Something isn't right...

[Saintzfan]

I am 18 and 140 pounds, 6'0". Yeah, sounds like I weigh nothing, right? I was at 155 because I had a ton of belly fat I wanted to get rid of, so I cut on 1800 down to now, and I still have a significant amount. I'm about 14% BF (rough estimate) and I weigh 140. How? I lift 3-4 times a week and my macros are 145p/190c/65f and I hit them basically every day.

What do I do? I don't want to go much lower on weight. I feel like that would be almost unhealthy for an 18 year old like me. I feel like I'm in a catch-22 because on the other hand, I don't want to bulk or slow bulk because I have still a fairly large amount of belly fat.

[koatliki]

I am pretty sure everyone here is going to agree with me: slow bulk, brah. You're 18 with raging hormones: make use of it. Don't cut yourself into this unhealthy weight.

You are skinny fat: you will just look sickly. Bulk and lift heavy.

[Saintzfan]

What happens to all this excess fat then? It just would stay on if not get worse. I understand the concept of slow bulking, it's just that I would want to get rid of all this fat eventually

[AlbertRossy]

You lose any more weight you're gonna end up in those 2AM Feed This Kid for 10 cents A Day commercials. You need to slow bulk, and possibly speak to a professional in the mental health field.

[Saintzfan]

Yeah see that's the thing. I don't look 140... I don't look underfed at all haha

[Ghost1th3dark]

What happens to all this excess fat then? It just would stay on if not get worse. I understand the concept of slow bulking, it's just that I would want to get rid of all this fat eventually

It could be that you're carb sensitive like me. I, for the longest time, was eating according to a strict diet, hitting all my macros dead on, and wasn't going anywhere. Carb sensitivity doesn't mean you can't lose weight low calorie period, it just means that some of that stubborn fat clings on to every nutrient you feed it. I may get criticism for this, but I always recommend a ketogenic diet for people that are carb sensitive.

It hasn't been long that leptin has been in the bro's book of knowledge for lifting. But as most of us know now, leptin is a beautiful thing as long as you understand it and know how to control it.

Basically it works like this. In preserving muscle mass you want to keep protein high to retain muscle but in order to lose fat you want to cut carbs. This will deplete the energy stored in your muscles you may know is called glycogen. May not seem like a problem as first, however, after a week of a low calorie diet, your leptin levels follow after your insulin levels in a steep decline. The only way to remedy the situation is to do a carb refeed. This will boost insulin levels and leptin levels will follow suit allowing metabolic regulation and fat release.

See, what seems to have happened is that your body has gotten so used to your macro cycle that it has figured out how to preserve that last amount of body fat that you have. You need to confuse your body, as many so un-eloquently put it. Low carb it, keep protein high, and then eat 20-50% above your BMR in carbs while keeping fat low to refill glycogen, boost insulin levels, and in turn, boost leptin levels aka your fat burning kick ass buddy

[Saintzfan]

It could be that you're carb sensitive like me. I, for the longest time, was eating according to a strict diet, hitting all my macros dead on, and wasn't going anywhere. Carb sensitivity doesn't mean you can't lose weight low calorie period, it just means that some of that stubborn fat clings on to every nutrient you feed it. I may get criticism for this, but I always recommend a ketogenic diet for people that are carb sensitive.

It hasn't been long that leptin has been in the bro's book of knowledge for lifting. But as most of us know now, leptin is a beautiful thing as long as you understand it and know how to control it.

Basically it works like this. In preserving muscle mass you want to keep protein high to retain muscle but in order to lose fat you want to cut carbs. This will deplete the energy stored in your muscles you may know is called glycogen. May not seem like a problem as first, however, after a week of a low calorie diet, your leptin levels follow after your insulin levels in a steep decline. The only way to remedy the situation is to do a carb refeed. This will boost insulin levels and leptin levels will follow suit allowing metabolic regulation and fat release.

See, what seems to have happened is that your body has gotten so used to your macro cycle that it has figured out how to preserve that last amount of body fat that you have. You need to confuse your body, as many so un-eloquently put it. Low carb it, keep protein high, and then eat 20-50% above your BMR in carbs while keeping fat low to refill glycogen, boost insulin levels, and in turn, boost leptin levels aka your fat burning kick ass buddy

So basically eat about 120 carbs (compared to my normal 190) for a week with increased protein, then do a refeed?

[Ghost1th3dark]

So basically eat about 120 carbs (compared to my normal 190) for a week with increased protein, then do a refeed?

It'll be too much to type out a carb cycle diet for you, but basically I suggest looking up several carb cycle diets. Everyone else says you're unhealthy, and while yes, you may not weigh much, I understand wanting get rid of the fat covering your muscles as encouragement to keep building them. Look up a carb cycle diet which usually consists of low carbing it a few days, medium carb, and then a little higher yet, followed by a refeed every now and then depending upon your body fat percentage. Learn how to take measurements of your body fat.

> 20% bodyfat = refeed when you feel sluggish, every two weeks tops.
20%<>10% bodyfat = refeed once a week
if and when you manage to cut below 10% bodyfat into the single digits you'll want to do a refeed every four to five days

[ImAVelociraptor]

Sometimes it's difficult to judge how you appear, a pic would make things easier to judge. From your stats thought I'd say bulk for sure. To put things into perspective, I'm 18 and 140lbs at 5'6. And I only plan to cut a bit further.