Getting ripped -- low carb diet?

Hi, Here's my situation, 29yo male 6'6 tall 225lbs. I would describe myself as reasonably lean, but am carrying a bit around the middle (I think I'm around 15%). I want to lose enough fat to get my abs out, figure I need to lose around 10 more lbs.

I am reasonably active, do cardio about 3-4 times per week (45 minutes, moderate intensity), weights 1-2 times and tennis at least once per week. My diet is very healthy (don't have much junk food), although relatively high in carbs (probably average 80-100gms protein/day).

In the last 5 months of training, have lost about 10lbs, but feel like I've hit a plateau.

Now to the low carb diet. A mate of mine is a bodybuilder, and he got totally ripped for a competition in about 2 months following a high protein/low carb diet. He thinks that a high carb diet makes it harder to drop the fat.

Is he right, or is it just the case of calories in vs calories out? I'm prepared to try a low carb diet, but would love some feedback from others first, as it will be much harder to follow than what I'm doing now.

If I could get my abs out within 6 months I would be very happy.

Thanks in advance, Luke

P.S. Please reply to group, email doesn't work.

A few points here:

(1) If you're doing weight training, or even intense cardio, you need more protein than RDA. The amount you are taking is actually pretty close to RDA.

(2) You should be taking no less than 130gm/day at your body weight. If you're also weight training, I'd suggest at least 175gm.

Both. If your carb intake is high, the chances are that your calorie intake is high.

The bottom line is that you need to reduce calories. This nearly always means reducing carb intake in practice, especially cutting back on sugars and grains. It also often means avoiding food that's very high in fat, but you're probably already doing this.

I have a friend who did just this . . . see his website at www.allyourstrength.com - I think his peaking regimine is on there, the photos also, but you'll see what he did, and low carb info is in archived articles.

Good luck,

<snip>

Funny how that before pick shows him harshly lit, untanned, unshaven, hair uncombed, unflexed, frowning, slouching, tucking his chin in and pushing his gut out. It's almost as if he were trying to make himself look as bad as possible, so as to increase the contrast with his well lit, tanned, flexed, shaven, hair nicely styled, well posed after photos.

Well, of course... I've never heard of anyone claiming that holding the newspaper is NOT intentional for that very purpose.

Coincidence.

Watson (the pencil neck) Davis

mistake #1.

mistake #2

egads. mistake #3

some people disagree. I'm not one of them.

most people have no idea how easy it is to overdo the 'calories in' part when you are taking in starches. A little bit of rice goes an insanely long way.

there are a variety of theories why low carb diets tend to have so much success.

1) High starch intake = higher insulin levels = low bodyfat mobilization 2) High protein + moderate fat + low carbs = serious lack of hunger 3) Your body has no real reason to burn bodyfat for fuel if you provide it with an easily accessible energy source (carbohydrates) 4) Uh....lots of other stuff.

Personally, I think that it is just insanely easy to 'diet' on a high protein diet because it is VERY tough to get in a lot of calories when you aren't eating starches.

low carb diets tend to make you insane. well, they tend to make me insane. I MUST have a day per week when i eat carbs, or i'll go insane and rob an old lady and steal her corn flakes or something stupid.

you REALLY need to eat more protein, you REALLY need to start lifting weights to add a bit of mass, and you REALLY need to drop that ridiculous low-intensity cardio bullshit. HIIT is the way to go, first thing in the morning, before breakfast.

guys, get real. who gives a shit? He was lose *smirk* and blubberous, now he's in great shape. give the guy a thumbs up at least.

remember when mjl gave yiou a hard time when you got yourself into shape John? C'mon now...