Cutting help, 1700 cals ain't cutting

[SpencerF]

I have experience Loosing weight. I lost 60lbs... TWICE. I have experience maintaining weight. I maintained 180 for years after Loosing 60 and then gaining back 10.

I have been lifting for a year, I'm addicted, I go 6 days a week, never scheduling a day off just taking one when it doesn't fit. Im seeing great gains in strength and muscle size.

I don't share alot of common beliefs,
I don't believe I need 1.5g of protein per lbm
I don't believe all calories are the same

I usually get 125g of protein a day. I have been following a sleight warrior diet.

My diet used to contain way more calories. My days used to go

Breakfast pizza 500cal
Monster 200cal

Break protein bar or shake

Lunch mcdonalds or leftovers

Break sometimes nothing sometimes around 200 cal

Dinner would usually consist of 1000-1500 calories

I always stayed within 180-185.

I'm getting married in 2 months and wanted to loose 10-15lbs I know I can do it as I said I lost 60lbs in 2months before.

I tried doing it the "correct" way counting calories.

My days normally go.
Breakfast Sugarfree redbull maybe a boiled egg or two Maybe a scoop of protein.

40-100cals

Lunch nothing or maybe a scoop of protein, maybe some almonds 150-300 calories.

Dinner salad, or chili or broc, cheese and protein.

My daily calories always come out to 1700-1800

I drink 1 gallon of water a day.

I have been doing this for a while now and constantly 175-180. I lost a little bit 2.5-5 lbs.

What I found in the past is if I ate dinner early and light I would loose weight.

I do intense lifting but usually do
A little cardio everyworkout 6 days a week.

Any tips?

[angryguywalking]

Too little calories, your metabolism has slowed down, assuming you're still 196 lbs?

[Yodums]

Well for starters, those points aren't "common beliefs" -- they're facts.

Everyone who is going to contribute in this sub-section of the forum is going to point to this thread: forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981

Until you take a read and move the thread into a point of discussion, then I won't go into too much detail, but I will say:

1. 1700-1800 calories is way too low to be cutting on your weight, especially when you mention how active you are. People who decide to get too ambitious and eat half of what they're supposed to end up doing more harm than good (losing muscle).

2. Your current diet is not good at all. Redbull and scoop of protein for breakfast? Skipping lunch and sometimes taking a scoop of protein? You need to make a plan that has a specific calorie count and a breakdown of protein/fat/carbs and stick with it. Consider real food: oatmeal, eggs, lean beef, fish, chicken, brocolli, etc.

[SpencerF]

Too little calories, your metabolism has slowed down, assuming you're still 196 lbs?

I don't agree with this because a calorie burned is a calorie burned and your body can only hold
On to fat for so long. Again I lost 60lbs by eating even less.

[BTHgen]

I don't agree with this because a calorie burned is a calorie burned and your body can only hold
On to fat for so long. Again I lost 60lbs by eating even less.

So, when you say you've been counting for "a while" while on this cut. How long is this?

[SpencerF]

Well for starters, those points aren't "common beliefs" -- they're facts.

Everyone who is going to contribute in this sub-section of the forum is going to point to this thread: forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981

Until you take a read and move the thread into a point of discussion, then I won't go into too much detail, but I will say:

1. 1700-1800 calories is way too low to be cutting on your weight, especially when you mention how active you are. People who decide to get too ambitious and eat half of what they're supposed to end up doing more harm than good (losing muscle).

2. Your current diet is not good at all. Redbull and scoop of protein for breakfast? Skipping lunch and sometimes taking a scoop of protein? You need to make a plan that has a specific calorie count and a breakdown of protein/fat/carbs and stick with it. Consider real food: oatmeal, eggs, lean beef, fish, chicken, brocolli, etc.

I also work construction 10 hours a day,

I'm also gaining muscle, very visibly.

Redbull is not breakfast I understand that, it's caffeine.

Your supposed to eat lightfor the warrior diet. I did the whole protein to fat to
Carbs ratio, I keep my carbs low. I have no lack of energy. I eat real food for dinner.


I know it seems like I'm asking for help and turning it away. But I know all the cleche repeated answers by those.

And I know what worked for me (starvation) I'm still building muscle only reason I don't go back to starvation is because I'm trying to keep it. There are a few people who don't agree with the same old same old and I'm looking for answers from them.

[jake1224]

I work construction 10 hours a day

I'm also gaining muscle

1700 calories

um.

[SpencerF]

So, when you say you've been counting for "a while" while on this cut. How long is this?

3 weeks

[SpencerF]

um.

I probably shouldn't have even posted. I know my body better than you do. Yes I am gaining muscle AND strength at 1700 cal. It shows in measurements, looks and weight (lifting)

[jake1224]

I probably shouldn't have even posted. I know my body better than you do. Yes I am gaining muscle AND strength at 1700 cal. It shows in measurements, looks and weight (lifting)

no

































































you aren't

[angryguywalking]

I probably shouldn't have even posted. I know my body better than you do. Yes I am gaining muscle AND strength at 1700 cal. It shows in measurements, looks and weight (lifting)

^^^Jake is right, it's the first law of thermodynamics.

You can't gain muscle with that low of a calorie deficit. People that weigh around my bodyweight cut with 2000-2200. At yours it will be even more.

And your body is not that different than anyone else's, unless you have a very rare disease or are from outer space

[SpencerF]

Alright you win. My body is somehow pulling calories to burn out of it's ass because it's obviously not burning fat food or muscle, and my strength increases are just mental. Got it.

[eddiemaz]

realize your asking a question, but only accepting the answer you want to hear
if you are bent on continuing your current plan, at least add a refeed, and cut at 2k cals (this really shouldnt be much of a sacrifice from 1700)
replace liquid meals w/ whole food
buy caffeine pills to replace red bull
drink 1gal+ water and get 7+ hours of sleep consistantly

[docchio]

Alright you win. My body is somehow pulling calories to burn out of it's ass because it's obviously not burning fat food or muscle, and my strength increases are just mental. Got it.

so dont post here. Dont ask for advice. You know best. Now, go and construct things. Preferably for at least 10 hours a day

[matthew3881]

so dont post here. Dont ask for advice. You know best. Now, go and construct things. Preferably for at least 10 hours a day

hahahahaha

[djsaad1]

I have gained strength on a cut before, it's not common, but can be done. It depends a lot on what type of shape you were in before you started cutting.

[AlwaysTryin]

I have gained strength on a cut before, it's not common, but can be done. It depends a lot on what type of shape you were in before you started cutting.

I gain strength everytime I cut (in the first 1-8 weeks)

[adamg8504]

I agree you could be gaining strength on 1700 kcals but not size. You can't build muscle with out a surplus of the basic building blocks, also known as calories. I'm sure you can comprehend this, you do build things right? Can't build a foundation without the necessary supplies...same goes for muscle.

[RugbyTank]

Is there even a question here

[lovingit]

I don't agree with this because a calorie burned is a calorie burned and your body can only hold
On to fat for so long. Again I lost 60lbs by eating even less.

This is true, actually. However, what the poster stated that you are arguing with also true. You will experience a metabolic slow down if you cut your cals very low. Meaning you will have to maintain at a lower caloric level than you would if you didn't cut your cals so low to lose weight, which, quite frankly, sucks. Trust me.

[tjwoody]

dude u come to ask for help and then have a hissy fit?

[dizzzane]

I just don't understand posts like this. There are tons of things that need to be addressed here.
A) If you've been "cutting" for 3 weeks and lost 2.5-5lbs... that would be right on target. If you were doing it right, eating the necessary required macros and calories while keeping your lean mass and losing solely fat.
B) You can't come on here expecting advice from people who clearly understand the SCIENCE of nutrition (not that I'm one of them) and then tell them you don't believe what they say or you don't want to read that kind of information
C) You shouldn't use your body/diet/training as factual evidence as I could use my own to counter many of the things you've said. We are all different true, but the basics of how we operate are concrete.
D) 1700 cals is silly for your weight, activity level and weekly training. I'm cutting at 1950 and I weigh 150 effing pounds. (See how I just used myself as a piece of evidence?)