Destroying Fat- My Cutting Results

[TheSupaKorean]

For the past 12 weeks I have been on a cutting cycle. I started the cutting cycle at 178 lbs and I was holding a ton of fat.


Here is a summary of what happened in the 12 weeks.

* My bodyweight dropped from 178 lbs down to 145 lbs.
* Waist dropped from 34.4 inches down to 28 inches.
* Bodyfat percentage dropped dramatically, not sure how low but I think I am down to the single digits.

I am up for any advice on what I should do next, I am not sure if I should keep cutting or not, i lost some of my strength losing this weight but over the past 6 weeks I haven't dropped any lbs in any of my lifts. Any estimates of bodyfat would be great.

I appreciate any feedback since this is one of the greatest things I have accomplished for myself in quite some time.

Ok ok, nobody wants to read all of the details, so I'll start with my before after pics. I took pictures almost everyday of the cutting cycle so it was fun seeing the progress. Anyway here we go...

[TheSupaKorean]

Just a random front relax pose

[TheSupaKorean]

Ab shot

[TheSupaKorean]

Front Double Bicep

[TheSupaKorean]

Back Double Bicep

[TheSupaKorean]

Side Chest

[TheSupaKorean]

Most Muscular

[TheSupaKorean]

Last one of the wheels
Wish I had a before pic of them.

[GonnaBeBig]

You looked good before, but you look great now!!


Great job buddy

[gamemaximus]

What did you do to get your bodyfat down??

[Abdominator]

Excellent job, TheSupaKorean!

It's amazing how much bigger you look when you cut, isn't it? Granted, you'll look small in clothes, but when you take the shirt off, your friends will be like, "WHOA?! You're jacked!"

Congrats on the transformation!

I'm guessing you're between 6-7% bodyfat.

You shouldn't need to cut anymore (unless you're planning to compete soon). This is a time when you can start to do a clean bulk and gradually bring calories back into your system. Train with exercises containing compound movements, and switch up doing heavy weights/low reps and moderate weights/higher reps.

Doing that, you should bulk rather well and keep your v-taper and abs.

By the way, the detail in your legs is impressive.

We're proud of ya, sir!

- Skip

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by gamemaximus
What did you do to get your bodyfat down??

For the first 4 weeks or so of the diet I decided to run a Ketogenic diet.
I had a one day refeed every other weekend at this point since my bodyfat was higher I figured I didn't need them as much.

From weeks 5-12, I ran a 40/20/20 diet. I ate the majority of my carbs around my workout, and the choices of carbs came from veggies, oatmeal, some whole grain bread (yes bread, can't live without it), and timed simple carbs.

My calories were always 11-12x my bodyweight, and on refeeds I ate about 16-17x my bodyweight.

I did cardio 6 days a week since the beginning of the diet.

I started with 30 minutes a day of eliptical trainer, but pretty soon that wasn't enough.

I bumped my cardio up around week 4 or so and then started doing 45 minutes of cardio a day.

For the past month or so I have slowly reduced the cardio and now I am doing about 30 minutes of cardio 5 days week.

This might be a little extreme for some people but it was what worked for me.

[DeezGst]

Wow, amazing man....I'm jeaouls....I look pretty similar to your before photo at the moment, with less fat on my arms and chest and more around my tummy. I'm so determined to get ripped...Ab's or bust.

Congrats, can you let us know what your diet and routine were like please.

Thanks,

Derek

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by Abdominator
Excellent job, TheSupaKorean!

Doing that, you should bulk rather well and keep your v-taper and abs.

By the way, the detail in your legs is impressive.

We're proud of ya, sir!

- Skip

Thanks Skip, I do agree I need to start upping the calories.

My legs for some reason got extremely cut up around the past 2-3 weeks. It's scary when you have veins in your quads when sitting around the living room watching tv.

Now I can try to carry what I learned from the cutting cycle and use it to help bulk properly.

Appreciate all the tips and wish you the best in your upcoming competition.

[Abdominator]

Originally posted by TheSupaKorean
...This might be a little extreme for some people but it was what worked for me.

Hey, that's what a lot of people do to cut for bodybuilding competitions. Congratulations! You've just conquered the hardest part of preparing for a contest.

- Skip

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by DeezGst
Wow, amazing man....I'm jeaouls....I look pretty similar to your before photo at the moment, with less fat on my arms and chest and more around my tummy. I'm so determined to get ripped...Ab's or bust.

Congrats, can you let us know what your diet and routine were like please.

Thanks,

Derek

Your stats are very close to what i was when i started my cut, so I am sure you can easily cut up in similar fashion.

I posted some of my guidelines of my diet a few posts above but if you have any specific questions I'd be glad to help out.

It takes time but losing the weight was one of the best things I have ever done, now I just need to get big like some of the others here on this board.

[Abdominator]

Originally posted by TheSupaKorean
Thanks Skip, I do agree I need to start upping the calories.

My legs for some reason got extremely cut up around the past 2-3 weeks. It's scary when you have veins in your quads when sitting around the living room watching tv. ...

Hehehe... yeah. I just started seeing the veins in my legs last week. My carb-up should be right on schedule so that by this Saturday when I take pictures again, I should have deep cuts, more striations and some good old-fashioned vascularity.

Oh, by the way, Pumping Iron came out on DVD this week, so if you really want to have a motivational workout and competition video for your collection, make sure you get a copy. Amazon.com sent me mine yesterday and I was watching it at 5:00 AM this morning as I was grilling chicken.

- Skip "Everybody wants to live forever..."

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by Abdominator
Hehehe... yeah. I just started seeing the veins in my legs last week. My carb-up should be right on schedule so that by this Saturday when I take pictures again, I should have deep cuts, more striations and some good old-fashioned vascularity.


- Skip "Everybody wants to live forever..."

Pumping Iron was great Especially watching Arnie pound out those sets of squats. It really makes you rethink your personal work ethic in the gym.

Your posing routine that you posted within the last month really helped me with my poses. I never could seem to get em right but I enjoyed seeing some new and great ways to move from pose to pose. Plus gotta love the music

[Abdominator]

Originally posted by TheSupaKorean
Your posing routine that you posted within the last month really helped me with my poses. I never could seem to get em right but I enjoyed seeing some new and great ways to move from pose to pose. Plus gotta love the music

Thanks!

Heheh... wait until you see what I have cooked up for the competition this year. My posing routine is going to be more artistic and have much better transitioning than any of my previous contests. I'm really looking forward to it.

Oh, they're going to remember the name, Abdominator.

- Skip "Total package, baby... total package!"

[quest-x]

great job man, ur success and routine is almost exactly what i want and will do in a few months respectively. my stats now are similar to yours also, 170lb, 35 waist. basically, you just cut your calories to 1800-2000, go 40/40/20, and cardio 6 days a week, right? that's exactly what i'd been planning to do. it's really great to see someone have great success at it... gives me inspiration and hope. btw, what kinda cardio did you do? i HIIT bike.

also, i'm curious--did you lose some fat off of your face as well?? lol

great job bro, & have fun bulking

edit--btw, what was your lifting routine like during cutting

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by quest-x
great job man, ur success and routine is almost exactly what i want and will do in a few months respectively. my stats now are similar to yours also, 170lb, 35 waist. basically, you just cut your calories to 1800-2000, go 40/40/20, and cardio 6 days a week, right? that's exactly what i'd been planning to do. it's really great to see someone have great success at it... gives me inspiration and hope. btw, what kinda cardio did you do? i HIIT bike.

also, i'm curious--did you lose some fat off of your face as well?? lol

great job bro, & have fun bulking

edit--btw, what was your lifting routine like during cutting

Thanks a bunch for the compliments.

As for your questions:

I did moderate intensity cardio on days that I lifted and I mixed in hiit when I wasn't doing legs as long as it wasn't the day before or after my leg day.

When doing medium intensity I did cardio for 45 minutes usually on the eliptical trainer. It was the easiest to keep my legs from getting overworked like jogging would and it seemed to make time go by quick for me.

When i did hiit cardio i did that with sprints, eliptical, and stairstepper. I would warm up for 5 minutes, and then alternate 1 minute of high intensity back and forth for the next 20 minutes. I would then have a 5 minute cooldown.

so basically it was:
5 min warm up
1 min- sprint
1 min- job
etc..
at 25 minutes i cooled down for the last 5.


My weighlifting was the same the entire way through the program.

Tuesdays: Chest/Tricep
Thursday: Back/Traps/Bicep
Saturday: Legs/Shoulders

I did abs every 3rd day with weights.

Being a college student with Tuesdays and Thursday with no classes made this lifting schedule perfect for me.

As for the fat loss on the face, i def do think i lost quite a bit. Had to get a nice short haircut to match my leaner physique/face

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by Abdominator
Thanks!

Heheh... wait until you see what I have cooked up for the competition this year. My posing routine is going to be more artistic and have much better transitioning than any of my previous contests. I'm really looking forward to it.

Oh, they're going to remember the name, Abdominator.

- Skip "Total package, baby... total package!"

Be sure to get a clip of this one too. From some of the photos you posted recently i've noticed some of the new artistic poses. They def do show off your physique. Can't wait to see the routine.

Maybe if I can bulk right i can compete in a year or two.

[Hibiscus09]

You look great! You did a fantastic job of leaning out.

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by Hibiscus09
You look great! You did a fantastic job of leaning out.

Thanks, it is nice to be able to see each muscle clearly now. Makes it easy to see where i am lagging behind etc..

[Crazee_786]

SupaKorean, I am nothing short of amazed at your transformation bro! i havent really seen u around on the boards a lot, but i KNOW you are hardcore and dedicated! honestly, u have inspired me, and i look up to u bud. ur gonna go far in this sport bro, KEEP IT GOING!

i too am like your before pic, but i have less muscle and more fat but i am really dedicated to changing this situation and making the trasnformation u made. but i am not sure i can do it in 12weeks, probably a little longer.
did u find u added muscle while u were cutting? it seems to me that ur muscles appear harder and more dense, though that might be cos of the fat loss, but still i can see improvements in ur density. also, what time did u do cardio? and did u eat carbs around cardio time?

bro, u are an inspiration, and sorry for all my Q's but I probably need all the help i can get.

peace

[CantSeeMe]

Amazing transformation! I am in the middle of a cut now and your pictures have definatley added to my motivation. Thanks!

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by CantSeeMe
Amazing transformation! I am in the middle of a cut now and your pictures have definatley added to my motivation. Thanks!

I am glad i was able to give ya a little motivation. I used a lot of the people here on this site as motivation myself when i needed that extra incentive when doing a tough cardio session.

Dedication and consistancy paid off in the end. I appreciate your comments and wish you the best on achieving your goals.

[TheSupaKorean]

Originally posted by Crazee_786

did u find u added muscle while u were cutting? it seems to me that ur muscles appear harder and more dense, though that might be cos of the fat loss, but still i can see improvements in ur density. also, what time did u do cardio? and did u eat carbs around cardio time?

bro, u are an inspiration, and sorry for all my Q's but I probably need all the help i can get.

peace

Thanks for the very nice comments. I doubt I added much muscle during the cut, unless it was in my calves from cardio. My muscles like you states probably look denser due to the loss of bodyfat.

As far as the cardio, It varied depending on what i had going on.

Usually it was either 45 minutes after my first meal in the morning, but in the past month or so I've been hitting the gym in the morning and doing my cardio session later in the afternoon.

When i have class i would do my cardio immedietely after class, just to get it out of the way.

I am sure your going to achieve your goals with your cut. If you have any other questions let me know.

Best of luck and thanks again for the kind words.

[EDS]

Supa,

What did your meal plan (timing) and supplementation look like for those 12 weeks? BTW, your transformation is really impressive. Good job and keep up the good work. Congrats.....

- E

[Jandy]

Great job! I love the back double transfrm. pic