Started a CUT, 3 week program today... should I change anything?

[edro13]

I have been weight training for the last 10 months, with great results, but these last few %s of bodyfat are tough to get off... so I decided to do a 3 week plan to see how it goes. I got it from the monthly GNC magazine.

Eating Calories (based on my muscle mass):
Week 1: 2250 2150 2050 1950 1850 1750 1650 (Monday-->Sunday)
Week 2: 2150 2050 1950 1850 1750 1650 1550
Week 3: 2050 1950 1850 1750 1650 1550 1450

Exercise:
Week 1:
Monday Morning: 10sec. Sprint, 2min. Jog - 10 Cycles = 20min.+
Monday After Work: Weight Training + 15min. Cardio (85%)

Tuesday Morning: 10sec. Sprint, 2min. Jog - 10 Cycles = 20min.+
Tuesday After Work: 25min. Cardio (85%)

Wednesday Morning: Off
Wednesday After Work: Weight Training + 15min. Cardio (85%)

Thursday Morning: 10sec. Sprint, 2min. Jog - 10 Cycles = 20min.+
Thursday After Work: 25min. Cardio (85%)

Friday Morning: 10sec. Sprint, 2min. Jog - 10 Cycles = 20min.+
Friday After Work: Weight Training + 15min. Cardio (85%)

Saturday Morning: 10sec. Sprint, 2min. Jog - 10 Cycles = 20min.+
Saturday After Work: 25min. Cardio (85%)

Sunday Morning: Off
Sunday After Work: Off


Week 2: 15sec. Sprints, 1:50 Jog / Add 5 min. to Cardio
Week 3: 20sec. Sprints, 1:45 Jog / Add 10 min. to Cardio

So what do you guys think? I am at ~18% BodyFat now and would like to get down to 13-15%. DO you think I can get down to 15% in 3 weeks on this plan? I am very strict on my diet.

[Nick666]

From what I see you're trying to do 2 sessions of high intensity cardio per day. Imo it is too much you will overtrain with that.

If you overtrain you're done, you loose muscle and no fat.

I see that you cycle calories, which is good. Make sure you also cycle carbs. I've never really done that kind of cycling on one week so I can't really comment on that. Personaly I do 3 days low carb 1 day 1 carb and it works well.


Imho, you should reduce the HIIT to only the days when you don't workout, and include some low intensity cardio every day.

If you do it right you should be able to get to 15% in 3 weeks.

[Stefanogym]

in my humble opinion, and i am a trainer, you are using too much cardio, and you don't tell us anything about your diet..i think it could be enough to check it to reach your goals....
tell us something more about it and about your measures, it could be helpful....
did you open a post in nutrition room?

i explain you that too much cardio could let you lose some lean mass, reducing your possibility to be lean, because muscle is a metabolicly active tissue and this means that it burns calories also doing nothing at rest, so if you lose muscle you could reduce your lipolitic potential... cardio could make you lose muscle because if too prolonged or too frequent will let cortisole raise, and cortisoleis an hormone that burns your muscles(if too high)
ok?

[edro13]

My diet is usually fine. I eat 6 times a day, averaging 2100 calories a day. I eat a lot of tuna, protein shakes, chicken and turkey and meal bars.

I know that it is a lot of cardio, but that is the whole point of a Cut phase isn't it? I have gained ~15lbs of lean mass in the last 10 months, and dropped about 45lbs of fat. (according to the BodPod bodyfat analyzer)

I figured that a short (3 weeks), intense cardio phase would drop the extra fat, and only lose a little muscle. Am I right? Or should I just do the weights and cardio like I have been doing for the last 10 months... and just wait longer for the rest to come off? Maybe tighten up my calories more?

[Stefanogym]

meal bars are not too good for ripping...powders too...
however...what about your carb sources? that is the most important stuff to consider!
cutting calories too much could be counterproductive causing a metabolic slow down...better to zig zag and use the right carb sources...

[edro13]

My carb sources are mainly 100% Whole Wheat Bread, and Wheat Ritz Crackers.

[juiceisub3r]

I'd recommend spreading your cut over a longer period of time, less shock to your system.

[Stefanogym]

My carb sources are mainly 100% Whole Wheat Bread, and Wheat Ritz Crackers.

change sources...in that way you are not going to be cut...that sources let insuline spike too much
you need vegetables..i mean: broccoli, green beans, zucchini, peperoni, cucumbers
and fruits: green apples, blueberry, pineapples, peers

this is what you need to become cut...
abolish bread and crackers...
or use them really in small amounts...i mean no more than few grams per day

[edro13]

change sources...in that way you are not going to be cut...that sources let insuline spike too much
you need vegetables..i mean: broccoli, green beans, zucchini, peperoni, cucumbers
and fruits: green apples, blueberry, pineapples, peers

this is what you need to become cut...
abolish bread and crackers...
or use them really in small amounts...i mean no more than few grams per day

Hmmm... I definately don't get enough vegetables in my diet. I eat about 0-1-2 servings of vegetables a day.

[Stefanogym]

very bad...you should eatthe 95% of your carbs from vegetables(the biggest part) and fruit