I know you started the thread with tongue firmly in cheek but you have sixteen weeks and a motivational reason to succeed. If you (secretly) want to get a bit more buff for the beach then do what Molgrips is doing – 5×5. If that’s too much go 3×5 but do it three times a week for twelve weeks and spend the final four weeks doing some cardio or serious (read dangerous) calorie deficit to show off those hard earned muscles.
I’m not being entirely serious about the extreme calorie cut but fat will fall off if you reduce to something like 1200 – 1000kcal a day – dangerous because your body starts to chow down on what’s available so if you have little body fat it’ll start on something else, as I understand it. Last year I experimented with weightlifting and calorie deficit to see how much I could lift and how little I could get away with eating. I had to stop lifting around 800kcal as it got a bit ridiculous.
Doing it all again after the hernia surgery and I’m eating lots of clean food – around 2800 – 3000kcal daily – and lifting a lot more weight a lot earlier than last time and losing fat whilst doing so. Not hurting anywhere near as much so the calorie surplus is taking care of the repair process.
Follow 5×5 (or similar) to the letter and you’ll see some results that’ll inspire you. You probably won’t get lighter – the complete opposite unless you’re obese – but you’ll gain some very usable strength and a decent-ish body to boot.
[Arnie] Do it. Do it now![/Arnie]