3 meals a day with BCAA's in between.....for fat loss

[5spotbullseye]

Hey guys. Recently I've been leaning out slowly and I've gone from 265 lbs to 240 lbs. It's coming along nice. I'd like to push further and get another 15-20 lbs to get into a condition that I've never been able to achieve. (I think at 220 lbs I'll be somewhere in the range of 8-10%.) Long term though, I'd probably want to maintain around 230 or so, but I'd like to dip down lower for a short period of time.

Anyway.....I have a general diet question. So far, I've been eating 3 meals per day with BCAA's in between......sort of like this:

5:00 am = Instantized BCAA's (pre-cardio)
6:00 am = Whey isolate & EVOO
9:00 am = Instantized BCAA's
12:00 pm = 8 oz lean meat, 1.5 cup brown rice (cooked), & some veggies
3:00 pm = Instantized BCAA's
6:00 pm = 8 oz lean meat, 1.5 cup brown rice (cooked), & some veggies
9:00 pm = Instantized BCAA's

I'll also have 2 scoops of MG's Powdered Muscle during my workouts, which are usually around 4pm 3 days a week. Saturdays are a Skipload. Yes, my calorie intake is lower than normal, but my metabolism isn't what it used to be. I'm 34 and I have a desk job with very little activity throughout the week. I've tried slowly increasing my calories to try and nudge my metabolism upward, but it is what it is. So far, I'm holding on to my lean mass, based on what I see in the mirror and periodic measurements.

The meal plan is very simple/basic, it allows me to eat larger but less frequent meals, and so far, I like it. I'd just like to get some opinions on what you guys think. Does anyone else use this type of strategy with success? Any red flags that I should be looking out for? Anyone have bad experiences from following such a plan?

[LG1]

Somewhat similar to your plan. I have 6 feedings per day. 38 years old. started in Feb at around 240lbs, got down to 210lbs by early September. Currently at about 215lbs (am/dry weight). Slowly added some carbs to meals #1 first, then recently added carbs to meals #2 and #4. I always have/had a couple pieces of fruitwith meal #5. SKIPload on Sundays.

1. meal replacements shake for breakfast
2. protein shake between breakfasr and lunch
3. whole food lunch
4. another protein shake between lunch and dinner
5. whole food dinner
6. pre-bed protein shake

[5spotbullseye]

Somewhat similar to your plan. I have 6 feedings per day. 38 years old. started in Feb at around 240lbs, got down to 210lbs by early September. Currently at about 215lbs (am/dry weight). Slowly added some carbs to meals #1 first, then recently added carbs to meals #2 and #4. I always have/had a couple pieces of fruitwith meal #5. SKIPload on Sundays.

1. meal replacements shake for breakfast
2. protein shake between breakfasr and lunch
3. whole food lunch
4. another protein shake between lunch and dinner
5. whole food dinner
6. pre-bed protein shake

Sounds like you've made some headway too. Have you retained your lean mass? I should mention....my "BCAA's" are instantized BCAA's, not whey shakes.

[LG1]

5spot... I know what you are saying... I think there is some similarity between the protein shakes and BCAA. I did retain my lean mass and now slowly trying to add lean mass by adding carbs. I consume two whole food meals per day.

Did you get on your current diet right away or did you start with something different and then slowly ended up on your current plan?

The reason I ask, is I also would consider replacing the protein shakes with BCAA, but that change would come gradually based on my current set-up if you know what I mean.

[5spotbullseye]

5spot... I know what you are saying... I think there is some similarity between the protein shakes and BCAA. I did retain my lean mass and now slowly trying to add lean mass by adding carbs. I consume two whole food meals per day.

Did you get on your current diet right away or did you start with something different and then slowly ended up on your current plan?

The reason I ask, is I also would consider replacing the protein shakes with BCAA, but that change would come gradually based on my current set-up if you know what I mean.

I didn't jump right into it. For years I followed the typical 5-6 meals per day, with 2-3 of those "meals" coming from whey isolate/evoo shakes. When I got tired of the eating, I started scaling back the meal frequency and increasing the portion size. (This was basically at maintenance level.) When I decided to "diet-down", I kept the plan, only at a calorie deficit level.

Another reason I like is that I don't feel bloated all the time. Once I reach my goal, I too will slowly add come calories back in, but I have to get there first.

So from what you're saying, you didn't notice any detrimental effects from eating in this fashion?

[LG1]

So from what you're saying, you didn't notice any detrimental effects from eating in this fashion?

No detrimental effects for me what so ever. I actually prefer this set-up.

Next year when I decide to diet-down again and depending on how the fat loss goes, I would also consider progressing to BCAAs instead of protein shakes intra-day.

[5spotbullseye]

No detrimental effects for me what so ever. I actually prefer this set-up.

Next year when I decide to diet-down again and depending on how the fat loss goes, I would also consider progressing to BCAAs instead of protein shakes intra-day.

I prefer it as well.....it allows me to have a somewhat "normal" diet schedule, but also gets the job done. I hate feeling overly hungry.....the bigger meals satisfy my hunger. With the more frequent & smaller meals, I was NEVER satisfied from a hunger standpoint.

[LG1]

BTW, I am NO expert. However, if I was in fat loss mode on your plan and stalled out. I would do the following:

5:00 am = Instantized BCAA's (pre-cardio) REMOVE
6:00 am = Whey isolate & EVOO
9:00 am = Instantized BCAA's
12:00 pm = 8 oz lean meat, 1.5 cup brown rice (cooked), & some veggies
3:00 pm = Instantized BCAA's
6:00 pm = 8 oz lean meat, 1.5 cup brown rice (cooked), & some veggies
9:00 pm = Instantized BCAA's REPLACE w/ pure Casein/blend shake

[trucelt]

Hey guys-

When do you train on this set-up?

[LG1]

Hey Truce, I train in the evening (Wed) and first thing in the morning (Sat & Sun)

[5spotbullseye]

I usually train after work.....about 4pm.

[5spotbullseye]

BTW, I am NO expert. However, if I was in fat loss mode on your plan and stalled out. I would do the following:

5:00 am = Instantized BCAA's (pre-cardio) REMOVE
6:00 am = Whey isolate & EVOO
9:00 am = Instantized BCAA's
12:00 pm = 8 oz lean meat, 1.5 cup brown rice (cooked), & some veggies
3:00 pm = Instantized BCAA's
6:00 pm = 8 oz lean meat, 1.5 cup brown rice (cooked), & some veggies
9:00 pm = Instantized BCAA's REPLACE w/ pure Casein/blend shake

I thought about removing the BCAA's prior to cardio. Does 5g (+/-) of instantized BCAA's spike one's insulin enough to cut into the effectiveness of the cardio? I guess it could.....I don't know.

[LG1]

Since you put it that way, I don't think it matters. lol I personally would hate going to bed feeling hungry. So for me, a Casein shake with husk fiber and maybe some fat is a good option.

[DC_catholic315]

Yes you do get SOME insulin response.... In longjevity skip reccomended fasted cardio (no bcaa... He specifically said that they do cause a rise in insulin) with yohimbine hcl... And skip shows up full thick and without skin onstage so if I were "cutting" I would do a good burner (yohimbine hcl or I like true nutrition burn) then do the cardio... Maybe even delay your first feeding for 1-2 hours as well and go with a Protien fat combo for your first meal to help minimize insulin response and maximize thermo response (again I'm jus repeating skips reccomendation from his seminar in longevity to my understanding so I take no credit for these ideas... Credit goes where credit is due ;-) ) but then again I'm sort of an overanalyzing fool sometimes lol offseason I would say have the bcaas as you'd be doing more appetite stimulating body at managing "anabolic cardio" jus my .02... And I'm jus repeating what I learned from skips DVD so I'd say... Its some good shit...

[5spotbullseye]

Since you put it that way, I don't think it matters. lol I personally would hate going to bed feeling hungry. So for me, a Casein shake with husk fiber and maybe some fat is a good option.

Actually, for some reason, I don't feel all that hungry right before bed. I actually do include some fiber in there as well, so it's a little more than just BCAA's.