I'm having A LOT of trouble cutting

[ShaShaaaax3]

I've been counting my macros and writing down everything i eat in a journal
I get 1500 cal
117 g carb
58 g fat
117+ g protein a day
with one cheat day where i get to eat as much carbs/fat as i want but i have to stick to the calories

and I usually hit the calories which i have been told is the most important and go a little higher or lower in carbs and fats

the thing is I've only lost one pound in the past month and a half
is there something wrong with my macros?

do u think it's because i do spin classes 3 times a week which burns about 600 calories so my bodys storing fat because i have too much of a caloric deficit ? I also lift almost every day

should i start eating the same foods every day and hit my macros EXACTLY for 2 weeks and see what happens and switch it up every 2 weeks ?
or should i just continue what i'm doing ? I really want to cut 5 lbs of fat so my abs will come though

i'm 5'3.5 ft tall and 117 lbs

[AD1984]

A cheat meal implies going over your calories, that's why it's a "cheat" meal. Otherwise, you can eat whatever you want within your calorie range..IIFYM and all that.

How many days exactly do you go to the gym a week? How heavy do you lift? Heavy lifting for 6-7 days a week on 1500 is next to impossible..hell, it's hard even on 3000 calories, the body needs recovery.

I think 1500 is too low as a starting point. When you will stall, there's not much room to play with, unless you want to drop to 1200. At your stats, I would go for a recomposition..dropping 5 pounds it's not going to give you abs, you need to build the muscle first.

[ShaShaaaax3]

A cheat meal implies going over your calories, that's why it's a "cheat" meal. Otherwise, you can eat whatever you want within your calorie range..IIFYM and all that.

How many days exactly do you go to the gym a week? How heavy do you lift? Heavy lifting for 6-7 days a week on 1500 is next to impossible..hell, it's hard even on 3000 calories, the body needs recovery.

I think 1500 is too low as a starting point. When you will stall, there's not much room to play with, unless you want to drop to 1200. At your stats, I would go for a recomposition..dropping 5 pounds it's not going to give you abs, you need to build the muscle first.

i'm at the gym 5-6 times a week and I lift but i don't lift very heavy because I can't lift very heavy haha
wha'ts recomposition ?
dropping 5 lbs will give me more definition
i have some now but i want some more
http://tinypic.com/r/jku2ja/5

[IronOrchid]

I've been counting my macros and writing down everything i eat in a journal
I get 1500 cal
117 g carb
58 g fat
117+ g protein a day
with one cheat day where i get to eat as much carbs/fat as i want but i have to stick to the calories

It looks to me like too much fat and not enough protein.
Try to change your cardio, treadmill or jump rope are way much better.


I'm 5'3 and twice older then you're. I'm right now on 1400 cal, 90-130g carbs, 30-40g fat and 130-160g protein. I do cardio on empty stomach every morning (swimming or treadmill), circuit training four times a week for an hour and swimming (for pleasure) in the morning and afternoon. And steady jogging on a treadmill for an hour twice a week. I've already lost 5lbs. within two weeks. But weight is not what I'm aiming for. I'm looking forward for seeing less fat on my body.

[gwnorth]

The reason you maybe having trouble cutting is because, at your stats, 5'3" 116 lbs, you should be bulking not cutting. You are already at the lower end of the recommended weight for your height. Dropping another 5lbs is not going to give you more definition, it's just going to make you smaller. You can't reveal muscle that isn't there. As for spinning 3x a week causing your body to hold onto fat...I don't think so.

As a point of comparison, I'm also 5'3" but 126 lbs. I eat 1550-1600 cals a day and I'm dropping 1 lb a week. I strength train heavy 3x a week, I run intensely 3x a week, and I spin intensely 2x a week. Why am I losing weight and you're not...because I have 10 lbs on you and therefore a higher BMR.

Definition comes from having muscle. Yes less fat needs to happen too to reveal the muscle, but if there is no muscle there, no amount of fat loss can show what simply isn't there to start with. You need to put on muscle, and for that you need to eat at a surplus, not a deficit. You should visit the bulking thread on the general chat board.

Good-luck.

[summertown74]

well said ^^ . OP, you're already at a healthy weight for your height, cutting calories will simply cause you to lose more pounds. You don't need to lose more weight, you need more muscle. Focus on getting stronger, eating to fuel yourself, and the definition will come with time.

[Miranda]

OP is sixteen years old.

[oregonchick76]

You are already at an ideal weight. If you don't look the way you want, you're probably skinny-fat. You need to eat more and lift and cut back onc ardio. Should not need to be in the gym more than 3-4 times per week. And at 16 yrs old and obsessing about body image makes me worry about an eating disorder. You should probably talk to your doctor/parents.

[rorschachsaysno]

Maybe you grew a little in height, being 16 and all.

[ShaShaaaax3]

It looks to me like too much fat and not enough protein.
Try to change your cardio, treadmill or jump rope are way much better.


I'm 5'3 and twice older then you're. I'm right now on 1400 cal, 90-130g carbs, 30-40g fat and 130-160g protein. I do cardio on empty stomach every morning (swimming or treadmill), circuit training four times a week for an hour and swimming (for pleasure) in the morning and afternoon. And steady jogging on a treadmill for an hour twice a week. I've already lost 5lbs. within two weeks. But weight is not what I'm aiming for. I'm looking forward for seeing less fat on my body.

i upped my protein to around 210 - is that too much ? how much fat do you think i should cut?

The reason you maybe having trouble cutting is because, at your stats, 5'3" 116 lbs, you should be bulking not cutting. You are already at the lower end of the recommended weight for your height. Dropping another 5lbs is not going to give you more definition, it's just going to make you smaller. You can't reveal muscle that isn't there. As for spinning 3x a week causing your body to hold onto fat...I don't think so.

As a point of comparison, I'm also 5'3" but 126 lbs. I eat 1550-1600 cals a day and I'm dropping 1 lb a week. I strength train heavy 3x a week, I run intensely 3x a week, and I spin intensely 2x a week. Why am I losing weight and you're not...because I have 10 lbs on you and therefore a higher BMR.

Definition comes from having muscle. Yes less fat needs to happen too to reveal the muscle, but if there is no muscle there, no amount of fat loss can show what simply isn't there to start with. You need to put on muscle, and for that you need to eat at a surplus, not a deficit. You should visit the bulking thread on the general chat board.

Good-luck.

wouldn't a bulk make me gain a lot of fat though? summers in 3 months, i can't affort to gain that much fat because it's so hard for me to burn off. I was planning on starting a bulk in september-january . i don't really mind not having much muscle right now because i know realistically i can't gain it fast enough for summer. I just want my abs to come though (5 pounds would make them do that) for the summer . I know that my abs are there because i can feel them under a little bit of fat on my stomach
i said i thought that it's making me hold on to fat because i'm already eating a deficit, so burning 5-600 cals on top of a 500 cal. deficit would make my body go into starvation mode because it wouldn't be getting enough

You are already at an ideal weight. If you don't look the way you want, you're probably skinny-fat. You need to eat more and lift and cut back onc ardio. Should not need to be in the gym more than 3-4 times per week. And at 16 yrs old and obsessing about body image makes me worry about an eating disorder. You should probably talk to your doctor/parents.

I don't want to gain fat because summers coming. I was planning on starting a bulk in september-january . i just want to cut the 5 lbs so my abs will show through for summer
I wouldn't be able to get an eating disorder. I love food too much. I'm trying to do this the healthy way.

[ShaShaaaax3]

oh and i posted in this section a few months ago and a woman told me that bulking and cutting at my age will lead to saggy breasts that surgery won't be able to fix

is that true ?

[Miranda]

call me an old bat, but you're a growing teenager with a worrisome posting history.

[andrerox80]

call me an old bat, but you're a growing teenager with a worrisome posting history.

^^ this. you're headed in the wrong direction. you also have a lot more reading to do.

[liuzhoudragon]

the cheat meal has always been for my friends with weak will power. 1. I know people that can ruin a weeks worth of work in a cheat day. 2. most cheat food are not nutrious.

I would either reduce your cheat days to once a month, or forget them.
What are you drinking....I also now people that forget to include their calories from juice or their coke. Water or greent tea...everything goes in the garbage can.

The only exercise you mentioned is spinning x3 a week. Spinning is great....but only do one thing repeatedly is a fantastic way to plateau and get stuck going nowhere. If you like the cardio mix it up with running, spinning, eliptical, swimming.

some weight training would be a good idea to. don't worry you will not turn into arnold if you touch the weights.