I Suck At Cutting! Help!

[G-Diddy20]

Some general questions I have that hopefully some people can answer.

I'm 5'11", 195 lbs, 15-16% bf: on an HST program for the next two months, but trying to peice together information for the cut that I want to go on after this. I have cut before but always lost significant strength and muscle.

1.) What carbs should I eat while cutting? I found that if I drop carbs too low during cuts, I lose mass and get weaker. But so many carbs cause bloating, and I want to cut milk completely from my cut (I drink a lot on my current bulk) diet because of the bloating.

2.) How can I measure if the diet is working? I have read that to avoid catabolism, you really should only be losing 1-2 lbs per month. But with the fluctuation of water weight and other things that can change your weight within 4 lbs daily, when you get on the scale how are you supposed to tell if the diet is working? Just wait 5 months and see if you've lost ten pounds?

3.) At 195 lbs or so, would 2600 calories and 275 carbs be too much or too little on a cut for a guy my size? I will aim for 230-250 grams of protein, and the rest healthy fats.

4.) I have read that the only real program to use while cutting is strength since hypertrophy is impossible, is strength. Is this true and which strength programs have people had success with.

[SuicideGripMe]

High protein low carb/calorie diet. You will lose some strength and of course some mass because your not eating so much, but it happens. 1-2 lbs a month? That doesent sound right, I can lose 20 lbs in a month. At your level of body fat, 1-2 lbs is nothing.

[Nick1971]

20lbs in one month? Tell me more!

[GivemeSIX]

Once more the three TIONS.....

D-E-D-I-C-A-T-I-O-N
M-O-T-O-V-A-T-I-O-N
AND I CANT REMEMBER THE OTHERONE....



OH.. D-E-D-I-C-A-T-I-O-N

[ThiZzNation925]

1-1.5 lbs a week.

Keep the reps under 6

More cardio

[G-Diddy20]

how many calories under maintenance should I be consuming if I'm going to be doing a good amount of cardio while strength training? Should I eat right at maintenance then? I am just trying to avoid catabolism at all costs.

[oryx2500]

I lost 10 lbs in 13 days eating fast food, pizza and pop. How?

I was on my EMT practicum lol didn't eat much at all shift was 24hr-13days. What I did eat had to be fast. 6 nights out of those 13 days I had about 3 hours of sleep.
I did lose some muscle mass and strength because i wasn't in the gym to those 2 weeks either.

As far as calories tho, i'm not sure my guess is around 2000-2500, but i could be wrong.