What Chuck Does

Muscle Math and Fat Figures

I feel bigger. I look bigger. I am definitely stronger. But based on my spreadsheet I have neither gained (nor lost) any weight. Last week I took in a calculated 921 calories less than I burned. That’s good for about 1/4 pound of fat. But based on my spreadsheet, there has been no change in my body composition. My fat content if normalized for hydration and weight, have been the same for the past 2-3 weeks.

I’m confused.

I’m not sure how I should feel and what I should push for. On one hand, I haven’t reached my 10% fat goal. On the other hand I am hesitant to dip any lower in weight for fear that I lose more muscle. I like having my muscles and I’m afraid of what I might look like if I get any leaner. Larry measured me at 7.7% bodyfat 1 week ago with his fat caliper. I’m guessing my true bodyfat percentage is somewhere between in the 9-13% range (with the calipers results on the low end and the scale on the high end). Then again the reality is that it’s very hard to count calories and measure fat with any degree of accuracy. Too often, I’m guesstimating on the calories in my food and combined with the estimates of the physical activity (caloric expenditures), it’s just too hard to accurately pinpoint a 1/4 lb gain or loss.

But I don’t feel fatter. I just feel stronger and bigger.

Part of this is due to the NitroTech. It’s weird but I’m convinced it’s a low level steroid. Click here for full thread. As an addendum to that post, I have found that I lift a LOT harder when I’m on NitroTech than when I’m not.

How much leaner should I go? If I include 2-3 cardio sessions in this week and hold my caloric intake constant from last week, I’ll definitely drop a half pound. For me, an hour of running yields a dramatic and almost immediate effect on my abs, so much so that I immediately feel thinner and leaner.

With all of this said, I MUST stay the course and will continue to make my final push into the 10% range. It’s only 5 weeks until the wedding so I can’t let up now. There will be plenty of time to build muscle after the wedding when I start bulking up. Don’t fear change.