Cutting is hard!

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MDC2957
MDC2957 Posts: 417 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I read an article as I was researching whether to cut or bulk and it said that if you were above 10% body fat then you should cut first so I am in about 15% body fat at the moment. I find it very difficult to hit the carb and protein macro goals without going over on fat, and fat is the last thing I want to go over while cutting because of how many calories it adds. Does anyone else experience this?

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  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    What are your macro goals in grams? Once you have sufficient protein and fat, and you are getting enough carbs to maximize your workout performance, you can add calories where you want.. something that you can best adhere to. In your case you may want to add more to your fat intake if you are finding it too difficult. Otherwise you might want to find lower fat sources of protein. Lean meats (chicken breast, extra lean beef), tuna, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, whey, protein bars, etc.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Your fat is a bit on the low side, having enough fat is important for body and hormone function. I would aim for these macros as minimum targets to hit:

    0.8-1g of protein per lb of lean body mass or goal weight
    0.35g of fat per lb of total body weight
    Then carbs, and you can fill in the blanks as you wish

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I just saw you added to your answer

    How many carbs you intake will really be down to personal preference. In terms of how much to eat before working out, I wouldn't look at it that technically.. that is overcomplicating it and unnecessary. You can add carbs before your workout as you please. I typically will get anywhere from 75g of carbs on a rest or non-lifting day, and 200-300g on a lifting day. That works for me. You might need to experiment and see what works for you.
  • showjack70
    showjack70 Posts: 57 Member
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    Yea, I kind of get it. I REALLY like to eat, so cutting can be a challenge...and it usually is fat that gets me.

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