Cutting calories

shanethomas

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I am 5'6 and 165 pounds and approximately 11-12 percent body fat. I track my calories and macros and am currently eating 1800 calories to cut. I lift 5-6 days a week and go on a three mile walk twice a week. My job is very sedentary so I don't move much at work. Is it normal to have to eat so little calories for someone my size? I'm at a sticking point and I can't imagine eating only 1600 calories per day. Maybe that's just what I have to do? Or is my metabolism really slow?
 
habajaba

habajaba

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I am 5'6 and 165 pounds and approximately 11-12 percent body fat. I track my calories and macros and am currently eating 1800 calories to cut. I lift 5-6 days a week and go on a three mile walk twice a week. My job is very sedentary so I don't move much at work. Is it normal to have to eat so little calories for someone my size? I'm at a sticking point and I can't imagine eating only 1600 calories per day. Maybe that's just what I have to do? Or is my metabolism really slow?
I'm 6'2" 210 and dropped to 1200-1400 for my cut. Sedentary as well. Lift and cardio alternating, 6 days a week. You might try dropping them just to see. Everyone's body reacts differently.
 

shanethomas

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Wow so it's not uncommon to have to cut calories really low to keep losing fat. All these damn youtubers claim they cut on 2500 calories and I get frustrated having to keep mine so low to see any progress.
 
habajaba

habajaba

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Wow so it's not uncommon to have to cut calories really low to keep losing fat. All these damn youtubers claim they cut on 2500 calories and I get frustrated having to keep mine so low to see any progress.
I hear that man! Never been that way for me. I think it's a mix of natural metabolism, activity level, and just how your individual body responds. I have friends that drop fat so easily. But I have to grind out every stinkin' pound. Last month, I picked up a bottle of Shred and dropped 4# a week for the first 2 weeks. That's the only other effective approach I've found.
 
justhere4comm

justhere4comm

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I'm incorporating Super sets as well drop sets to include cardio in my routine.

Two birds on a cut but occasionally. I like to go heavier with fewer reps with more rest as well.

Depends on density of muscle group.

As suggested drop gradually your calories. Too drastic could have adverse effect. Conversion and storage.

Are you pre exhausting at times? When you eat what you eat matters.

I work out early. Fasted cardio then into the day. Breakfast to lunch. Bigger portions sooner to smaller later and a night refeed for those 7-8 hours of sleep.

Rest days are fewer calories but high quality. I incorporate a product like Vitargo with my pre. And supps.

No simple short chain carbs.

Give yourself a nice treat 1 or two times a month. Psychological push.

Drink heavily. Lol. Water!!
Remember the benefits of omega 3-6-9 and CLA.

Carnitine is a staple. Check it.

I love sardines on quinoa crackers. It's a treat for me at least once per week.

Your BF is lower than mine and It will be harder for you to drop than me so yes.

Look at Exotherm and Incinderine as well from Black Lion Research. I will be incorporating a those two along with Invictus and some others to hit my goal over 6 weeks dropping down from 15% BF.

Good luck.
I will check back for new info from other learned colleagues in fitness.
 
lifted67

lifted67

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Wow so it's not uncommon to have to cut calories really low to keep losing fat. All these damn youtubers claim they cut on 2500 calories and I get frustrated having to keep mine so low to see any progress.
A lot of those " natty youtubers" are on gear just remember that. At 5'8"
I was 150lbs on stage with <6% with a diet coach and intake was about 1750 calories a day... Carbs were very low and training was 4 days a week weights, cardio 3 days a week 30 minutes. You have to play around with your cals and macros.
 
justhere4comm

justhere4comm

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Good info meow.
 
justhere4comm

justhere4comm

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Meow what would you think that meo
 
Woody

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How long have been cutting? Do you have refeed days? It may seem contrary but if you have a day once a week or two where you eat normal you'll help reset leptin and make progress easier. If you're stalling and haven't eaten above 1800 in months that's probably why
 

shanethomas

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Yes actually I do a one time a week re-feed day which I hope I'm not eating too many extra calories. I lose my mind if I don't have it
 
Hellen

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You should have a healthy diet plan to cutting calories. And squash is a promising agent for weight loss undeniably. In general, squash is very low calorie in its content because 100 grams of raw summer squash contain only 16 kcal. There is also very little fat in squash. Meanwhile, dietary fiber is present much in squash. It seems that vitamins and minerals are truly the stars in squash nutrition facts.
 
justhere4comm

justhere4comm

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You should have a healthy diet plan to cutting calories. And squash is a promising agent for weight loss undeniably. In general, squash is very low calorie in its content because 100 grams of raw summer squash contain only 16 kcal. There is also very little fat in squash. Meanwhile, dietary fiber is present much in squash. It seems that vitamins and minerals are truly the stars in squash nutrition facts.
Squash pasta is a win. You have to get one of those shredders. Nothing like it. Almost as good tasting as pasta but all the win.
 

Br1ck_Sh1thouse

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I am 5'6 and 165 pounds and approximately 11-12 percent body fat. I track my calories and macros and am currently eating 1800 calories to cut. I lift 5-6 days a week and go on a three mile walk twice a week. My job is very sedentary so I don't move much at work. Is it normal to have to eat so little calories for someone my size? I'm at a sticking point and I can't imagine eating only 1600 calories per day. Maybe that's just what I have to do? Or is my metabolism really slow?
I wish I could eat as much as you! Same job type, lifting and cardio as you but I'm 5'10", 242lbs @22%bf. My maintenance cals are 1900!
 
justhere4comm

justhere4comm

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Confused a little.
I'm 20% BF 206 lbs at 5'9 and my maintenance is 2200 and you are cutting at 1800? That's my cut value. Yours probably should me a tad lower by another 200-300 kcal. No?
 

shanethomas

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Confused a little.
I'm 20% BF 206 lbs at 5'9 and my maintenance is 2200 and you are cutting at 1800? That's my cut value. Yours probably should me a tad lower by another 200-300 kcal. No?
You might be right haha. I just can't imagine eating 1500 calories or less a day how can that be healthy. If you try to plug in less that 1400-1500 calories on my fitness pal it tells you that your aren't eating enough for a male and won't calculate it lol. But maybe I do need to go that low.
 

shanethomas

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Again follow a lot of damn youtubers that do full day of eating videos and even guys smaller than me eat 2800-3000 calories a day and cut on like 2300. At 2300 I gain weight
 
habajaba

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And here I am at 6'2" cutting at 1250-1300/day.
 

shanethomas

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All your responses answer my question thank you! I don't know how you don't feel like hell eating 1200 to 1500 a day tho or keep muscle gains
 
habajaba

habajaba

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All your responses answer my question thank you! I don't know how you don't feel like hell eating 1200 to 1500 a day tho or keep muscle gains
I have some fat to lose. It has been effective at burning fat and I've actually managed to gain muscle. There is more details in my logs of course. But I basically lowered gradually and then switched to more or less the warrior IF diet. I fast all day and eat all my food at dinner. The calories feel like plenty once I adjusted to the timing.
 

shanethomas

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I have some fat to lose. It has been effective at burning fat and I've actually managed to gain muscle. There is more details in my logs of course. But I basically lowered gradually and then switched to more or less the warrior IF diet. I fast all day and eat all my food at dinner. The calories feel like plenty once I adjusted to the timing.
Intermittent fasting will be a must with very low calories like that
 

Br1ck_Sh1thouse

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All your responses answer my question thank you! I don't know how you don't feel like hell eating 1200 to 1500 a day tho or keep muscle gains
Work down to it slowly, try only dropping a 100 calories per week until you hit your target calories. It's not as big a shock and may find that won't have to go as low as you're thinking.
 
mickc1965

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I must be lucky then, was cutting up until recently losing a lb per week on average at body weight x 13.5 (which equates to ~2150 kcals per day at 160lbs), sitting at 10-12% BF, also have a sedentary job so pretty much similar stats to OP apart from my height at 5'9". Currently eating at body weight x 16 (2560 kcals) and maintaining 160.
 

Br1ck_Sh1thouse

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I must be lucky then, was cutting up until recently losing a lb per week on average at body weight x 13.5 (which equates to ~2150 kcals per day at 160lbs), sitting at 10-12% BF, also have a sedentary job so pretty much similar stats to OP apart from my height at 5'9". Currently eating at body weight x 16 (2560 kcals) and maintaining 160.
Lucky is an under statement!
 
habajaba

habajaba

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But at what weight and bf?
Good point. I'm 208# as of last week. BF, no clue other than too much. I don't check BF all that much because I figure I'm not anywhere I want to know unless I can see my abs. And they are just now beginning to appear.

My metabolism sucks. Which is why I spent most of my life fat. But I just threw out my numbers as an example so OP knows what it takes for some people. Then there are people like my son and mickc1965, who have insane metabolism. :)
 

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