Cutting - Your Tips/Experience

ndj1979 wrote: »

AJ_G wrote: »

ndj1979 wrote: »

I would suggest going for a small deficit (100 to 200 calories), adequate protein (up to 1gram per pound of body weight) and adequate training stimulus.

When I cut last year I went for a 1 pound per week loss and I pretty much lost a good chunk of my gains..this time around I am going slow and steady ....

For a guy, 1 lb a week is plenty slow. You should not be losing your gains at that rate of weight loss. Something is wrong there...

just my experience the first time around...so going slower this time ...

True, nothing wrong with going slower. It's ideal for your body comp and your metabolism anyway.

ndj1979 wrote: »

I would suggest going for a small deficit (100 to 200 calories), adequate protein (up to 1gram per pound of body weight) and adequate training stimulus.

When I cut last year I went for a 1 pound per week loss and I pretty much lost a good chunk of my gains..this time around I am going slow and steady ....

Great advice. I once cut at 1lb per month, and I swear I kept every gram of hard earned muscle. Was clocked at 15% body fat in a bodpod.

I'd add that to keep these calorie numbers really tight, (small deficit) I'd avoid too much cardio, and not too much work above threshold, but if you do, make sure you really know what your burns are by using HRM and tracking and recording EVERYTHING and EAT those exercise cals.(preferably by prefuelling WO really well).

I never cut below 200 cal deficit it's just too risky. That muscle I built is worth more than gold.

A slow cut is much more sustainable. However, I wouldn't worry too much about muscle loss if you're cutting up to 1lb/week - as long as your cut isn't too long. I was able to keep that pace and managed to increase non-fat (lean) mass by 2lbs. Cutting took its toll eventually in the weight room, but that was after quite some time.

My macro approach last time was:

1. minimal fats (.2-.25% of kcals from fats);
2. protein increased slightly (1.2-1.4g's/lb of LBM), and;
3. fill the rest in with carbs (most of which were consumed peri-workout).

I didn't do much cardio aside from an occasional sled push, or farmers carries/overhead carries. You can if you want, just make sure you're eating back some of those calories so you're not eating into muscle (account for the cardio in your TDEE).

USE REFEEDS --> Refeeds are vital.. I would use them every 7-10 days at first, until you reach sub 12-13% bf. Then I'd recommend using them more often, maybe every 4-5 days.

elite_nal wrote: »

aown61 wrote: »

Hey guys I am after tips on what to do to have a successful cut, this will be the first time I've ever attempted it, and I don't want to f it all up after a decent bulk up. Thanks! Andy

Make sure that you only create a slight deficit and focus on burning fat at a gradual pace. This will ensure that you lose fat, not muscle, and maintain as much of your strength as possible. A 15-20% deficit below your maintenance level is a good guideline to follow. This will allow you to lose about 1-2 pounds of fat a week.

Also, make sure to carry out your weight training plan in the exact same way that you did during your bulking phase. Focus on compound lifts, low to moderate reps and high intensity. This will help you burn fat without losing muscle, since it will provide your body with the necessary stimulus in order to encourage it to hold onto its lean mass. Switching to a "light weight and high reps" plan like so many people do is one of the worst choices you can make.

Bingo! Continue to lift heavy. Training should always be about long term goals (strength promotes size, btw), not your short term cutting goal.