Advice for a cut

[Jn330]

Right off the bat, I'm trying to establish my maintenance for calories.

If I go the TDEE/BMR route, I'm at 2185cals

If I go .15xbodyweight, I'm at 3075

Obviously that's quite a big difference. Without going into crazy detail, what methods are you guys using to calculate this? I'm an endo and can put weight on fast, losing it has been something I've dealt with for years (failed diets, decided to bulk...yeah, dumb...).

For the last week, I've went with the TDEE route, doing a 40/40/20 split and adding cardio in 3 times that week. For reference, I'm still lifting heavy. squats/deads/bench/overheads are all being taken to my maxes. Cardio has been hiit inspired, 40 secs fast as I can, 1:00 or less walk and repeat for 10 rounds or highest treadmill incline at 3.5-4mph with a 40 lb vest on.

I did notice a TINY difference, but who's to say it wasn't me adjusting to changes from before?

Any help here would be awesome! Thanks guys!

Side note: I am taking slin max to help curb the effect of carb/insulin.

 

[JDybya]

What were your calories and macros like before this cut? What's your bf level like, how much are you looking to lose? Time frame? Long term goals?

So many questions!?!?! ...sorry

I'm likely opposite from lots of folks here. I like to start a cut hard...drop as much fat and carbs as I can comfortably, while maintaining my protein requirements and still keeping healthy fats relatively moderate. Usually looks like a weekly average of around 1900 cal. My maintenance is about 2800-3000 depending on my training phase. A big loss at the beginning either motivates me to keep going or let's me increase a little to get energy up.

But the only accurate way I know to figure out maintenance is to track calories, macros, my weight and waist...slowly adjust and experiment.

 

[Jn330]

What were your calories and macros like before this cut? What's your bf level like, how much are you looking to lose? Time frame? Long term goals?

So many questions!?!?! ...sorry

I'm likely opposite from lots of folks here. I like to start a cut hard...drop as much fat and carbs as I can comfortably, while maintaining my protein requirements and still keeping healthy fats relatively moderate. Usually looks like a weekly average of around 1900 cal. My maintenance is about 2800

Last time I had it measured, body fat was 22%. I haven't done much in the form of cutting, so I'd say that level is still consistent but my weight has gone up as well as all my lifts. I'm assuming that is a huge positive considering my pants still fit haha. weight is 204 depending on timing obviously, but that's what I'm using for calcs. I'm looking to lose 15 lbs at most. I liked how I looked at 185-190. Macros before hand were 24-600 cals, 30p/20f/50c. I was lifting 6 days a week splitting weights with Olympic lifts (not crossift, Olympic lift training). My only cardio came in the form of drop or supersets on accessory work or throwing dips/pushups in between sets of bench.

Time frame wasn't really a concern, it's more of learning a good way to manipulate my eating to work for me. I would love to have some success by summer, but I'm not keeping my fingers crossed.

Long term goals are to shrink the waist and lose the love handles, and generally have more definition. Your avatar would be a good goal to have, but I'm worried that's setting my sights too high from where I'm currently at. I want my strength to be consistent during the cut, and I'm not afraid to put in the extra work to keep weight on the bar.

Not sure if I'm up for a hard cut, consistency is more appealing to me.

 

[hvactech]

what are your stats? are you about 205lbs?

 

[Jn330]

what are your stats? are you about 205lbs?

Yeah 205, what stats you looking for?

 

[AntM1564]

To calculate your personal maintenance caloric intake, I would do the following. Use a calculator and go off whatever they suggest to maintain your weight and check your weight in a week or two. If you gain, then you will know you need to restrict more calories. These calculators are just estimates; there are too many variables. It is a trial and error method you need to conduct

 

[JDybya]

And if you're not in a rush, looking for a sustainable long term approach...just start with one of the higher estimates.

There's a good sticky here somewhere...and I like "scooby's calorie calculator", which lets you play around with a lot of variables and different formulas.

Consistency and patience are key.

 

[hvactech]

Yeah 205, what stats you looking for?

Age and height

 

[Jn330]

Age and height

29 and 5'10"

 

[LeanEngineer]

Have you tried some online resources to help calculate your macros? They do height, weight, age,body type and activity level and then give you some ranges to hit for proteins, carbs and fats. It's pretty nice. Then I would suggest getting like my fitness pal or an app like that to help you keep track .

 

[hvactech]

Right off the bat, I'm trying to establish my maintenance for calories.

If I go the TDEE/BMR route, I'm at 2185cals

If I go .15xbodyweight, I'm at 3075

Obviously that's quite a big difference. Without going into crazy detail, what methods are you guys using to calculate this? I'm an endo and can put weight on fast, losing it has been something I've dealt with for years (failed diets, decided to bulk...yeah, dumb...).

For the last week, I've went with the TDEE route, doing a 40/40/20 split and adding cardio in 3 times that week. For reference, I'm still lifting heavy. squats/deads/bench/overheads are all being taken to my maxes. Cardio has been hiit inspired, 40 secs fast as I can, 1:00 or less walk and repeat for 10 rounds or highest treadmill incline at 3.5-4mph with a 40 lb vest on.

I did notice a TINY difference, but who's to say it wasn't me adjusting to changes from before?

Any help here would be awesome! Thanks guys!

Side note: I am taking slin max to help curb the effect of carb/insulin.

Your 2100 figure is not your TDEE, the 3000 figure is more realistic, you need to take 500 cals away from the 3000 and start around 2600 cals which puts you in a rough 500 cal deficit.. The 2100 figure is your bmr but doesn't consider your activity level..I calculated your tdee to be roughly 3100 cals

 

[Jn330]

Guys thank you so much! I use myfitnesspal everyday, which is great advice anyway because it helps ALOT!

Ok, so in this scenario dropping down 500cals and take a number like 2550cals. Do I even bother calculating Cals burned during lifting/cardio and eat those back or do I just eat to my limit and pay no mind to calories burned? There was just so much grey area that I needed some more advice.

 

[hvactech]

Just try and stay around 2550 cals.. Don't track anything else, just adds to the obsession and un needed stress.. Your activity level is already factored

 

[JDybya]

Opinions will differ, but personally I don't think it's necessary to calculate calories burned. If exercise stays consistent, it works itself out. No need to complicate things further.

 

[Jn330]

Hvac and jd, thanks! That's what I was hoping you'd say haha

 

[mrgoomba]

To calculate your personal maintenance caloric intake, I would do the following. Use a calculator and go off whatever they suggest to maintain your weight and check your weight in a week or two. If you gain, then you will know you need to restrict more calories. These calculators are just estimates; there are too many variables. It is a trial and error method you need to conduct

I agree with this. When I bulk I aim for maintenance and keep going till I hit it (yay for getting it the 1st week). Same goes for a cut. I typically will drop 500 calories from my bulk and this SHOULD hit my maintenance. From here, I like to drop another 300 calories (of course, depends on how aggressive you want to go). I will often sit at maintenance for 2 weeks because i will drop a few pounds (water). Online calculators are a good way to ballpark and are usually pretty close, but the only way to be exact is to count your calories and watch the scale.

As far as macros, I try to not overthink things. Im sure carb cycling and such works great, but I find being consistent and keeping things simple is more effective for ME in the long term and staying on track. I always go .7g of fat per pound of body weight, 1.2g of protein per pound of body weight, and then fill in the rest with carbs.

Basically a bulk for me (at 205lb and a 3200 maintenance) is 3700 calories with the following breakdown.

Protein = 246g (984 calories)
Fat = 144g (1292 calories)
Carbs = 356g (1,424 calories)

and a cut ( lets say 2,900 calories, or a 300 calorie deficit)

Protein = 246g (984 calories)
Fat = 144g (1292 calories)
Carbs = 156g (624 calories)

Im also pretty boring, so I eat the exact same thing everyday (I do this for simplicity, especially due to work. I just make all my meals on sunday and put into containers and grab on the go).

Everyone is different, but this is my go to.

 

[Jn330]

I agree with this. When I bulk I aim for maintenance and keep going till I hit it (yay for getting it the 1st week). Same goes for a cut. I typically will drop 500 calories from my bulk and this SHOULD hit my maintenance. From here, I like to drop another 300 calories (of course, depends on how aggressive you want to go). I will often sit at maintenance for 2 weeks because i will drop a few pounds (water). Online calculators are a good way to ballpark and are usually pretty close, but the only way to be exact is to count your calories and watch the scale.

As far as macros, I try to not overthink things. Im sure carb cycling and such works great, but I find being consistent and keeping things simple is more effective for ME in the long term and staying on track. I always go .7g of fat per pound of body weight, 1.2g of protein per pound of body weight, and then fill in the rest with carbs.

Basically a bulk for me (at 205lb and a 3200 maintenance) is 3700 calories with the following breakdown.

Protein = 246g (984 calories)
Fat = 144g (1292 calories)
Carbs = 356g (1,424 calories)

and a cut ( lets say 2,900 calories, or a 300 calorie deficit)

Protein = 246g (984 calories)
Fat = 144g (1292 calories)
Carbs = 156g (624 calories)

Im also pretty boring, so I eat the exact same thing everyday (I do this for simplicity, especially due to work. I just make all my meals on sunday and put into containers and grab on the go).

Everyone is different, but this is my go to.

All good advice! I can get behind the simplicity of how you do it, I'm not cycling carbs or anything nuts. Really the only thing short of eating different, is taking slin max for carb control.

 

[mrgoomba]

All good advice! I can get behind the simplicity of how you do it, I'm not cycling carbs or anything nuts. Really the only thing short of eating different, is taking slin max for carb control.

Sounds good. Yeah its all about finding what works best for you

 

[Jn330]

Sounds good. Yeah its all about finding what works best for you

I'm trying. I was always worried I wasn't eating enough and was always under the assumption that not enough would stall everything. That's when I bumped up cals and noticed awesome gains, just no fat loss haha

 

[mrgoomba]

I'm trying. I was always worried I wasn't eating enough and was always under the assumption that not enough would stall everything. That's when I bumped up cals and noticed awesome gains, just no fat loss haha

Yeah will upping calories over maintenance will always (unless you are on anabolics or still experiencing noob gains) will always result in gains + fat. Its just inevitable that if you increase your cals over your daily limit that part of that will be fat.

In a deficit, you will be losing weight, some of which fat and probably some muscle. The goal is to find that sweet spot where you are maintaining the most muscle as possible while still dropping fat.

You also want to make heavy strength training a priority (more so than hypertrophy) in my opinion a priority when cutting to maintain strength and muscle.

 

[Jn330]

Yeah will upping calories over maintenance will always (unless you are on anabolics or still experiencing noob gains) will always result in gains + fat. Its just inevitable that if you increase your cals over your daily limit that part of that will be fat.

In a deficit, you will be losing weight, some of which fat and probably some muscle. The goal is to find that sweet spot where you are maintaining the most muscle as possible while still dropping fat.

You also want to make heavy strength training a priority (more so than hypertrophy) in my opinion a priority when cutting to maintain strength and muscle.

Very true! While I'm finding this sweet spot, I'm paying close attention to my logs and seeing if my rep ranges start changing more than 5-10%. So far, I've maintained consistent rep ranges, albeit I am taking pa and xgels (technically xfactor since xgels was sold out). Don't want to assume that's what is keeping everything there during a deficit, but hypertrophy is taking a back seat, where just general leaning out is the goal. I wouldn't complain about abs, but I'd rather just lean out a bit and see where that takes me. I think the endo issue might make abs a short lived goal, if I ever got there in the first place. I'm doing this for myself, and have no motivation from sports or competition. Although I'd love to compete with oly lifts.

 

[Jn330]

Update: I've lost roughly 2-4lbs. My starting weight was a little shaky, so I roundabout used 205, but it was probably more like 207 which was my last dr appt weight (in February).

I was real strict, 2500 Cals the first 2 weeks, then last week went to 2400 to see how that felt.

Surprisingly, I am maintaining my current 5x5 with little to no loss of strength. This I am happy about, and I can actually "feel" the lbs I lost.

I'm keeping cardio at 3 hiit sessions/wk. I've been switching from run/walks to rows/kb swings and heavy sled push-pulls/snatch grip rdl's. Even if I'm not losing weight, I feel a hell of a lot better and liking the new variety in my boring, but tough daily routine

So, thanks again guys for the help and good starting points. All your advice was well received

 

[JDybya]

Good work brother! Keep on keepin' on!

 

[Jn330]

Appreciate it bro!