Cutting

[daniellesimon]

Hi,

I am a 22 year old female standing 5'1" and 26% BF. Drinking minimum 1 galling water a day w/ cellucor BCAA's, carefully tracking meals and using IIFYM with emphasis on 90% clean foods and supplementing with protein powder, allowing a cheat 1x every two weeks, lifting heavy 3x a week and doing HIIT 2-3x a week. I am totally stalled in my fat loss, looking to cut down to about 15-17% BF and I am not sure how to progress. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[eladophir]

Please post target calories and macros

[sharpieblet]

how long have you 'stalled'?

and are you stalled on the scale weight AND mirror results?

[florycad]

I do not understand, why you don't say anything about cardio, about your your diet? Do you have a picture? Why you take protein and BCA in this phase?

[illiniStrive]

Calories and macros? Is the weight stat listed (125) correct?

[daniellesimon]

Sorry, a little new to the site and don't have all my info updated.

Height: 5'1"
Weight: 125lbs
Age: 22
Gender: female

MACROS:
Calories:1527
Carbs: 150
Fat: 51
Protein 124

Have been stalled in both scale and physical appearance (for the most part) for about 3-4 months. I say for the most part because you can see a LITTLE muscle definition in upper body, back, and legs, when flexig and clearly hiding under a layer of fat. I honestly don't care what I weigh, my goal is to cut my body fat low enough that I can see clear muscle definition.

[swifty17]

Sorry, a little new to the site and don't have all my info updated.

Height: 5'1"
Weight: 125lbs
Age: 22
Gender: female

MACROS:
Calories:1527
Carbs: 150
Fat: 51
Protein 124

Have been stalled in both scale and physical appearance (for the most part) for about 3-4 months. I say for the most part because you can see a LITTLE muscle definition in upper body, back, and legs, when flexig and clearly hiding under a layer of fat. I honestly don't care what I weigh, my goal is to cut my body fat low enough that I can see clear muscle definition.

my suggestion would be to cut your calories down to 1300. cutting your carbs back to <100 would also help. you could also give IF a try

[BACCuS91]

Eat less, you shall begin losing again. Try say 12-13 hundred

[TheCorporation]

I would drop your daily calories down to 1400 and cut out 50 grams of carbs. Give that a shot and see how it works. Or maybe eat something like 1500 on cardio days and 1300 on non cardio days to give you a little more energy for the intense sessions.

[florycad]

- cut your calories down to 1200 !!
- eat low carbo, low fat
- eat small portions 5 -6 times a day
Eating fiber, salad, lean meat

......
cardio 25-30 minutes in the morning, 25-30 minutes in the night.
PS:
ATENTION !
If you drink cola, smoke, drink alcohol, eat crackers, bread, soup, candy ... etc. everything is in vain!

[illiniStrive]

Have been stalled in both scale and physical appearance (for the most part) for about 3-4 months. I say for the most part because you can see a LITTLE muscle definition in upper body, back, and legs, when flexig and clearly hiding under a layer of fat. I honestly don't care what I weigh, my goal is to cut my body fat low enough that I can see clear muscle definition.

How closely are you tracking your calories? Do you have a food scale? Are you weighing everything?

Keep in mind that you won't see muscle definition unless you already have solid muscle definition underneath the fat. How long have you been lifting on a proven routine? If you're relatively new (<1 year) to this and/or have been cutting the whole time you probably don't have enough muscle to show definition yet. You may need to spend some solid time eating in a surplus and lifting heavy to gain muscle.

my suggestion would be to cut your calories down to 1300. cutting your carbs back to <100 would also help. you could also give IF a try

no

Eat less, you shall begin losing again. Try say 12-13 hundred

no

- cut your calories down to 1200 !!
- eat low carbo, low fat
- eat small portions 5 -6 times a day
Eating fiber, salad, lean meat

......
cardio 25-30 minutes in the morning, 25-30 minutes in the night.
PS:
ATENTION !
If you drink cola, smoke, drink alcohol, eat crackers, bread, soup, candy ... etc. everything is in vain!

and definitely no

[JynxLee]

She would be completely fine dropping down to around 1300 cals and 100 carbs, for a month if anything to break the plateau and then re-evaluate. Lets remember she's not a man trying to pack on mass and she didn't state she stalled in muscle gains, shes focusing on losing fat. Eating at a surplus is the last thing she should do right now.

[illiniStrive]

She would be completely fine dropping down to around 1300 cals and 100 carbs, for a month if anything to break the plateau and then re-evaluate. Lets remember she's not a man trying to pack on mass and she didn't state she stalled in muscle gains, shes focusing on losing fat. Eating at a surplus is the last thing she should do right now.

If she's in a deficit she's not going to making any significant muscle gains.

Women's bodies do not work all that differently from men's bodies (besides our significantly lowered muscle gaining capacity... which makes having muscle that much more precious). She's not going to all of a sudden be defined and toned if there's no muscle to work with. 1300 calories is low for someone of her stats and activity level. Rather, if she wants to continue cutting, she needs to get a strict handle on how much she's actually eating.

This would be easier to evaluate with pictures, but if she's not showing definition at these stats she needs to gain muscle.

[florycad]

If she's in a deficit she's not going to making any significant muscle games.

Women's bodies do not work all that differently from men's bodies (besides our significantly lowered muscle gaining capacity... which makes having muscle that much more precious). She's not going to all of a sudden be defined and toned if there's no muscle to work with. 1300 calories is low for someone of her stats and activity level. Rather, if she wants to continue cutting, she needs to get a strict handle on how much she's actually eating.

This would be easier to evaluate with pictures, but if she's not showing definition at these stats she needs to gain muscle.

I don't see your advice here !.

[illiniStrive]

I don't see your advice here !.

Uhhh, my advice is right there as well as in my previous posts. OP needs to find a better way to track what she's eating... if she were truly eating 1500 calories, she would not be stalled for 3 months straight.

If she's undermuscled, it won't behoove her to continue cutting as she needs to focus on building muscle.

If you read my post closely, you would have comprehended the above from what I wrote earlier.

[Tommy W.]

It doesn't matter if you're counting your cals accurately or not as long as you're consistent in your methodology. You need to drop cals. I'd keep fat and protein the same and lower carbs to 100. Go there for 2 weeks.

As an example I have a woman I train that's 5-4 and to get her from 135 to 125 she was at an accurate 1,200 cals a day and this is with 3 days of weight training and 2 cardio sessions a week.

You girls are little and you just don't need that many cals. Once she got to her target she maintains on 1,600. People have to understand that going low cal to get the weight off isn't a permanent program.

Some women that carry a lot of muscle need more cals than this but 90% of the women that "train" don't fit into this category.

[BACCuS91]

It doesn't matter if you're counting your cals accurately or not as long as you're consistent in your methodology. You need to drop cals. I'd keep fat and protein the same and lower carbs to 100. Go there for 2 weeks.

As an example I have a woman I train that's 5-4 and to get her from 135 to 125 she was at an accurate 1,200 cals a day and this is with 3 days of weight training and 2 cardio sessions a week.

You girls are little and you just don't need that many cals. Once she got to her target she maintains on 1,600. People have to understand that going low cal to get the weight off isn't a permanent program.

Some women that carry a lot of muscle need more cals than this but 90% of the women that "train" don't fit into this category.

LOL i always tell people that and ive never heard anyone say it on here but its so true. Its irrelevent if your truly counting your cals accurately, just count them consistantly. I KNOW mine are off everyday a little on some stuff but idk im not changing sh**

[illiniStrive]

okay... forgive me if i thought encouraging the op to get a solid handle on what she's actually eating (i.e. tracking more closely) is better than throwing out a drastically low number like 1100 or 1200 calories...

in essence, yes, she needs to eat less than what she's eating now to drop fat, duh. but learning to measure and track calories/macros is going to help her a lot more in the long run, esp. when it's time to bulk and gain muscle.

op, i also encourage you to come post your question on the female bodybuilding board. a lot of the women have been in your position and can offer guided/better advice on what your next move should be.

good luck!

[Tommy W.]

LOL i always tell people that and ive never heard anyone say it on here but its so true. Its irrelevent if your truly counting your cals accurately, just count them consistantly. I KNOW mine are off everyday a little on some stuff but idk im not changing sh**

NOBODY is spot on with their counting.

[liketobodybuild]

What is your deficit? You haven't mentioned it lol.

[Tommy W.]

What is your deficit? You haven't mentioned it lol.

No fat loss = no defecit

[liketobodybuild]

No fat loss = no defecit

Lol? Good one? Finally in thread #21 someone even talked about that

[florycad]

Uhhh, my advice is right there as well as in my previous posts. OP needs to find a better way to track what she's eating... if she were truly eating 1500 calories, she would not be stalled for 3 months straight.

If she's undermuscled, it won't behoove her to continue cutting as she needs to focus on building muscle.

If you read my post closely, you would have comprehended the above from what I wrote earlier.

Try to write something specifically, that is 0, a little advice....

[RocknRollMuscle]

buy a body bugg/fitbit if you're unsure how many calories you're burning.

500 will give you around 1lb FAT loss (not water weight) per week. If you can handle that easily - do that, if not - do 300. *The best diet is a diet you can live with.* If dieting feels like dieting - chances of cheating, quitting increase dramatically i've found.

[daniellesimon]

I weigh ALL my food, and track calories on myfitnesspal as closely as I think could be humanly possible. My guess is that I am not seeing change because I maintaining at 1500 cal, but am still new enough to not fully understand what and how much to cut for fat loss. I do know (from experience) that I am miserable only eating 1000-1200cal a day and have no energy. I do want to see fat loss but do not want to lose any muscle in the process, and I am not in a hurry to see drastic results, just not happy staying EXACTLY in the same place

[tara19]

Go the opposite.
Bulk, build LBM and then cut again at a higher cal amount.

Worked for me.
Used to cut on like 1400, gained 4kg over 6months and am now cutting at 2000.
And honestly, I didn't notice much fat gain because I kept my surplus to 10%

Have you tried re-feeds? Or going back up to maintenance for a few weeks and coming back down?

[Tommy W.]

I weigh ALL my food, and track calories on myfitnesspal as closely as I think could be humanly possible. My guess is that I am not seeing change because I maintaining at 1500 cal, but am still new enough to not fully understand what and how much to cut for fat loss. I do know (from experience) that I am miserable only eating 1000-1200cal a day and have no energy. I do want to see fat loss but do not want to lose any muscle in the process, and I am not in a hurry to see drastic results, just not happy staying EXACTLY in the same place

Then add more activity if you don't want to lower cals. If you raise cals and "bulk" just so you can add cals you'll be right back where you started. You're 5-1...that's a little girl. You're requirements for cals are low.

[tara19]

Then add more activity if you don't want to lower cals. If you raise cals and "bulk" just so you can add cals you'll be right back where you started. You're 5-1...that's a little girl. You're requirements for cals are low.

If she bulks, adds calories and adds LBM her cutting cals will be a little bit higher.

[Tommy W.]

If she bulks, adds calories and adds LBM her cutting cals will be a little bit higher.

VERY little. Not worth it at this point to spend all that time to add 2 lbs. of muscle to burn a few extra cals.

[tara19]

VERY little. Not worth it at this point to spend all that time to add 2 lbs. of muscke to burn a few extra cals.

When she says she's miserable on 1200 calories?
A 150 calorie increase can do wonders?