Cut, Bulk or Refeed?

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RubyRunner14
RubyRunner14 Posts: 148 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys! So... I've been doing low carb for a month now, finally well adapted and doing well, even destroyed a running pr last week. My weight hasn't fallen very much and the mirror... I lost some ab definition, which is disappointing. Right after a carb up I saw some definition, it was gone after a day, and I gained 2lbs that took me two weeks to get off. Right now I'm on the upper end of 115 and have 't seen much change lately despite exercise 6x a week and a fair defect (500).

I'd estimate my bf% to be 20. My legs are practically fat free, my arms and shoulders got pretty beefy, and my back/shoulders shed some fat since dropping carbs, but my stomach still looks like a marshmallow.

Should I consider bulking, continue cutting, maybe another carb refeed? Thanks!

Background info:
- Netting 40g carbs at most as I'm at a slow carb reintroduction.
- Diary code is 6784. I drink at least 12 glasses water daily, I am on a high protein/fat, low carb diet, and my sodium typically reaches only half daily limit.
- I do ab workouts with my weight training (once a week), and I can hold the earthquake pose for two minutes. I do marching band and supporting a drum that's just over 1/4 of my weight uses some ab strength, I can imagine. That's 3x a week (totals about 5-6 hours).

Photos:

http://i42.tinypic.com/2zt9jxk.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/ojjx8j.jpg

If it's hard to tell, this stomach looks nearly identical to my own but mine has a little extra fat (if that's what it is) on the elevated part under the belly button. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/images/1103-flat-belly.jpg

Replies

  • duke0825
    duke0825 Posts: 22 Member
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    How long have you been training? What are your goals? If you want to simply have a harder body of consisting as MrM27 says of lean body mass, then yes I'd change up the diet and honestly go to a more moderate diet. My simple points would be:

    Hit the weights at least 3x and do your running 2x...so minimum 5x a week training
    Hit a moderate macro of 50%carbs, 25 protein, 25 fat. If anything reduce the fat a bit and up the carbs.
    Training Age is key. Work out like this for at least a year and YOU WILL see results.

    What I mostly see in your physique is a healthy normal body. You're still young so after you get a year of consistent weight training I believe you'll find what you're looking for.
  • RubyRunner14
    RubyRunner14 Posts: 148 Member
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    Thanks for the help, guys. I've been running since December. I did a bulk in June for three weeks, helped some with lbm. My goal is to have a more defined torso to match the rest of my body.

    Should I start by eating my TDEE and seeing what happens? Also, is there a specific reason to increase carbs to 50% TDEE? I don't run very well on carbs, even healthy ones like veggies and barley. I'll max out at maybe 115g daily (50% my TDEE would be 275g technically) if I exercise that day... I've done very well with high-protein/fat anyways.

    As for schedule, I'm locked in the schedule I'm in until November. I get home at 7:30 PM from band practice so I can try to squeeze in a weight sessions afterwards if that's what it takes. I have technically four days for other exercise but ideally I'd want a rest day, too.

    Also, what areas should I focus on? The only body part my weight machine can focus on really is arms (w/ shoulders and back occasionally), which I usually do on weight days, plus I do pull-ups off a tree... I can do five good reps. Half of my running area is uphill and asphalt (I run 6-8 miles). Would full body or core-centered be best? I'd like to do more back and glute work as well.

    Right now I do weights Sunday, running monday, practice tue, thurs and friday, running wednesday (if rain then weights).
  • AnabolicKyle
    AnabolicKyle Posts: 489 Member
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    Netting 40g carbs at most

    THats rough, how do you even do this?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    if you are at 20% body fat then I would go with cutting until you hit about sub 15% body fat and then eat back to maintenance and then go on bulk ...

    While you are cutting I would recommend to keep lifting heavy...are you familiar with compound lifts - deadlifts, squats, over head press, pull up/chin up, bench press etc? If not, then I would study up on them and start to incorporate them into your routine...

    So eat in about 500 calorie a day deficit and lift heavy ...if you want throw in some cardio then do that about two days a week...

    at least that would be my humble advice :)
  • RubyRunner14
    RubyRunner14 Posts: 148 Member
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    Kyle - I've been doing it for a month, apparently your body becomes fat adapted? Protein is also able to become glucose, it's just a secondary source, I believe. I dunno, I just go on with my day and workouts and end up fine.

    ndj - I am already doing the -500 cal cut. I have no gym access (AKA no squats/deadlifts unless I found a tree branch in my backyard), just a Pacific Zuma fitness machine, a tree (I do do pull-ups), a trail, and my drum. I cannot get myself to 15%, heck, not even 18%, I'd say, which is why I'm asking. But thanks for the input, much appreciated.

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