Trouble deciding to gain or lose.

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
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Hello jordan! Sam here from this recent thread: Powerbuilding 2 maybe too much for right now? - Training Q/A with Drs. Feigenbaum & Baraki - Barbell Medicine Forum
thanks so much for your help here.

i am having trouble deciding whether or not to lose or gain weight, and i would like to seek some guidance if you don’t mind please.

Background info:
few years of suboptimal training under my belt, then a few years gap, now have done the begginer program, pb1, etc.
running PB1
23, male, 5"8
206lbs.
38" waist.
maintained weight for the last couple months at -3150kcal per day.
Additionally, a relaxed photo attached for reference.

My goals have always been to be stronger, and more muscular, pretty common haha. However I would like to do so at a much lower waist size, and if i could have some viewable abs, that would be great. (Typical i suppose)

im going to share a few doubts i have about either process and maybe your professional opinion could correct any mislead feelings here.

losing weight:

  • i have an easy time eating at maintenance (3150ish cals), and i find that going lower, i am almost going hungry by every evening when i cannot eat any more. I try to put forward some strategys like keeping less calorie dense, processed foods around, but i find i struggle still, with still being hungry even if i have made some good choices for that specific day. (Less processed, high fiber/protein).
    i know there is more to do with food environment, but i am not sure i have been able to find much more detailed info unless i have missed it in my searches.

  • it is so damn easy to just use uber eats/skip the dishes, apps to order food to the door sometimes, that you dont have to even make or pickup groceries for. I have trouble with not doing this, lol.

  • the thought of going to the gym, and not being able to gain muscle in any way, due to being in a calorie deficit makes me feel like im wasting my time in some way, although i know it is not a waste, i am not sure why this is the feeling i get.

  • additionally, i know i can still get stronger, but i fear that the odds may be against be here, as compared to maintaining, or gaining weight. (Maybe perfectionism??)

  • after i lose weight and then decide to bulk, am i going to just end back up in square one?

maintaining weight:
from an rpe standpoint this is easy for me,

  • this sort of feels like being stuck in limbo to me, where i probably am not gaining much muscle or losing fat, but maybe increasing strength.

gaining weight:
From an rpe standpoint this is also easy for me.

  • i fear that i will gain even more fat, and have trouble losing weight or gettings abs in the future. Although i feel this is the only drawback, as i don’t think i would go to an unhealthy weight.

Thanks for reading. As much as i know getting abs isnt everything, etc. i think that you, austin, and the rest of the bbm team not only are very very functionally fit, but have the looks of extremely healthy athletes, and i think that would be great.

i would appreciate any advice or opinions on what you would recommend here. Sorry for the long post and i hope you’re having a great week!

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Sam,

I think some of the time needed here probably gets into consult territory to address your specific needs. That said, I have some general thoughts:

  1. I would generally recommend weight loss for a man with a waist > 37" unless there was a contraindication to losing weight
  2. Maintenance Calories for you would be ~ 3100 as mentioned. I’d be looking to start at ~ 2800 or so to see how that affected weight loss, hunger, etc.
  3. There are lots of modifications to the food environment that can be made, but what they are depends on where you’re starting from. Removing highly processed, ultraprocessed foods, and other energy dense snack foods from the home would be step 1. For some, even healthy foods like peanut butter can drive overconsumption, whereas raw, unseasoned nuts provide the same benefit and energy, but less drive to overeat.
  4. If food apps are a problem, you could bundle their use with something else you love doing, but happens infrequently. For example, deleting the app from your phone and only ordering in when you’re spending time with a friend/friends may be useful.
  5. You can gain muscle on an energy deficit. Less than in an energy surplus, for sure, but it’s still not zero. That said, no one will know how much muscle you have if you’re not a little lean. Also, muscle takes a long time to build so any short term reduction in muscle gain is likely to be irrelevant in 10 years.
  6. Would not associate strength changes with modest energy intake reduction (or gain) and/or modest changes in muscle mass
  7. It is unlikely you’ll have the same amount of muscle, strength, etc. if you are training correctly and making gradual changes to your nutrition. Bouncing back and forth between goals would do this though For me, all or nothing thinking tends to be a real hindrance to most people’s physical development. You don’t have to be all-in on getting peeled and you don’t have to go full-send on bulking szn. A little bit of progress here and there over time really adds up. Just my 0.02.

-Jordan

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All good. Let me know how it goes!

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