4 weeks left on my cut, looking for advice.

[JayGrxxn]

I am currently ~185lbs 12% bf at 6ft tall and am 22 years old. I am looking to get around 10% body fat and might consider going to 8%. But first comes first. I have about 4 weeks left in my cut and am wondering what my next step should be.

I currently eat 2100 calories a day, workout 5 days a week, and do 10 minutes of biking after my workouts. The biking is pretty high intensity since I'm used to doing sprints after my workouts. I planned to decrease my calories after next week to 2000 calories, then drop to 1900 on my final week which is two weeks after decreasing to 2000.

Here's the thing. My estimated BMR is 1980 and I've read mixed responses on whether I should eat below it or not. So, I figured I would either add another workout day, or decrease calories. I planned to add the 10 minutes of biking a couple weeks after adding the workout day since it burns 130 calories.

Sorry for the long post, what do you guys think I should do? So far everything is working, it's just I'm always hungry and don't really want to eat less, but my fat loss is progressing nicely.

[JackMan017]

I am currently ~185lbs 12% bf at 6ft tall and am 22 years old. I am looking to get around 10% body fat and might consider going to 8%. But first comes first. I have about 4 weeks left in my cut and am wondering what my next step should be.

I currently eat 2100 calories a day, workout 5 days a week, and do 10 minutes of biking after my workouts. The biking is pretty high intensity since I'm used to doing sprints after my workouts. I planned to decrease my calories after next week to 2000 calories, then drop to 1900 on my final week which is two weeks after decreasing to 2000.

Here's the thing. My estimated BMR is 1980 and I've read mixed responses on whether I should eat below it or not. So, I figured I would either add another workout day, or decrease calories. I planned to add the 10 minutes of biking a couple weeks after adding the workout day since it burns 130 calories.

Sorry for the long post, what do you guys think I should do? So far everything is working, it's just I'm always hungry and don't really want to eat less, but my fat loss is progressing nicely.

Is your profile pic current? You look about 16/17% there.
Just keep losing fat and stop when you're happy w the way you look.

[JayGrxxn]

Is your profile pic current? You look about 16/17% there.
Just keep losing fat and stop when you're happy w the way you look.

That picture was posted in January. It's obviously not my current shape. I'm not asking when I should stop cutting, but thank you for commenting.

[xsquid99]

Generally eating below your BMR is not technically recommended, but nor is it usually necessary either. Besides that there is no calculator that will give you an accurate BMR.

You really only need to drop 100 calories for about every 10 lbs you lose. I can't really see you needing (or wanting) to go below 175 lbs at your height, that should have you pretty lean. So its likely not going to be necessary for you to drop below 2000 calories.

Also, single digit bodyfat is generally not sustainable for any length of time, so unless you're stepping on a stage for a contest I really can't see the need for you to go that low, you're just going to be miserable.

[JayGrxxn]

Generally eating below your BMR is not technically recommended, but nor is it usually necessary either. Besides that there is no calculator that will give you an accurate BMR.

You really only need to drop 100 calories for about every 10 lbs you lose. I can't really see you needing (or wanting) to go below 175 lbs at your height, that should have you pretty lean. So its likely not going to be necessary for you to drop below 2000 calories.

Also, single digit bodyfat is generally not sustainable for any length of time, so unless you're stepping on a stage for a contest I really can't see the need for you to go that low, you're just going to be miserable.

Thank you for the insight. I am going to 10 percent for sure, but I thought about going to 8 if I didn't like how I looked. I would then have a larger gap to bulk with because I didn't want to go too far past 12 body fat. If I end up adding an extra workout day, should I eat a little more, or just add it to the deficit?

[xsquid99]

Thank you for the insight. I am going to 10 percent for sure, but I thought about going to 8 if I didn't like how I looked. I would then have a larger gap to bulk with because I didn't want to go too far past 12 body fat. If I end up adding an extra workout day, should I eat a little more, or just add it to the deficit?

Here's the thing about going ultra lean (8%), your body will be starving to replenish its fat stores going that low so most of the initial weight you put back on during your bulk will be fat/water/glycogen and not muscle. So I don't really think that having more "gap" to bulk is really going to give you the advantage you think it will.

Don't eat back your workout time, just treat is as a bonus towards your weekly deficit.

[JayGrxxn]

Is it normal to feel weak? I feel slow, less energy, libido is down, always hungry. Lifts in the gym are going down. This makes me want to end my cut sooner. A month feels like a year at this point. I have a feeling it's due to keto and I've been on this diet for about three weeks now. Carbs are under 25g so I can keep fats and protein high. Protein is generally 220g and fats are about 120g daily.

[JayGrxxn]

I'm just going to carb cycle and add another workout day and see how that goes. 3~4 weeks left. I'm tired of feeling like crap on keto.

[xsquid99]

Why do either, just do what Underdog and Vandeman suggested in your other thread and start eating a normal calorie deficit of about 160g protein, 75g of fat, and 195g of carbs everyday.

[Tommy W.]

I'm just going to carb cycle and add another workout day and see how that goes. 3~4 weeks left. I'm tired of feeling like crap on keto.

Carb cycling and KETO are both waste of energy and do nothing to assist fatloss any more than a traditional carb inclusive diet. As far as going below BMR it's fine, that's what stored fat is for. If you're reasonably active you shouldn't need to go that low however with improper counting and tracking of calories someone my THINK they're below BMR when in reality they aren't

[illpinoise]

Stop being a crab and carb up!!

[Lindastanley]

I know cutting fat is necessary but try to balance so that you can be fit and well.