Fine. Let's Get Skinny and Hangry 2017 Diet/Body Compostion Thread

[Hooverville]

I am in again.

Currently 175 lbs and going to continue bulking until mid-January. Should be around 177 lbs then.

Goal is to be at or below 165 lbs by June. Hoping I have added and can retain a few lbs. of lean msss since June 2016. Also hoping to keep some of my strength gains through the process.

Plenty of photos in my Bodyspace and time line if anyone cares 😊

Looking Vascular Joe!

[BMX10]

Thanks Hooverville. Want that chest and ab vascularity at some point but probably don't have the discipline to get lean enough.

Question on how to make the most of my upcoming cut.

Have slowly increased my calories to 2,900 since June. Marcos are: 45% carbs, 30% fat, 25% protien. Hope to be near 3,000 calories by mid January. This has been a long and at times a painful process especially with carbs. Don't care for them and have even resorted to Karbolyn at times to stay on target. When I get to around 300 grams of whole food quality carbs I bloat like crazy and feel crappy. Like Plateaupower I feel fine at 100 carbs and get most of that from fruit and veggies. However I don't think I can add any quality mass while on low carbs.

When I start decreasing calories what percentage decrease (10, 15, 20%) should I initially start with? Should the decrease be equal amounts (percentage wise) of carbs and fat. Obviously I will keep the protien consistent or maybe even increase slightly so marcos with change.

I ran out of room last time around and had to spend far too long slowly adding in enough calories to get back to a surplus without letting the fat get completely out of hand. Would like to avoid recreating the same situation this time around.

[Hooverville]

I would leave that answer to someone who is more astute. I approach my initial transition more simply (avoiding percentages or counting really) I just drop portion size.

I.E. instead of 4 eggs I eat three.
I start buying 2% milk instead
of whole.
I go from a cup of oats in my morning proats I use 2/3 cup. Etc. Protien remains high all the time, fat is almost garunteed through fatty fish, steak and chicken and eggs.

Once I Shift water and weight loss stalls, then I count more aggresively and look at macros more closely.

I hold fast to flexible dieting for as long as humanly possible.

[MrNismo]

Sounds like fun! I'm at 195 now. This is the first time in my 8 years of lifting that I've been in the 190s and not had some kind of bad joint pain so I don't want to let up on the weight gain just yet. I'm sure by spring I'll be ready to drop a few pounds though after winter hibernation haha

[DieselBro]

I am 6'4" rockin about 262lbs.. from behind I look pretty lean, shoulders back developing nicely, from the front I am a mess, gut has shrunk down some but probably looking at another 25 or so pounds to look like I am in shape, then a mini bulk to look like I actually lift

[baker]

Thanks Hooverville. Want that chest and ab vascularity at some point but probably don't have the discipline to get lean enough.

Question on how to make the most of my upcoming cut.

Have slowly increased my calories to 2,900 since June. Marcos are: 45% carbs, 30% fat, 25% protien. Hope to be near 3,000 calories by mid January. This has been a long and at times a painful process especially with carbs. Don't care for them and have even resorted to Karbolyn at times to stay on target. When I get to around 300 grams of whole food quality carbs I bloat like crazy and feel crappy. Like Plateaupower I feel fine at 100 carbs and get most of that from fruit and veggies. However I don't think I can add any quality mass while on low carbs.

When I start decreasing calories what percentage decrease (10, 15, 20%) should I initially start with? Should the decrease be equal amounts (percentage wise) of carbs and fat. Obviously I will keep the protien consistent or maybe even increase slightly so marcos with change.

I ran out of room last time around and had to spend far too long slowly adding in enough calories to get back to a surplus without letting the fat get completely out of hand. Would like to avoid recreating the same situation this time around.

That sounds like it will work fine. I tend to cut my carbs first until I get to about 100 and then start cutting the fat. The fat helps me stay fuller longer, plus keeps hormones in check while in a deficit. Chest and ab veins sound like a good goal!

[Hooverville]

Managed to make it out of that weekend of excess only plus 1 lb.

Phew.

In other news, I'm deloading for the first time in over a year. :eye roll:

And I opened my first can of Tuna today, oh boy transitions! Still going about this slowly. Probably won't have any beer this week either. Have some college buddies in town on the 17th so I am sure there will be some high calorie food and Ale happening then.

[BMX10]

Thanks Baker and Hooverville for your thoughts. I am looking forward to the intial drop in calories but it will certainly start to suck at some point. Good luck everyone.

[Jbizzlechizzle]

Not sure if I'm in but this ought to be fun. I really should take a progress pic soon it's been quite a while. I've gained about 25 lbs this year and still can look relatively lean under the right conditions. I plan to get back to 185-190 for the summer. I currently sit at 5'8" 206 lbs.

[DieselBro]

I am 6'4" rockin about 262lbs.. from behind I look pretty lean, shoulders back developing nicely, from the front I am a mess, gut has shrunk down some but probably looking at another 25 or so pounds to look like I am in shape, then a mini bulk to look like I actually lift

Funny fact with this picture.. if I get my grip too narrow, I hit the top of the cage with the bar

[Jbizzlechizzle]

Not sure if I'm in but this ought to be fun. I really should take a progress pic soon it's been quite a while. I've gained about 25 lbs this year and still can look relatively lean under the right conditions. I plan to get back to 185-190 for the summer. I currently sit at 5'8" 206 lbs.

End of bulk pic all taken today. Relaxed vs flexed.

[T_J]

I'm in! I've always had trouble putting on size. In my avi I was about 155 and pretty low bf. I have made it up to 185 and would like to cut down to see if I can get the same leanness but at 175.
Have never done a cut so not sure how to approach it. When I got lean and ( ripped for me ) like in the avi it was P90x ( I know I will get flamed for that)
Any suggestions on cutting while do a 3 on 1 off PPL ?

[Hooverville]

I'm in! I've always had trouble putting on size. In my avi I was about 155 and pretty low bf. I have made it up to 185 and would like to cut down to see if I can get the same leanness but at 175.
Have never done a cut so not sure how to approach it. When I got lean and ( ripped for me ) like in the avi it was P90x ( I know I will get flamed for that)
Any suggestions on cutting while do a 3 on 1 off PPL ?

No flame for P90x. But you'll look better (bigger) after this cut garunteed. Just drop calories down -500 for a few weeks to start, maybe a month. Then determine if you need to reduce further.

[Plateauplower]

I'm in! I've always had trouble putting on size. In my avi I was about 155 and pretty low bf. I have made it up to 185 and would like to cut down to see if I can get the same leanness but at 175.
Have never done a cut so not sure how to approach it. When I got lean and ( ripped for me ) like in the avi it was P90x ( I know I will get flamed for that)
Any suggestions on cutting while do a 3 on 1 off PPL ?

Yes eat less but continue to train hard. Try not to lose ground on your lifts. Lift heavy if you need to reduce anything I have always thought it's better to reduce volume if necessary rather than intensity. Muscle is biologically expensive tissue, if you don't give your body a reason to preserve it through heavy weight training muscle loss is more likely to occur IMO.

[T_J]

No flame for P90x. But you'll look better (bigger) after this cut garunteed. Just drop calories down -500 for a few weeks to start, maybe a month. Then determine if you need to reduce further.

P90x is set up as a PPL but is a circuit. Heart rate stays jacked for an hour and I find it much more tolerable than cardio.
I may just replace 3 of my workouts with p90x and see what happens

[baker]

P90x is set up as a PPL but is a circuit. Heart rate stays jacked for an hour and I find it much more tolerable than cardio.
I may just replace 3 of my workouts with p90x and see what happens

See Tims post #44. If you want to keep as much of that muscle as possible, keep hitting it heavy man. Let your nutrition take the body fat down. If you must do cardio, do sprints.

[Hooverville]

See Tims post #44. If you want to keep as much of that muscle as possible, keep hitting it heavy man. Let your nutrition take the body fat down. If you must do cardio, do sprints.

You have given out too much reputation in the last 24 hours.

[DingleBerry]

Well, I guess I'll jump in and see how it goes. Based on what I've read so far in this thread, I'm the biggest walking mess. I've been...."bulking" for the better part of the last 16 years. I began going to the gym this past January because I wanted to build up my muscle before I moved in to "Phase II" which is trimming down. My biggest worry/fear is losing all this slop and having a bunch of loose skin.
At my highest I was 314. I've been hovering around 298 and have definitely increased strength during the past year. When I started I might have pushed 185 x 5 on the bench. Now I can get 245 x 8. I've been focusing on upper body to get rid of these man boobs and arm flab.

I'm 36, 6'1" and still around 298. My ultimate goal is to 210, but I'd like to drop to 250 by April. Posting a pic would require eye bleach for everyone, so I'll spare you guys.

I tend to do less reps with higher weight. Once every couple weeks I'll reduce weight and hit more reps. I don't have a set routine because the gym is crowded. Between the socializers and people cocking around with their phones it is impossible to stick to a routine and be out of there in under an hour.

[Hooverville]

Well, I guess I'll jump in and see how it goes. Based on what I've read so far in this thread, I'm the biggest walking mess. I've been...."bulking" for the better part of the last 16 years. I began going to the gym this past January because I wanted to build up my muscle before I moved in to "Phase II" which is trimming down. My biggest worry/fear is losing all this slop and having a bunch of loose skin.
At my highest I was 314. I've been hovering around 298 and have definitely increased strength during the past year. When I started I might have pushed 185 x 5 on the bench. Now I can get 245 x 8. I've been focusing on upper body to get rid of these man boobs and arm flab.

I'm 36, 6'1" and still around 298. My ultimate goal is to 210, but I'd like to drop to 250 by April. Posting a pic would require eye bleach for everyone, so I'll spare you guys.

I tend to do less reps with higher weight. Once every couple weeks I'll reduce weight and hit more reps. I don't have a set routine because the gym is crowded. Between the socializers and people cocking around with their phones it is impossible to stick to a routine and be out of there in under an hour.

Welcome! Let's get to work!

[T_J]

Yes eat less but continue to train hard. Try not to lose ground on your lifts. Lift heavy if you need to reduce anything I have always thought it's better to reduce volume if necessary rather than intensity. Muscle is biologically expensive tissue, if you don't give your body a reason to preserve it through heavy weight training muscle loss is more likely to occur IMO.

I hear what you are saying and appreciate the advice

[T_J]

No flame for P90x. But you'll look better (bigger) after this cut garunteed. Just drop calories down -500 for a few weeks to start, maybe a month. Then determine if you need to reduce further.

I will play around with it. I admire you guys who can pack on the size but if my body is giving a say its more apt to be cut that grow. Pic below is from the last round of P90X I did about 4 years ago

[highiso]

Hope everyone here is well. Been slacking with my training over the past year or so, mostly doing hi-rep hypertrophy. Until just the other day it had been two years since I've even deadlifted. Need to get my passion back instead of going thru the motions.

Up 13 lbs. in 15 weeks, just trying to make it thru another holiday without surpassing 200 lbs. meh...

[DND1999]

I'm in.

Goal: Get down to 165 lbs. and 15% body fat. Plan on cutting on 1650 calories.

Height: 5'7"
Weight: 183
Body fat: 24

[dpadilla4]

I'm in as well. Goal is 190 by spring break (15 March) and I'm at 206. I've been bulking healthy since August 16 and will begin my cut 7 Jan.

Height 72 inch
Weight: 206 but want to be at 210 by 9 Jan
Goal: 190 by 15 March

[blue9steel]

Count me in. Ended a long series of cutting and started bulking 6/6/2016, switched to stabilizing for the holiday season starting 9/19/2016 though it's ended up more like a slower bulk. I think I'll be up about 10lbs in a little over six months by the time I'm done so not too bad. Definitely increased strength and muscle mass. Continuing with mostly damage control until Jan 9th when I start my next cutting cycle. I plan to do two nine week cuts separated by a three week refeed, target rate is 1lb/week though realistically I'm hoping for about 15lbs lost total. Calorie targets will be 2100 on weekdays and 2500 on weekends. I'll post my post holiday pics and stats on Jan 8th when I finish the current cycle.

[Tooriski]

I'm in. Sitting at 187 lbs right now, plan is to loose 20 pounds and be in the 160s. Will post pics over the weekend when I get a chance. This will fun to do and see all the results in June.

[lrfiv]

OK, I'm in. I'm down from 300+ lbs, at 275 now, plus or minus, at 5'9". I only weigh weekly now, as the daily variations were driving me insane. I don't have a shirtless pic - as if! If such an image existed, I would hunt every copy down and extirpate them. There are no secrets, you all know what's under that shirt. FWIW I estimate 40% or so BF.

I love the myfitnesspal app, the diet portion, at least. That and a kitchen scale ($10 amazon) are keeping me on the straight and narrow. Well, I'm making great progress in the gym, too - it really helps the motivation to see that immediate feedback. Losing weight sustainably is so gradual, it's helped to focus on performance; the weight loss is just happening. I'm a mess, but not for long! A motivational thread is just what I need.

I might add, a lot of the "before" shots posted here are my goal for my "after" shots!

[blue9steel]

I only weigh weekly now, as the daily variations were driving me insane.

If your current method is working for you, great keep doing it! Just FYI though, the solution to that problem is a moving average.

[baker]

Hope everyone here is well. Been slacking with my training over the past year or so, mostly doing hi-rep hypertrophy. Until just the other day it had been two years since I've even deadlifted. Need to get my passion back instead of going thru the motions.

Up 13 lbs. in 15 weeks, just trying to make it thru another holiday without surpassing 200 lbs. meh...

Gary man, you're one of the few that seems to have successfully reset your "set point" for bodyfat. Are you tracking pretty close on your surplus, how are you managing to stay that lean during a bulk? Tell me your secret!! It's just us talking buddy I swear.

[baker]

If your current method is working for you, great keep doing it! Just FYI though, the solution to that problem is a moving average.

I agree, the higher the bodyfat the higher the fluctuation can be. I take my weight and naval measurement daily (during a cut) and use the average to see if I'm making progress.