Q&A with Trainer - Erik Ledin

[COWL68]

Originally Posted by Stephanie2010

It's really hard to say without knowing all the aspects of your programming if it will be effective for you. For instance did you at least give you a range to go for when looking for failure. Example bench press for 4 sets to failure, aim to choose a weight that will have you failing in 6-8 reps, or did he just say rep to failure with no guidelines?
Also it's my opinion that if your not losing any weight on 8xBW that's an issue. Hopefully Erik will chime in here for you and answer your questions.

As this is Erik's thread, would you mind if we moved this over to the main discussion board so others may weigh in as well and keep the thread clean?

No I wouldn't mind, we can move it. My trainer told me to keep at 10 but not to just lift until 10 to go until I fail. I would add weight if I could do more than 15 for 4 reps. I joined a bodybuilding.com transformation contest so he told me not to add any more weight while trying to shred. I am not losing weight and am trying to eat well. But still not much weight loss. I was doing 20-30 reps on some of the exercises and figure it was counter productive so I upped the weight. I have done a lot of reading that 10 reps is still too many that I should keep it at 6-8. I think he might be old school in the thought higher reps means more fat loss. I know there are different schools of thought on this. I really don't know for sure what my body fat % is I was using a hand held device that reads between 25.7% and 31%. I started at 33%. Thanks!

[Shaydz]

Originally Posted by COWL68

No I wouldn't mind, we can move it. My trainer told me to keep at 10 but not to just lift until 10 to go until I fail. I would add weight if I could do more than 15 for 4 reps. I joined a bodybuilding.com transformation contest so he told me not to add any more weight while trying to shred. I am not losing weight and am trying to eat well. But still not much weight loss. I was doing 20-30 reps on some of the exercises and figure it was counter productive so I upped the weight. I have done a lot of reading that 10 reps is still too many that I should keep it at 6-8. I think he might be old school in the thought higher reps means more fat loss. I know there are different schools of thought on this. I really don't know for sure what my body fat % is I was using a hand held device that reads between 25.7% and 31%. I started at 33%. Thanks!

If I may add my two cents - and I am by no means an expert - and hopefully Erik chimes in (or we move this thread) but if you are trying to shred...you cannot "try to eat well" and expect lots of weight loss...if being shredded is your goal then you have to be meticulous and track what goes into your mouth...
At least that's my experience. If I try to eat well then I am lean but not shredded but as soon as I start tracking everything and get on a plan - I see fat loss happen on a much bigger way.

[victoria_a]

Originally Posted by Shaydz

If I may add my two cents - and I am by no means an expert - and hopefully Erik chimes in (or we move this thread) but if you are trying to shred...you cannot "try to eat well" and expect lots of weight loss...if being shredded is your goal then you have to be meticulous and track what goes into your mouth...
At least that's my experience. If I try to eat well then I am lean but not shredded but as soon as I start tracking everything and get on a plan - I see fat loss happen on a much bigger way.

I completely agree.

[COWL68]

Whew I have been reading the whole thread over the last few days! Lots of of info to digest but I think I have got the just of it. Sorry if I repeated a question that you have answered before.

I am going to start with upping my calorie in take 12xbw(I was only eating 1460 before eating 75g of protein) What is a good ratio of carbs/pro/fat for continuing to maintain muscle for the time being while I try to lose bf? I am going to set a goal of lowering my body fat so I can see where I am and where I need to change my lifting routine to sculpt my body for a competition. I weight 180 right now. I have been working on losing weight for about 3 years. Before that I went from my heaviest 217 to about 196 then hit a plateau for a couple of years. Last year I decided to start training for a body building comp. My trainer told me to take a couple of years to get there. I have lost 6 inches alone on my waist (and only losing 16lbs) but have been stuck at 180 and losing very slowly before that. I was working on trying to build muscle, but apparently I wasn't eating enough calories. I think I am trading fat lbs for muscle because of the loss of inches but now that has slowed down tooand I am still fat.

So far I have learned not to rely on cardio to get rid of the fat, I had figured that out when triathlon training didn't do much for losing weight, I ate a lot. I do like running so I would like to get back to that 3xweek. Trade it out for bicycling once a week when I can. (former triathlete) Right now I walk every day I lift except leg day(My legs would give out). I lift 4-5 days a week, you can see my routine above.

Thanks again for the great info!

[Erik]

Originally Posted by COWL68

I am going to start with upping my calorie in take 12xbw(I was only eating 1460 before eating 75g of protein) What is a good ratio of carbs/pro/fat for continuing to maintain muscle for the time being while I try to lose bf?

It really isn't about the macronutrient ratio. I would encourage you to read this article on my site for further understanding of my reasons for saying that:

http://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/...-for-fat-loss/

So far I have learned not to rely on cardio to get rid of the fat, I had figured that out when triathlon training didn't do much for losing weight, I ate a lot. I do like running so I would like to get back to that 3xweek.

Well, *I* wouldn't opt for that if I were you.

Give you are heavy and have higher body fat you can actually 'reverse taper' your diet by using a lower bodyweight multiplier for your caloric intake. The issue with caloric intake is that when you're lean, the body is less protective of the regulatory hormones, and that's when you can get into issues with calories that are too low relative to bodyweight. However, body fat is protective to the regulatory hormones and thus when body fat is high, you can eat less per lb of bodyweight without issue. So you don't necessarily have to go with 12X BW as that tends to be the top end of dieting calories on average; something in the 10X BW rate might work better for you in the beginning and then as you get leaner you might increase the *relative* amount of calories (in comparison to bodyweight).

Good luck.

[Erik]

Quads comparison.

Pic 1 - Friday 7:17pm
Pic 2 - Friday 11:42pm
Pic 3 - Saturday 7:33am

Not bad for 12 hours.

No diuretics, no water cut (10 liters yesterday), no sodium manipulation. Just a nice, sane LBC cruise in.

[Siouxcountry]

Originally Posted by Erik

Quads comparison.

Pic 1 - Friday 7:17pm
Pic 2 - Friday 11:42pm
Pic 3 - Saturday 7:33am

Not bad for 12 hours.

No diuretics, no water cut (10 liters yesterday), no sodium manipulation. Just a nice, sane LBC cruise in.

I love how you do nothing extreme even in the last hours before a show.

[Erik]

Originally Posted by Siouxcountry

I love how you do nothing extreme even in the last hours before a show.

Thanks. I just honestly do not find it necessary if you understand how the body works. Working WITH understanding of physiology is much, much more predicable. You just know what to expect.

When you start introducing all these other voodoo strategies, it's not working with the body, it's trying to 'trick it' and there's a reason why that winds up being so unpredictable as evidenced by so much feedback from people never being able to get it consistent every time.

[Erik]

It worked out pretty nicely.

[COWL68]

Originally Posted by Erik

It really isn't about the macronutrient ratio. I would encourage you to read this article on my site for further understanding of my reasons for saying that:

http://www.leanbodiesconsulting.com/...-for-fat-loss/



Well, *I* wouldn't opt for that if I were you.

Give you are heavy and have higher body fat you can actually 'reverse taper' your diet by using a lower bodyweight multiplier for your caloric intake. The issue with caloric intake is that when you're lean, the body is less protective of the regulatory hormones, and that's when you can get into issues with calories that are too low relative to bodyweight. However, body fat is protective to the regulatory hormones and thus when body fat is high, you can eat less per lb of bodyweight without issue. So you don't necessarily have to go with 12X BW as that tends to be the top end of dieting calories on average; something in the 10X BW rate might work better for you in the beginning and then as you get leaner you might increase the *relative* amount of calories (in comparison to bodyweight).

Good luck.

Thanks Erik!!!! Damn I enjoyed eating more @ 12xbw, but alas it didn't help me lose much. I will try 10xbw for a while and hopefully lose some fat. I am going to try some HIIT instead of running, is that better? I appreciate your website with all those great articles!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge

[Erik]

Originally Posted by COWL68

Thanks Erik!!!! Damn I enjoyed eating more @ 12xbw, but alas it didn't help me lose much. I will try 10xbw for a while and hopefully lose some fat. I am going to try some HIIT instead of running, is that better? I appreciate your website with all those great articles!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge

Yes, some short, infrequent interval training (say on a stationary bike) would be superior IMO to the steady state runs.

[LoriAlbers]

Originally Posted by Erik

It worked out pretty nicely.

VERY NICE work for trainer and athlete.

It's amazing what people go through in training. I know when I trained with a trainer he obviously had a different approach than you do Erik. I worked my butt off with cardio. It was ridiculous.

[Bernieann00]

Hi Erik!
I have been in the process of reading this thread from front to back and must say, lots of exciting new information to process.
I am 5'1 and currently 134-136lbs. I have been dieting for 4 1/2 years for fgure with the dreaded cardio, you speak of. I had no clue how damaging this would be on my system and finally in past December I wanted to prep for another competition, not really cutting back on cardios at all. Needless to say, my body does not want to respond, slow results, and a few months of realizations, studying, and now trying to heal my body. I have cut back on all cardios (used to do 12 a week) to using only HIIT and heavy weights. After 3 months, I finally decided to do my own nutrition plans because I need to take control, but not sure or scared of how many calories to begin consuming. I track my calories to 1700 a day. I have cut back on binging, (was incredibly worse even a few months ago) and i think that is due to extra foods and less cardios, but I feel I am gaining weight still. What would you recommend for me as far as managing my calorie intake? Do I increase it to 2000 for a few weeks, and cut back? Im not sure what I should do in the repair process. I would like to be leaner i was comfortable at 125.
Thank you for your response!
Love your brain!

[Erik]

Originally Posted by Bernieann00

Hi Erik!
I am 5'1 and currently 134-136lbs. I have cut back on all cardios (used to do 12 a week) to using only HIIT and heavy weights.

I could make a case for doing NO cardio, not even HIIT.

After 3 months, I finally decided to do my own nutrition plans because I need to take control, but not sure or scared of how many calories to begin consuming. I track my calories to 1700 a day.

This is 12.5x BW - it's not enough. You'll want to be 15-16x but you can gradually increase calories as you go.

I have cut back on binging, (was incredibly worse even a few months ago) and i think that is due to extra foods and less cardios, but I feel I am gaining weight still. What would you recommend for me as far as managing my calorie intake? Do I increase it to 2000 for a few weeks, and cut back? Im not sure what I should do in the repair process. I would like to be leaner i was comfortable at 125.
Thank you for your response!
Love your brain!

Weight gain is often part of the recovery; you just have to grin and bear it. Attempting to counter-diet it will not lead you to any degree of metabolic recovery. You can't repair any metabolic dysfunction AND get leaner at the same time. What promotes the former does not promote the latter and vice versa.

[Bernieann00]

This is 12.5x BW - it's not enough. You'll want to be 15-16x but you can gradually increase calories as you go.

Besides the fact that I am incredibly nervous... , I will increase calories. When do you know when the person has gone through recovery and can go the process of leaning out? I figured at year and half. But im sure with every person is different.


Weight gain is often part of the recovery; you just have to grin and bear it. Attempting to counter-diet it will not lead you to any degree of metabolic recovery. You can't repair any metabolic dysfunction AND get leaner at the same time. What promotes the former does not promote the latter and vice versa.


Yes, I understand that. It is extremely disappointing that all this time I thought it was me...and my coach tells me to follow my diet, do my cardios...do my part...and now here I am. Without him, unfortunately. Thank you for your help. Look forward to being on your waiting list

[Erik]

Originally Posted by Bernieann00

[b]
Besides the fact that I am incredibly nervous... , I will increase calories. When do you know when the person has gone through recovery and can go the process of leaning out? I figured at year and half. But im sure with every person is different.

It is very case by case. You just have to given it time. You definitely want to see bodyweight increases (if any) with the increased calories to an assumed maintenance level off and be stable. You also want to be FEELING well on the "inside" for lack of a better word.