Answered Introduction / Fat Loss Help

[fatbutkindastrong]

So this is probably my third account with AnabolicMinds because I keep losing my logins. But anyways, I’ve been cutting now for 6 weeks and I’m concerned. I started out at 218-219lbs with a body fat of 18% (using bioelectrical impedance machine). This morning I weighed in at 212.8lbs and my body fat is 16%. Not much but progress is progress. My main concern is that I can tell absolutely no difference in my current before and after (I’ll post them in this thread for y’all to view). My diet is on point (at least to my knowledge, I don’t know what else to fix). I’ll post that below as well for y’all to analyze.
I train heavy 5x per week with cardio HIIT 3x per week.

I’ve seriously been having to fight my mind about continuing this cutting process, because my strength is down but I feel as if there is no reasonable or worthwhile change happening with my fat loss to continue.
Maybe I’m just impatient? I’ve never cut like this before so I’m not used to it I guess? Maybe I just need so guidance, motivation or reassurance? I don’t know, but if someone doesn’t mind taking a look and helping me out.

Appreciate it guys

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

Before photo

After Photos

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

Diet:

Meal #1
•Ground Turkey, Eggs, Cheese, Milk, Whole Toast

Meal #2:
•Grilled Chicken Breast, White Rice, Greens

Meal #3:
•Whey Protein

Meal #4:
•IIFYM (Wife likes to cook, but I make sure to calculate everything that she cooks and eat only in accordance with my diet)

Meal #5:
•Greek Yogurt, Almonds


I keep my calories between 2500-2600. I had my RMR tested (2453cal) and the lady who did it took in to account my lifting/cardio and told me I could eat up to 2900cal/day and still lose weight, but to never drop below 2453cal/day.
Maybe this is where I’m going wrong? Should I be eating less?

 

[rboyd0041]

I have seen a lot of people have success with intermittent fasting and you could also consider Keto? What is your routine looking like/training protocol?

 

[love2liftkat]

I don’t see any changes either. Have you taken measurements though? Sometimes the changes are small and measurements of all types help. (With motivation too)

If you dropped your calories more, you would drop faster. Start with another 1-200calories.

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

I have seen a lot of people have success with intermittent fasting and you could also consider Keto? What is your routine looking like/training protocol?

I might have to try one of those out. My main consideration is that maybe I’m eating too many calories? I’m just going off what the lady said who did my RMR testing.

Training, I use Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1, except I mix it up with a more Strongman focus. Besides the main lift, everything is supersetted so it’s intense. 5 days/week for at least an hour.
And then cardio done HIIT for 30 min 3 days/week and 1 long 10-mile stationary bike

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

I don’t see any changes either. Have you taken measurements though? Sometimes the changes are small and measurements of all types help. (With motivation too)

If you dropped your calories more, you would drop faster. Start with another 1-200calories.

Yeah, besides the BIA (which is my primary source of measuring body fat), the lady that does my RMR also uses a caliper, and that’s been going down too (although I go back Friday to retest again).
I think I might have to drop again. It’s just she’s been telling me not to go below my RMR, and I’m already barely above that

 

[rboyd0041]

If you do not have any type of health restrictions or reasons not to I would look into keto. This should allow you to move the scales in the positive direction and also allows you to get enough protein intake as well. Personally I have been cutting since JAN and my calories are around 1800-2000 with 4 days a week 5x5 and 5 days a week cardio usually running somewhere between 3-4 miles a day. I havent noticed my strength decrease per say but more so that there are days where I feel like I do not have enough energy, usually I will increase carbs the following day, possibly eat over the 2000 to bump myself back up but otherwise I have lost 25 lbs.

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

If you do not have any type of health restrictions or reasons not to I would look into keto. This should allow you to move the scales in the positive direction and also allows you to get enough protein intake as well. Personally I have been cutting since JAN and my calories are around 1800-2000 with 4 days a week 5x5 and 5 days a week cardio usually running somewhere between 3-4 miles a day. I havent noticed my strength decrease per say but more so that there are days where I feel like I do not have enough energy, usually I will increase carbs the following day, possibly eat over the 2000 to bump myself back up but otherwise I have lost 25 lbs.

I might have to try that out then. I think I might just drop my calories as well, regardless of what my “advisor” is saying. At 6 weeks I should have at least some sort of visual progress lol.
Maybe eating around 2200-2300 cal/day (200-400 cal/day drop from what I was doing). Use intermittent fasting to help make sure I stay that low and try the Keto diet out.

From what I know of Keto, it’s basically just lowering carbs (5-15% of total intake with a refeed once/week) and increasing total fat and protein. Sound about right?

 

[Resolve10]

You did lose 6lbs in 6 weeks which is still a pound a week.

If you think it isn’t moving fast enough then you need to drop calories lower. Maybe take another 100-200 off and do that for a bit then reevaluate.

Sometimes changes can be tough to see in the short term or even midterm but you have a metric showing positive progression in weight loss so I’d keep at it.

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

You did lose 6lbs in 6 weeks which is still a pound a week.

If you think it isn’t moving fast enough then you need to drop calories lower. Maybe take another 100-200 off and do that for a bit then reevaluate.

Sometimes changes can be tough to see in the short term or even midterm but you have a metric showing positive progression in weight loss so I’d keep at it.

It’s just very frustrating lol. 6 weeks and literally no visual change in composition whatsoever. The only thing that I have noticed is that strength has lowered while in the gym, which I know is sadly part of the cutting process.
I’m probably going to drop it some because I would think that I should see some changes, even a small visual change would be nice lol

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

For anyone who has done a cut before, how did you get your cutting calories? Was there a certain formula you used or was it just trial and error?

 

[Resolve10]

For anyone who has done a cut before, how did you get your cutting calories? Was there a certain formula you used or was it just trial and error?

Use a calculator to get an initial number(and it doesn’t matter a ton which one they are all estimates anyway). That’s only just an estimate. Use it for a couple weeks and track progress, adjust calories down if maintaining or not losing much, keep them the same if on pace, bump them up if moving too fast.

 

[City Boy]

1lb a week is right for 500 calories under maintenance as strange as it is I find LISS cardio much better for fat loss ,also HIIT and heavy weights on a calorie deficit will effect stress hormones majorly

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

1lb a week is right for 500 calories under maintenance as strange as it is I find LISS cardio much better for fat loss ,also HIIT and heavy weights on a calorie deficit will effect stress hormones majorly

I might have to try that. Maybe instead of HIIT 3x per week and LISS 1x per week, I could changed that to 2-and-2.
I’m also going to drop my total calories to 2300-2400cal/day (compared to my current 2500-2600). I’ll do that for 2 weeks and see if it’s working.

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

I appreciate everyone who responded. I’ll take into consideration everything y’all have said.

I’ll also soon start a SARM (GW, S4 and Osta) stack if anyone is interested. I’ll post a log somewhere in one of these forums

 

[ValiantThor08]

I would consolidate your calories and protein in a maximum of 3 meals. Each time you eat, you stop the capability to burn fat for a while. Want to burn more fat, eat less frequently. Sure you could cut a couple hundred calories, but make sure your protein is number 1, keep that high overall.

I do a fat based diet, and have carb refeeds for some dinners, only workout days. I focus on protein, and eating fat energy to comfort, and am able to stay lean, and slowly add lean mass and strength.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

It’s just very frustrating lol. 6 weeks and literally no visual change in composition whatsoever. The only thing that I have noticed is that strength has lowered while in the gym, which I know is sadly part of the cutting process.
I’m probably going to drop it some because I would think that I should see some changes, even a small visual change would be nice lol

I disagree. You can definitely see a change. The bottom one your mid section is smaller. Also a six pound drop but 2% body fat reduction is pretty solid. I wouldn’t beat yourself up. Keep doing what your doing and drop the cals a little more. Also how much sleep do you get? You may want to drop the hiit for some steady state cardio instead especially if your not getting enough rest. Pushing hard with weight training and also hiit can really prevent you from optimal recovery...

As far as diet just drop from either fat or carbs and keep protein high. Other that that keep it up. Looks like your moving along just fine, but if it’s not fast enough you simply need more of a deficit from either a increase in activity or a decrease in caloric intake. Don’t do both at the same time.

 

[Resolve10]

I disagree. You can definitely see a change. The bottom one your mid section is smaller. Also a six pound drop but 2% body fat reduction is pretty solid. I wouldn’t beat yourself up. Keep doing what your doing and drop the cals a little more. Also how much sleep do you get? You may want to drop the hiit for some steady state cardio instead especially if your not getting enough rest. Pushing hard with weight training and also hiit can really prevent you from optimal recovery...

As far as diet just drop from either fat or carbs and keep protein high. Other that that keep it up. Looks like your moving along just fine, but if it’s not fast enough you simply need more of a deficit from either a increase in activity or a decrease in caloric intake. Don’t do both at the same time.

Just quoting to emphasize this again.

There’s been change and you’ve been moving in the right direction. As long as weight is dropping and you are compliant I would keep doing what you are doing.

 

[City Boy]

Keep chipping away mate how often do you weigh yourself as weight will fluctuate from day to day , what is your water intake for the day as you maybe holding onto water if you aren’t drinking enough

 

[jamesm11]

I've been doing keto since April and have lost 20lbs. It works. I started st 218 and I'm at 197 right now. I only eat 1800 calories per day though and added cardio (10k steps a day) and weight lifting (3-4x week) in May.

 

[Raw Dog]

I've been doing keto since April and have lost 20lbs. It works. I started st 218 and I'm at 197 right now. I only eat 1800 calories per day though and added cardio (10k steps a day) and weight lifting (3-4x week) in May.

Huge proponent of keto. Also though OP have you considered/heard of water fasting? With water fasting and a decent amount of walking you can lose a pound a day instead of a pound a week. From my experience you will lose LESS strength and lean mass through fasting than you will through dieting as well.

I feel like a broken record on this board but can’t say enough about how much I love fasting haha

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

Huge proponent of keto. Also though OP have you considered/heard of water fasting? With water fasting and a decent amount of walking you can lose a pound a day instead of a pound a week. From my experience you will lose LESS strength and lean mass through fasting than you will through dieting as well.

I feel like a broken record on this board but can’t say enough about how much I love fasting haha

Nope, can’t say I’ve ever heard of water fasting lol. Wouldn’t that only really be effective at dropping water weight?

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

Based on everyone’s responses, I think I’m going to have to try out Keto. I’ve worked out a little meal plan, keeping carbs below 20g per day with a refeed day on the weekend. Calories at 2400/day with 215g protein and 175g fat.
Also going to do intermittent fasting alongside the Keto diet to maybe help my body feel fuller with the drop of carbs since that’ll be a culture shock to my body lol

 

[Raw Dog]

Nope, can’t say I’ve ever heard of water fasting lol. Wouldn’t that only really be effective at dropping water weight?

Water fast means consuming only water, adding electrolytes if going longer than 3 days. You’ll lose over 1lb fat every two days with zero exercise, even more if you walk a lot and/or are obese. I don’t recommend lifting or running on a water fast. I recently completed a 10 day fast and my net loss after regaining water weight was 7lbs. I felt amazing the entire time as well

 

[fatbutkindastrong]

Water fast means consuming only water, adding electrolytes if going longer than 3 days. You’ll lose over 1lb fat every two days with zero exercise, even more if you walk a lot and/or are obese. I don’t recommend lifting or running on a water fast. I recently completed a 10 day fast and my net loss after regaining water weight was 7lbs. I felt amazing the entire time as well

Wow, that sounds absolutely horrible. Don’t know if I’d want to try that quite yet lol

 

[Andy Roo]

Wow, that sounds absolutely horrible. Don’t know if I’d want to try that quite yet lol

Raw dog is so right though, keto, water fasting for the win...these are only quick temporary solutions, so no need to worry.
About losing 1lb a week. How does losing 25 lbs in SEVEN days sound to you? Extreme?
The video below I've watched over and over again...just to remind myself it CAN be done...with discipline.

 

[Marcia]

And remember as you diet your RMR decreases and you have to lower calories to account for that.

 

[Raw Dog]

Raw dog is so right though, keto, water fasting for the win...these are only quick temporary solutions, so no need to worry.
About losing 1lb a week. How does losing 25 lbs in SEVEN days sound to you? Extreme?
The video below I've watched over and over again...just to remind myself it CAN be done...with discipline.

I think a water fast is a much healthier and easier solution than a dry fast, but fasting in general is awesome. I’ve been an intermittent faster for 7 or 8 years and will also continue to incorporate extended water fasts at least once a month

 

[Andy Roo]

I think a water fast is a much healthier and easier solution than a dry fast, but fasting in general is awesome. I’ve been an intermittent faster for 7 or 8 years and will also continue to incorporate extended water fasts at least once a month

Sure Raw Dog...dry fasting, well, some call it the 'ultimate' but of course it's of limited duration (I've done a 4 days 'soft' dry fast)...but yes, water fasting much safer and doable.
Matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I fast more than I eat these days...