Wasting noob gains

[reasonistian]

So I weigh 250 lbs and started lifting a month and a while ago. My lbm is around 170lbs. I've had great progress in all my lifts (bench from 135 to 260). I am on a 700-1000 calorie deficit and I recently ran into a plateau. My question is am I wasting my noob gains by keeping on cutting?

[Tyler2106]

How long have you been plateau'd? What makes you think you've plateau'd?

[reasonistian]

How long have you been plateau'd? What makes you think you've plateau'd?

Used to increase the weight by around 10 pounds for every workout. Been unable to increase the weight for around 2 week. which would be 4 workouts per body part (6 days a week).

[Tyler2106]

Used to increase the weight by around 10 pounds for every workout. Been unable to increase the weight for around 2 week. which would be 4 workouts per body part (6 days a week).

So you went from adding 10 pounds per workout to not adding at all? Or adding weight is more like a couple pounds now rather than 10? How many calories are you eating a day? How much protein? Has anything changed since you stopped progressing?

[Mrpb]

Either way, cutting is the fastest way to improve your health, body composition and life.

You can still gain muscle in a cut.

[reasonistian]

So you went from adding 10 pounds per workout to not adding at all? Or adding weight is more like a couple pounds now rather than 10? How many calories are you eating a day? How much protein? Has anything changed since you stopped progressing?

for two weeks I haven't been able to add any weight to my max. I am eating 2000 calories per day, not really counting my macros.

[damacl6]

I'm new to this too, but my understanding is that at some point you aren't going to be able to keep increasing lifts unless you are also increasing calories. At some point you are going to stall due to insufficient calories. At that point you have to decide if you want to keep lifting at your current caloric intake and hopefully maintain the strength and lose fat, or increase the calories and increase the strength, either maintaining or increasing your weight. Sufficient protein is a must though, so you might think about tracking macros.

[Jimthegiant]

135 to 260 in such a short period of time is amazing progress even for a guy your size. You can't add 10lbs per workout for long. I'd drop the weight down a bit and work your way up with 5lb jumps instead. If this doesn't feel challenging enough for you maybe make the last set an AMRAP set once in a while to see where you're at (as many reps as possible).

Maybe refeed for a week to help you recover.

[Tyler2106]

for two weeks I haven't been able to add any weight to my max. I am eating 2000 calories per day, not really counting my macros.

They'll come a time when your calories are insufficient to allow you to progress. However, at 250 pounds still eating 2000 calories, I'd imagine you still can progress each week, just much slower than you had been.

What weight training routine are you on? My guess is your routine is sub-optimal and or you're not eating enough protein a day to allow for growth. You should be eating a minimum of .8g of protein per pound of body weight.

And I would not be worried about wasting 'noob gains' during your cut. Cutting to a healthy body weight is the best thing for you right now.

[EjnarKolinkar]

My question is am I wasting my noob gains by keeping on cutting?

No you are correcting an excess body fat issue you don't need. And the skill and strength you build doing so will be there over the course of the next few years of gainz.