From 280, 30% BF 18 months ago to 230, 10% today!

Oh wow man!!!  You are looking SOLID!! 

What is your current meal plan and workout routine like?  What is your overall goal?

For a while I wasn't really watching my diet too much, but I wanted to get as lean as possible. So Eggs and oatmeal for breakfast along with a 5am workout, then chicken and brown rice or tuna for lunch. Cottage cheese and pineapple for a snack mid-day along with various fruits and veggies during the day. A lean protein for dinner. Since I've been cutting I've tried to keep my diet around 250G of protein and the only fat would be from cheeses, milk and eggs. As for carbs the lower the better. I really only ate them in the morning and then the ones I had during the day were from the fruits and veggies. I'd say around 2000-2500 calories daily. I wanted to get down to 215, but I'm happy where I'm at and think it's time to slowly increase my carbs again to put on lean mass. I want to eventually compete and own my own gym with the help of the VA. I think what you're doing is great, if I could be an inspiration to just a handful I'd be happy. 

Thought I would add this from top left to bottom right the past year. I was 260, then 250, 242, 225. Now a solid 230 after being 245 two months ago and cutting since then.

NIce man!!

But to gain more muscle, increasing carbs could lead to fat..

Can you give me your DAILY:

CALORIES:

PROTEIN:

CARBS:

FAT:

ALSO

Bodyweight: 230lbs

Bodyfat %:

We will be able to fine tune it much better with all the numbers in a row.

Ryan,

Outstanding work!  That is an amazing amount of fat loss and lean body mass gain........great job!

John

My daily macros are usually 150G Carbs, 250-300G protein, and 50G of fat. I've been lifting lighter weight since I came back from surgery(I broke my nose playing rugby). I don't want to drastically increase my carbs, just a little bit. I'm hoping to start clean bulking as soon as I'm 100% again. I hope to gain a few pounds of lean mass over the winter and next summer maybe I can think about competing. I think I'm 10% BF right now. I learned how to measure it in PT school but it's hard using a caliper

on yourself. So the 10% is just a guess from the last time I was measured. Any tips to lose those last few pounds of belly fat?  

Great job man! I don't think you are 10% body fat though!I would guess around 14%

Awesome work fella.  A great example of why everyone should take progress pics.  Really motivational you should be proud of yourself!

You said you wanted top take a few pounds off belly fat, those last few are always a pain.  I like mountain climbers or burpees to hit my stomach they are good all round exercises to finish a session with anyway. To be honest though, I think a large part of it is just finding that one killer exercise that works for you.  A friend of mine swears by using a roller/duo wheel. You just got to experiment dude and well done again!

Thanks for the comments! I know I'm not as high as 14%, I was sitting at 13% when I went to the National Personal Training Institute and I've since lost a lot of fat in the mid section area and put on muscle. Plus my skins a little loose from losing 50 pounds in less than a year. 10% isn't the same for everyone, while that would be about 15lbs for you, it'd be 23lbs for me. I'll have a friend from school mesaure and update my info though.

Have you thought about manipulating your food more?  Maybe going down to like 130 carbs and boosting fat up closer to 80-100grams?  Keeping protien at around 300grams?  I feel like 50grams of fat is just too little for you.

Haven't really thought about that, I've heard the expression you have to eat fat to burn fat. I'll give it a shot though. I'm eating relatively lean meats, what would you suggest?

ALMONDS... a handful of almonds a day goes a long way.  That is wha I do