Silly nutrition/diet questions

[mjf]

I'm currently on a bulk diet and it's a dirty bulk, but I'm ok with it for now. It's winter.
I went from 185ish to around 205 with some fat, but hoping to add size then later shed the fat for a nice bulkier shredded look for summer.

Now to my silly question. Some guys at work are talking about a one month weight loss challenge. Everyone puts in $100 and whoever loses the most total weight wins the pot. These are big, fat guys and I feel like I'm cheating, but $1k in my pocket removes the guilt of that. If I join this weight loss challenge what would be the best approach to it, carb cycling? Keto diet?

I have a very hard time gaining weight so losing it shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I'd like to be able to maintian as much muscle as possible. I understand muscle weighs more than fat, but I think I can still drop quite a bit of weight, enough to win the contest. The last time they did it, the winner only lost 22lbs. I would have the rest of this month to gain another 5-10lbs.

So my 2 questions are: which diet plan woukd be best to be able to maintain the energy and strength to work out and should I even consider doing this knowing how hard I've had to work just for this 15-20lb weight gain?

 

[mjf]

On carb cycling diet, which days should be the normal carb days? It should be your heavy lifting days as far as I know to give you the carbs for that workout. But what if you work out first thing in the morning? Do you carb load the day before that heavy day or the day of to replenish? That's one thing I didn't fully understand about the carb cycle diet.

I assume if you work out after work, you'd carb load that day.

 

[Eman]

How long do you have before the weigh in to determine the winner?

If it were me, I would go into a deficit to lose about a pound a week which isn't really a severe deficit especially if you utilize cardio. 10 minutes or so of HIIT post training a few times a week. Then I'd drop carbs the last couple days to a week before the weigh in.

 

[mjf]

Last time they did one month. If it's any longer, I doubt I can win. These are 300lb men. They have more to lose than me, but cutting cals, adding hiit, cardio, I think I can win in in 30 days.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Look up some info on making weight for powerlifting meets or fights. You can drop 20+ pounds going low carb, manipulation of water and sodium and doing a liquid diet a few days out. Use a sauna suit and give a pint of blood right before weigh ins to really drop some last minute weight, too.

Before the starting weigh in just load up on carbs, sodium and water for a couple days to temporarily swell your weight up. I bet you could quickly add 5-8lbs like this for more of a difference between the initial weigh in and the final one.

As far as the carb cycling it works well. Not sure if you do it any different with morning workouts. I wouldn't personally just because it would make it confusing.

 

[mjf]

I try not to work out in the mornings any more. I have to wake up at 4:15 and family obligations prevent me from going to sleep early enough tonget enough sleep. I only do morning workouts when I know I'll be working overtime at work. The gym is srupid at 7pm I found out last night. Busy as crap and there was one dude there in jeans, the bedazzled pocket type jeans.

 

[jJjburton]

just do not eat food. Or go anorexic

 

[jessmac]

decide if you want to win the comp and lose all your muscle or don't even bother and just keep your body as you like it.