Trouble transitioning to cutting fat from gaining muscle

leadslinger17
leadslinger17 Posts: 297 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I initially got on MFP to lose weight. Went from 190 to 165 or so, gaining some muscle along the way but mostly burning fat. Then decided to "bulk up" some, which was a lot more fun. Mission accomplished, I'm 180 or so (definitely not all muscle but have made some noticeable increase in muscle). But now I am finding a really hard time transitioning back to cutting down fat. Any tips? I'm guessing this is all mental, but I just feel like I need to eat everything! Cannot find motivation to do cardio.

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    What is your cut at? TDEE-?%.

    Maybe you are cutting to fast.

    With 11lbs TDEE-5% would be sufficent.

    What does your food look like? lots of protien and fiber I hope? maybe more fats are needed?

    If you open your diary you will get better advice as most will just be askiing quesitons like the above.
  • leadslinger17
    leadslinger17 Posts: 297 Member
    Haha, not cutting to fast I don't think... more like cheating and eating too many carbs. To be honest the whole TDEE thing confuses me, and I haven't had anyone who seems sufficiently knowledgeable explain it. I get the concept, but I plug all my info into these online calculators that people on here have recommended and I get numbers that just seem crazy to me. 2800 calories for maintenance? No way. So I take a conservative 10% cut and you are still looking at 2500 calories. I am aiming for 2200 calories a day with a 30% fat/ 30% protein / 40% carb macro goal. For frame of reference I think I lost the initial weight eating 1900 a day.
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    When I hit weight I plan to ease between the cycles gradually as apposed to rapidly switching from cutting to bulking. Lower your calories by an acceptable level that isn't going to stress you out or lose too fast and see how much you lose. Honestly you should be able to tell where your level is at from the weight that you gained while bulking.

    For example if you gained 1lb/week Bulking (Averaged out over a the entire bulk) You where eating 3500 extra a week which equates to 500 a day.

    Therefore logically if you want to lose a lb a week from there you need to cut your calories by 1000.

    As you have been tracking average weight loss/gain for a long time that will do a MUCH better job of telling you what your deficit was than any online calculator or resource. Ultimately your body will tell you where you are at.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Haha, not cutting to fast I don't think... more like cheating and eating too many carbs. To be honest the whole TDEE thing confuses me, and I haven't had anyone who seems sufficiently knowledgeable explain it. I get the concept, but I plug all my info into these online calculators that people on here have recommended and I get numbers that just seem crazy to me. 2800 calories for maintenance? No way. So I take a conservative 10% cut and you are still looking at 2500 calories. I am aiming for 2200 calories a day with a 30% fat/ 30% protein / 40% carb macro goal. For frame of reference I think I lost the initial weight eating 1900 a day.

    TDEE calculations online I always find too high of an estimate. Except IIFYM, it is more reasonable.

    Try this calculation from ETP group....

    Total calories consumed+(lbs lost x 3500)/#days.

    It is recommended you use at least 2 weeks of data if not more for the #days.

    I understand how it can seem crazy...even using that calculation which worked for me for the last 25lbs my TDEE for maitenance calculated out to be 2137...which seemed high...so I went with 2k...I have lost a net of 1.7lbs over that last 6 weeks which makes sense considering I am in a 100 calorie deficit everyday on average.

    I prefer TDEE as there is no guess work for exercise calories, I just eat my food, do my workout and no guess work on exercise calories esp if you are consistent with your workouts. Macros yah that's a "typical split" I prefer to use 1gram per lb of LBM, same for fats 0.35 x LBM x 9/TDEE and rest carbs. I am at a 50/25/25 split doing that but hardly hit my carbs...which I have to work on.

    As for the 2800 for maitenenace...if I maintain on 2137 as a 42 yo women...I suspect you could eat 2800 and maintain.

    As for getting into the cutting mindset try going more slowly...like most do when going up to maitenance. Subtract 100 calories a day for a week, then another 100 a day for the next week...wean yourself off the food you are used to slowly.

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