What should I be doing?

AmyM713

Okay so when I joined this group I was eating my TDEE and a 15% cut, I had reached a weight I was happy with, and am still in that range so I upped my calories to maintenance. I am happy with my results from working out and eating more and I'm not gaining or losing weight, just kinda doing the up and down because of water weight. I'm gaining muscle but I still have a good layer of fat covering my abdomen (I also know you can't spot reduce, not trying to), my question is this can I eat maintenance as long as I eat well and do my strength/cardio and still get rid of that layer, or should I go back down to my TDEE with the 15% cut? Thanks for any insight into this!

scottc561

Okay so when I joined this group I was eating my TDEE and a 15% cut, I had reached a weight I was happy with, and am still in that range so I upped my calories to maintenance. I am happy with my results from working out and eating more and I'm not gaining or losing weight, just kinda doing the up and down because of water weight. I'm gaining muscle but I still have a good layer of fat covering my abdomen (I also know you can't spot reduce, not trying to), my question is this can I eat maintenance as long as I eat well and do my strength/cardio and still get rid of that layer, or should I go back down to my TDEE with the 15% cut? Thanks for any insight into this!

it depends, if you are putting on muscle or not. if you are weight lifting and putting on muscle that should help burn extra calories, but that will take some time. you could also drop your calories alittle less then 15% since you are at your goal weight. maybe 5 or 10% under tdee.

gemiwing

it depends, if you are putting on muscle or not. if you are weight lifting and putting on muscle that should help burn extra calories, but that will take some time. you could also drop your calories alittle less then 15% since you are at your goal weight. maybe 5 or 10% under tdee.

I agree with this. Also you might want to look into bulk/cut cycles now that you're so close. There's a youtube video from the group on cutting/bulking I believe.

AmyM713

Thanks, I will look into the video, and 5-10% sounds good.

ANewLucia

I'm a few pounds from goal...I guess...whatever that weight is to fit all 4's I have comfy. I'm in same boat of just needing to burn off some fat. I started eating tdee 3wks ago and went through a tumultuous bounce around since it was a week from tom time and I just holddddddd water for like 2 wks...just crazy. My thought is if I eat tdee I have a better chance of gaining a little muscle mass with the higher cals and increased protein...my theory so testing it out..lol. Well the water weight is finally gone from tom (always have some from lifting) so that puffy look is gone. I'm still up a couple pounds but look smaller. I can tell I have burned off more fat. I am going to do so for 3 more weeks and go from there. I love eating and lifting and can't seem to do cut 15% anymore...lol. Maybe I can deal with 5% if I have to:blushing: I checked measurements and lost .5 off hips(my bumm is def getting smaller) and a .25in gain in biceps but think that was just water from lifting day befor:noway: lol

AmyM713

I'm a few pounds from goal...I guess...whatever that weight is to fit all 4's I have comfy. I'm in same boat of just needing to burn off some fat. I started eating tdee 3wks ago and went through a tumultuous bounce around since it was a week from tom time and I just holddddddd water for like 2 wks...just crazy. My thought is if I eat tdee I have a better chance of gaining a little muscle mass with the higher cals and increased protein...my theory so testing it out..lol. Well the water weight is finally gone from tom (always have some from lifting) so that puffy look is gone. I'm still up a couple pounds but look smaller. I can tell I have burned off more fat. I am going to do so for 3 more weeks and go from there. I love eating and lifting and can't seem to do cut 15% anymore...lol. Maybe I can deal with 5% if I have to:blushing: I checked measurements and lost .5 off hips(my bumm is def getting smaller) and a .25in gain in biceps but think that was just water from lifting day befor:noway: lol

That's great!! I actually love eating my TDEE without the cut too so I am gonna try 5% first and then if I need to move up to 10%. I agree with your theory "muscle burns fat" right? So if we eat more and gain muscle our bodies will become more efficient at burning fat and that layer should disappear, I hope.