Opinion on whats going on with my Cut.

[rsas7536]

Started Cut at 160lbs in February.

Help with Cut.
Lost 7lbs right off the bat but have slowed to a complete halt. Its almost like im at maintenance again. Im doing 3-4 days of 40 min cardio and sticking right around 153-154lbs. I would have to guess Im about 10-11% BF. Been working out for several years so I have good Muscle definition for my weight and BF. Want to get down to 5-6% BF and then bulk.

Age - 26
Weight - 153lbs
Height - 5'9

2133 Calories/day
276 g Protein
108 g Carbs
65 g Fat

Thoughts on this split?
Too much Protein?
Not enough Carbs?
Not enough Fat?
Too Much Fat?
Too many Carbs?

Thanks.

[Chango99]

Eat less.

Honestly. You are getting plenty of protein in, well calories in general, for 5'9" ~153lbs.

[rsas7536]

bump for day crew. any positive advice would be appreciated.

[krete77]

bump for day crew. any positive advice would be appreciated.

Sum up your question in 1-2 sentences and I guarantee you'll get a lot more responses.

[NizzleMizzles]

Like Chango said if your not losing any weight drop your cals. I'm cutting as well and your eating the same amount as I am at 202lbs, although I'm around 16% bf.

Any reason your eating that much protein? Maybe try lowering the protein a little and upping your fat intake. I've always heard the lower bf% you are the more important fat intake is when cutting. I could be wrong if I am I'm sure someone will let me know.

[jasongind]

Also post a pic and people will let you know what your BF% is. I'm also curious for a pic since I'm also 5'9" and 151 lbs but my abs are not as defined as you describe yours are at. FWIW, I'm cutting on 2000 cal/day: 200g Protein, 200g Carbs, and 50g Fats

[chuck442]

Need a pic to help. Depending on your appearance advice could go two different directions.

[RichDestiNY22]

This is normal, but you should also drop calories IMO. You don't need 276g of protein at 153 pounds if you're cutting.

[gpo613]

OP, a pic helps us give advice.

[SimplyShreddies]

2100 cals seems a little over to me. I've just started my cut 2 weeks ago, lost 2lbs, and we are toughly the same height/weight. I'm taking in roughly 170g protein and 1900 cals

[LivingFitWill]

You will usually see the biggest weight loss during your first few weeks of dieting. After that you should see around 1-2 pounds per week. If you don't see that happening then I would slowly reduce my calories (maybe 100-200 per week) until I start seeing the weight drop again.

[rsas7536]

How do I post pictures? And from what I am gathering I should drop my protein down and nothing else? I am consuming 276 G protein cuz I was told to consume between 1.5-2g. So I split the diffeence at arounf 1.75. Should I go to more around 1.25-1.5g protein? I ordered a BF Caliper today to take measurements. I will keep you posted on that as It comes in the mail tomorrow. I appreciate the responses so far.

Okay. I am going to eliminate 2 protein shakes that I would normally drink first thing in the AM and right before bed. Im also going to take out my egg whites. I am adding in 1 Medium size apple for carbs and 1 tablespoon peanut butter for some fat.

Calories now are 1914. Which is 219 less than before.

Protein 208
Carbs 116
Fat 61

Should I decrease my protein more and add in some more fat or does this look good?
I will post pictures soon.

[TerrorAP2]

If you aren't losing the weight you would like to, drop your caloric intake little by little.

[Shizzle_Joe]

Started Cut at 160lbs in February.

Help with Cut.
Lost 7lbs right off the bat but have slowed to a complete halt. Its almost like im at maintenance again. Im doing 3-4 days of 40 min cardio and sticking right around 153-154lbs. I would have to guess Im about 10-11% BF. Been working out for several years so I have good Muscle definition for my weight and BF. Want to get down to 5-6% BF and then bulk.

Age - 26
Weight - 153lbs
Height - 5'9

2133 Calories/day
276 g Protein
108 g Carbs
65 g Fat

Thoughts on this split?
Too much Protein?
Not enough Carbs?
Not enough Fat?
Too Much Fat?
Too many Carbs?

Thanks.

The 7lbs you lost off the bat were quite possibly mostly water weight due to lowering carbs, I know when i began my cut i went from 197 to 190 literally overnight and had to recalculate macros lol. I'm not sure what you've worked your maintenance out to be but if you're reasonably active and work out a few times a week 15 calories per lb of total bodyweight can give a acceptable estimate (this is what i've been using since all calculators gave me massivly varied answers). So in your case this is 154 x 15 = 2310. In order to loose 1 lb a week you need to eat 500 under this, so 1810.

As for macros, aim for 1 - 1.25g protein per lb, so maybe around 190g per day will be plenty, that will take up 760 of your daily calories.
Next aim for around 0.35 - 0.45g fat per lb of bodyweight, so around 60g per day should be sufficient and still leaves some room for carbs, 60g fat will use a further 540 of your daily calories.
760+540 = 1300, so you have 510 calories left to fill with carbs which equates to about 125g of carbs per day.

[rsas7536]

The 7lbs you lost off the bat were quite possibly mostly water weight due to lowering carbs, I know when i began my cut i went from 197 to 190 literally overnight and had to recalculate macros lol. I'm not sure what you've worked your maintenance out to be but if you're reasonably active and work out a few times a week 15 calories per lb of total bodyweight can give a acceptable estimate (this is what i've been using since all calculators gave me massivly varied answers). So in your case this is 154 x 15 = 2310. In order to loose 1 lb a week you need to eat 500 under this, so 1810.

As for macros, aim for 1 - 1.25g protein per lb, so maybe around 190g per day will be plenty, that will take up 760 of your daily calories.
Next aim for around 0.35 - 0.45g fat per lb of bodyweight, so around 60g per day should be sufficient and still leaves some room for carbs, 60g fat will use a further 540 of your daily calories.
760+540 = 1300, so you have 510 calories left to fill with carbs which equates to about 125g of carbs per day.

Thanks a lot joe. That was very helpful....I didnt even think about the water weight. Thats probably spot on. I will give your recommendation a go and see what happens. I dont think it will take me but a few weeks to really see some changes. I just took some pictures and I will post them as soon as i figure out how.

I sit at a desk for 7-8 hours a day. I work out 5 days a week. I train hard a F*** and do Intervall Training on the treadmill 3 days a week after work outs and I also do 20 min on the Elliptical to warm up 5 days a week.

[rsas7536]

The 7lbs you lost off the bat were quite possibly mostly water weight due to lowering carbs, I know when i began my cut i went from 197 to 190 literally overnight and had to recalculate macros lol. I'm not sure what you've worked your maintenance out to be but if you're reasonably active and work out a few times a week 15 calories per lb of total bodyweight can give a acceptable estimate (this is what i've been using since all calculators gave me massivly varied answers). So in your case this is 154 x 15 = 2310. In order to loose 1 lb a week you need to eat 500 under this, so 1810.

As for macros, aim for 1 - 1.25g protein per lb, so maybe around 190g per day will be plenty, that will take up 760 of your daily calories.
Next aim for around 0.35 - 0.45g fat per lb of bodyweight, so around 60g per day should be sufficient and still leaves some room for carbs, 60g fat will use a further 540 of your daily calories.
760+540 = 1300, so you have 510 calories left to fill with carbs which equates to about 125g of carbs per day.

I am having trouble hitting that # 1810 with the foods im using.
Chicken, Whole Eggs, Egg White, Almonds, Avocados, Greek Yogurt, Rice, Apples, Protein Powder, Peanut Butter. Got any suggestions???

[rsas7536]

any other help or advise here?

[Daywalker75]

I would drop the protein and maybe raise the fat somewhat, as long as you remain in a deficit.
also take less rest time between sets, incorporate drops sets and other high intensity techniques like rest pause and super sets, all these methods have been working for me in the past few weeks, i cut my cardio to one HIIT session a week in favour of higher intensity training techniques.
im 5'8 and cutting on 235p 150c 80f

[rsas7536]

I read somewhere that you should consume protein per lb of LEAN body weight? Does anyone know if this is the most ideal way to do this? So If im 154lbs and 10-11% BF which I personally think is a pretty good estimate(will know this afternoon when my calipers come in) I should be eating around 170grams of protein which would be 1.25g Protein x 138lbs = 172.5grams Protein.? Or should I eat the Protein based on my weight of 154? which would be 192.5g protein.

[scotchchris]

You could half those protein numbers and still be fine bud. Too much protein for a start

[scotchchris]

I read somewhere that you should consume protein per lb of LEAN body weight? Does anyone know if this is the most ideal way to do this? So If im 154lbs and 10-11% BF which I personally think is a pretty good estimate(will know this afternoon when my calipers come in) I should be eating around 170grams of protein which would be 1.25g Protein x 138lbs = 172.5grams Protein.? Or should I eat the Protein based on my weight of 154? which would be 192.5g protein.

If you are 154lbs and 11%bf you have 137lbs of lean mass and 17 lbs of fat mass.

1g per LBM/lb is 140g then. In reality you could get a little less than that and still be fine on a cut, but its a good number to aim for just to be safe

[chuck442]

Calipers are fine and can give you a measurement to work with but don't expect them to be accurate. The navy formula has me at 7 percent another one has me at about 9 percent and im probably 11-12. The closest one was where I put my height weight and it had a one skin fold test pInch.

[tristan.nic]

I've just recently started a cut my self. i know most people will say not to and its unhealthy but from everywhere I've read to really cut you need to intake 1600 to 1800 calories a day. try it for a few weeks see how it goes but wouldn't recommend it for a long period of time. im 6'3 220pound with roughly 16/18 % bf and its working for me

[chuck442]

Everyone says not too and all those people do it successfully yet you feel because what you are doing currently works we are wrong? If you are cutting at 1600 hundred you are going to lose muscle mass and hit a plateau. At that point what are you going to do? Drop your calorie to 1100? 1600 is below what your body needs to function properly but by all means ignore what people have been saying because it's working for you.

[scotchchris]

I've just recently started a cut my self. i know most people will say not to and its unhealthy but from everywhere I've read to really cut you need to intake 1600 to 1800 calories a day. try it for a few weeks see how it goes but wouldn't recommend it for a long period of time. im 6'3 220pound with roughly 16/18 % bf and its working for me

Around 10 days is the longest I would go with a massive deficit bud. It is useful though, especially to kick start a long period of fat loss. Just take care when upping the calories again, if you do it wrong it can undo your good work.

f you are cutting at 1600 hundred you are going to lose muscle mass and hit a plateau.

No, you won't lose muscle mass if you make sure you have adequate protein and partake in resistance training. As for the plateau, not necessarily...

1600 is below what your body needs to function properly but by all means ignore what people have been saying because it's working for you.

True dat - which is way they recommend taking vitamin and mineral supplements to make up for it and urge caution when undergoing these diets

[chuck442]

Scotchchris(sp) you are misinformed on a few things and I can kinda see what your logic is but it's incorrect. I'm on my phone and can't do all the quotes etc at the moment but when I get home I will address them if somebody else doesn't first.

[rsas7536]

well im only at a 500 Calorie deficit so thats not overly substantial right? You guys are referring specifically to Tristan NIC because of his height and weight correct?