4-5 month cut. ~20% to ~10% bf

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

anyone care to estimate my bf now? gonna stay cut for the summer then start a real clean bulk come fall, i feel small as hell now, but i do like being cut up. any questions just ask....only 1 pic thats really recent. no new pics yet, but i look even better now. if theres a positive response maybe ill try to get some new pics up

february '11


late May '11(dont mind the stupid face)






early may '11


july 1st '11

[Tabarnakz]

Great job, you're ****ing lean.

Main lifts and diet?

[ezra76]

Actually under 10%, back pic makes me almost want to say close to 8. You need more mass but good job on getting that leaned out.

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

i know i desperately need more mass. that first pic was me after a dirty semi-failed bulk and i was just ready to get lean. gained mass but a ton of fat too. gonna be smart about it this time around. but for my diet i just ate high protein, low carb and did a ton of cardio. probably lost some muscle mass because of that but oh well.
as for my lifts, i surprisingly didnt lose any strength from bulk to cut. currently there sitting at;

Bench:155x6-8 so maybe 185 1rm?(never do 1rm for bench, no spotter...did 185 x 2 bulked so i figure i could still put it up)

Squat: ATG: 225 x6-8 last 1rm tested was 265 a few weeks ago

Deadlift 365 x1. probably could get 405

[ezra76]

If it helps you any I cleaned bulked all last winter. Didn't gain a lb.. Slowly gained muscle and cut fat, lifts went up, measurements went up, weight stayed the same and bodyfat dropped about 2.5-3%.

Incline bench, get to know it well. I started hitting that incline BB first and furiously every chest workout and it's made a big diff. in the size/shape of my pecs. I don't even care how much I flat bench, goal is to be repping 225 incline. Traps too but those can be worked with DL's. I like to just lockout and hold my 90% max as long as I can. It'll build the forearms as well.

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

i would be totally happy with that^...thats what ive kinda been doing the last 6 weeks. from those last 2 pics from may '11 to the one 2 days ago(the ab shots) my weight has stayed the same and lifts are all up and im clearly leaner...so im on the right track, but at 155 5'10 i do need to put some weight on.

[ezra76]

Same here. Nothing I can really do during the summer with my metabolism though. Coming winter I'm going to try to go back up to 180-185 and set some big strength goals, 275/315/500. Also know that I have to bulk to overcome deficient areas. Calves are really tough so need to hammer the piss out of them on full bulk to get them bigger.

[VinniePaz]

Doingitright

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

Same here. Nothing I can really do during the summer with my metabolism though. Coming winter I'm going to try to go back up to 180-185 and set some big strength goals, 275/315/500. Also know that I have to bulk to overcome deficient areas. Calves are really tough so need to hammer the piss out of them on full bulk to get them bigger.

yeah i feel you on the calfs. there one of my weak points as well. im just hoping to add some good overall mass this winter, but not end up looking like i did after my first bulk.

[migc21]

hey did your weight loss stopped for a few weeks in your process? i went from 250 to 205 in the same amount of time as you and im 5'11, but for the past 3-4 weeks i cant seem to lose anymore weight, did you go through this?

[DLEHMA]

You look 8-9% in the last pic + back pic. Nice lower ab vascularity.

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

hey did your weight loss stopped for a few weeks in your process? i went from 250 to 205 in the same amount of time as you and im 5'11, but for the past 3-4 weeks i cant seem to lose anymore weight, did you go through this?

yeah from may '11 till now i havent really lost anymore weight(im at 155 so i really cant afford to lose any)...but my bf% has lowered as you can see in the pics, and my lifts have all increased so i must be putting on a little muscle....but if you notice your progress slowing down just take a step back and re-evaluate your diet, and routine.

[djsika]

Give me your Diet you Awesome Awesome Guy

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

Give me your Diet you Awesome Awesome Guy

well this is at my strictest. very low carbs, absurd amount of cardio...ive since increased the carbs(and calories in general) and decreased cardio, and have actually seen my bf% drop, strength increase, but weight stayed the same...now that im home for summer i find myself cheating far too often.

Breakfast(after 30 minutes of cardio): 2 scoops of whey in water+ oatmeal packet or 9 egg whites(and 1 yolk) with salsa, and small cup of fiber one with skim milk.

snack: some raisins, an orange, or some sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Lunch: large spinach salad with 4-8oz chicken breast and a hardboiled egg. used low fat dressing

Post workout(20 mins med-high intensity cardio after lifting): 2 scoops whey in water

1-2 hours later Dinner: 2 chicken breasts, large salad with many veggies, low fat dressing

b4 bed. many days i ate nothing, but someties i would have a chobani greek yogurt or some milk.

Supplements:
HMB(no clue if it worked, only did it for a month)
ZMA before bed(if i hadn't eaten anything recently)
one a day mens multi
ON whey
and in the last month i just added creatine and XTEND(BCAAs) to the list

[djsika]

I wanna drop body fat % so badddd, but i'm finding it hard to stop eating crisps lol, i'm pretty much only eating a few things now to help me drop body fat, which is pretty much Chicken & Veg and occasionally whole wheat pasta (usally for breakfast haha)

Exactly how much and how often did you do cardio? Thanks for your diet bro, helps me alot

Also wanted to ask how long before you could notice yourself your bf dropping

[T00thus]

I lacked willpower and stopped cutting feelsbadman. You did a great job!

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

I wanna drop body fat % so badddd, but i'm finding it hard to stop eating crisps lol, i'm pretty much only eating a few things now to help me drop body fat, which is pretty much Chicken & Veg and occasionally whole wheat pasta (usally for breakfast haha)

Exactly how much and how often did you do cardio? Thanks for your diet bro, helps me alot

Also wanted to ask how long before you could notice yourself your bf dropping

i did cardio pretty much 6 days a week. some weeks i did it everyday...upon waking i would do 30 mins low intensity on like the elliptical. or run a slow 3 miles on the track.
then after lifting(i was on a 4 day split, occasionally a 5th day for abs) i would do 20 minutes of HIIT.

but as for noticing the bf drop, that pic "early may '11" with the red shorts and the start of the abs was the first day i really said "wow im really doing it" so id day about 2.5 months.

keep in mind i cheated hard about once a week to keep myself sane... though i only drank alcohol maybe twice during my cut(and still only drink once a month tops) its hard at first being in college and all, but being sober at parties has increased my confidence and made me more outgoing. because its not the alcohol giving me confidence anymore now its just me having to be myself.

[alphaMotive]

good job, looking lean, solid cut.

[woodie2007]

Great results! what did you weigh in the first photo out of interest?
Again great results!

[Gabe978]

holy **** in only 4-5 months?

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

Great results! what did you weigh in the first photo out of interest?
Again great results!

195 in the "bulked stage"
155 after

clearly lost some muscle mass but i feel like now i have a really good starting point for my upcoming LEAN bulk.

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

holy **** in only 4-5 months?

first pic is february 11th 2011, cut started on valentines day(day after my bday)

pics of me in the blue shorts are may 30th '11 . and the one where my abs are ripped up is like 3 days ago. so yes 4-5 months....i was strict as hell, eating, cardio, lifting heavy. the whole deal....ill put up some new pics in a few days if this thread doesnt die to show my progress from may till now. weight has maintained but im leaner, and stronger

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

and sorry to blow up my own thread but im drinking for the first time in months for the 4th....lets hope for the best!

[Kooobe]

Amazing progress! Good job!

[trmanco]

Good job man

[t0tal-0wnage]

good job keep it up

[A_Dagg]

damn very nice cut

[mattoz19]

looken ripped

[MITCHAPAL00ZA]

Amazing progress! Good job!

Thank you. repped! i think ill take some new pictures tonight hopefully

[ANIMALISTIKZ]

well this is at my strictest. very low carbs, absurd amount of cardio...ive since increased the carbs(and calories in general) and decreased cardio, and have actually seen my bf% drop, strength increase, but weight stayed the same...now that im home for summer i find myself cheating far too often.

Breakfast(after 30 minutes of cardio): 2 scoops of whey in water+ oatmeal packet or 9 egg whites(and 1 yolk) with salsa, and small cup of fiber one with skim milk.

snack: some raisins, an orange, or some sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Lunch: large spinach salad with 4-8oz chicken breast and a hardboiled egg. used low fat dressing

Post workout(20 mins med-high intensity cardio after lifting): 2 scoops whey in water

1-2 hours later Dinner: 2 chicken breasts, large salad with many veggies, low fat dressing

b4 bed. many days i ate nothing, but someties i would have a chobani greek yogurt or some milk.

Supplements:
HMB(no clue if it worked, only did it for a month)
ZMA before bed(if i hadn't eaten anything recently)
one a day mens multi
ON whey
and in the last month i just added creatine and XTEND(BCAAs) to the list

do you know your cals/macros ?