What's the lowest

[weaver1997]

What's the lowest I can drop my calories to?I read you can go down to 1600calories? I'm currently eating 2000calories a day but weight loss hasn't moved for 4 days so thinking I'll have drop them by 100?

[hardyboysare]

Well zero is the lowest.

I am guessing you mean for weight loss whilst retaining muscle, therefore whatever number allows you to lose around 0.5-1% of total body weight per week depending on your leanness. As long as you are weight training and consuming adequate protein.

If after 2/3 weeks you have not lost weight then drop calories by 200-300. At the end of the day near enough everyone is miscounting calories so the number you think you are consuming it's likely lower then what you are actually consuming.

As for you wait another week or two on same calories and see if it drops if not reduce calories. Water retention will mask fat loss.

[weaver1997]

Well zero is the lowest.

I am guessing you mean for weight loss whilst retaining muscle, therefore whatever number allows you to lose around 0.5-1% of total body weight per week depending on your leanness. As long as you are weight training and consuming adequate protein.

If after 2/3 weeks you have not lost weight then drop calories by 200-300. At the end of the day near enough everyone is miscounting calories so the number you think you are consuming it's likely lower then what you are actually consuming.

As for you wait another week or two on same calories and see if it drops if not reduce calories. Water retention will mask fat loss.

No I'm definitely counting right I weigh all my food out and never eat out, I started at 205lb I'm at 185.9lb now I've still got a long way to go obviously but Im sure I lost abit of muscle as I fell ill and couldn't eat for 3 days, 1600 calories just seems suicidal lol

And drop by 300 calories? Isn't that abit much thought I should drop by 100 a time?

[dmatsinger]

No I'm definitely counting right I weigh all my food out and never eat out, I started at 205lb I'm at 185.9lb now I've still got a long way to go obviously but Im sure I lost abit of muscle as I fell ill and couldn't eat for 3 days, 1600 calories just seems suicidal lol

And drop by 300 calories? Isn't that abit much thought I should drop by 100 a time?

This response is why he said what he was saying. Its not a personal attack when he says most people don't measure right, it's true they usually underestimate calories in and over estimate calories out. In your case your BMR is probably 1800, so unless you are absolutely sedentary and only move for around an additional 200 calories per day above your BMR for your TDEE then you are miscalculating your calories in if you say you are taking in 2000 calories a day. Now, it's possible you are still losing weight if you are retaining more water especially if you were sick and dehydrated immediately before which is why he says to give it a couple weeks. For only 4 days time, if you are on a 500 calorie deficit it would be about 1/2 pound which you body definitely can be storing as water or is waste. Also, for what he is saying, if you drop 100 calories at a time thats only .2 lbs a week and thats if you hit your numbers exactly. 200 calories would be .4 lbs and 300 about .6 lbs a week. Since you can lose between .5% to 1% while minimally compromising muscle, if you are truly not losing any weight then 300 calories would still be well less than even .5%. If 1600 calories is too little for you then move a bit more cause weight loss is just calories in vs calories out. Which in your comment if you are trying to avoid muscle loss you should at least be lifting with adequate protein.

[hardyboysare]

No I'm definitely counting right I weigh all my food out and never eat out, I started at 205lb I'm at 185.9lb now I've still got a long way to go obviously but Im sure I lost abit of muscle as I fell ill and couldn't eat for 3 days, 1600 calories just seems suicidal lol

And drop by 300 calories? Isn't that abit much thought I should drop by 100 a time?

If you have plateaued for longer then 2/3 weeks then whatever you are eating is your TDEE maintenance it doesn't matter the number its just fact you are no longer in a deficit. As stated above if you cant bring yourself to eat less you will need to do more exercise be that day to day exercise or planned as in cardio it doesn't matter.

The problem with dropping just 100 calories is that is near enough nothing and can easily be miscounted in any form. For example 100 calories equals to one slice of bread, one decent apple, one tablespoon of butter, 2 teaspoons of cooking oil or about a small potato that is it, as you can see one item can put you back to maintenance.

I am not implying you are miscounting as I don't know your ability of recorded everything no matter how small but remember every product you eat/ drink has 20% leeway by the labelling manufacturing so they could be out you will never know. Likewise recorded apps like myfitnesspal could be out, also eating out or eating food which you cant physically weigh each component could be out from your estimate by 100-1000 calories depending on what you are eating.

On top of all of this near enough everybody including me and most likely even professional athletes with a team of nutritionists are miscounting somewhere over a month period. It means nothing miscounting what matters is the weight loss and the answer is either eat less or move more and as long as you have adaquate protein and are weight training on a well structured plan you will retain most of your muscle.

[weaver1997]

OK thanks, Ill give it a week see if the scales move if not I'll drop by 200cals?

I'm actually still ill with flu so maybe I'm holding water it feels like I am tbh I feel bloated before I was ill I weighed in at 184.1 now last 4 days I've been 185+ in morning

[clwhoops44]

Jesus, I can't imagine tracking my calories closely enough to drop my target 100 at a time. That's like... a bite of a cheeseburger. Good luck to you OP.

[weaver1997]

Jesus, I can't imagine tracking my calories closely enough to drop my target 100 at a time. That's like... a bite of a cheeseburger. Good luck to you OP.

Thanks man i'm tryna get this cut over quick as possible want be done by next year hopefully I've only been cutting 2 month

[clwhoops44]

Cutting for another 5 months?! Man, I've gotta exit this thread. It's making me depressed for you.

[weaver1997]

Cutting for another 5 months?! Man, I've gotta exit this thread. It's making me depressed for you.

I started at close to 30% body fat its got be done or ill never be lean lol

[zhamp6566]

I use an app called Libra to keep track of my weight loss. It keeps track of your average weight loss per week. It will tell you if you are eating over or under your maintence calories and tons of other great information.

[Tommy W.]

For someone with a fairly normal TDEE going down to 10 calories for every pound you want to end up weighing will generally take you to the finish line. Say you want to end up at 170 that would be 1,700 calories a day averaged over a weeks time. Amounts are alway assuming perfect counting and tracking which is virtually impossible so you need to play around with the numbers.

4 days is not enough time. In another week or 2 if you aren't losing you're underestimating your calorie consumption no matter how much you kick and scream that you're being accurate.

[jpfaherty]

You should really look into getting a coach. These drastic decisions based on 4 days are not healthy.

You need to think of long term health, not a quick fix.

[weaver1997]

You should really look into getting a coach. These drastic decisions based on 4 days are not healthy.

You need to think of long term health, not a quick fix.

I wish I had the money for a coach and I said I'd wait a week or two before lowering calories how's that drastic?

[CommitmentRulz]

OP, you have an interesting post history...

You went from 135 pounds to 210 pounds in a year in a bulk because you wanted to get bigger and didn't care if it was muscle or fat. Congratulations at gaining 75 pounds in a year.

Now, you are cutting at (currently 190+ pounds) and reportedly eating 1600 calories a day and talking about dropping lower...

It seems to do everything to the extreme. How's that working out for you? Maybe MODERATION is the key?

[weaver1997]

OP, you have an interesting post history...

You went from 135 pounds to 210 pounds in a year in a bulk because you wanted to get bigger and didn't care if it was muscle or fat. Congratulations at gaining 75 pounds in a year.

Now, you are cutting at (currently 190+ pounds) and reportedly eating 1600 calories a day and talking about dropping lower...

It seems to do everything to the extreme. How's that working out for you? Maybe MODERATION is the key?

You obviously can't read I said I'm taking in 2000 calories and don't want to go as low as 1600, also I said 135 to 200lb in 2 years I'm not proud of it why would I lie lol go read it again?

[Nicksosure1]

OP, you have an interesting post history...

You went from 135 pounds to 210 pounds in a year in a bulk because you wanted to get bigger and didn't care if it was muscle or fat. Congratulations at gaining 75 pounds in a year.

Now, you are cutting at (currently 190+ pounds) and reportedly eating 1600 calories a day and talking about dropping lower...

It seems to do everything to the extreme. How's that working out for you? Maybe MODERATION is the key?

Lol you are the king of post history callouts. Gotta keep these boys in check.

[weaver1997]

Lol you are the king of post history callouts. Gotta keep these boys in check.

He's not even right lmao everything he said was wrong, Age: 60 (that explains it) get your eyes tested maybe?

[Nicksosure1]

He's not even right lmao everything he said was wrong, Age: 60 (that explains it) get your eyes tested maybe?

Man no one is gonna want to help you if you keep acting like a child. Just settle down and read what people are trying to tell you. There's good advice in this thread.

[Nicksosure1]

He's not even right lmao everything he said was wrong, Age: 60 (that explains it) get your eyes tested maybe?

Also even if he was 60, he has a better body than both of us and obviously knows a thing or two. Less talk, more listen.

[weaver1997]

Also even if he was 60, he has a better body than both of us and obviously knows a thing or two. Less talk, more listen.

I'm not saying he hasnt got a good body but hes trying make me look stupid with stuff I never even said.. He didnt give me any info so listen to what?

[Ghawk21]

I'm not saying he hasnt got a good body but hes trying make me look stupid with stuff I never even said.. He didnt give me any info so listen to what?

Doing things in moderation rather than extremes is good advice, it will help prevent you from gaining too much weight on your next bulk to. As for your post, 4 days isn't enough. If your weight, under consistent conditions, doesn't budge in 2 week then look at dropping calories. I would also disregard any weeks you're sick.

[Nicksosure1]

I'm not saying he hasnt got a good body but hes trying make me look stupid with stuff I never even said.. He didnt give me any info so listen to what?

He said to quit being so extreme and practice moderation both in intake and in goals? How is that not advice?

He may have been blunt with it sure, but the point remains and should be beneficial to you.

[weaver1997]

He said to quit being so extreme and practice moderation both in intake and in goals? How is that not advice?

He may have been blunt with it sure, but the point remains and should be beneficial to you.

I'm not been extreme though that's what I'm saying he read it wrong..

[Nicksosure1]

I'm not been extreme though that's what I'm saying he read it wrong..

Even so, 70 lbs in 2 years is a tad extreme. Weight fluctuation concerns while being ill with the flu is also a tad extreme.

My advice to you is to get healthy from your sickness first, then continue with your current intake with a healthy body and not worry about a stall for 4 days because of so many factors being played into it. If you still are stalling, then you should think about either dropping your intake or increasing your exercise. But do this WHEN YOU ARE HEALTHY.

[weaver1997]

Even so, 70 lbs in 2 years is a tad extreme. Weight fluctuation concerns while being ill with the flu is also a tad extreme.

My advice to you is to get healthy from your sickness first, then continue with your current intake with a healthy body and not worry about a stall for 4 days because of so many factors being played into it. If you still are stalling, then you should think about either dropping your intake or increasing your exercise. But do this WHEN YOU ARE HEALTHY.

70lb gain was probably from aging to I was like 19-20 at the time and OK that was my plan anyway but thanks man

[CommitmentRulz]

70lb gain was probably from aging to I was like 19-20 at the time and OK that was my plan anyway but thanks man

From this post (a month ago...) https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...post1583539571

So I started going to the gym nearly a year ago weighing around 135lbs, I'm currently sat at 197 looking a lot worse than when I started please can someone give me a body fat estimate and what weight would I be at 14% bodyfat

Me a year ago at 135 lbs

Say what, OP? (And your 197 is after you started your current cut...)

[weaver1997]

From this post (a month ago...) https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...post1583539571

Say what, OP? (And your 197 is after you started your current cut...)

OH I don't know why I put that I meant 2 years and yeah I was 197 there I'm 185 now

[Nicksosure1]

OH I don't know why I put that I meant 2 years and yeah I was 197 there I'm 185 now

Oh come on, no one is gonna buy that.

I’m formally editing my advice to you. No one can help you if you aren’t honest about your circumstances. It’s kind of irritating reading how someone needs help with something, gets mad at some of the responses because they’re not what they want to hear, and ends up not being honest about things surrounding their problem in the first place.

With all that said, I do wish you luck with whatever goal you’re trying to attain OP, because I can honestly say I have no idea what it is.

[BS57]

From this post (a month ago...) https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...post1583539571

Say what, OP? (And your 197 is after you started your current cut...)

You obviously can't read I said I'm taking in 2000 calories and don't want to go as low as 1600, also I said 135 to 200lb in 2 years I'm not proud of it why would I lie lol go read it again?

LMAO

Who can't read?

And never apologized for it................