I want to drop about 5lbs of fat to be at my desired goal of 11-12% bf. So I don't need an extreme fat loss protocol, but I still need some strategy. The thing is when I cut, I still lift heavy at the gym and I feel that this hurts my cutting process and causes me to overeat. If I don't overeat, I think about food all the time and have cravings. So I end up basically using my willpower to cut fat and end up failing and going back where I started. Also, I have depression (which I'm sure some of gym people do) and it doesn't help the cravings.
How can I approach fat loss without hating the process. I feel setting my calories to 1800 is a bit unsatisfying. I'm a snacker, but I also like to have big meals. My family always prepares big meals like pasta, rice, roast chicken, etc with one serving being 800-1000 calories. So not only have I gotten used to it, but it's constantly being prepared. So it's hard to avoid. If I have a one serving, then it's like half my calories for the day gone.
My average calculated maintenance is 2750 calories/day. I've heard a smaller deficit works better if I'm already at 13% bf. Like 2200-2300 calories.
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10-23-2020, 10:30 PM #1
How to make cutting more enjoyable?
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10-23-2020, 10:43 PM #2
The mirror kept me going when I was cutting.. Only advice I can give is when you start to get really lean and cut, you forget about binging, other than that just make better food choices. If you want it bad enough. You'll find a way.
FS/ S/ OHP/ B/ DL
120/150/70/100/180 =KG
I don't go to the gym anymore so above stats are useless.
Only do weighted calastentics in the comfort of my own home!
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173620211&page=138 go here if you want an estimation on your bf%
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10-24-2020, 12:40 AM #3
sounds familiar. if your maintenance is 2700, eat 2200-2300, especially if you "need" to eat a big meal that's over half of your calories @ 1800
cutting on 1800 calories, you don't really have room for big meals. same goes for 2300, but at least you can eat more in general
i actually cut on 1800 too, and i'm maintaining for a while @ 2300 right now. those 500 calories make a difference, it's like a satisfying extra meal
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10-24-2020, 02:55 AM #4
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10-24-2020, 04:29 AM #5
I was in your place a few years back I also used to binge back to my starting weight after weeks of cutting... but cutting is a slow progress and it takes time to show if you are becoming food focused I’d suggest you to search for some low calorie healthy recipes on YouTube they are very helpful on a cut and meal prep as well... meal prepping Helps a lot because then you don’t have to think too much about your meals and macros... when you really feel like binging just think is that one meal worth the weeks of dieting you did... for me it has reached a point where being ill doesn’t even give me a reason to cheat on my diet I just increase my calories to maintenance and eat healthy
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10-24-2020, 04:44 AM #6
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10-24-2020, 03:50 PM #7
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10-25-2020, 04:31 AM #8
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10-25-2020, 04:45 AM #9
Yea this would help, trying to count home made meals that someone else has prepared is really difficult. Unless you’ve been eating intuitively for a while and know what you’re doing. These meals could be the difference between having a deficit for the day or hitting maintenance or more.
As for making cutting more enjoyable? Lol well... that’s hard. I like to snack a lot too. I also like to feel full. Sometimes I save a bag of popcorn (600 calories) for after dinner. I need to eat while I watch tv and popcorn seems to last me around an hour if I eat at a normal pace. Konjac jelly is really REALLY low in calories and can last me a while. My gf cooked a meal last night that was only 400 calories with 50g of protein which was really filling, it had eggplant, potatoes, egg whites, 2 full eggs, capsicum, spinach, salsa and cheese, I was stuffed after it.
Also definitely try online for some filling meals
Good luck!The best personal trainer you can invest in is YOURSELF.
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10-25-2020, 05:40 AM #10
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10-25-2020, 09:54 AM #11
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Figure out lower calorie, higher protein recipes for foods that you actually enjoy eating and fit them into your daily calorie allotments.
Look for things like high fiber, high protein pasta, tortillas, lean meats, and re-make some favorite meals with them to add into your lower calorie cutting plan.Last edited by Luclin999; 10-25-2020 at 10:25 AM.
~ Like Tae-Kwon-Leap, my goals are not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.
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10-25-2020, 11:14 AM #12
Learn to embrace hunger. Look at it like you’re winning the argument. Your body is arguing and screaming that you MUST give it food so it doesn’t burn its precious fat and you’re telling it to STFU. As time goes on it will become less and less vocal.
If you don't get what you want you didn't want it bad enough
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10-25-2020, 11:50 AM #13
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10-25-2020, 12:29 PM #14
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10-25-2020, 01:40 PM #15
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10-25-2020, 03:01 PM #16
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10-26-2020, 01:54 AM #17
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10-26-2020, 02:01 AM #18
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10-26-2020, 06:34 AM #19
well, again, with no height, weight or photo nobody can really give you any real advice however even with that info your progress will depend on how disciplined you are and other factors also. BF% is not really a number that is that important as means of measure aren’t accurate
If you don't get what you want you didn't want it bad enough
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10-26-2020, 10:21 AM #20
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Almost impossible to answer with the lack of information provided.
1. We have no idea if you are really at 13-14%. If your estimate is based on some number given you by your scale then it is probably wrong.
2. Depending upon your diet and whether you actively stress your muscle mass while in a deficit, you may or may not drop in BF percentage at all even when losing "weight" due to potentially losing lean mass along with the fat.~ Like Tae-Kwon-Leap, my goals are not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.
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10-28-2020, 07:02 AM #21
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10-28-2020, 07:03 AM #22
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10-28-2020, 08:29 AM #23
Mirror.
Don't worry about BF%. IT IS A MEANINGLESS NUMBER FOR THE MOST PART.
A couple percent either way is even more meaningless. Look in the mirror.
Not enough muscle? Add some
Too much fat? Lose some.
Getting caught up in minutia of things like percentages is a waste of time and the energy is better spent being accurate with your tracking, etc.
You have a good base BTWLast edited by Tommy W.; 10-28-2020 at 08:44 AM.
If you don't get what you want you didn't want it bad enough
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10-28-2020, 10:01 AM #24
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Weekly (or bi-weekly) photos taken in the same location with the same lighting are generally best.
Problem with the mirror is that you see yourself in it too often which makes the gradual changes in body shape difficult to recognize versus the more dramatic changes you will see with photos taken weeks apart.
Waistline measurements are good as well but since it takes several pounds of fat loss to equal an inch of reduction at the waist you won't see any real changes there on a daily basis either. Just like with the photos those changes will be more obvious over a period of 2-4 weeks.~ Like Tae-Kwon-Leap, my goals are not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.
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10-31-2020, 07:29 PM #25
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10-31-2020, 07:34 PM #26
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10-31-2020, 08:10 PM #27
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10-31-2020, 10:44 PM #28
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If you don't then you are a lot more likely to make mistakes with things like taking in too little protein or essential fats which can screw up your overall progress. You need to hit specific protein and fat minimums daily when in a deficit to help maintain lean mass and good hormonal balance.
Example: A lot of times people will stall out after a few months claiming "metabolic damage" as the cause when in fact what they really have done is created a hormone imbalance from taking in way too little fat every day over the course of their diet.
Tracking your macros to insure that you are hitting those numbers will prevent mistakes like that.~ Like Tae-Kwon-Leap, my goals are not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.
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11-01-2020, 01:19 AM #29
Progress pics. The days I feel "bloated" or like Im not getting anywhere I look at my progress pictures and get optimistic. Cutting is a journey.
Progress, not perfection. One day at a time.
Current Workout Program: Upper / Low
Current Supplements: Redcon1's Grunt, Total War, and Big Noise. Dymatize Fruity Pebbles. Fish Oil and Walmart Brand Multi-Vitamin.
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