Coming off bulk....need help with calorie goal for cut

VanderTuig1976
VanderTuig1976 Posts: 145 Member
edited 7:01AM in Fitness and Exercise
Hello,

I need some help determining how "big" of a calorie deficit I should maintain as I go into my cut.

Background info: I began a heavy lifting program in January (Thinner, Leaner, Stronger). I lift 4x per week; each session focuses on one of the major lifts (e.g. squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press) with some accessory work. I also run 2-3 x per week. When I started the program, my intent was to recomp but I found myself to be very hungry and ended up bulking instead.

While I am happy with the changes I see in my body I feel that it's time for a cut (pants are getting a bit snug). I want to preserve as much muscle as possible during my cut so need help determining appropriate calorie goal. Here are my stats and my fitness plan for the cut:

38 y/o female
5'8
150ish lbs. (maintenance is 145-150 range)
Desk job
TDEE = 2200

Fitness plan:

1. Continue to strength train 4x per week
2. Run 3-4x per week (3 miles per run)

I guess maybe I should ask if it's better to do a longer cut so that the calorie deficit isn't as large or should I go with a shorter, more aggressive cut? FWIW, I hate cutting.....I think I might have difficulty sustaining a longer cut.

Replies

  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    The more severe your calorie restriction, the more you risk losing muscle. For most people, the bulk phase is easy. The cutting phase almost never is. It takes patience and perseverance. So, take some time to really focus on the commitment. Just like the commitment of marriage, cheating isn’t an option and you should be in it for the long term.

    The real issue is the approach. Calorie deficits are a given, but you can structure things to make it work best for you. Some people do well with 5 - 6 smaller meals, others with Intermittent Fasting (I’m in the IF group). In either case, you’ll want to make sure your food choices are nutrient dense and timed in a way to allow you to keep performing during your workouts.

    Another thing I’ve recently been working with is thinking of calories over the course of a week, rather than on a daily basis. I’ll eat a lot less on days I’m not training, and then eat much more on the days I am training. So, I might have a 700- 800 calorie deficit on one day and be 200 over another. IF makes this easier to manage. Over the course of the week, I’ve averaged a deficit of 500.
  • VanderTuig1976
    VanderTuig1976 Posts: 145 Member
    Thanks for the information - I've toyed with the idea of IF and I think it might work well for me. If I'm understanding you correctly, you are eating to lose about a pound every two months? I know I can do that....I just need to work on my patience:)
  • phogbear
    phogbear Posts: 30 Member
    I aim for about 2 lbs a month which works out to about 300 calories deficit for me. This will help prevent muscle loss. I will also have a cheat/refeed day once every two weeks. I find the 300 calorie deficit great because I don't get so hungry after working out. I usually lift 4 days a week and when I was 500 deficit I was starving and losing far to much weight.

    I don't do IF because it hurts my workouts and recovery. I use to do it a lot before I started lifting, but now its not for me. The muscle is not going to health without fuel.
  • jett69
    jett69 Posts: 60 Member
    It all depends on how much weight you want to lose in a certain time period.

    Last year I bulked up to 165, at the end of my cut (usually 12 weeks) i lost 15lbs and couldnt lose anymore so i was back where i started. This year, i dumped the bulk and just maintained. Started about 155lbs, I'm already down to 149-150 so the cut is going a lot easier for my June 1 target of 140lbs

    Aim to lose 1lb a week, if you need to drop more, then go for 1.5 a week. if not, do a longer cut.
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