Anyone cutting after a bulk?
Replies
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2 weeks into bulking and i have been quite stressed from work and then my cycle on top meant 2 weeks of seeing really really high numbers. Staying the course and wondering if it’ll go down. Maybe the creatine and lack of sleep are kicking in.
Oh yea that could all definitely affect the scale.
How long have you been taking creatine? Do you find it helps? I always think about taking it then I'm all, nah. I know it's cheap but I just don't know if I can handle the bloat and fullness that supposedly comes with.
Anyways.. keep at it, try not to get too focused on scale. You can do this
I have been using for about a month and have not had any measurable bloating effects. Like @steveko89 I just do 5g post, but not pre.0 -
Thanks @steveko89 and @alexmose for the info. Once I stop breastfeeding I might think about it adding it in.0
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Thanks @steveko89 and @alexmose for the info. Once I stop breastfeeding I might think about it adding it in.
Sure thing. Frankly, after a month, I am not sure if the creatine or more food are allowing me to recover/perform better.0 -
2 weeks into bulking and i have been quite stressed from work and then my cycle on top meant 2 weeks of seeing really really high numbers. Staying the course and wondering if it’ll go down. Maybe the creatine and lack of sleep are kicking in.
Oh yea that could all definitely affect the scale.
How long have you been taking creatine? Do you find it helps? I always think about taking it then I'm all, nah. I know it's cheap but I just don't know if I can handle the bloat and fullness that supposedly comes with.
Anyways.. keep at it, try not to get too focused on scale. You can do this
I would suspect that dosing is the key factor to bloating and fullness. There's some old guidance out there about a loading phase (20-25g/day for a week) which I could see lead to those ill-effects. Most maintenance dosing recommendations are 2-3g/day but the creatine monohydrate I've always gotten comes with a 5g scoop. For an n=1 I do a 5 g scoop with my preworkout (which has another 2g in it) and another 5g post workout for 12g/day total at nominally 175 lbs and don't feel any ill effects from bloating or fullness but do think it helps with overall work capacity and recovery, especially going up from 7g to 12g.
I wish I had a reference handy, but most of what I've read says you can load at 10g/day for a week or two so that it builds up to it's maximum level in your system quicker, or you can just start with the typical recommended daily dose of 5g/day and it'll just take a week or two longer to build up.
As to whether or not it helps, most literature says it does but as with most supplements I suspect we're talking about a single digit percentage, or very low double digit percentage, of help. Getting one or two more reps in a set is the general consensus on what it does for you and so if you're doing 10 reps pre creatine and can knock out 11 post creatine that's a 10% increase in volume. And then how much is that 10% increase in volume going to help with your goal, strength, hypertrophy, etc.? Not a huge amount.
Not trying to discourage anyone. I myself take it at 5g/day. But that's because it's cheap and I don't have any significant side-effects like bloating that some folks experience.
And you will gain weight due to water retention in the muscles. Some folks don't like seeing the scale increase, even if it is just water weight.0 -
So its been 6 weeks and outside of water weight changes, i have not lost any weight. Considering saying screw it and go back to Keto since its almost winter and i won't miss fruit as much. Oh the struggle bus to get super lean.
So i decided going back to CKD. So I will cut for two weeks and then have two high carb low fat days at maintenance and repeat.
Day 1 at 167.4lbs.2 -
So its been 6 weeks and outside of water weight changes, i have not lost any weight. Considering saying screw it and go back to Keto since its almost winter and i won't miss fruit as much. Oh the struggle bus to get super lean.
So i decided going back to CKD. So I will cut for two weeks and then have two high carb low fat days at maintenance and repeat.
Day 1 at 167.4lbs.
Sounds like a great plan. Do you find it helps your workout performance but still allows you to stick to being in keto? Kind of the best of both worlds?1 -
So its been 6 weeks and outside of water weight changes, i have not lost any weight. Considering saying screw it and go back to Keto since its almost winter and i won't miss fruit as much. Oh the struggle bus to get super lean.
So i decided going back to CKD. So I will cut for two weeks and then have two high carb low fat days at maintenance and repeat.
Day 1 at 167.4lbs.
Sounds like a great plan. Do you find it helps your workout performance but still allows you to stick to being in keto? Kind of the best of both worlds?
It helps with the workouts for a few days. It's more that i can incorporate things like english muffins and oatmeal. So it's more mental. But if i try to incorporate them during a cut, i find my calories just add up quickly and i find myself "cheating" a bit too much.0 -
Food porn time. If anyone even has questions on foods, let me know. This is another passion of mine.
Keto pumpkin spice muffin with a buttercream icing
Slow cooked carnitas.
Both recipes designed by me.6 -
Been at maintenance for nearly 2 weeks
Dropped about 4 lb of water what takes me to 231lb, going to push the deficit slightly as I’m not particularly lean, I’d like to be under
220lb by the Christmas holidays with a planned diet break then.0 -
Thanks. My wife agreed these were the best ones i have created to date. Now i just need a smoker to take it to the next level.0 -
Big night for me. After not doing squats or deadlifts for over a year due to injuries, i was finally able to do squats. All sub 90° and no pain.
185x6, 195x6, 205x6, 215x6, 225x4 . Now gotta work my way back to 300.11 -
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I am...not sure you can call what got me here a "bulk". That would be too kind.1
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Trending is back in a good place. Sitting at 164.1 and tomorrow is my official weigh in. I suspect compliance is why, but ketogenic just works for me for cutting. Thinking of doing a refeed soon since energy has been a little low.
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This weekend will be my first refeed. Going to aim for 350g carbs with 40 grams of fat and 165g protein. Overall between work altering my work shift to start at 430am, i am a bit warn. And i have been dieting for 3 weeks, so its time. My next refeed with be Thanksgiving and black friday.
Below is a small physique update. I should have just taken off my shirt, but that would have been smart thinking and i am too tired for that *kitten*
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Trending is back in a good place. Sitting at 164.1 and tomorrow is my official weigh in. I suspect compliance is why, but ketogenic just works for me for cutting. Thinking of doing a refeed soon since energy has been a little low.
I officially hit an all time low weight since middle school today. Came in at 163.9. i have never seen this number.
And the refeed has begun.... Bring me all the carbs!!!5 -
Hey, everybody!
I'm back to this thread after a 20-week bulk. Tried to keep gains lean and I'm up 7-8 lbs total. I wasn't super lean to start with so I didn't have a ton of room to gain before gains would start getting inefficient (regarding fat gain). Just dropping cals starting 1/1 I already feel pleasantly lighter and leaner in my trouble spots. I'm going to limit this cut to 12 weeks and then maintain/lean bulk for a few weeks prior to the annual digital garage gym powerlifting competition (mid May) and then reassess heading into summer. I should be able to actually get under 170 this go around, which would be the first time I'd be that low since mid-2015, just after I started lifting. Hope all are well and off to a good start in the new year!2
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