Anyone cutting after a bulk?

199100102104105108

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    So work is now crazy. I am practically traveling every other week. So it looks like i will need to change my strategy to account for that. Kind of sucks.
  • alexmose2
    alexmose2 Posts: 208 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    So work is now crazy. I am practically traveling every other week. So it looks like i will need to change my strategy to account for that. Kind of sucks.

    I am going through something similar. Just focusing on lean meats and veg and knowing that my food is likely cooked in oil (unless I ask otherwise!).
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    So work is now crazy. I am practically traveling every other week. So it looks like i will need to change my strategy to account for that. Kind of sucks.

    I am going through something similar. Just focusing on lean meats and veg and knowing that my food is likely cooked in oil (unless I ask otherwise!).

    ironically that is the method I am going to try and implement. I also might skip breakfast
  • ExpressoLove11
    ExpressoLove11 Posts: 337 Member
    I had an unintentional bulk from February through to the end of April (prior to this I was recomping for a period of 15 months). Gained a fair bit of muscle this year so happy with that. Now looking to cut a few vanity lbs to see what's lurking under my BF - I can see my first row of abs all the time, even when bloated, so curious to see what else I can do :smile:
  • alexmose2
    alexmose2 Posts: 208 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    So work is now crazy. I am practically traveling every other week. So it looks like i will need to change my strategy to account for that. Kind of sucks.

    I am going through something similar. Just focusing on lean meats and veg and knowing that my food is likely cooked in oil (unless I ask otherwise!).

    ironically that is the method I am going to try and implement. I also might skip breakfast

    This method went out the window lmaoooo
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    So work is now crazy. I am practically traveling every other week. So it looks like i will need to change my strategy to account for that. Kind of sucks.

    I am going through something similar. Just focusing on lean meats and veg and knowing that my food is likely cooked in oil (unless I ask otherwise!).

    ironically that is the method I am going to try and implement. I also might skip breakfast

    This method went out the window lmaoooo

    Lmfao
  • GaryRuns
    GaryRuns Posts: 508 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    So work is now crazy. I am practically traveling every other week. So it looks like i will need to change my strategy to account for that. Kind of sucks.

    I am going through something similar. Just focusing on lean meats and veg and knowing that my food is likely cooked in oil (unless I ask otherwise!).

    ironically that is the method I am going to try and implement. I also might skip breakfast

    This method went out the window lmaoooo

    Lmfao


    I know it's different for everyone but I could never skip breakfast. I'm always ravenous in the mornings.

    So don't feel bad @alexmose, you're not alone in that one!
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    GaryRuns wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    So work is now crazy. I am practically traveling every other week. So it looks like i will need to change my strategy to account for that. Kind of sucks.

    I am going through something similar. Just focusing on lean meats and veg and knowing that my food is likely cooked in oil (unless I ask otherwise!).

    ironically that is the method I am going to try and implement. I also might skip breakfast

    This method went out the window lmaoooo

    Lmfao


    I know it's different for everyone but I could never skip breakfast. I'm always ravenous in the mornings.

    So don't feel bad @alexmose, you're not alone in that one!

    Similarly, I’ve dabbled with IF a few times and it just didn’t click for me as being that advantageous. What I’ve been doing, eating like 6 small meals throughout the day, has been working out well.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    steveko89 wrote: »
    GaryRuns wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    So work is now crazy. I am practically traveling every other week. So it looks like i will need to change my strategy to account for that. Kind of sucks.

    I am going through something similar. Just focusing on lean meats and veg and knowing that my food is likely cooked in oil (unless I ask otherwise!).

    ironically that is the method I am going to try and implement. I also might skip breakfast

    This method went out the window lmaoooo

    Lmfao


    I know it's different for everyone but I could never skip breakfast. I'm always ravenous in the mornings.

    So don't feel bad @alexmose, you're not alone in that one!

    Similarly, I’ve dabbled with IF a few times and it just didn’t click for me as being that advantageous. What I’ve been doing, eating like 6 small meals throughout the day, has been working out well.

    If it makes you guys/gals feel better, IF is not going well. So i am trying for a leane breakfast and lunch witha more moderate dinner. I am just such a 3x meal person
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
    IF and past EDs does not work....(ED survivor here)
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I typically IF more by accident than design...most mornings I'm just not hungry until 10-11ish...sometimes don't eat until 1-2, but I'm absolutely terrible at NOT eating when hungry, so it all kind of depends on the day.

    I do like having extra calories for lunch/dinner on the days where breakfast gets skipped, but I don't think I would be able to deliberately skip breakfast if I were actually hungry.

    Travel and calorie restriction are tough, when I had to travel for work I found an egg cooker to be ideal...I could poach or boil eggs right in the hotel room in just a few minutes and it made for quick easy food that would fit my nutrition goals rather than eating out every single meal...eating out gets tiresome after a while...but maybe that's just me...also hitting up the grocery for cheese/crackers or soups was nice for snacks/meals.
  • alexmose2
    alexmose2 Posts: 208 Member
    Almost done this little trip. A week of no lifting or creatine and I am still the same weight, thanks reduced inflammation! Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things...
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    So i broke and went back to keto. No matter my macro split, if I wasn't in ketosis, my hunger was just too much and resulted into eating sweets making it difficult for me to lose the weight. I guess ill just have to take a performance hit to lose the fat.


    tqzjh91q8dhf.jpg
  • alexmose2
    alexmose2 Posts: 208 Member
    alexmose2 wrote: »
    Almost done this little trip. A week of no lifting or creatine and I am still the same weight, thanks reduced inflammation! Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things...

    So, got an upper body session in yesterday but certainly not enough carbs for a leg day today. I literally have not used my legs in 2 days (planes, cars, sitting) and i just did 10K steps today and am wiped!!
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    My weight's been bouncing around but I'm hanging out around 175. I'd been really feeling great up until about two weeks ago and I've just been run down and felt rickety ever since. The catalyst was a weekend full of yard work but I think it coincided with hitting a tipping point on training volume/intensity and poor recovery. Was really evident for the virtual garage gym competition; managed to match my DL PR but could not hit one on bench, and my shoulder impacted my squat.

    It's not really muscle soreness (which wouldn't concern me as much) but random joint aches and pains (alternating shoulders, an elbow, a hip, a knee, and an ankle). Tallying the hypertrophy sets in the program I've been on since mid-January, most muscle groups exceed Isratel's MRV guidelines... and there are lower rep sets included in the plan as well. That's what I get for following a program posted in a comment by some rando on reddit.

    Since Isratel/RP have yet to steer me wrong I'm going to start the 6 day "full body" RP Men's Physique Template on Monday. My TDEE is still stable so I'm going to stay the course diet-wise. At this point, worst case is I maintain, best case I get leaner and I'll be in ok shape to lean mass come August again regardless.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    I am at the *kitten* is phase lol. Just trying to focus on healthy foods and get in good workouts. I have been traveling a lot for work so staying on point with a diet is difficult.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    This was too damn good not to post..


    Happy national hamburger day!!


    nuynp5nr05eu.jpg
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    Trend all the way down to 174.2 today. I'm interpreting my speculation in training volume having reached a critical mass as being validated as I've seen my trend drop over a full pound in the last 9 days since I backed off on volume and intensity. Calories dipped slightly over that time and I'm sure some was glycogen but I have to think I was holding onto some general inflammation. Qualitatively feeling much less run down too, which is very welcome.

    I also went ahead and did a Skulpt scan yesterday. Compared with my 8/1/20 pre-bulk numbers I'm generally leaner (~11.2% BF vs. 11.6%) at a higher weight (+0.8 on trend). The mirror corroborates improvements, so I'll definitely call it a successful bulk/cut cycle. If you take the data at face value I added 1.4 lbs lean mass since last August and almost 5 lean lbs since last March. That's a little high compared to what Lyle suggests is possible but given the accuracy range of the Skulpt I'll say I'm in line with what I can expect at this stage of my lifting life.

    TDEE is still holding steady at that elevated 2650 cal/day mark so I'm going to keep trying to get leaner for another bulk in the fall.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    For a cutting thread heading into summer it's bee too quiet around here.

    Whatever black magic is involved in the RP diet and training templates I'm just going to keep rolling with it. I finish week three of the first meso tomorrow and really enjoying the pure hypertrophy programming. The concentrated volume has yielded some delightful mild muscle soreness, which I can't remember having recently; only rickety joints. On the diet side, my trend weight is down to 174.0 after bouncing around some reintroducing some training volume. However, my calories have been up around 2750 but I look and feel leaner to match the scale.

    Actually have photos to compare:
    Left is 8/1/2020 (pre-bulk) at 7am, 173.4 lbs on trend
    Right is 6/16/2021 at 5:50pm, 174.2 lbs on trend that morning
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    Tried to make an earlier post that got eaten by the site, apparently. Been too quiet around here as we head into summer.

    I’m down to 174 on trend but really liking what I see in the mirror and the training plan I switched to. Having not done pure hypertrophy in a while the actual muscle soreness is a welcome change from the achy joints I’d gotten used to on the previous program. Diet-wise My intake is actually tracking even higher than previously, averaging 2750/day since my last post but trend still heading down.

    Left picture was 8/1/2020 (pre-bulk, first thing in morning)
    Right picture was 6/16/2020 (Wednesday evening)

    ajg644c3lzb3.jpeg