Anyone cutting after a bulk?

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Replies

  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    Great PR @steveko89

    I am hoping once my energy returns (big slump mentally and physically this last week) I start hitting the bigger numbers and gainz....deadlifts are a go, pressing not so much...heavy squats are on hold cos my traps are really uncomfy with mid bar placement at the moment, high bar is even worse...no idea what I have done, but massage gun, foam roller and stretchy, rehabby, allthemashiz ain't making it feel any better....
  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 905 Member
    edited March 2021
    Down to 220.1lb

    I’m now only classed as overweight not obese according to my BMI 😂
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
    Welcome back
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    Welcome back, Stef!

    I've been able to get my trend heading back down with better adherence the last few weeks and floating around 175 fairly consistently (down from a weekly average of ~177 . Running some numbers I'm fascinated by the fact that my observed TDEE for the year is up at 2650 after historically floating just above 2500 since I switched to the TDEE spreadsheet in mid 2017. I've known the studies to exist but didn't think I'd ever really been successful enough at cutting to be anything worth considering but my lean bulk in the fall seems to have been a beneficial reset in that regard. Literal values suggest up to a 7% reduction in TDEE due to adaptation and I've seen approximately 5.60%.

    Between being historically not great at cutting and some of the things discussed on the RP Strength podcast (highly recommend) my short term plan is another four weeks of targeting ~0.5% loss/week. My wife's birthday is 4/21 and mine is 4/29 so I'll probably end up around maintenance that week if I like it or not. Provided it's a successful next four weeks I'll probably maintain through the garage gym competition in mid-late May and then decide what to do from there. We do have a beach trip planned in August but that's still a ways off and history would indicate I'm bad at sticking to that sort of long term roadmap.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,422 MFP Moderator
    I am still hear. I am a little up in weight due to a few birthdays. Sitting around 167 instead of 164. I am largely fully healed and have added a bit of calisthenics into my workout to see if that will increase my EE to help with the cut. Still focusing on whole foods.

    One of my bigger issues is sleep since my work is on shifts and I start at 0500, so I am up by 0400. I can't even go to sleep early since I train my wife and her friend which usually ends around 2130. It's possible this is having an impact on my weight.... who knows.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    I could 100% see that being the case. I've been able to work from home most days for the last two weeks so I've been able to sleep a bit more (~30-60 min/night) and average weight is down 1.7 over that span. Considering that I also lost 4 lbs in March-April last year while exclusively working from home I think my default sleeping habits and work/life balance were a big factor. I was musing that it was perhaps generally less stress/cortisol being at home vs the office but I don't think one can make that argument for last year between the pandemic starting, a coworker's death (non-covid), and the specter of possibly getting laid off.

    The only wearable sleep tracker I've ever used was a pebble smart watch 5+ years ago and it was a little bulky and the data wasn't great. Similarly, my phone's data is only based on if the phone is used/when the alarms are turned off. Might have to do some research on a high level sleep tracker; does anyone have experience and/or recommendations?
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    Energy magically back, have increased vit D3 dosage and weight still dropping (slow reverse diet happening, listening to coach, getting leaner, all my clothes are getting bagsome, loathe to buy another size down, as will be bulking soon enough), weighing in at 138.8 lbs/62.95 kg this morning....training is strong, am almost to pressing numbers and squat numbers I was doing last year 10 kg (22 lbs heavier)....getting used to tekkers tweaks for heavier overhead loads now...deadlifts are same level w00t...
  • alexmose2
    alexmose2 Posts: 208 Member
    nexangelus wrote: »
    Energy magically back, have increased vit D3 dosage and weight still dropping (slow reverse diet happening, listening to coach, getting leaner, all my clothes are getting bagsome, loathe to buy another size down, as will be bulking soon enough), weighing in at 138.8 lbs/62.95 kg this morning....training is strong, am almost to pressing numbers and squat numbers I was doing last year 10 kg (22 lbs heavier)....getting used to tekkers tweaks for heavier overhead loads now...deadlifts are same level w00t...

    jw how much D3 are you taking?
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    I was on the recommended 5000 IU, but am now taking 10 000 IU...short term. I also do get outdoors in the sunlight daily. I am not recommending others take vitamin supplements or anything else willy nilly, this is my personal intake, adjusted according to blood test results.

    Will have actual blood work done again soon, to make sure things are balanced.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    steveko89 wrote: »
    The only wearable sleep tracker I've ever used was a pebble smart watch 5+ years ago and it was a little bulky and the data wasn't great. Similarly, my phone's data is only based on if the phone is used/when the alarms are turned off. Might have to do some research on a high level sleep tracker; does anyone have experience and/or recommendations?

    I used to have a fitbit and the sleep part was what freaked me out. I don't think many are that accurate as we all tend to move and shake at least a little when we sleep...I am very restless as it turns out and that throws the data right off. Sleep really does have an effect on stress/cortisol and therefore fat loss...but stressing about that in itself (which is what I did for a few years) can also add to the stress...vicious cycle anyone?

    Sleep clinics/studies are probably the most accurate but here in the UK I don't think they exist apart from privately...possibly the same the world over, have to save some dosh up if you want scientifically accurate things done and even then sometimes they aren't (the DEXA scans being a prime example)

  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,218 Member
    Howdy folks... been a long time.

    Finally back in the gym for the last month - strength back up to pre-covid and lockdown levels rather quickly. I'd never had a chance to really test the entire "muscle memory" thing... it's real and rather shocking how quickly you can be back after a long layoff. I did manage to keep my weight pretty static during the past year and did spend about 8 months of that year doing bodyweight (read: pullups and pushups... lots of them) but gave up the last three or so months as the volume required was getting to me.

    Anyhow, down to 203 as of yesterday morning which is about 20 pounds down. I'm doing my modified PSMF again and this time although it's working I'm super grumpy and food focused. If was unpleasant last time and this time it's literally torture. lol

    I want to get down to about 190. I have a visible six pack already but I definitely still look soft and there are still the love-handles to manage. I got sick of chicken and have already resorted to ON Protein powders for the bulk of that macro. Not doing ephedrine but lots of coffee and will start the heavy fish oil as soon as I feel any crunch in my joints.

    Glad to see so many familiar names and nice to see so many new people.

    btw: what the heck is up with all the half-naked women thumbnails and all the friends requests? I have over 10 and they are all showing me the goods. I have not accepted any but my wife saw one and I got in trouble.

    I am not, in fact, Gary Busey... if that is the draw. ;)


  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    Good to see you back, @jseams1234 !

    The stripper bots are definitely annoying but they've seemed to taper off for me.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,422 MFP Moderator
    steveko89 wrote: »
    Good to see you back, @jseams1234 !

    The stripper bots are definitely annoying but they've seemed to taper off for me.

    The admins are working on solving the stripper bots. It's super annoying.

    I am back on semi track. After this weekend should be a bit easier to keep on track. Back down to 167 and hoping to get to 160. Definitely gained some muscle though as i have more definition at a higher weight
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    Here’s my graph for March. Overall, a solid month and pleasantly my morning weight converged to my trend weight today. Got a few more weeks to try and cut before both mine and my wife’s birthdays towards the end of April.

    22a1iqz6xklm.png
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,218 Member
    steveko89 wrote: »
    Good to see you back, @jseams1234 !

    The stripper bots are definitely annoying but they've seemed to taper off for me.

    Good to see you too! So glad everybody seems to have stuck around.

    Ah, I suspected as much. Probably if you accept the request you get access to a link redirecting you to a porn site. My mistake was seeing one pop up in my email, thinking it was funny, and showing my wife. Luckily I could show her I didn't accept... but she still got pissed - lesson learned. lol
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,218 Member
    1975greig wrote: »
    Very good mate, props from the UK 🇬🇧💪

    Thank you! @1975greig

    Late response - I've been off the site during the bulk (lol) of the pandemic.

    Those pictures were from 2017 - seems longer ago than that, especially after this last year we have all had to deal with. I did learn a lot of lessons - one being that you can certainly take a bulk way too far, but if you are careful with a cut you can also retain almost all the gains. I think the better comparison isn't my panda alter ego but where I initially started from. I was painfully skinny (with a pot belly)... I hated it. I'm not skinny anymore but that part of my life is certainly stuck in my head and to this day I have to cut my face out of progress pics to even have a chance of seeing a realistic view of what I actually look like.


  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Looking great @steveko89 !

    So... my cut is stalling a bit but I am looking leaner so I think the scale is just being a pain since I added cardio and I'm retaining water. That's what I keep telling myself anyhow!
    I am really happy with my gains though, I have never seen my glutes and legs look so full and BAM. So clearly I did something right despite gaining a little too much on my bulk. Whooops.
    I need to meal prep or something I keep reaching for not great snacks before dinner which is busting my intake. Gahh
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Looking great @steveko89 !

    So... my cut is stalling a bit but I am looking leaner so I think the scale is just being a pain since I added cardio and I'm retaining water. That's what I keep telling myself anyhow!
    I am really happy with my gains though, I have never seen my glutes and legs look so full and BAM. So clearly I did something right despite gaining a little too much on my bulk. Whooops.
    I need to meal prep or something I keep reaching for not great snacks before dinner which is busting my intake. Gahh

    Thanks, Stef. I’m sure I’m not the only one who wants to see some progress pics from your bulk.

    I’ve been loosely following an RP Diet template I found which has more focus on meal timing and macros/meal than I’ve done before and I’m liking it so far (since Saturday at least). Similarly, the scale is bouncing around a little but feeling both filled out and lean, which is a nice combo.

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