measure in the same place every time the delta (change in composition) will be and thats all that really matters.

 

[casualbb]

What routine were you using during that timeframe?

-casual

 

[revexrevex]

I had the same dilemma. AFter the summer i went on hardcore bulking cycle, eating everything and anything, drinking gallon of whole milk a day, eating clean but big, pasta, rice, macaroni, cheese, meat, fish everything. All I got from it is bloat and fat gain. It is only my observation.. but some people need to grow gradually over time, adding lean muscle tissue takes a long time, not a month of stuffing your face with food.

 

[sk*]

First, take a deep breath bro. Second, do you think you look better? That's all that matters ...

The bodyfat measuring techniques can be very wrong. Did you measure things like your waist before and after? Did you take pictures?

From now on just take pictures to see your progress, don't depend so much on these bodyfat measuring tools unless you have a real "expert" use a 9point calliper test on you.

-sk

 

[Lord_Suston]

Personally I would look at your diet first... Do you eat enough Veggies, Protein and fat.... Do you get enough Vitamins... Ho much dairy do you intake (this cause me and a lot of people I know to get bloated) are your meals frequent throughout the day... When you have balance all these things out the you hould start droping the fat

 

[Dante666]

Taking pictures is a great ideas from SK. I don't want to sound like a therapist, but relax and realize that improvement takes time. The thing you need to judge is going to be inside, then use the mirror to gage your progress. Your method of measuring BF is inaccurate. Whatever happens, use it to motivate you, not get you down.