When should I start cutting

[shawn57187]

Here's some background:
My girlfriend of a couple years left for exchange student studies in the UK last fall and will be returning late this upcoming september. While we keep in regular contact and she knows I was going to the gym, she doesn't know I've gained almost 40lbs of weight since we've last seen each other. Noob gains have been good to me (aside from gaining a couple stretchmarks). I think I gained so much mass because my dad/uncles are naturally well built and I am a art student that has always under ate and been inactive. Anyways, while I would like to keep bulking, I would like even more to surprise my girlfriend on her return by being cut up. I can always start bulking again after she comes back.

My stats are:
Height: 6ft
Weight: 195-200lbs
Biceps: 15.75"
Legs: 24.5"
Calves: 16.5"
Chest: ~46"
BF%: ~12%
Waist: 33"

My questions are:
-When should I stop bulking and begin cutting in order to reach 8% BF? I figured around two months out from her arrival, but I'm not sure if that will be enough time?

-How much muscle/size can I expect to lose while cutting? After seeing some old pictures of me, I really fear becoming skinny again.

-I've been doing lots of reading on the ketogenic diet. Has anyone used this diet before? What results did you get from it?

-How should I adjust my typical 4 day split for a cutting cycle?

-Should I keep lifting until my current work weights become easy before starting my cutting diet so as to not incur so much muscle damage while cutting?

Thanks!

Shawn

[nickdawg]

From my experience 8 weeks is a standard cutting phase. The major step in a decent cutting routine is: cardio, diet, training. you want to try to lose about a pound a week, any more than that and you risk losing muscle. In 8 weeks i was able to reduce my body fat by 4%. So when you are ready to start cutting, do cardio 4 or more times a week, stay on a good routine and lift hard (you want to keep that muscle you worked for). Start out by slowly reducing your calorie intake and adjust it so you are losing about a pound a week. Eat 6 solid meals, high protein, complex carbs, good fats. Get on some supps, a multi, fish oil, and whey protein are pretty standard. Some use creatine to keep their strength up. allow yourslef a cheat meal every once in a while, but follow it with cardio the next morning. If your 12% BF now and lose about 4% in 8 weeks that would put you around 8% which is very nice and lean. YOu should have very visible abs and a cut up look. Hope that helps. Best of luck to you!