Anyone cutting after a bulk?

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Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Awesome work @Mr_Healthy_Habits that sounds like a great plan :)
  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Awesome work @Mr_Healthy_Habits that sounds like a great plan :)

    Thanks!

    I will admit, once I got down to 169 it got crazy hard to control the sugar cravings, especially since it's just in your face this time of year...

    Never planned to go any lower than that anyway and I'm getting tired of being called skinny at work lol...

    Hope you're doing well! 💕
  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Ok progress time :) Very happy with how things are going. Body composition is not too bad I am just about 2.5 months post-partum, getting 3-4 workouts in per week. Love the program I am running which helps, it's efficient, fun, appropriate volume and frequency and in line with my goals. Still about 10lbs to go. Slow and steady.

    sdkwqji0phyy.jpg

    Wow, you're just never anything less than impressive! Congrats on your success... I don't know how you do it when pumpkin pie is just everywhere
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Ok progress time :) Very happy with how things are going. Body composition is not too bad I am just about 2.5 months post-partum, getting 3-4 workouts in per week. Love the program I am running which helps, it's efficient, fun, appropriate volume and frequency and in line with my goals. Still about 10lbs to go. Slow and steady.

    sdkwqji0phyy.jpg

    Wow, you're just never anything less than impressive! Congrats on your success... I don't know how you do it when pumpkin pie is just everywhere

    Thanks! Well here in Canada Thanksgiving was last month and with the newborn I barely had time to sit and eat so not too bad :)
  • EliseTK1
    EliseTK1 Posts: 479 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Ok progress time :) Very happy with how things are going. Body composition is not too bad I am just about 2.5 months post-partum, getting 3-4 workouts in per week. Love the program I am running which helps, it's efficient, fun, appropriate volume and frequency and in line with my goals. Still about 10lbs to go. Slow and steady.

    sdkwqji0phyy.jpg

    I am having a difficult time believing you just had a baby. Look at that rockin bod! Congrats on your success- you have clearly been working hard for it. Best of luck with the little one!
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    @sardelsa you look phenomenal for just a couple months post-partum baby #3! Heck, you just look phenomenal period.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Thank you @pyrusangeles and @mom23mangos .. I was very lucky to have a very fit and uncomplicated pregnancy so bouncing back has been a bit easier :)
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    @sardelsa Hey, you look great. So impressed with how you are managing to keep being active with a newborn. How do you like the book and the program? Is it similar to the strong curves program? About how much time does it take you to get through each work out? Are they modifiable (not sure if that's a word) ? I'm planning on using my lunch breaks to get back into the swing of things, so I'm trying to figure out if it's worth buying the book or not.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Thanks @hesn92 !

    Well to be honest I can't always get through it in one go. I will do a few exercises, then take a break if needed to tend to the baby or kids. Then finish the rest later. Sometimes I have to skip an exercise if I don't have time.
    It is very similar to SC, follows a similar template so far.. but each month (at least the one I am doing) it puts emphasis on a different exercise. So month 1 starts with hip thrusts more, then deadlifts, squats etc.

    It takes me about 45min total (plus a 5 min warmup) but I also superset the last two exercises to save time. It is very easy to modify with the equipment you have, at least the beginner and intermediate programs.

    If you are buying the book just for the programs, well, to be honest SC is probably more than enough. It is basically an encyclopedia about everything glutes. If that interests you then go for it!

    Hope all is well on your end :)
  • Bumping this post to remind me that I do actually need to lose a bit more fat if I’m ever gonna be lean enough to bulk.

    Just got back from an all inclusive free for all in turkey. Delicious food.
    4 pounds up the day after I got back. 140 pounds. This mornings weigh in was a new low of 135.8. Yey for unintentional diet breaks.

    Aiming for 130 by the end of November. This might be wildly optimistic.

    Think I’m back on track after the holiday. 134.2 today is a new low. I plan to try and see 132 in the scale and then start bulking slowly for as long as I can. Aiming to gain around 10-14 pounds. Bye bye abs.
    Unsurprisingly I am not yet 130 pounds. I say these things and never manage them.

    I have seen 133 on the scale a few times though so I’m getting closer. I can’t drop my calories below 1800 else I turn into a monster and I can’t fit any more time in for more cardio. Well unless I give up work or some sleep time.


    I’m planning to continue losing till party season and then start bulking whatever I weigh.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    @cupcakesandproteinshakes, have you ever thought about trying IF/time-restricted eating? I don't love it but I do find when I stick to it my overall adherence comes easier and sustaining a slightly lower deficit is tolerable. Twice this year I've come within spitting distance of my low-enough-to-start-a-bulk number (mid 172s with a target of 170). The first was in April while trying IF again and the second was August when I was eating throughout the day.

    March/April loss: Dropped 4 lbs on rolling average weight in 18 days with 83% adherence (below TDEE) averaging 2178/day for a 372 cal/day deficit (-14.6%)

    July/August loss: Dropped 5 lbs on rolling average weight in 54 days with 72% adherence averaging 2396/day for a 154 cal/day deficit (-6%)

    My biggest concern with trying IF long-term in the past has been muscle loss but I believe there was a recent study (which I currently cannot find) that suggested this wasn't an issue as along as adequate protein is consumed. As it well documented on this thread, I'm historically incapable of getting properly lean enough to bulk so I'm back to trying IF as something that's been at least mildly more effective for me in the past.
  • steveko89 wrote: »
    @cupcakesandproteinshakes, have you ever thought about trying IF/time-restricted eating? I don't love it but I do find when I stick to it my overall adherence comes easier and sustaining a slightly lower deficit is tolerable. Twice this year I've come within spitting distance of my low-enough-to-start-a-bulk number (mid 172s with a target of 170). The first was in April while trying IF again and the second was August when I was eating throughout the day.

    March/April loss: Dropped 4 lbs on rolling average weight in 18 days with 83% adherence (below TDEE) averaging 2178/day for a 372 cal/day deficit (-14.6%)

    July/August loss: Dropped 5 lbs on rolling average weight in 54 days with 72% adherence averaging 2396/day for a 154 cal/day deficit (-6%)

    My biggest concern with trying IF long-term in the past has been muscle loss but I believe there was a recent study (which I currently cannot find) that suggested this wasn't an issue as along as adequate protein is consumed. As it well documented on this thread, I'm historically incapable of getting properly lean enough to bulk so I'm back to trying IF as something that's been at least mildly more effective for me in the past.

    I haven’t tried IF. I’m ravenous first thing when I wake up so always need breakfast. I guess I could try and stop eating early evening. I do that anyway as I’ve usually run out of calories.

    Basically weight loss sucks for the last few pounds. And I’m bloody freezing cos of not much fat left. Except on my thighs.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    steveko89 wrote: »
    @cupcakesandproteinshakes, have you ever thought about trying IF/time-restricted eating? I don't love it but I do find when I stick to it my overall adherence comes easier and sustaining a slightly lower deficit is tolerable. Twice this year I've come within spitting distance of my low-enough-to-start-a-bulk number (mid 172s with a target of 170). The first was in April while trying IF again and the second was August when I was eating throughout the day.

    March/April loss: Dropped 4 lbs on rolling average weight in 18 days with 83% adherence (below TDEE) averaging 2178/day for a 372 cal/day deficit (-14.6%)

    July/August loss: Dropped 5 lbs on rolling average weight in 54 days with 72% adherence averaging 2396/day for a 154 cal/day deficit (-6%)

    My biggest concern with trying IF long-term in the past has been muscle loss but I believe there was a recent study (which I currently cannot find) that suggested this wasn't an issue as along as adequate protein is consumed. As it well documented on this thread, I'm historically incapable of getting properly lean enough to bulk so I'm back to trying IF as something that's been at least mildly more effective for me in the past.

    I haven’t tried IF. I’m ravenous first thing when I wake up so always need breakfast. I guess I could try and stop eating early evening. I do that anyway as I’ve usually run out of calories.

    Basically weight loss sucks for the last few pounds. And I’m bloody freezing cos of not much fat left. Except on my thighs.

    I'm always surprised how quickly I'm able to adjust to skipping breakfast when I've dabbled with IF, but yes the last few pounds do suck. I've been working to get under 170 for multiple years now. I have one data point at 170.0 (1/20/2018) but otherwise it's been before I started lifting with any regularity in 2015 that I was in the 160s for any length of time. If my recent average BF% numbers are to be believed, best case is I hit 10% at 169.4, worst case it's 164.0. Came in at 178.0 this morning... so there's that.
  • francesca_grey
    francesca_grey Posts: 96 Member
    Hi all! I am brand new here but have been lifting consistently for almost 11 months. I am on day 3 of a cut. I gained ~20 pounds in the past year, 5 from eating too much and 15 from lifting and eating just enough to get through the day.

    I am following my own workout heavily based on Strong Curves but with more upper body, all supersets. I am very pleased with my progress, mostly just proud of myself for going to the gym 4-5 days a week but also seeing muscles popping everywhere! So I am very excited for this cut, planning for 3 months and hope to lose 10-15 pounds (accounting for the loss of water weight). Despite the definition in my upper body and quads I have plenty of body fat to sacrifice.

    I am eating lowish carb, around 50-75 net per day and starting with a deficit of ~500 and will adjust if my strength goes down. Dealing with sleeplessness these first few days has been difficult.

    Anyway just wanted to say hi and that I’ll be sticking around for a bit - communities like this have helped me in the past.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    steveko89 wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    @cupcakesandproteinshakes, have you ever thought about trying IF/time-restricted eating? I don't love it but I do find when I stick to it my overall adherence comes easier and sustaining a slightly lower deficit is tolerable. Twice this year I've come within spitting distance of my low-enough-to-start-a-bulk number (mid 172s with a target of 170). The first was in April while trying IF again and the second was August when I was eating throughout the day.

    March/April loss: Dropped 4 lbs on rolling average weight in 18 days with 83% adherence (below TDEE) averaging 2178/day for a 372 cal/day deficit (-14.6%)

    July/August loss: Dropped 5 lbs on rolling average weight in 54 days with 72% adherence averaging 2396/day for a 154 cal/day deficit (-6%)

    My biggest concern with trying IF long-term in the past has been muscle loss but I believe there was a recent study (which I currently cannot find) that suggested this wasn't an issue as along as adequate protein is consumed. As it well documented on this thread, I'm historically incapable of getting properly lean enough to bulk so I'm back to trying IF as something that's been at least mildly more effective for me in the past.

    I haven’t tried IF. I’m ravenous first thing when I wake up so always need breakfast. I guess I could try and stop eating early evening. I do that anyway as I’ve usually run out of calories.

    Basically weight loss sucks for the last few pounds. And I’m bloody freezing cos of not much fat left. Except on my thighs.

    I'm always surprised how quickly I'm able to adjust to skipping breakfast when I've dabbled with IF, but yes the last few pounds do suck. I've been working to get under 170 for multiple years now. I have one data point at 170.0 (1/20/2018) but otherwise it's been before I started lifting with any regularity in 2015 that I was in the 160s for any length of time. If my recent average BF% numbers are to be believed, best case is I hit 10% at 169.4, worst case it's 164.0. Came in at 178.0 this morning... so there's that.

    I was in your same camp. I never was able to get lean enough to properly bulk and was never able to get below 173. But i am kind of glad i stuck out ketogenic as its the first time i have been lower. Currently, sitting at 168.

    I tried IF a few years back and it was a terrible experience. I am just a big breakfast eater and that caused me to have struggles and i could never adapt to not eating it.
  • So I tried not to eat breakfast and failed.

    I’m a breakfast person. The only time I’m not eating or thinking about eating is when I’m asleep. So I can IF when im asleep right?

    I’m gonna stop winging now as I have to remember all this is my choice and I don’t need or have to do it other than because I’m vain.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    edited December 2019
    I can't do IF either, I am way too hungry in the morning and before bed and breakfast with my coffee is my special 5 min where I can usually sit and enjoy my food.

    Instead I calorie cycle with large swings (not now though since I'm nursing). At the end of my last cut a few lbs from goal I would keep my low day calories at 1000-1200 (twice a week) basically mostly protein.. small meals and high protein snacks. This was a buffer which allowed me to relax on the other days. It worked well but obviously not something I could stick to long term, but great for getting very lean. Oh I miss being so lean.