Should i increase my calories while cutting?

[josephm97f]

Hello guys.

I need your advice on something i've been worrying about for a month now.

I haven't been to the gym for a year before the 1/4/2021 (which is the date is started hitting the gym again)

The thing is that i gained lots of fat during the one year break due to lots of junk food (i regret it)

I started with 2500 calories a day but i wanted to lose fat asap and and went down to 2000 calories a day really fast, the problem is that i didn't gain any strength before going down to 2000 calories a day and now i can barely bench 135lbs and im rrally afraid to go less than 2000 calories.

My question is, should i start at 2500 again and lower the calories slowly depending on my weight or should i just keep eating 2000 calories a day and go down after a plateau?

Here is a photo of my first ans only cut (i know it's no big deal but i didn't know how to cut properly)

I'm 166cm and 91 kg now

In the photo i was 69 kg

[xsquid99]

You looked like that and you can only bench 135 lbs? You trolling dude?

[Tommy W.]

You’re 40 lbs heavier now than in the pic so you need to get aggressive with losing fat. If you laid off the gym for awhile your lifts will go way down but they come back up fairly quickly so I’d cut on as few weekly calories that you can handle for awhile while getting in sufficient nutrients.your lifts will come back up somewhat due to your CNS re adapting.

[josephm97f]

You looked like that and you can only bench 135 lbs? You trolling dude?

That was two years ago dude, corona virus destroyed me, i spent a lot of time and money on junk food and sweets for months amd months without training, also my cut was pretty messed up, spent a year cutting to look like the pic (which is not really impressive imo) so i lost a lot of power with my last cut.

It's i just wanna cut down all the fat and clean bulk again to regain my strength

[josephm97f]

You’re 40 lbs heavier now than in the pic so you need to get aggressive with losing fat. If you laid off the gym for awhile your lifts will go way down but they come back up fairly quickly so I’d cut on as few weekly calories that you can handle for awhile while getting in sufficient nutrients.your lifts will come back up somewhat due to your CNS re adapting.

Thanks dude, i really hope i can get my strength back so i can preserve whatever left of my muscles

Haven't eaten a cheatmeal for a month now, i'm really determined about my goal right now.

Gonna keep the the 2000 calories then. And see what happens next

[Tommy W.]

Thanks dude, i really hope i can get my strength back so i can preserve whatever left of my muscles

Haven't eaten a cheatmeal for a month now, i'm really determined about my goal right now.

Gonna keep the the 2000 calories then. And see what happens next

depending on your lifestyle you may need to go lower than that to move through this a bit quicker

[josephm97f]

depending on your lifestyle you may need to go lower than that to move through this a bit quicker

I
I think i'll add cardio and stay at 2000 or maybe a 2200 cals a day.

I didn't have time for cardio but i'll do in a few days and add it to my routine.

[Tommy W.]

I
I think i'll add cardio and stay at 2000 or maybe a 2200 cals a day.

I didn't have time for cardio but i'll do in a few days and add it to my routine.

That's fine on the cardio. I wouldn't go to 2,200 though

[ClaudeSpeed22]

I wouldn´t lower the calories so aggressively. You´ll have skin problems if you loose your weight so fast.

By the way, great physique on that photo you shared.

[josephm97f]

That's fine on the cardio. I wouldn't go to 2,200 though

Gonna stick with the 2000 then and i'll up it if i noticed a huge weight loss

[josephm97f]

I wouldn´t lower the calories so aggressively. You´ll have skin problems if you loose your weight so fast.

By the way, great physique on that photo you shared.

Yup, that's one of my fears, gonna stick with 2000 with cardio for a while, i have lost 4kg in a month so far and i'll lower it to 1900 if i hit a plateau or up it if i noticed huge weight loss every week

Thanks man!! Appreciate the compliment.

[sunsean]

Loose skin only happens with large weight fluctuations, like losing 100lb. At least that's been my experience. My weight has gone up/down 40lb over the last several years and I have no loose skin after cutting down.

[Tommy W.]

Yup, that's one of my fears, gonna stick with 2000 with cardio for a while, i have lost 4kg in a month so far and i'll lower it to 1900 if i hit a plateau or up it if i noticed huge weight loss every week

Thanks man!! Appreciate the compliment.

I wouldn't worry about loose skin in your situation