Cut cycle question
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BoxerBrawler
Posts: 2,032 Member
Good morning, have a question...
I've been building for a little while and am happy with my progress, now it's time to cut and really get the muscles to pop!
I was lifting 4-5 x per week - varied groups w/progressive weight. Also getting cardio almost daily and Muay Thai training, dance, running and some HIIT. I am starting a cut cycle and re-calculated my calorie target for aggressive loss @25% and recalculated my macro's. I've dropped the heavy lifting and plan to do mostly cardio along with the MMA, HIIT and dance, and I plan to lift light strong-lifts on Saturday's only. I added a multi-V as well as tonalin, L-Carnitine and Glutamine to my nutrition plan. My plan is cut for 30 days, maintain for a few weeks from there.
Does anyone have any comments, suggestions, thoughts on cut strategies and/or supplementation during a cycle?
Thanks so much for your input
I've been building for a little while and am happy with my progress, now it's time to cut and really get the muscles to pop!
I was lifting 4-5 x per week - varied groups w/progressive weight. Also getting cardio almost daily and Muay Thai training, dance, running and some HIIT. I am starting a cut cycle and re-calculated my calorie target for aggressive loss @25% and recalculated my macro's. I've dropped the heavy lifting and plan to do mostly cardio along with the MMA, HIIT and dance, and I plan to lift light strong-lifts on Saturday's only. I added a multi-V as well as tonalin, L-Carnitine and Glutamine to my nutrition plan. My plan is cut for 30 days, maintain for a few weeks from there.
Does anyone have any comments, suggestions, thoughts on cut strategies and/or supplementation during a cycle?
Thanks so much for your input
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Replies
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Yeah, just one: don't drop the heavy lifting. In fact, ALL of your lifting should be heavy when cutting.4
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Another vote for not dropping the lifting... You want to maintain as much of your gains as possible!2
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Oh okay! See... I didn't know that. I assumed I'd have to drop the heavy so I wouldn't bulk anymore! Thanks for the tip! Because as you know... it's super hard to 'Not' lift heavy weights if you've been doing it for a while lol! So keep lifting heavy... I was lifting 4-5x per week, should I reduce that or keep on the same schedule/amount?0
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1) Lift heavy
2) Calorie deficit
3) Sufficient protein5 -
Thank you! Got it!
I upped my protein when I re-cacluated my macro's so I am good there.
Oddly enough I was already eating at a deficit so the new calorie target came in higher than my original. I wasn't sure if I should continue at my current deficit or my new target... Thinking I'll shoot for the higher target, make my body more efficient at burning calories as I've been in a stall / eating too little.
Thanks again! So helpful!0 -
cushman5279 wrote: »Oh okay! See... I didn't know that. I assumed I'd have to drop the heavy so I wouldn't bulk anymore! Thanks for the tip! Because as you know... it's super hard to 'Not' lift heavy weights if you've been doing it for a while lol! So keep lifting heavy... I was lifting 4-5x per week, should I reduce that or keep on the same schedule/amount?
Bulking has more to do with the amount you're eating - when you're bulking, your calorie surplus leads to both muscle and fat gain. When you're cutting you just want to try and lose fat, but keep as much muscle as possible. That's where the calorie deficit comes in....You'll likely lose some muscle during your cut, but without lifting you'll lose more muscle than if you keep lifting.5 -
+1 for keeping the heavy lifting and protein.0
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »cushman5279 wrote: »Oh okay! See... I didn't know that. I assumed I'd have to drop the heavy so I wouldn't bulk anymore! Thanks for the tip! Because as you know... it's super hard to 'Not' lift heavy weights if you've been doing it for a while lol! So keep lifting heavy... I was lifting 4-5x per week, should I reduce that or keep on the same schedule/amount?
Bulking has more to do with the amount you're eating - when you're bulking, your calorie surplus leads to both muscle and fat gain. When you're cutting you just want to try and lose fat, but keep as much muscle as possible. That's where the calorie deficit comes in....You'll likely lose some muscle during your cut, but without lifting you'll lose more muscle than if you keep lifting.
Yes, makes perfect sense! Thank you0 -
Any thoughts on supplementation?0
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- Strong coffee tends to help with lifting when in a deficit.
- Plenty of fluids = frequent trips to the bathroom = increased NEAT
- Protein shakes provide protein when food is not an option or you're feeling lazy
Other than that, I can't think of anything.1 -
cushman5279 wrote: »Thank you! Got it!
I upped my protein when I re-cacluated my macro's so I am good there.
Oddly enough I was already eating at a deficit so the new calorie target came in higher than my original. I wasn't sure if I should continue at my current deficit or my new target... Thinking I'll shoot for the higher target, make my body more efficient at burning calories as I've been in a stall / eating too little.
Thanks again! So helpful!
Could you please explain this? How much have you been eating previously and what has your weight done in response?
Your new calories for a cut should not be higher than your calories for a bulk. If you were already in a deficit you weren't bulking.. Maybe I'm missing something?2 -
TresaAswegan wrote: »cushman5279 wrote: »Thank you! Got it!
I upped my protein when I re-cacluated my macro's so I am good there.
Oddly enough I was already eating at a deficit so the new calorie target came in higher than my original. I wasn't sure if I should continue at my current deficit or my new target... Thinking I'll shoot for the higher target, make my body more efficient at burning calories as I've been in a stall / eating too little.
Thanks again! So helpful!
Could you please explain this? How much have you been eating previously and what has your weight done in response?
Your new calories for a cut should not be higher than your calories for a bulk. If you were already in a deficit you weren't bulking.. Maybe I'm missing something?
Yes, good spot - something amiss here.0 -
TresaAswegan wrote: »cushman5279 wrote: »Thank you! Got it!
I upped my protein when I re-cacluated my macro's so I am good there.
Oddly enough I was already eating at a deficit so the new calorie target came in higher than my original. I wasn't sure if I should continue at my current deficit or my new target... Thinking I'll shoot for the higher target, make my body more efficient at burning calories as I've been in a stall / eating too little.
Thanks again! So helpful!
Could you please explain this? How much have you been eating previously and what has your weight done in response?
Your new calories for a cut should not be higher than your calories for a bulk. If you were already in a deficit you weren't bulking.. Maybe I'm missing something?
I was confused too...0 -
My first goal was weight loss, years ago, so I started eating at a deficit and never actually went into maintenance. I lost a ton of weight first, then I started lifting. I built muscle and put some weight back on so in all likelihood I wasn't really eating at a deficit....0
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cushman5279 wrote: »My first goal was weight loss, years ago, so I started eating at a deficit and never actually went into maintenance. I lost a ton of weight first, then I started lifting. I built muscle and put some weight back on so in all likelihood I wasn't really eating at a deficit....
So how are you determining what you're actual calorie intake is? Do you weigh, measure, log everything you eat and drink?0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »cushman5279 wrote: »My first goal was weight loss, years ago, so I started eating at a deficit and never actually went into maintenance. I lost a ton of weight first, then I started lifting. I built muscle and put some weight back on so in all likelihood I wasn't really eating at a deficit....
So how are you determining what you're actual calorie intake is? Do you weigh, measure, log everything you eat and drink?
Yes I do now! I was a bit lazy with it for a while but have been planning / prepping / weighing, measuring and logging everything I eat once again. I got my calorie & macro target from IIFYM based upon my current weight and my goal, and I increased the protein % a bit from that.
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cushman5279 wrote: »Any thoughts on supplementation?
Drop the glutemine and L- carnitine. They aren't going to provide you much benefit. If anything, a good whey protein, creatine and consume caffeine will be you biggest bang for your buck.
https://examine.com/supplements/l-carnitine/
"There appears to be a fat reducing effect of L-Carnitine supplementation, but this may be limited to elderly persons; limited studies in otherwise healthy youth and adults fail to note an effect "
https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/
"It is generally touted as a muscle builder, but has not been proven to enhance muscle building in healthy individuals; only those suffering from physical trauma such as burns or muscular wounds (knife wounds) or in disease states in which muscle wasting occurs, such as AIDS. In these individuals, however, glutamine is effective at building muscle and alleviating a decrease in muscle mass typical of the ailment."2 -
cushman5279 wrote: »Any thoughts on supplementation?
Drop the glutemine and L- carnitine. They aren't going to provide you much benefit. If anything, a good whey protein, creatine and consume caffeine will be you biggest bang for your buck.
https://examine.com/supplements/l-carnitine/
"There appears to be a fat reducing effect of L-Carnitine supplementation, but this may be limited to elderly persons; limited studies in otherwise healthy youth and adults fail to note an effect "
https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/
"It is generally touted as a muscle builder, but has not been proven to enhance muscle building in healthy individuals; only those suffering from physical trauma such as burns or muscular wounds (knife wounds) or in disease states in which muscle wasting occurs, such as AIDS. In these individuals, however, glutamine is effective at building muscle and alleviating a decrease in muscle mass typical of the ailment."
Good information, thank you!0 -
Here is how my calculations came out for a 25% aggressive cut:
Calories 1323
Protein 40%
Fat 40%
Carbs 30%
For weight loss I was eating between 1200 - 1300. For building I was eating around 1500+0 -
The more aggressive your deficit is, they more muscle you will lose. Lose weight slowly and keep lifting to keep your muscle.
40% Protein 40% Fat 30% Carbs will get you 110%
I'd suggest you might have an easier time hitting each day calorie goal by increasing Carbs by 10-20% and decreasing Fat the same amount. The protein is very high, I bet 35% would do it just fine.
You'll need those carbs to keep your muscle too, but that could be bro-science. I don't know much about high fat diets.0
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