Cutting problems

[NIKKIM13]

I started a cut 3 weeks ago and have only lost 1lb

The first two weeks I ate 1800 calories (from 2100) and the last week I dropped to 1650. I plan on staying here but I'm getting worried that it won't work and very discouraged. I weighed myself yesterday and I was actually up a 1/2lb from my previous weigh in!

I only have 5-7lbs to lose so I know that it will be slow, but I would like some reassurance!

I lift 3x a week and run 4-6x (between 1-3miles)

[toodlepip]

What's your maintenance?

If it's say 2000 and you are cutting at 1650 that's a 350 cal deficit a day x 7 = 2450...which is less than a lb a week. Which is reasonable when you have diddly to lose...which you do. Your deficit was even less for the first 2 weeks.

It's useless worrying about a half pound fluctuation.

[oregonchick76]

I started a cut 3 weeks ago and have only lost 1lb

The first two weeks I ate 1800 calories (from 2100) and the last week I dropped to 1650. I plan on staying here but I'm getting worried that it won't work and very discouraged. I weighed myself yesterday and I was actually up a 1/2lb from my previous weigh in!

I only have 5-7lbs to lose so I know that it will be slow, but I would like some reassurance!

I lift 3x a week and run 4-6x (between 1-3miles)

jeez! why do you want to weigh 103?

[Rowyn]

Rather than lose weight I would build lean mass. I see from your profile that you have had some eating disorder issues, and once attenpted a bulk? I would just eat at maintenance (at least) and lift. You have very little fat to lose but also not a whole lotta lean mass. It would be very difficult to cut much fat where you are at right now. And given what you say you want to look like in your profile, losing 5 lbs is not going to get you there. You need more lean mass. Good luck!

[NIKKIM13]

Everyone always tells me to put on lean mass and thats what I've done for the past 6 months. I'm done gaining muscle and want to lose a few lbs of fat. I have a small frame and am perfectly fit to be 103lbs. I don't have aspirations to look like crazy ripped/muscular, i just want to be athletic.

[wakechica]

Everyone always tells me to put on lean mass and thats what I've done for the past 6 months. I'm done gaining muscle and want to lose a few lbs of fat. I have a small frame and am perfectly fit to be 103lbs. I don't have aspirations to look like crazy ripped/muscular, i just want to be athletic.

You look great now. Have you seen how much bodyfat you DON'T have?
Have you got front picture of you legs because they don't look fat at all. It's muscle and it looks lovely. You look athletic now (you say athletic, who are you getting the 'athletic' image off? Because I think you look athletic now - don't be looking at some stick insect model saying she's athletic....).

You don't want to drop 7lbs - I don't think looking at your pics you even have 7lbs of fat to drop. You can see some muscle separation on the side of your legs which shows your at a low bodyfat. Suggest posting full front and back photos here. If anything you could drop just below maintenance and carry on lifting heavy rather than cutting. I don't think cutting will get you anywhere (personally).

And you're only 18....!!

[LunicaAshes]

Is 2100 the cals you were eating during your bulk?

[Rowyn]

I don't have aspirations to look like crazy ripped/muscular, i just want to be athletic.

If you had gained a decent amount of lean mass at this point, you wouldn't even need to lose weight. And no, I am not talking "crazy ripped/muscular". I don't see a whole lotta muscle in your current pics myself, and that is not meant to be catty. Just an observation.

To push to lose fat at this point is going to mean dropping cals to around 1400 or a bit less, given that you are small and already at the proper weight.

[andrerox80]

Everyone always tells me to put on lean mass and thats what I've done for the past 6 months. I'm done gaining muscle and want to lose a few lbs of fat. I have a small frame and am perfectly fit to be 103lbs. I don't have aspirations to look like crazy ripped/muscular, i just want to be athletic.

do you have a picture of what look you like? b/c even to be athletic vs muscular, you need more of a muscle base. so i'm w/ the others on bulking, but if you wanna stop that for now (again, i wouldn't), at least go to maintenance and not a deficit. how long have you been in recovery? how much did you gain during your bulk? how much above maintenance were you eating? how often are your weighing yourself? i looked at your bodyspace and you have all these negative things to say abt your legs, but they are coming in nicely. you just don't have 5-7 lbs to lose right now.

[thepowerwithin]

i looked at your bodyspace and you have all these negative things to say abt your legs, but they are coming in nicely. you just don't have 5-7 lbs to lose right now.

I looked too. I don't get the leg negativity either. Personally, I think OP looks way better in later pics.

[wakechica]

I looked too. I don't get the leg negativity either. Personally, I think OP looks way better in later pics.

Totally agreed. I was expecting bad things when I read her comments but was well impressed with current pics. They're better than mine!

[NIKKIM13]

Those pictures that you're looking at are almost two months old. I haven't updated my page in a while and I've gained more weight since then. I appreciate your replies and concerns but none of them have truly answered my question which is what I want

& I'm not looking to lose 5-7lbs of pure fat, but also a little muscle too. I think I gained too much muscle mass and would like to drop that along with a little bit of fat. Any suggestions on how to do that?

I've cut my lifting down to 2x a week and am doing cardio 4-5x a week

[acrawlingchaos]

You know what the answer is, if you are not losing at the desired rate, reduce intake by 200 calories and observe for two weeks. Continue until you achieve the desired rate of loss. As someone with an eating disorder, you certainly know the principles of weight loss.

You should expect the replies you have received. You are well below BMI and want to "CUT". Cutting implies you have an appreciable amount of lean mass, which you simply do not have. What exactly are you cutting down to?

I would suggest you re-read the responses given to you in this thread.

[megdaig]

Gained too much muscle and now want to lose some along with fat!? So what was the point of your bulk?

You don't have that much muscle to begin with [still] and it would be stupid to try to catabolize any lean mass that you've spent time and effort to gain, especially at your stats.

It sounds like you want to stay skinny fat. If you think you look bulky or fat it's because you have too much fat, not muscle. Sure, you have some fat to lose but trying to lose that now is so inefficient.

[WariorGoddess]

no disrespect to the OP (as I used to have a distorted mindset when it came to my body) but why bother hang out in a Body Building site?