Dropping 2-4 Pounds a week while cutting... Need advice please.

[RankRider]

Just enlisted into the Marine Corps I leave January 6th I was 180 2 weeks ago needed to drop 5 pounds before Jan (Obviously easy) So I decided to drop down to 150-160 before I ship out. I have not been concerned whatsoever about muscle loss because in 6 months muscle wont really matter because ill lose it any ways. Just been doing cardio 4 times a week ABS 3 times a week also with weight training (to stay toned and keep some muscle on me)

I have been eating pretty clean and using my Macro's as a guide that way I don't go over. I normally fall under my macro's I try to keep my Protein up there.

I am eating at about 800-1000 calorie deficit and have noticed on my 2nd week I am down to 172. I drink about a gallon to 1.5 gallons a day.

Am I looking at too much weight loss a week? Will my losses start slowing down? should I drop down to 155 ish and start eating at maintenance and cleaner foods? along with cardio and Abs and weight lifting.

[cumminslifter]

800-1000 calorie deficit is way to large if you care about retaining LBM at all, you have until january. why not just do a slow controlled cut?

[justin0202]

800-1000 calorie deficit is way to large if you care about retaining LBM at all, you have until january. why not just do a slow controlled cut?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AND the threads done lol. no more posts needed

[RankRider]

800-1000 calorie deficit is way to large if you care about retaining LBM at all, you have until january. why not just do a slow controlled cut?

Reason I ask is because before I gained muscle+Fat from eating sloppy and whatever I want, I have a slow Metabolism. If I hit my Macro' s within reason and fell under my Maintenance calories of 800-1000 what would the calories matter if I was still getting my carbs and proeins and fats? (SRS question.)

[lucidz]

Just enlisted into the Marine Corps I leave January 6th I was 180 2 weeks ago needed to drop 5 pounds before Jan (Obviously easy) So I decided to drop down to 150-160 before I ship out. I have not been concerned whatsoever about muscle loss because in 6 months muscle wont really matter because ill lose it any ways. Just been doing cardio 4 times a week ABS 3 times a week also with weight training (to stay toned and keep some muscle on me)

I have been eating pretty clean and using my Macro's as a guide that way I don't go over. I normally fall under my macro's I try to keep my Protein up there.

I am eating at about 800-1000 calorie deficit and have noticed on my 2nd week I am down to 172. I drink about a gallon to 1.5 gallons a day.

Am I looking at too much weight loss a week? Will my losses start slowing down? should I drop down to 155 ish and start eating at maintenance and cleaner foods? along with cardio and Abs and weight lifting.

Why are you trying to lose at all? Just out of curiousity. No one can tell you if you should drop to 155 without knowing why. Also, you're only 2 weeks into the diet? You've lost 8 lbs? How fast was that loss in week one vs now? You're going to dump a lot of water weight up front and eventually it planes off.

[PBateman2]

I am eating at about 800-1000 calorie deficit and have noticed on my 2nd week I am down to 172.

Stop it.

[cumminslifter]

Reason I ask is because before I gained muscle+Fat from eating sloppy and whatever I want, I have a slow Metabolism. If I hit my Macro' s within reason and fell under my Maintenance calories of 800-1000 what would the calories matter if I was still getting my carbs and proeins and fats? (SRS question.)

you will lose alot of LBM at that deficit, like i stated

[POrtergolf]

Just enlisted into the Marine Corps I leave January 6th I was 180 2 weeks ago needed to drop 5 pounds before Jan (Obviously easy) So I decided to drop down to 150-160 before I ship out. I have not been concerned whatsoever about muscle loss because in 6 months muscle wont really matter because ill lose it any ways. Just been doing cardio 4 times a week ABS 3 times a week also with weight training (to stay toned and keep some muscle on me)

I have been eating pretty clean and using my Macro's as a guide that way I don't go over. I normally fall under my macro's I try to keep my Protein up there.

I am eating at about 800-1000 calorie deficit and have noticed on my 2nd week I am down to 172. I drink about a gallon to 1.5 gallons a day.

Am I looking at too much weight loss a week? Will my losses start slowing down? should I drop down to 155 ish and start eating at maintenance and cleaner foods? along with cardio and Abs and weight lifting.

Explain your deficit? Are you tracking with myfitnesspal or something and subtracting the calories burned through exercise from your food you eat?

Something like

BMR: 2,000
Food calories intake: 2,000
+ Exercises calories burned: -800
----------------------------------
= Caloric deficit: -800

What would be helpful would be if you listed you caloric intake and you macro targets.

Do you have any idea what you BMR is?

[RankRider]

Explain your deficit? Are you tracking with myfitnesspal or something and subtracting the calories burned through exercise from your food you eat?

Something like

BMR: 2,000
Food calories intake: 2,000
+ Exercises calories burned: -800
----------------------------------
= Caloric deficit: -800

What would be helpful would be if you listed you caloric intake and you macro targets.

Do you have any idea what you BMR is?

Macros: Carbs 145 Protein 175 Fat 78 TDEE Calories 1990 Maintenance 2487 (I thought it was 2350 so my math is off for sure.)

Total food ate tracked through my fitness pal (Measured/Weighed) Macro's met, A little over on carbs (10G-15g)= 1720 Today by the time dinner is finished.
Work in my cardio+Workout so about 250-300 Calories burned. 1720-250=1470 After Workout. puts me at 880 Calorie deficit. or 640 Before workout. (Excuse me if any math is wrong all of top of my head)

[RankRider]

Why are you trying to lose at all? Just out of curiousity. No one can tell you if you should drop to 155 without knowing why. Also, you're only 2 weeks into the diet? You've lost 8 lbs? How fast was that loss in week one vs now? You're going to dump a lot of water weight up front and eventually it planes off.

I have lost 7 pounds in a little over 2 weeks, first week was 4 pounds second was 2, this week has slowed a little. The reason I want to drop down to 155 ish Less body fat, less muscle mass. I need quicker run times and more pull-ups and sit ups. I mainly wanted to get down to 160-165 quicker then drop to 150-155 at a 1 pound per week rate. (10 pounds is a must within the next couple months cause I have to weigh in again and would like to stay off of a watch list. from my recruiter)

[IronSh33k]

OP listen to these guys. They know wtf they're talking about!!!!

[cumminslifter]

I have lost 7 pounds in a little over 2 weeks, first week was 4 pounds second was 2, this week has slowed a little. The reason I want to drop down to 155 ish Less body fat, less muscle mass. I need quicker run times and more pull-ups and sit ups. I mainly wanted to get down to 160-165 quicker then drop to 150-155 at a 1 pound per week rate. (10 pounds is a must within the next couple months cause I have to weigh in again and would like to stay off of a watch list. from my recruiter)

wait...you want less muscle? well then just starve yourself until your goal weight

[Logger22]

Dude you will be in terrible shape if you do that. You'll look like a crack addict and even worse you'll feel terrible. Keep it at around -250 calories and you'll be fine. Let your recruiter know you're on a strict diet and workout plan. Barely eating will do you more bad then good. Muscle helps!! It's not like even being 165 is huge with too much muscle to carry around. Slow it down man lol.

[RankRider]

Dude you will be in terrible shape if you do that. You'll look like a crack addict and even worse you'll feel terrible. Keep it at around -250 calories and you'll be fine. Let your recruiter know you're on a strict diet and workout plan. Barely eating will do you more bad then good. Muscle helps!! It's not like even being 165 is huge with too much muscle to carry around. Slow it down man lol.

Thank you to all of you guys for the info. All of you guys repped

[Lvisaa2]

you will lose alot of LBM at that deficit, like i stated

Not really. If his deficit is correct, then that is at most 2 lbs a week which is appropriate for someone who isn't super lean. With sufficient protein and muscle stimulus, then significant muscle loss isn't really a concern until one starts pushing near single digits BF%. At his height and weight, I sincerely doubt he's that close to single digits.

OP, with the first two weeks of your diet it is gonna be hard to tell whether you are actually losing too much weight or whether it is lost glycogen and water that is skewing your numbers. Keep your current intake for another 2 weeks and re-evaluate at that point. If you continue to lose over 2 lbs a week then bump calories. If your fat loss levels out then continue to cut and slowly curtail your fat loss numbers as you get leaner.