Fat Loss Simplified, Videos and Q&A... Ask Me Anything On The Subject Of Fat Loss.

[pMbeast]

Also in the future do not drop your calories below BMR when cutting unless you really know what you are doing.

1) Are you intentionally only referring to not eating less CALORIES than your BMR? Is it acceptable to dip below your BMR with exercise? For example, my BMR is about 1700 calories and I'm eating 1700 calories even on workout days where I burn somewhere around 250 additional calories. Unfortunately, my maintenance is only about 2200 so 1700 is a 500 deficit.

2) I've lost 55 pounds since last xmas and recently took a two week break eating at maintenance. I've been back to dieting since November 5th and a weird thing happened. While maintaining a 500 deficit (1700 calories, slightly higher deficit on workout days) weight loss stalled after only 7 days, and I gained a small amount of weight day to day: Nov 12th - 170.8, Nov 13th 171.5, Nov 14th 171.4, Nov 15th 171.6 but then this morning 170.4. Up until this point the weight loss has been pretty linear day to day so I'm confused. I weigh my food and weigh myself at the same time everyday (when I first wake up) so I don't think these are any issue. I am somewhere around 16-18% and definitely the thinnest I have ever been in my life. Maybe this is a setpoint issue and my body is fighting any more fat loss? Any insight on what is going on? Should I even be concerned with the weight coming off this way? Would starting to refeed help?

Thanks Jason!

[JasonDB]

1) Are you intentionally only referring to not eating less CALORIES than your BMR? Is it acceptable to dip below your BMR with exercise? For example, my BMR is about 1700 calories and I'm eating 1700 calories even on workout days where I burn somewhere around 250 additional calories. Unfortunately, my maintenance is only about 2200 so 1700 is a 500 deficit.

2) I've lost 55 pounds since last xmas and recently took a two week break eating at maintenance. I've been back to dieting since November 5th and a weird thing happened. While maintaining a 500 deficit (1700 calories, slightly higher deficit on workout days) weight loss stalled after only 7 days, and I gained a small amount of weight day to day: Nov 12th - 170.8, Nov 13th 171.5, Nov 14th 171.4, Nov 15th 171.6 but then this morning 170.4. Up until this point the weight loss has been pretty linear day to day so I'm confused. I weigh my food and weigh myself at the same time everyday (when I first wake up) so I don't think these are any issue. I am somewhere around 16-18% and definitely the thinnest I have ever been in my life. Maybe this is a setpoint issue and my body is fighting any more fat loss? Any insight on what is going on? Should I even be concerned with the weight coming off this way? Would starting to refeed help?

Thanks Jason!

1) I don't understand your first question. If your BMR is 1700 and the amount of physical activity or exercise you do has nothing to do with your BMR it has to do with your TDEE. Your BMR is still 1700. It means don't ever go under 1700 calories regardless of if you spend the day sick in bed or if you run a marathon.

2) Your metabolim has clearly slowed a bit, also now that you are at a body weight you've not been at in many years your body is going to go through phases of stalls and swooshes because your body will retain extra fluid here and there to try to maintain balance, which will look like days at a time where you are not losing weight on the scale but still slowly burning body fat off.

[camdensdaddy]

You influence body composition by progressive workload in the gym. Someone with less than one year of consistent training experience can put on 10 kg, or close to it, of muscle in their first year of training on an optimal program.

This reminds me of something that I've been meaning to ask. I hear that 20-24 lbs of muscle for a noob in a year is within the realm of possibility, I've always understood this to be people who have never lifted or haven't lifted in a long time AND who are bulking. What about folks like myself who are noobs (in terms of genetic potential) but have been lifting for 6-12 months and have always been on a deficit when lifting? What can we expect when we start clean bulking?

[caseyjohnson]

I know we have been exchanging pm's about this but I'd like to tell you more about the situation I am currently facing. I lost 46 lbs since May at 220 lbs with a LBM around 145. Im currently at 174. My weight on the scale has been stalling quite a bit at 1800 cals. Since last week I lost .2 lbs but I also did see 174 last week, probably holding onto water weight. I have been noticing fat slowly coming off but the scale is the same and my cals are pretty low at 1800 for my age and what not. I lift weights 3x a week, and I try to do some sort of cardio 2 days a week + kung fu training. Would you reccommend me to take a diet break and eat at maintence for 2 weeks and just go at a 500 deficit? My goal for right now is 160. and Im at 174-175

[RedeemerZG]

i've read somewhere but cant find it again...
...to manipulate usage of alcohol for weight loss...

can someone explain?

thanks

It is a diuretic that can make you drop water weight for a day or so if you consume a fair amount of it. However this is more of a contest prep or photo shoot question and has nothing to do with fat loss.

i finally found the source

http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/tru...nd-muscle.html

but, ... there he only says how to drink and prevent fat gains

[dbman4]

I don't have any questions for you man.. but sending reps your way for all that you do through bb.com and your youtube videos. Have a great one!

[JasonDB]

This reminds me of something that I've been meaning to ask. I hear that 20-24 lbs of muscle for a noob in a year is within the realm of possibility, I've always understood this to be people who have never lifted or haven't lifted in a long time AND who are bulking. What about folks like myself who are noobs (in terms of genetic potential) but have been lifting for 6-12 months and have always been on a deficit when lifting? What can we expect when we start clean bulking?

24-25 lbs of actual muscle growth in the first year is pushing the absolute limits but yes it can be achieved. For those cutting obviously it is going to be massively less, however basically look at how much you've gained and subtract it from 20-25 lbs and assess that whatever remains in there is what you can squeeze out of noob gains before you reach a state where .5-1 lbs of muscle a month is probably going to be your upper limits.

I know we have been exchanging pm's about this but I'd like to tell you more about the situation I am currently facing. I lost 46 lbs since May at 220 lbs with a LBM around 145. Im currently at 174. My weight on the scale has been stalling quite a bit at 1800 cals. Since last week I lost .2 lbs but I also did see 174 last week, probably holding onto water weight. I have been noticing fat slowly coming off but the scale is the same and my cals are pretty low at 1800 for my age and what not. I lift weights 3x a week, and I try to do some sort of cardio 2 days a week + kung fu training. Would you reccommend me to take a diet break and eat at maintence for 2 weeks and just go at a 500 deficit? My goal for right now is 160. and Im at 174-175

If you are stalling at that low of in intake I would take a full diet break, 3-4 weeks before continuing on a cut. Sure it will take longer to reach that goal but its going to be a lot easier on you to get there this way.

I don't have any questions for you man.. but sending reps your way for all that you do through bb.com and your youtube videos. Have a great one!

Thanks!

[Bensomore]

I'm a young teen, I want to lose some fat but I have basically no control over what I get to eat since my parents are very controlling. I live with my mom and she is vegan, so 2 out of 3 meals a day I eat vegan. I've approached her on my idea of losing fat by dieting and she did not agree, so now it is hard for me to fit my macros. If you have any tips to how I can reach my calorie deficit making sure my parents do not find out, please do post because I feel like it will be hard for me to have a proper diet to lose fat or gain muscle within the diet that I am confined in.

Thanks,
Bensomore

[JasonDB]

I'm a young teen, I want to lose some fat but I have basically no control over what I get to eat since my parents are very controlling. I live with my mom and she is vegan, so 2 out of 3 meals a day I eat vegan. I've approached her on my idea of losing fat by dieting and she did not agree, so now it is hard for me to fit my macros. If you have any tips to how I can reach my calorie deficit making sure my parents do not find out, please do post because I feel like it will be hard for me to have a proper diet to lose fat or gain muscle within the diet that I am confined in.

Thanks,
Bensomore

If you live under your parent's roof it is wise to live by their rules even if they are wrong.

[RedeemerZG]

when we are talking about keto diets...(restricting carbs)
is it necessary to increase fatty stuff?

i mean... eggs on fryed bacon vs boiled eggs
tuna with mayo vs plain tuna
sausages vs lean meat...
(at same caloric input... less fatty stuff vs more lean)

do you get a picture?

thanks!

[camdensdaddy]

24-25 lbs of actual muscle growth in the first year is pushing the absolute limits but yes it can be achieved. For those cutting obviously it is going to be massively less, however basically look at how much you've gained and subtract it from 20-25 lbs and assess that whatever remains in there is what you can squeeze out of noob gains before you reach a state where .5-1 lbs of muscle a month is probably going to be your upper limits.

Well that's positive. I was sort of worried that I had squandered my noob gains to a large degree by cutting first, eventhough I DEFINATELY needed to cut first.

[DeltaCharlie75]

Hi Jason, I'm 193Ibs, 6'1, aged 37 and have about 25% body fat. I started lifting about two months ago but have only been tracking my calories etc for the last six weeks. I initially planned to lean bulk for six weeks while I concentrated on perfecting and progressing my lifts and then cut to lower my bf. I calculated my maintenance to be about 2300 cals and was eating 2500 during that time. I seem to have under calculated my maintenance as in the six weeks I have stayed at the same weight, although my lifts are progressing. Should I continue to eat at 2500 cals which appears to be my maintenance or would it be better to start cutting?

I'm currently doing All Pros SBR and my goals are to gain strength and defined mass.
Thanks for your time.

[JasonDB]

Hi Jason, I'm 193Ibs, 6'1, aged 37 and have about 25% body fat. I started lifting about two months ago but have only been tracking my calories etc for the last six weeks. I initially planned to lean bulk for six weeks while I concentrated on perfecting and progressing my lifts and then cut to lower my bf. I calculated my maintenance to be about 2300 cals and was eating 2500 during that time. I seem to have under calculated my maintenance as in the six weeks I have stayed at the same weight, although my lifts are progressing. Should I continue to eat at 2500 cals which appears to be my maintenance or would it be better to start cutting?

I'm currently doing All Pros SBR and my goals are to gain strength and defined mass.
Thanks for your time.

You could go ahead and start cutting slowly, as you are relatively new to training you should still recomposition nicely on a proper routine like that while following a very small caloric deficit.

[DeltaCharlie75]

You could go ahead and start cutting slowly, as you are relatively new to training you should still recomposition nicely on a proper routine like that while following a very small caloric deficit.

Should I aim for about a 10% deficit to start with or do you think that this is too low.

Thanks again

[JasonDB]

Should I aim for about a 10% deficit to start with or do you think that this is too low.

Thanks again

10% deficit is a good start. You'll have to assess from there every couple of weeks.

[stoomc]

I have 2 quick questions (again!)

1. What is the reason behind carb cycling? Why dont they just continuously take the same amount of carbs everyday? (to lose weight) I am obviously missing something! EDIT: What's the benefit would have probably been a better question!

2. Does de novo lipogenisis happen when someone is in a deficit? Say someones maintenance is 2000 calories and they eat nothing but carbs- that would be 500 grams of carbs... would that start de novo lipogenisis?

[ivxenz]

hey,

i will write down my current stats to make it simpler: 27yrs, 85kg, 25% bf. This is the lowest I have weighed since I was 16yrs. I had asked you some questions regarding experiencing a stall in weight loss and slowing of metabolism so I went on a two week break where I ate close to maintenance.

I basically maintained an average of 2350 calories and have observed that my weight did not move up or down more than 0.3-0.4kg. Does this mean that I have found my maintenance cals should be somewhere between 2300-2400 cals?

Now when I go back to a larger deficit after continuing this break for another week how many calories should I drop? What should my macros be? I was aiming for 160g proteins and 70g fats. Does that sound right? Also I have noticed since I began trying to control fat intake and increasing it I end up eating somewhere around 25g-30g saturated fat. At this point should I just consider my total fat intake and forget the high amount of saturated fat?

[JasonDB]

I have 2 quick questions (again!)

1. What is the reason behind carb cycling? Why dont they just continuously take the same amount of carbs everyday? (to lose weight) I am obviously missing something! EDIT: What's the benefit would have probably been a better question!

2. Does de novo lipogenisis happen when someone is in a deficit? Say someones maintenance is 2000 calories and they eat nothing but carbs- that would be 500 grams of carbs... would that start de novo lipogenisis?

1. Beats me. I can appreciate people doing heavy carb loads the evening before a heavy workout in a deficit or doing high carb refeeds but the concept of carb cycling for fat loss has never made any sense to me from a nutritional science perspective and I have no idea what the perceived benefits of it would be.

2. There are cases where de novo lipogensis can happen in a deficit however it isn't something to be even remotely concerned with for purposes of weight loss. The biggest instance I can think of where it would happen would be if you drop your deitary fat rock bottom in a deficit so much so that the body panics and starts converting glucose into fat to compensate however this will not impact your weight loss at all... but it will probably very negatively influence your endrocrine system due to chronic fat deficiencies.

hey,

i will write down my current stats to make it simpler: 27yrs, 85kg, 25% bf. This is the lowest I have weighed since I was 16yrs. I had asked you some questions regarding experiencing a stall in weight loss and slowing of metabolism so I went on a two week break where I ate close to maintenance.

I basically maintained an average of 2350 calories and have observed that my weight did not move up or down more than 0.3-0.4kg. Does this mean that I have found my maintenance cals should be somewhere between 2300-2400 cals?

Now when I go back to a larger deficit after continuing this break for another week how many calories should I drop? What should my macros be? I was aiming for 160g proteins and 70g fats. Does that sound right? Also I have noticed since I began trying to control fat intake and increasing it I end up eating somewhere around 25g-30g saturated fat. At this point should I just consider my total fat intake and forget the high amount of saturated fat?

If you are dieting intelligently you should not worry about your saturated fat ratio because reasonable and sane people eat different foods every day so your fat balance will change every day anyway.

I would start with a 10% deficit and work down. Your macros look ok as minimums.

[ivxenz]

hi jason, i was wondering if in your vast experience you have ever come across pain in your head while lifting. Since I upped my bench weight by 10% recently I have now twice in a row felt a severe and throbbing pain in the right side of my head just near the eye and temple area (right side of course) and kind of going down my entire right hand side of my head to almost my upper neck (but not so severe as it is near my forehead). It starts in the 7th or the 8th rep and at this point i am really pushing hard and i have my teeth gritted together and i am almost shaking trying to lift it up.

the pain goes away after 3-4 minutes (dumbing down as soon as i leave the weights) i have taken it a bit easy with the other exercises after i felt this doing bench press (which is my first exercise)

i am on a cut, 27, 85kg 25% bf

[JasonDB]

hi jason, i was wondering if in your vast experience you have ever come across pain in your head while lifting. Since I upped my bench weight by 10% recently I have now twice in a row felt a severe and throbbing pain in the right side of my head just near the eye and temple area (right side of course) and kind of going down my entire right hand side of my head to almost my upper neck (but not so severe as it is near my forehead). It starts in the 7th or the 8th rep and at this point i am really pushing hard and i have my teeth gritted together and i am almost shaking trying to lift it up.

the pain goes away after 3-4 minutes (dumbing down as soon as i leave the weights) i have taken it a bit easy with the other exercises after i felt this doing bench press (which is my first exercise)

i am on a cut, 27, 85kg 25% bf

It could be a one off and just due to other factors and elevated blood pressure during a set. If it continues I would recommend seeing your doctor to be safe.

[JonnyJaime]

Thanks for the great thread, I was hoping you could help me out with some confusion I have on net calories though. I'm currently 202lbs and 26% bf and my maintenance is around 2200. Cutting out 500 would put me at 1700. Suppose I eat 500 calories less daily, wouldn't working out burn calories in top of that and put me below deficit? I lift 4 days a week on a split and swim two-three times weekly. I'm wondering basically if that 1700 is going to be my net calories for the day after everything is accounted for, and or if that 1700 is what I'm eating, and some more will need to be burned off in lifting/ cardio. Also, I want to lose 2 lbs weekly, and but that would be a 1000 calorie daily deficit and that's too much?

[JasonDB]

Thanks for the great thread, I was hoping you could help me out with some confusion I have on net calories though. I'm currently 202lbs and 26% bf and my maintenance is around 2200. Cutting out 500 would put me at 1700. Suppose I eat 500 calories less daily, wouldn't working out burn calories in top of that and put me below deficit? I lift 4 days a week on a split and swim two-three times weekly. I'm wondering basically if that 1700 is going to be my net calories for the day after everything is accounted for, and or if that 1700 is what I'm eating, and some more will need to be burned off in lifting/ cardio. Also, I want to lose 2 lbs weekly, and but that would be a 1000 calorie daily deficit and that's too much?

I don't advice most people go under a 20% deficit unless they really know what they are doing 500 for that would be a little more than 20%. Now that being said did you account for your physical activity when determining your maintence? Did the calculator you use have activity factors or did it just give you base metabolic rate? Which means the calories you would burn if you stayed in bed for 24 hours a day and had someone wipe your backside so you avoid burning extra calories.

I think 2 lbs a week is too much for most individuals, you'll end up binging and/or stalling your metabolism and/or losing too much muscle unless again you really know what you are doing. It took you awhile to get to 26% body fat, you should expect it to take a reasonable time to safely burn it off and keep it off.

[Katie4004]

I am 20, 5'1, and I weigh about 98 pounds. I have been dieting for about 10 months now and I lost about 10 pounds. For the past two months I have been on a 400 calorie deficit per day ( I am eating 400 calories less than I am burning per day) and I do cardio and weights 3 times per week. I go to college so I also probably walk around 2 hours per day to and from and around campus.

I just got my body fat measured and, to my disappointment, I have 28% body fat. For females, fitness is 21-24% and average is 25-31%. This is pretty devastating for me. I thought I would definitely be within the fitness range since my bmi is 18.7. I just can't get that percentage out of my head. I don't understand how I can have so much body fat with the amount of exercise that I am doing. It would make sense if I was sedentary but I am definitely not. This should not be happening.

I got measured for a class and we used 3 different types of techniques; bio electrical impedance, nir, and tricep skinfold. I had my bei measured on two different days. The 1st day i got 18% and the 2nd i got 24%. Both my nir and tricep skinfold were 28%.

So what is going on? I really have no idea what else I should be doing to lose fat. Should I maintain my deficit on days I am not working out and then eat at maintenance on days when I am working out?

I am so confused. Based on the pictures on this website when you sign up , I think I look like I have about 22% body fat. I don't look anything like the 30% picture.

Thanks for reading.

[JasonDB]

I am 20, 5'1, and I weigh about 98 pounds. I have been dieting for about 10 months now and I lost about 10 pounds. For the past two months I have been on a 400 calorie deficit per day ( I am eating 400 calories less than I am burning per day) and I do cardio and weights 3 times per week. I go to college so I also probably walk around 2 hours per day to and from and around campus.

I just got my body fat measured and, to my disappointment, I have 28% body fat. For females, fitness is 21-24% and average is 25-31%. This is pretty devastating for me. I thought I would definitely be within the fitness range since my bmi is 18.7. I just can't get that percentage out of my head. I don't understand how I can have so much body fat with the amount of exercise that I am doing. It would make sense if I was sedentary but I am definitely not. This should not be happening.

I got measured for a class and we used 3 different types of techniques; bio electrical impedance, nir, and tricep skinfold. I had my bei measured on two different days. The 1st day i got 18% and the 2nd i got 24%. Both my nir and tricep skinfold were 28%.

So what is going on? I really have no idea what else I should be doing to lose fat. Should I maintain my deficit on days I am not working out and then eat at maintenance on days when I am working out?

I am so confused. Based on the pictures on this website when you sign up , I think I look like I have about 22% body fat. I don't look anything like the 30% picture.

Thanks for reading.

With your stats as someone who works out I very seriously doubt you are 28% body fat. Those are not the most acturate methods of measurement. My bioimpedance scale shows me at 30-42% bf (there is one built into my digital scale at home) and I am leaner now than my avatar.

On the other hand with your stats I would ask why you are currently dieting? Are you just trying to get a six pack? What is your specific motivation as you are relatively thin. My little sister is right about your stats with visable abs and she lifts and she is quite thin.

[Katie4004]

With your stats as someone who works out I very seriously doubt you are 28% body fat. Those are not the most acturate methods of measurement. My bioimpedance scale shows me at 30-42% bf (there is one built into my digital scale at home) and I am leaner now than my avatar.

On the other hand with your stats I would ask why you are currently dieting? Are you just trying to get a six pack? What is your specific motivation as you are relatively thin. My little sister is right about your stats with visable abs and she lifts and she is quite thin.

Thank you for responding. I am dieting because I want to lose body fat and have more muscle definition. I feel like I am sort of "skinny-fat" right now. Everyone says I need to eat at maintenance or slightly above to build muscle, and I agree. But eating more isn't going to help me lose body fat. Should I eat at maintenance on the days when I am running and lifting weights and then maintain the deficit I currently have on days when I am not working out? I guess I am confused about how fat loss and muscle gain works. Can you lose fat and gain muscle in the same time frame or does it have to be done in stages? By stages I mean, should I restrict while exercising for two weeks or so and then eat at maintenance while exercising for the next two weeks?

I also don't understand what is going on with my metabolism. I have been counting calories since I started and I am very good and accurate at counting. Since my lifestyle changed when school started in September, I am just going to talk about what I have been eating/burning in the last 3ish months. I know that my average intake has been 1450 calories and I am burning about 1770 calories (according to calorie calculators online). I should have lost 8.2 pounds since I started school but I only lost 2.

I am just so confused and frustrated right now. I have gotten so much wrong information since I started this process and I honestly don't know what I should be doing right now to reach my goals. Sorry this is so long. I just have so many questions and nobody to talk about this with.

[1tightfit]

Have a few questions I
Hoping u can help me with. I have a goal Im Trying to achieve in as little time as it takes of course. My weight when i started was 210lbs about 40% bf. Ive been lifting weights for about 6 months now and only in the last 2 months have I adjusted my diet to help achieve my goal. I'm 33yrs old, 5'6, 188lbs roughly 25% bf. I have a muscular/fat build. My diet is 1950cals, 180grams of protein, roughly 60grams of fat. I do a 4 day split monday upper body, tuesday lower body, wednesday off, thursday upper body, friday lower body, sat and sunday off.My goal is to to whey 165lbs 8-10% body fat. Is my nutrition good for my goal or do I need to adjust it? Any tips and advice would be appreciated.

[Van4stan91]

What kind of routine/rep range/freq. do you recomend for a cut? I have been lifting for 2 years and want to take a run at sub 10%. Currently at 185 18% doing upper lower split 2 times a week each..

[JasonDB]

Thank you for responding. I am dieting because I want to lose body fat and have more muscle definition. I feel like I am sort of "skinny-fat" right now. Everyone says I need to eat at maintenance or slightly above to build muscle, and I agree. But eating more isn't going to help me lose body fat. Should I eat at maintenance on the days when I am running and lifting weights and then maintain the deficit I currently have on days when I am not working out? I guess I am confused about how fat loss and muscle gain works. Can you lose fat and gain muscle in the same time frame or does it have to be done in stages? By stages I mean, should I restrict while exercising for two weeks or so and then eat at maintenance while exercising for the next two weeks?

I also don't understand what is going on with my metabolism. I have been counting calories since I started and I am very good and accurate at counting. Since my lifestyle changed when school started in September, I am just going to talk about what I have been eating/burning in the last 3ish months. I know that my average intake has been 1450 calories and I am burning about 1770 calories (according to calorie calculators online). I should have lost 8.2 pounds since I started school but I only lost 2.

I am just so confused and frustrated right now. I have gotten so much wrong information since I started this process and I honestly don't know what I should be doing right now to reach my goals. Sorry this is so long. I just have so many questions and nobody to talk about this with.

I would consider a clean bulk (meaning a bulk with a very small caloric surplus) but with a reverse diet first. Add 100 calories a week until you reach what should be your maintenance without any metabolic damage from previous cutting.

Have a few questions I
Hoping u can help me with. I have a goal Im Trying to achieve in as little time as it takes of course. My weight when i started was 210lbs about 40% bf. Ive been lifting weights for about 6 months now and only in the last 2 months have I adjusted my diet to help achieve my goal. I'm 33yrs old, 5'6, 188lbs roughly 25% bf. I have a muscular/fat build. My diet is 1950cals, 180grams of protein, roughly 60grams of fat. I do a 4 day split monday upper body, tuesday lower body, wednesday off, thursday upper body, friday lower body, sat and sunday off.My goal is to to whey 165lbs 8-10% body fat. Is my nutrition good for my goal or do I need to adjust it? Any tips and advice would be appreciated.

Your routine is just called and upp/lower 4x a week split. Anyone who trains will know what that means.

Your dietary fat is too low and with your current states you will need to bulk at some point to be 165 at 8%. I would not go under around 75 a day with your stats.

What kind of routine/rep range/freq. do you recomend for a cut? I have been lifting for 2 years and want to take a run at sub 10%. Currently at 185 18% doing upper lower split 2 times a week each..

Full body 3x a week or upper/lower 4x a week is fine. Keep the weights heavy, focus on compounds and primarily 5-8 rep sets. The goal of weight training on a cut should be preservation of lean body mass and performance thus my recommendations. Contest prep is a different animal as you are peaking for an event in which you need maximum glycogen storage and other transient storage factors to be at their peak by a certain day and cutting in anabolics is a different animal also. I am assuming you just want to get very lean not that you are peaking for a bodybuilding show or photo shoot and that you are not using drugs when giving this advice.

[Van4stan91]

Thanks for the response... Not contest prepping, just want to get as lean as possible before trying to put on some lean mass.. I realize fat loss is cals in/out but do you have any tips cardio wise that may enhance results.. Never really tried cutting to this extent..

[JasonDB]

Thanks for the response... Not contest prepping, just want to get as lean as possible before trying to put on some lean mass.. I realize fat loss is cals in/out but do you have any tips cardio wise that may enhance results.. Never really tried cutting to this extent..

Cardio's only benefit is that it changes your calories in calories out. You can get ripped without it but you have to eat less food. Low intensity cardio burns less calories per minute doing it but has minimal impact on your recovery. High intensity cardio can bury you if excessive but burns more calories per minute doing it. This is now everything you need to know about cardio and fat loss.