Cutting Diet

[jpower9]

I'm curious as to whether I am on the right track. I'm 5'10" and currently 200 LBS with about 14% body fat. I just started my cutting cycle for summer. I'm really good at gaining lean weight but not good at shedding fat and maintaining muscle.

I am doing circuit style resistance training to keep my heart rate up during my lifting time, and also doing 30 minutes of cardio 4X a week with an average heart rate of 160.

I am eating the following:
6:30 AM - 3 servings oatmeal, protein shake w/50 grams protein
9:30 AM - 8 oz chicken breast, 8 oz sweet potato w/tbsp honey, protein shake w/ 50 grams protein
12:00 PM - 8 oz chicken breast, steamed vegetables
3:30 PM - 8 oz chicken breast, 8 oz sweet potato w/tbsp honey, protein shake w/ 50 grams protein
7:00 PM - 8 oz chicken breast, 8 oz sweet potato w/tbsp honey, protein shake w/ 50 grams protein (I workout at 5:30 - 7:00)
9:30 PM - protein shake 25 grams

I am also supplementing omega 3 and 6, as well as flax seed oil all day long.

I'm down 3 lbs in 9 days but my measurements are all the same. Is my cutting diet on track? What should I be doing differently?

 

[0-hero]

Whats total kcals and PCF ratio breakdown of that mate?

More specifics needs on Omega/fat amounts also.

And to be clear, the diet you posted is standard, and you dont deviate it from it atall through the week?

 

[lennoxchi]

doing high intensity cardio will burn carbs, doing low intensity will burn more fat. if you want to lose fat, i suggest doing fasted cardio in the morning, low intensity.....incline walks work well.....just make sure your on there for at least a 1/2 hour to an hour

 

[lennoxchi]

also, what is your age and are you active outside the gym, at work?

 

[jpower9]

These are my totals for yesterday:
Calls Fat Cholest Sodium Carbs Sugars Fiber Protein
2,663 52g 669mg 1,944mg 178g 56g 29g 389g

Carbs 26.02% Fat 17.11% Protein 56.87%

I deviated only one time since I've started. I had 2 sips of a Coca-Cola on Sunday. That is it. Does this help?

 

[jpower9]

I am 29 and have an office job. I am only able to workout after work because I go in to the office early everyday.

 

[lennoxchi]

I am 29 and have an office job. I am only able to workout after work because I go in to the office early everyday.

alright so your maintenance calories are around 2800-3000 daily. so if you want to lose weight i suggest you add up what your currently eating and see how much you need to eliminate form there......just make sure you do not deduct to many at one time, do it slowly. 300 for 2 weeks and 100 every week there after till you get about 200 below 2800-3000......then go from there. make sense?

 

[jpower9]

It does make sense. Should I be eating more fatty foods? Are my carbs in check? Also, I'm trying to keep as much muscle as possible.

 

[lennoxchi]

It does make sense. Should I be eating more fatty foods? Are my carbs in check? Also, I'm trying to keep as much muscle as possible.

personally i would keep 50% of my intake protein, 30% carbs and the 20% fat. these all need to come from good clean carbs and fat. carbs low in the GI index like wheat, vegi's, fruit ( certain types) google GI index and find the lower GI rated foods. also the fats can come from lean meat, nuts (natty PB, almonds) and also fish oil and flax oil to name a few.

 

[lennoxchi]

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/nutrition-health/42713-what-gi-list.html this will help

 

[wearedbleedblue]

Drop the honey, add in some quinoa and lower the oatmeal and you have pretty much exactly what I'm eating. My kcals come out to 2450ish.

 

[jpower9]

Sounds good. I appreciate all of you're guys help. I'm gonna get cut this summer!

 

[lennoxchi]

just remember, it takes time if you do it right. do not rush, it will cause your metabolism to crash and will be counter-productive.........slow and steady wins the race.

 

[jpower9]

So I'm a little more than 2 weeks in now and just had my measurements done at the gym to determine my body fat % since my last check. On 2/5 my body fat % was 13.77. On Monday of this week my body fat % is 14.5%. I'm down a total of 6 lbs. I'm concerned about my body fat going up. Is it normal with a diet change for body fat to go up? I'm really good at building mass and horrible at cutting but I am damn determined to be cut solidy this summer. Thoughts???

 

[lennoxchi]

So I'm a little more than 2 weeks in now and just had my measurements done at the gym to determine my body fat % since my last check. On 2/5 my body fat % was 13.77. On Monday of this week my body fat % is 14.5%. I'm down a total of 6 lbs. I'm concerned about my body fat going up. Is it normal with a diet change for body fat to go up? I'm really good at building mass and horrible at cutting but I am damn determined to be cut solidy this summer. Thoughts???

were the tests done around the same time? not time of day exactly, but done before workout? there are some things to consider when getting those BF tests done, things that can effect the reading. its just like weighing yourself, it should be done at the same time everyday, the best time is in the morning after you go to the bathroom. have you been doing low impact cardio? if so how much and when, you may need to bump it up a bit. i would not worry about the reading much......how do you look? 2 weeks in is not a lot of time to tell, i know, and the eyes can play tricks on you. has the diet been cheated on more than once a week? and i mean one meal a week not one day a week

 

[0-hero]

Sounds odd to me, in a 2 week time frame dropping 6lbs but gaining 1%+ BF.

Ideally take readings first thing in the AM and from the exact same places as last time.

Do you use the 3 point measuring system to take the reading?

If your diet is cleaner than 2 weeks ago and your cardio is increased all i can tell you is you havent gained fat.

 

[jpower9]

I haven't cheated my diet more than once in 2 weeks. I have had one cheat meal since I started, sloppy joes with lean beef. The measurement was a 3 point measurement and the measurement was done at the same time 5:30, as the last however it was a different day. I feel like I have shed some fat however my mind could just be playing tricks on me.

 

[lennoxchi]

I haven't cheated my diet more than once in 2 weeks. I have had one cheat meal since I started, sloppy joes with lean beef. The measurement was a 3 point measurement and the measurement was done at the same time 5:30, as the last however it was a different day. I feel like I have shed some fat however my mind could just be playing tricks on me.

lets wiat one more week. good going on the cheat meal, it's not a easy sometimes as people think, especially when you have a sweet tooth like me....i quit smoking and drinking and got cursed with this sweet tooth thing...

 

[jpower9]

Ok, so my diet hasn't changed. I had my body fat measured again. I'm down to 12.9% which I believe is a step in the right directin. Should I be dropping fat faster?

 

[lennoxchi]

Ok, so my diet hasn't changed. I had my body fat measured again. I'm down to 12.9% which I believe is a step in the right directin. Should I be dropping fat faster?

you s/b dropping at about a lb a week or so.