Appetite has increased on cut.

[Hal32]

I’m currently 178 14% body fat. I’m trying to get down to under 12% so I can see my abs. Over the last year I’ve gone from 218 to were I am now. Currently eating around 2300 cals a day 250 gram carbs, 225 grams protein, and 60 grams fat avg. I’ve avg .5lb loss per week over last 6 months. I work out 6 days a week. Currently on a push/leg/pull then day off. Over the last week my appetite has gone nuts with no diet changes. Question is my body trying to tell me it’s time to build muscle and come off this cut?

 

[HIT4ME]

Are you doing a lot of cardio or are your weight training sessions long? Fat releases leptin, leptin kills appetite. As fat stores drop, leptin drops. At least that is the overly simplistic version of the theory.

Lots of exercise also reduces leptin dramatically. This is why, counter-intuitively, too much exercise can be horrendous for a cut. You may be burning an extra 500-600 calories doing a bunch of exercise, but then you get ravenouz and devour 3 donuts and now you are 400 calories over what you would have been if you just rested.

 

[_Endure_]

I would suggest cycling your diet or a couple refered meals a week. By cycling I mean go back to near your normal maintenance for a few days then back to your cut for a couple weeks and so forth. Your body will not just continue to constantly lose weight and your metabolism will continue to slow and right now you may be getting cortisol spikes causing the hunger. Reset for a bit.

 

[DieselNY]

How many meals you eat per day? Not that I want to open up a whole different can of worms ..but... ever since I added intermittent fasting to my diet 6 years ago I never get hungry regardless how deep a deficit I run.

 

[Hal32]

I’m not doing any cardio. I stopped cardio to keep my cortisol in check 2 months ago. I’m in extremely good shape and my rest heart rate stays in low 40s. I’m lifting about an hr 6 days a week. I was thinking I need to come off the cut for a month. Or at least couple weeks.

 

[Hal32]

I eat small meals 6 to 7 a day.

 

[Hal32]

Thinking my cortisol has gotten higher. Probably going to eat at maintenance and start back on weights this weekend.

 

[Hyde]

Consider upping veggies you tolerate well.

Also, another idea would be to shift some of your macros from carbs to fats in the meals away from training and see if that improves satiety.

Another trick is to drink some water before starting every meal, drink some carbonated water/diet soda as it’s more filling when you get cravings (this can backfire as far as driving sweet cravings though), avoiding ground meats or rice (these are very easy to eat compared to whole cuts and various potatoes or heavier grains). Basically try to make your food choices more filling and less processed. Riced cauliflower is a great filler in meals, even in oats.

 

[AlkemissG]

I’m currently 178 14% body fat. I’m trying to get down to under 12% so I can see my abs. Over the last year I’ve gone from 218 to were I am now. Currently eating around 2300 cals a day 250 gram carbs, 225 grams protein, and 60 grams fat avg. I’ve avg .5lb loss per week over last 6 months. I work out 6 days a week. Currently on a push/leg/pull then day off. Over the last week my appetite has gone nuts with no diet changes. Question is my body trying to tell me it’s time to build muscle and come off this cut?

Intermittent fasting works better with higher fat and low carb. gradually increase the fasting window from a circadian fast of 13-11 but try to stay as middle of the day as possible so the follow up increase in fasting window does not bring you too late in the afternoon for your fast break.