Anyone cutting after a bulk?

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Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    sardelsa wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Right now, I am just focusing on making smarter decisions, with hopes of losing some weight. I just can't do calorie counting any more.. it's too exhausting. So I aim to get a good amount of protein and fiber. I still cut back on fats, but do incorporate some healthy fats (avocado/guac, eggs, cheeses).

    Yea I'm not big on calorie counting either.. I can do it up to dinner, but then it gets hard because of how I cook and the way I eat my portions tracking was always a pain and I just ended up guestimating most of the time anyways.

    My problem is I get so stuck on that number, that even if I am not hungry, I will be like.. OoOoOo, I can eat more. Which makes it a bit harder to lose weight. So right now, I am manipulating meals and working on getting low calorie volume foods in.
  • MishMashMisha
    MishMashMisha Posts: 39 Member
    I have been cutting for a month now at 1800. Down 4lbs. :) I will be cutting at least through May maybe into June, but I'm ready to be done now, not because I'm hungry or anything. I started up counting calories again, in January and I'm getting tired of doing it. I'm reluctant to stop right now, while I'm making good progress (I have a habit of doing that).
  • GrannyCrayCray
    GrannyCrayCray Posts: 71 Member
    lindyyy87 wrote: »
    Ugh I’m TRYING to cut- I did a short bulk from December until early April. I have about 5 or so pounds to lose, but I keep binging on .....

    Ditto! But my binge is carbs, especially all the BREAD that I can find. Ice cream would be a problem too if I didn't just keep it out of the house. Bread, biscuits, potatoes, rice, tortillas, pasta, etc are constantly available because of the kids. Hoping that warm weather will get my cut to progress - fresh vegetables, fruit, more water, more sweat ;) Hahah
  • lindyyy87
    lindyyy87 Posts: 35 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »

    My problem is I get so stuck on that number, that even if I am not hungry, I will be like.. OoOoOo, I can eat more. Which makes it a bit harder to lose weight. So right now, I am manipulating meals and working on getting low calorie volume foods in.

    I do the same thing. I hate obsessing over the number. I hope that one day I can be more of an intuitive eater, but that definitely isn’t going to happen any time soon.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,069 Member
    Mostly posting to subscribe.

    Working on a slow (very slow as it turns out) cut. When I started working out again I had some great newbie gainz, and my weight held steady, but finally started to feel like I could stand to get rid of the excess weight.

    Tried cutting a bit steeper (closer to what would have been .5-1 lb/week) but my workouts and energy levels were almost immediately affected. Bumped my food back up and it went back to normal, so I'm kind of resigned to a very slow loss rate (.2-.5 lb/week - most weeks). So, for the most part, losses are tracked by the month, not the week :/

    Hardly qualifies as a "cut" but interested to see what others find successful!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I am cutting. I reversed by my bulk for 5 weeks to reach an official 250 deficit off my maintenance. I am not at a bad place after my bulk as I didn't bulk to where I hated my self this time. :smiley: I want to lean out my lower body more.

    I won't need a diet break going this slow, but I am running a new strength training program and if I have issues in the strength department I might alternate to maintenance back to cutting. It will be a little experimenting over the next 4+ months. No hurries.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Guys I'm scheduling a photo shoot as I type this, for July. Cause I'm not gonna get ripped unless I feel THE PRESSURE.

    I don't even have any money.

    I heard this is the best way to get and stay motivated. I assume you track everything? Where do you hope to end up as far as weight and bf?

    Ugh. I WILL track everything. Haven't been.

    I hope to be 135-138 and around 20% bodyfat
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    lindyyy87 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »

    My problem is I get so stuck on that number, that even if I am not hungry, I will be like.. OoOoOo, I can eat more. Which makes it a bit harder to lose weight. So right now, I am manipulating meals and working on getting low calorie volume foods in.

    I do the same thing. I hate obsessing over the number. I hope that one day I can be more of an intuitive eater, but that definitely isn’t going to happen any time soon.

    I wish I could do that! The few times where I wasn't hungry and went to bed w/o eating up to my calorie goal I woke up a few hours later STARVING! It seems I have to eat a certain number of calories during the day in order to get a full nights sleep. :)
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    edited April 2018
    I am not lean like most of you awesome folks are yet.

    I have an ED history, am 44 this year and wanted to see how my body worked under a controlled surplus for 12 weeks. I gained 8 lbs comfortably. I am at 170lbs now after slowly losing 5lbs and have been maintaining that for a couple of months due to sickness and injury. I am seeing muscles at this weight that I never did before. So I am hoping that on my way to goal (135 - 140lbs and then another bulk) I see better results than previous attempts over the years to grow muscle and get lean. I will be cutting for 6 weeks (I refeed and free meal it on Fridays) and then having a 2 week diet break. That should take me to end of May. Then cutting again until end or middle of July and taking another diet break. And back to cutting again. My goal weight might change, it might be higher this time around, it might not be. I have only ever gotten as low as 19 - 20 % bodyfat before.

    Macros are 40c, 30f, 30p. Lifting is an 8 week three day split, hypertrophy and then I want to get back to strength training with a powerlifting 12 week programme. I am not logging/measuring as tightly as before and finding I am doing pretty well this way. I log/measure Fridays food/drink only.
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    I'm having a hell of a time trying to get into the right mindset for cutting. Not sure what's up this year as previously I've done fine. This year....dunno what's going on. Guess I just need to suck it up and get going.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    I'm having a hell of a time trying to get into the right mindset for cutting. Not sure what's up this year as previously I've done fine. This year....dunno what's going on. Guess I just need to suck it up and get going.

    I struggled too. I mean I'm always intending to cut...scheduling the photo shoot is helping.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I am hoping my progress will continue. I have been doing a more intuitive style of eating for about a week and went from 177.2 down to 176.1 this morning. But time will tell.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    I have also been thoroughly enjoying the "I'm still under maintenance for the day, I can eat that" mentality. Been doing alright this week so far, got back to 175 this morning after that caloric explosion of a weekend (~4000/day Saturday and Sunday). Didn't lift Monday but did a light, "deload"-style workout when I got home last night, hit my main lifts for fewer sets with weight I knew I could handle with ease and felt really good to do something.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I'm having a hell of a time trying to get into the right mindset for cutting. Not sure what's up this year as previously I've done fine. This year....dunno what's going on. Guess I just need to suck it up and get going.

    I'm hoping my motivation kicks in. I don't know how it is going to be, I have mostly been eating very calorie dense highly palatable food for a long time so I'm hoping it won't be a huge painful adjustment.

    It seems like you're pretty good with the whole "moderation" way of eating. I have to switch to super high volume/low fat to cut.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I'm having a hell of a time trying to get into the right mindset for cutting. Not sure what's up this year as previously I've done fine. This year....dunno what's going on. Guess I just need to suck it up and get going.

    I'm hoping my motivation kicks in. I don't know how it is going to be, I have mostly been eating very calorie dense highly palatable food for a long time so I'm hoping it won't be a huge painful adjustment.

    It seems like you're pretty good with the whole "moderation" way of eating. I have to switch to super high volume/low fat to cut.

    Yea, for the most part... but right now my diet has become really grimy. When I cut I have two lower cal/carb days per week so I have to plan for those, which I might even track the first few weeks to make sure I am not over on my cals and hitting the protein.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I'm having a hell of a time trying to get into the right mindset for cutting. Not sure what's up this year as previously I've done fine. This year....dunno what's going on. Guess I just need to suck it up and get going.

    I'm hoping my motivation kicks in. I don't know how it is going to be, I have mostly been eating very calorie dense highly palatable food for a long time so I'm hoping it won't be a huge painful adjustment.

    It seems like you're pretty good with the whole "moderation" way of eating. I have to switch to super high volume/low fat to cut.

    Yea, for the most part... but right now my diet has become really grimy. When I cut I have two lower cal/carb days per week so I have to plan for those, which I might even track the first few weeks to make sure I am not over on my cals and hitting the protein.
    You're gonna rock. And I'll be here cutting so we can commiserate.
  • MichaelK1007
    MichaelK1007 Posts: 136 Member
    Still working on my cut but today was a bad day. Trying not to beat myself up but i know where I went wrong today. First of all I didn’t have any food left from my meal prep which almost never happens. Normally I meal prep Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. Secondly since I didn’t meal prep I also didn’t eat my normal 6-7 meals per day. Lastly I was tired because I have been cutting and didn’t get the rest I needed last night. All those things together resulted in me eating over 800+ calories then I was supposed to. Oh well just need be on point tomorrow. Hopefully those of you who are cutting can learn from my mistakes. Good luck to all and feel free to share your thoughts and struggles as we cut together.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Still working on my cut but today was a bad day. Trying not to beat myself up but i know where I went wrong today. First of all I didn’t have any food left from my meal prep which almost never happens. Normally I meal prep Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. Secondly since I didn’t meal prep I also didn’t eat my normal 6-7 meals per day. Lastly I was tired because I have been cutting and didn’t get the rest I needed last night. All those things together resulted in me eating over 800+ calories then I was supposed to. Oh well just need be on point tomorrow. Hopefully those of you who are cutting can learn from my mistakes. Good luck to all and feel free to share your thoughts and struggles as we cut together.

    The combination of lack of sleep and not being prepped can do me in too. I might have trouble sleeping tonight because I did AMRAP sets today and had a bit too much caffeine :(
  • MichaelK1007
    MichaelK1007 Posts: 136 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Still working on my cut but today was a bad day. Trying not to beat myself up but i know where I went wrong today. First of all I didn’t have any food left from my meal prep which almost never happens. Normally I meal prep Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. Secondly since I didn’t meal prep I also didn’t eat my normal 6-7 meals per day. Lastly I was tired because I have been cutting and didn’t get the rest I needed last night. All those things together resulted in me eating over 800+ calories then I was supposed to. Oh well just need be on point tomorrow. Hopefully those of you who are cutting can learn from my mistakes. Good luck to all and feel free to share your thoughts and struggles as we cut together.

    The combination of lack of sleep and not being prepped can do me in too. I might have trouble sleeping tonight because I did AMRAP sets today and had a bit too much caffeine :(


    Don’t think I’ll be doing AMRAP anytime soon. It’s bad enough living in a calorie and carb deficit. Are you planning to track everything? Tracking everything really helps me and of course it’s time to break out the food scale again. Also curious how you all are planning to track BF. I am using the hand held device but only for trends. So far it’s trending down. I have heard from some that it’s 2-3% off on the higher side. My last measurement was Saturday and it said 14.7%.
  • viper246
    viper246 Posts: 2 Member
    Im running 50/30/20 putting a caloric deficit of 400 cals for 3 days on 1 day refeed. Macros will adjust on those days. I am pulling around 55lbs so far im around 34lbs to the good on the cut.....ill plain out a little here and there in order to maintain gains as long as i adjust macros properly hasnt been an issue yet.
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I'm having a hell of a time trying to get into the right mindset for cutting. Not sure what's up this year as previously I've done fine. This year....dunno what's going on. Guess I just need to suck it up and get going.

    I struggled too. I mean I'm always intending to cut...scheduling the photo shoot is helping.


    sardelsa wrote: »
    I'm having a hell of a time trying to get into the right mindset for cutting. Not sure what's up this year as previously I've done fine. This year....dunno what's going on. Guess I just need to suck it up and get going.

    I'm hoping my motivation kicks in. I don't know how it is going to be, I have mostly been eating very calorie dense highly palatable food for a long time so I'm hoping it won't be a huge painful adjustment.

    Finally have gone a full 5 days without derailing my cut.

    The past 5 or so years I haven't had an issue with dropping weight, locked on so to speak, and work down to a comfortable weight.

    This year...yeesh! Doing fine for a day or so then it seems like I zone out and the next thing I know I've plowed through the calories like a dog getting into a plate of bacon. I've had to focus a lot more these past 5 days and not mindlessly grab food items.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Still working on my cut but today was a bad day. Trying not to beat myself up but i know where I went wrong today. First of all I didn’t have any food left from my meal prep which almost never happens. Normally I meal prep Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. Secondly since I didn’t meal prep I also didn’t eat my normal 6-7 meals per day. Lastly I was tired because I have been cutting and didn’t get the rest I needed last night. All those things together resulted in me eating over 800+ calories then I was supposed to. Oh well just need be on point tomorrow. Hopefully those of you who are cutting can learn from my mistakes. Good luck to all and feel free to share your thoughts and struggles as we cut together.

    The combination of lack of sleep and not being prepped can do me in too. I might have trouble sleeping tonight because I did AMRAP sets today and had a bit too much caffeine :(


    Don’t think I’ll be doing AMRAP anytime soon. It’s bad enough living in a calorie and carb deficit. Are you planning to track everything? Tracking everything really helps me and of course it’s time to break out the food scale again. Also curious how you all are planning to track BF. I am using the hand held device but only for trends. So far it’s trending down. I have heard from some that it’s 2-3% off on the higher side. My last measurement was Saturday and it said 14.7%.

    Yeah I'm not even a week in lol.

    Of course I'll track calories. I can eat 3000 calories per day EASILY if not.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Still working on my cut but today was a bad day. Trying not to beat myself up but i know where I went wrong today. First of all I didn’t have any food left from my meal prep which almost never happens. Normally I meal prep Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. Secondly since I didn’t meal prep I also didn’t eat my normal 6-7 meals per day. Lastly I was tired because I have been cutting and didn’t get the rest I needed last night. All those things together resulted in me eating over 800+ calories then I was supposed to. Oh well just need be on point tomorrow. Hopefully those of you who are cutting can learn from my mistakes. Good luck to all and feel free to share your thoughts and struggles as we cut together.

    The combination of lack of sleep and not being prepped can do me in too. I might have trouble sleeping tonight because I did AMRAP sets today and had a bit too much caffeine :(


    Don’t think I’ll be doing AMRAP anytime soon. It’s bad enough living in a calorie and carb deficit. Are you planning to track everything? Tracking everything really helps me and of course it’s time to break out the food scale again. Also curious how you all are planning to track BF. I am using the hand held device but only for trends. So far it’s trending down. I have heard from some that it’s 2-3% off on the higher side. My last measurement was Saturday and it said 14.7%.

    Yeah I'm not even a week in lol.

    Of course I'll track calories. I can eat 3000 calories per day EASILY if not.

    I'm the same way
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Still working on my cut but today was a bad day. Trying not to beat myself up but i know where I went wrong today. First of all I didn’t have any food left from my meal prep which almost never happens. Normally I meal prep Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. Secondly since I didn’t meal prep I also didn’t eat my normal 6-7 meals per day. Lastly I was tired because I have been cutting and didn’t get the rest I needed last night. All those things together resulted in me eating over 800+ calories then I was supposed to. Oh well just need be on point tomorrow. Hopefully those of you who are cutting can learn from my mistakes. Good luck to all and feel free to share your thoughts and struggles as we cut together.

    The combination of lack of sleep and not being prepped can do me in too. I might have trouble sleeping tonight because I did AMRAP sets today and had a bit too much caffeine :(


    Don’t think I’ll be doing AMRAP anytime soon. It’s bad enough living in a calorie and carb deficit. Are you planning to track everything? Tracking everything really helps me and of course it’s time to break out the food scale again. Also curious how you all are planning to track BF. I am using the hand held device but only for trends. So far it’s trending down. I have heard from some that it’s 2-3% off on the higher side. My last measurement was Saturday and it said 14.7%.

    I don't really track bodyfat% but I use the mirror and keep cutting until I am somewhat happy or until I start to look worse.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Still working on my cut but today was a bad day. Trying not to beat myself up but i know where I went wrong today. First of all I didn’t have any food left from my meal prep which almost never happens. Normally I meal prep Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. Secondly since I didn’t meal prep I also didn’t eat my normal 6-7 meals per day. Lastly I was tired because I have been cutting and didn’t get the rest I needed last night. All those things together resulted in me eating over 800+ calories then I was supposed to. Oh well just need be on point tomorrow. Hopefully those of you who are cutting can learn from my mistakes. Good luck to all and feel free to share your thoughts and struggles as we cut together.

    The combination of lack of sleep and not being prepped can do me in too. I might have trouble sleeping tonight because I did AMRAP sets today and had a bit too much caffeine :(


    Don’t think I’ll be doing AMRAP anytime soon. It’s bad enough living in a calorie and carb deficit. Are you planning to track everything? Tracking everything really helps me and of course it’s time to break out the food scale again. Also curious how you all are planning to track BF. I am using the hand held device but only for trends. So far it’s trending down. I have heard from some that it’s 2-3% off on the higher side. My last measurement was Saturday and it said 14.7%.

    I don't really track bodyfat% but I use the mirror and keep cutting until I am somewhat happy or until I start to look worse.

    Same. But I'm not a good judge of myself. I've seen pictures of me when I was 128. I thought I was fat then. Now I think I look scrawny at that weight.

    I have a friend who gave me an excel file to track my weight and measurements and I'm going to send him progress pics. I trust him to be honest with me.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Still working on my cut but today was a bad day. Trying not to beat myself up but i know where I went wrong today. First of all I didn’t have any food left from my meal prep which almost never happens. Normally I meal prep Sunday’s and Wednesday’s. Secondly since I didn’t meal prep I also didn’t eat my normal 6-7 meals per day. Lastly I was tired because I have been cutting and didn’t get the rest I needed last night. All those things together resulted in me eating over 800+ calories then I was supposed to. Oh well just need be on point tomorrow. Hopefully those of you who are cutting can learn from my mistakes. Good luck to all and feel free to share your thoughts and struggles as we cut together.

    The combination of lack of sleep and not being prepped can do me in too. I might have trouble sleeping tonight because I did AMRAP sets today and had a bit too much caffeine :(


    Don’t think I’ll be doing AMRAP anytime soon. It’s bad enough living in a calorie and carb deficit. Are you planning to track everything? Tracking everything really helps me and of course it’s time to break out the food scale again. Also curious how you all are planning to track BF. I am using the hand held device but only for trends. So far it’s trending down. I have heard from some that it’s 2-3% off on the higher side. My last measurement was Saturday and it said 14.7%.

    I don't really track bodyfat% but I use the mirror and keep cutting until I am somewhat happy or until I start to look worse.

    Same. But I'm not a good judge of myself. I've seen pictures of me when I was 128. I thought I was fat then. Now I think I look scrawny at that weight.

    I have a friend who gave me an excel file to track my weight and measurements and I'm going to send him progress pics. I trust him to be honest with me.

    Yea I hear ya.. sometimes I wish I had a coach to help me out and tell me what I need to do
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    So this is more of a vent - I just need to work on where my head is at and I know that. It has been a bit of a rough week. I have never before been that bothered by scale fluctuations. I have weighed myself daily for years and know what happens to my weight. Mid cycle and right before my period I have a scale increase. This is not surprising - I am fully aware of the fluctuations.

    Yet for some reason this week it is been messing with my head. I increase my calories from losing 3 pounds a month to losing 2 pounds a month and boom scale increase. All these crazy thoughts immediately run through my head - My metabolisms f'd up! Why is my lower abdomen so fat, is that where I store fat first? I can't remember! I am never going to be able to eat cake again! OMG I need to drop calories - this increase is not working.

    A few hours go by and I realize what is going on - mid cycle fluctuations. OK. I just need to ride this out, there is no reason to drop calories. Don't overreact.

    It has been a few days now. I was peeing like crazy yesterday and my lower belly looks a little strange. I thought for sure I was going to whoosh. NOPE! I am the same weight as yesterday. I really feel like crying at this point. Grrrr stupid hormones.