Anyone cutting after a bulk?

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  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    I will be taking a work trip/vacation for 6 weeks where I am not bringing my food scale and will be served cafeteria style food, box lunches, cereal, jerky, Think! protein bars, greek yogurt, and fruit. With the occasional night out, this is truly my test to see how 2 years of faithfully logging can get me. Not worried if I gain a couple of pounds, as I will still be able to lift weights (albiet, dumbbells). Perhaps I shall gain some muscle :)

    Feels odd going cold turkey on the food scale. Wish me luck!

    It's bad that the prospect of doing that gave me lowkey anxiety, right?

    It gives me anxiety as well. But tbh I don’t have a choice. I think I’d be a weirdo measuring food in the cafeteria. But also....I kinda do want to test.

    I say all that like I'm not terrible with adherence even with as fanatically as I use my scale. I've been in the 176s for 10 days after what had been a nice start to the cut. Calories have crept up by 182/day comparing the last 10 days to the first 10. Still in a deficit but not enough of one to lose at the pace I want; have got to tighten things back up.

    I feel your pain. I have been struggling with hunger issues. Been trying to add some cardio to buffer the additional calories. Although, i am trying to stay at 1800 -2000 for a bit higher fat loss rate. Maintenance for me is 2600-2800 ish.

    Extra cardio would definitely go a long way. My schedule has been sporadic the last two weeks, which is definitely playing a role. While I was working from home for a few days I was staying up way too late, which was ultimately fine because I could sleep in and get my workout in at some point during the day. Getting back on schedule being back in the office has been rough so I'm barely getting what I have programmed in, let alone have time to add in some rowing. I've got my target set for 2000 and similarly TDEE is in that 2600-2800 range. I will say I'm fascinated how it's bumped up and held even after the bulk.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
    Interesting, my TDEE is around 2600 - 2800 and I am at 150 lbs bodyweight today. I am still losing on 1903 ish cals per day. Have been at this calorie level for eons this cut, is seems. Abs, obliques and other places looking leaner at just 2.4 lbs down from last progress pic post (2 weeks ago?). Will post another progress pic or set tomorrow (check-in day with coach). Still feeling very strong and enjoying training.
  • alexmose2
    alexmose2 Posts: 208 Member
    1 week of not weighing/measuring food and this is what I got:

    Training: recently switched from 3 day full body to 4 day DB only workout M&S. My dumb*** attempted to add in an extra leg day on rest. I should have either carbed up a tad more or just taken the rest day. I did 2 days of CX work core training as well since the routine is a bit shy on ab work (6 sets a week). Too late now, but perhaps I will just cut to the 4 days a week and enjoy the extra rest day. This is mentally hard as I want to grow my booty (yes, I stalked that booty growing thread too). Extra protein bar today. Daily step goal: 14K...decent hill here but it's quite chilly so hello, treadmill!

    Food: Whether I weighed myself daily or not, it really did not reflect what I was going to eat that day. I have to TRY to get my fats and micronutrients in. Cafeteria food is a bit shy on veggies, but side salads work! Fats have been tough, but I brought my own nuts and the protein bars have some as well. Moving to a new location next week, where the food is supposedly going to be better.

    Weight: Weighed in twice on a shotty looking scale here at the same weight on Wednesday and Sunday (been here since Monday) at 104.6lbs. Lost some weight due to lowered glycogen, water, inflammation from non-heavy weights. As long as I have been mindful of my portions (or just eating everything that has been pre-portioned to me), seems like weight is fine....mind you, this is after a week of not tracking or weighing any food. I am taking these next few weeks of not tracking or weighing as a "bulk" but we shall see how it comes up.

    Overall: week 1 was successful. Training, done. Food, done, possibly could stand a bit more. Weight, stable.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    Welp, Thursday was more adherent but the weekend was at that same ~2400/day average and the Mrs. wanted donuts after her half marathon run yesterday morning and I chose to partake. Scale up 177.2 with the extra carbs but I did manage three doubles at 260 lbs on bench this morning.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    Scale still not cooperating requisite to how I've eaten the last few days. Good start to the day though, benched two triples at 265 and three sets of 225 for 6. Got some snow last night here too. Just enough to be pretty and the little guy will get to play in it but not enough to mess with my commute.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,443 Member
    Anniversary dinner tonight (and TOM) is gonna mess with official weigh-in tomorrow morning. 200.0 this morning. Fun experiment - we’ll see what tomorrow looks like.
  • kingshazz13
    kingshazz13 Posts: 1 Member
    I guess it takes a lot of patience
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    I guess it takes a lot of patience

    Personally, I lack the mental toughness and discipline to properly get lean and/or have an unrealistic expectation or how lean I can/should be.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
    I guess it takes a lot of patience

    A lot of time and patience....sheesh my coach has taken 5 years to get lean and mean, she is world class strongwoman level....it takes years....
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,443 Member
    Anniversary dinner tonight (and TOM) is gonna mess with official weigh-in tomorrow morning. 200.0 this morning. Fun experiment - we’ll see what tomorrow looks like.

    201.6. Yay, Chinese food!
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    Anniversary dinner tonight (and TOM) is gonna mess with official weigh-in tomorrow morning. 200.0 this morning. Fun experiment - we’ll see what tomorrow looks like.

    201.6. Yay, Chinese food!

    mmmm tasty tasty MSG
  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 887 Member
    Well I’m down 1lb in the last 3 weeks
    I’m happy with that, work has been hectic and home workouts just aren’t the same,
    19lb left to lose
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
    148 lbs weigh in this morning....looks to be 4/5 more weeks cutting, then it's the bulk life, after reverse dieting....for me....wheee!
  • alexmose2
    alexmose2 Posts: 208 Member
    nexangelus wrote: »
    148 lbs weigh in this morning....looks to be 4/5 more weeks cutting, then it's the bulk life, after reverse dieting....for me....wheee!

    let us know how it goes!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    Taking a diet break this week. Seeing if it helps with some energy issues i have been dealing with.
  • alexmose2
    alexmose2 Posts: 208 Member
    Two weeks of no tracking and here goes:

    Food: cafeteria food. I enjoyed yogurt, fruit vegetables, salads, vegetables cooked in oil, nuts, coffee, cereal, burgers, fish, butter, carbs,etc. It was all good! My strategy was to ensure I had no fats around my workouts, fast for 2 hours post workout until lunch, and enjoy fats at 3/4 meals per day. Snacks were jerky, apples, protein bars. I am weighing in one day early since tonight I will have pizza.

    Weight: Same as when I started!

    Workouts: Dumbbell only routines and a bit of core work. At least 14K steps a day. A colleague yesterday told me to "bundle up, buttercup" and we did a 2.5 mile walk AFTER he watched me do leg day (we ain't friends anymore ;) ). All in all, good stuff, able to stimulate muscle growth for sure. Not as sore the second week, likely due to neural adaptations.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    nexangelus wrote: »
    148 lbs weigh in this morning....looks to be 4/5 more weeks cutting, then it's the bulk life, after reverse dieting....for me....wheee!

    let us know how it goes!

    I shall....might be back for a mini cut, but will post progress here, probably in the form of training PRs/PBs....gonna be mint training with more food....I am aiming for 200 kg deadlift, 160 kg squat and 80 + kg bench (would love to bench 100 kg, but that feels a lifetime away and I am 50 soon!)....year end or within the next 3 years definitely....
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,443 Member
    I’ve pushed into IF a little harder and so far I’m liking it. Noon to 8:00 eating window, not feeling deprived at all. Getting enough protein is a little harder, though. 198.0 this morning.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    I’ve pushed into IF a little harder and so far I’m liking it. Noon to 8:00 eating window, not feeling deprived at all. Getting enough protein is a little harder, though. 198.0 this morning.

    Nice! Between that protein issue and lifestyle factors (pre-'rona) were what gave me pause about IF but adherence to a deficit was way easier and after a few days to adjust to the schedule I totally got the appeal. Are you still training first thing in the morning? I always felt like that wasn't ideal but that's not an evidence-based notion.