Lack of energy during cutting all of a sudden.

[RobElite]

Been cutting for a few weeks now on 2400 calories and doing HIIT 5-6 days a week and felt fine, all of a sudden now I feel weak and don't want to lift at times. I haven't changed my calories since cutting either. I can only think my calories are too low.

[RobElite]

bump.

[Tommy W.]

If you're doing REAL HIIT 5-6 days a week then you may be carb depleted

[rollalong]

Waaaaaaaaaaaay too much HIIT. Use the diet to get lean, cardio as a supplement.

Your calories aren't too low, you're just doing too much HIIT. The last few weeks of my diet is 1400 calories. My buddy who competed at 175 at 5'7 and won his class was cutting on 1400. 2400 is not low calorie unless you're already jacked or you are the top 1% in terms of metabolism.

[Tommy W.]

. The last few weeks of my diet is 1400 calories. My buddy who competed at 175 at 5'7 and won his class was cutting on 1400.

That is for very short term finishing a cut before a contest, not for general purposes for men unless they're tiny.

[stingray72]

If you're doing REAL HIIT 5-6 days a week then you may be carb depleted

Carb depletion is the first thing i thought of before opening this thread but I agree.

[rollalong]

That is for very short term finishing a cut before a contest, not for general purposes for men unless they're tiny.

Just illustrating a point that 2400 isn't low for calories for most people asking questions on this forum.

This way works well if you only use it for up to a month or so to cut some fat off before getting back into bulking. I don't think this works well for most people because they over do it on the training and run themselves into the dirt. You can't recover well at all on that big of a deficit so just cutting back to a few big lifts 2-3 times a week will keep strength without much loss in muscle if only done for a short time.

[birdiefu]

Just illustrating a point that 2400 isn't low for calories for most people asking questions on this forum.

This way works well if you only use it for up to a month or so to cut some fat off before getting back into bulking. I don't think this works well for most people because they over do it on the training and run themselves into the dirt. You can't recover well at all on that big of a deficit so just cutting back to a few big lifts 2-3 times a week will keep strength without much loss in muscle if only done for a short time.

Although I see your point, most people asking questions in this section of the forum (just scroll the thread titles...) have no clue how to cut and have little lbm/high fat mass so won't be doing just a short stint cutting. That, and it takes some practice to understand how one reponds to/deals with very low cals (below 20% TDEE). And lastly, very low cals while lean is also not really the smartest way to cut as you increase your risk of losing lbm. Even those who complete would tend to have to cut more than 4 weeks to get to goal stats.

[bodybuilderlove]

Been cutting for a few weeks now on 2400 calories and doing HIIT 5-6 days a week and felt fine, all of a sudden now I feel weak and don't want to lift at times. I haven't changed my calories since cutting either. I can only think my calories are too low.

Are you on a diet? You need to eat some protein which will not add fat.

[rollalong]

Although I see your point, most people asking questions in this section of the forum (just scroll the thread titles...) have no clue how to cut and have little lbm/high fat mass so won't be doing just a short stint cutting. That, and it takes some practice to understand how one reponds to/deals with very low cals (below 20% TDEE). And lastly, very low cals while lean is also not really the smartest way to cut as you increase your risk of losing lbm. Even those who complete would tend to have to cut more than 4 weeks to get to goal stats.

There isn't anything you said that I really disagree with nor anything that contradicts what I said, but the bolded shows that you don't realize how low some competitors have to go. I am definitely not a bodybuilder, but I have plenty of friends that have competed and these numbers aren't unusual the last few weeks, but as you said this is only the last few weeks. I'm not talking IFBB pros, I'm talking the guys who win local shows.

My whole point was that 2400 calories aren't too low, that's just too much HIIT for trying to cut weight. The calories ARE too low if getting better at HIIT is the goal, but the goal is to lose weight so its not so much that its too little cardio as its too much HIIT. Make sense? I hope, haha.

Very good lifts, btw.

[birdiefu]

how low some competitors have to go.

Actually, it's just how low they *think* they need to go , I am quite aware that many competitors diet stupid, this doesn't mean it is the best way to go about it. You are saying large men are at 1400 cals regularly towards the end of prep, which is unnecessary even for some relatively smaller females (unless closer to 5') getting stage-lean. Unfortunately a *TON* of coaches (and amateurs who follow their ideas) adhere to this concept, usually with a higher likelihood of rebound later. I am familiar with many competitors who work with coaches who realize this is not the only nor the best method, and taking a bit longer prep at not such an extreme can lead to better results both on stage and after.

But again, I agree with the fact that too much cardio (especially HIIT) on low cals can lead to an increase in hunger/fatigue over that of just the deficit in many people. OP should be able to cut just fine with 2400 long term without feeling like he needs to eat his arm off or pass out as long as he has everything else in check too

[HereToFlex]

Been cutting for a few weeks now on 2400 calories and doing HIIT 5-6 days a week and felt fine, all of a sudden now I feel weak and don't want to lift at times. I haven't changed my calories since cutting either. I can only think my calories are too low.

Have you been taking re-feed days?

[rollalong]

Actually, it's just how low they *think* they need to go , I am quite aware that many competitors diet stupid, this doesn't mean it is the best way to go about it. You are saying large men are at 1400 cals regularly towards the end of prep, which is unnecessary even for some relatively smaller females (unless closer to 5') getting stage-lean. Unfortunately a *TON* of coaches (and amateurs who follow their ideas) adhere to this concept, usually with a higher likelihood of rebound later. I am familiar with many competitors who work with coaches who realize this is not the only nor the best method, and taking a bit longer prep at not such an extreme can lead to better results both on stage and after.

But again, I agree with the fact that too much cardio (especially HIIT) on low cals can lead to an increase in hunger/fatigue over that of just the deficit in many people. OP should be able to cut just fine with 2400 long term without feeling like he needs to eat his arm off or pass out as long as he has everything else in check too

There is a trade off here in theory. Sure they could do an hour of cardio a day and eat 2000 calories and burn off 600 just by walking on an incline in theory. I recently have done this and for whatever reason (i.e. I have zero science to back this up), the fat loss is much quicker with less food for me and I know for my friend. Volume is cut way back to just a few big lifts (close grip bench, weighted pull ups, front squat and deads for me) 2-3 times per week as recovery with that little food is minimal. I actually just asked my buddy about this since this topic has started and he agreed, also had no reason haha. I believe the bounce back is also very real as you have said if you don't ease back into it.

Thing is, I'd hardly say someone who lost very little muscle dieting down to 175lbs 4% bf at 5'7 and taking the overall is "dieting stupid." Sure it was extreme, but it can cause dramatic losses in fat with muscle retention if you know what you are doing.

No sarcasm here, I'm glad things have remained respectful. I like talking about these things, but it seems someone inevitably gets pissed off and starts getting ****ty.

[RobElite]

Have you been taking re-feed days?

No. How much HIIT should I do?

[orionsfitness]

You might not be getting enough carbs. Remember energy comes from glucose and the best source of glucose comes from carbs. If you are doing HIIT then you are burning a ton of calories and you are depleting the storage of glucose in your body. The reason your body is tired is because you don't have enough energy (fuel) to keep going at a high intensity. Eat good complex carbs and stay away from the white sugary carbs.

[SC85]

Time for a high carb cheat/rest day

[HereToFlex]

No. How much HIIT should I do?

You can do HIIT 5-6 days a week like you are.
Just make sure to take refeed days.

[NhojNhoj]

Eat eat eat man. Protein not fat!