Back to Basics
- Thread starter Totentanz
- Start date
Here is my typical cutting diet. I alternate between Day 1 and Day 2, except Saturdays which are special. I don't actually do the cardio on day 2 usually, typically I just do a workout instead. Maybe a couple times during the diet if I get around to it. I lift three times a week minimum. 5s only for compounds, 10s for any isos if I bother doing them. Typically run this for 2 weeks at a time, take a week off to eat at maintenance, then repeat until I am lean enough.
Day 1
BREAKFAST - Meal One
Omelet
-3 egg whites
-1 whole egg
Stir together egg and cook, inside omelet add the following:
-3 slices fat free American cheese
-1 cup of cooked broccoli or spinach
Salt/pepper to taste
LUNCH - Meal Two
Spinach Salad
-2 cups fresh spinach
-5 slices of oven roasted deli turkey slices (must be 98% fat free, only 1 carb per serving)
-2 tbsp fat free italian dressing (must be no more than 3 carbs per serving)
-5 slices of peeled cucumber
-¼ cup fresh raw broccoli
-¼ cup fat free cottage cheese
DINNER - Meal Three
-Shredded Chicken
Place two ¼lb size chicken breasts in crock pot, add 1 cup water and cook on low for approximately six hours. After 5 hours, attempt to shred chicken with fork. If it does not shred up readily then wait 30 minutes before trying again. Repeat 30 minute intervals if necessary until chicken shreds up. Add spices or calorie free options to flavor chicken.
-½ cup of broccoli, brussel sprouts or spinach
-½ cup fat free cottage cheese
SNACK - Meal Four
-Any shredded chicken leftover from meal three
-1 cup of cooked broccoli with 1 slice of fat free cheese melted over the top
-½ cup fat free cottage cheese
SNACK - Meal Five
Two Turkey Burgers
Green vegetable option
½ cup lowfat cottage cheese
PREBED
2 scoops whey
Day 2
CARDIO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING
FAST BREAKER - PROTEIN SHAKE
-1 hour after Cardio session
2 scoops of whey protein in water
BREAKFAST- Meal One
-2 hours after Protein Shake – DO NOT EAT ANYTHING PRIOR TO THIS ASIDE FROM THE PROTEIN SHAKE 1 HOUR AFTER CARDIO
Omelet
-3 egg whites
-1 whole egg
Stir together egg and cook, inside omelet add the following:
-3 slices fat free American cheese
-1 cup of cooked broccoli
-8 slices of oven roasted deli sliced turkey
Salt/pepper to taste
PROTEIN SHAKE TWO
-2 scoops of whey in water
LUNCH – MEAL TWO
SPINACH SALAD
-2 cups fresh spinach
-5 slices of oven roasted deli turkey slices (must be 98% fat free, only 1 carb per serving)
-2 tbsp fat free italian dressing (must be no more than 3 carbs per serving)
-5 slices of peeled cucumber
-¼ cup fresh raw broccoli
-¼ cup fat free cottage cheese
CAN OF TUNA - 1 can tuna, drained (mix in mustard and a calorie free dill relish for flavor if desired, or a calorie free or very low carb salsa instead)
SNACK – MEAL THREE
-1 cup of cooked broccoli with 1 slice of fat free cheese melted over the top
-½ cup fat free cottage cheese
DINNER – MEAL FOUR:
Two Turkey Burger
Green vegetable option
½ cup lowfat cottage cheese
PREBED
2 scoops whey
SATURDAY
PROTEIN SHAKE 1 – 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO WORKOUT
-2 scoops of whey in 1 cup skim milk
-1 Banana, orange or apple, or else 1 cup of any kind of berries
BREAKFAST - MEAL 1 – 1 HOUR AFTER WORKOUT – NO EARLIER, NO LATER
-1 cup oatmeal – cook and then stir in 1 scoop of whey and a handful of berries or fruit
May add ½ cup skim milk, up to 2 tbsp of sugar
-2 slices of whole wheat bread or 1 whole wheat bagel, top with either 2 tbsp of peanut butter, jelly or low fat cream cheese
LUNCH - MEAL 2
-2 cups of pasta in your choice of sauce – either marinara/spaghetti sauce or alfredo sauce
-¼ lb chicken breast, spiced as desired
-2 slices of whole wheat bread (you may butter the bread)
-½ cup fat free cottage cheese
PROTEIN SHAKE 2
-2 scoops of whey in 1 cup skim milk
-1 Banana, orange or apple, or else 1 cup of any kind of berries
SNACK – MEAL 3
Two Turkey Burger
Green vegetable option
½ cup lowfat cottage cheese
DINNER – MEAL 4
Free meal – eat a meal of your choice (obviously you don’t want to go hog wild, try to keep protein high and fats relatively low…)
RULES
Drink options:
Water
Black Coffee (you may sweeten with splenda, if you require cream in your coffee, buy heavy whipping cream and use one to two tablespoons at most)
Green or Black Tea (do not add sugar or honey! Again, use splenda to sweeten)
Any diet soda (these should be a last resort, as they contain a lot of sodium)
Sugar free Lemonade
Sugar free drink mixes (crystal light, for example, or walmart brand – be sure to get the sugar free ones)
Optional toppings to add flavor to your food:
Mustard
Vinegar
Hot sauce (make sure it is calorie free, frank’s red hot is one option)
Salt (you actually will want to salt some of your food to make sure you get enough sodium)
Dill relish (make sure label says 0 calories)
Lemon Juice
Some salsas (must have less than 3 carbs per serving or it is no-no, and only use a couple tablespoons at a time)
REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTS:
6 x fish oil a day MINIMUM (FISH OIL, NOT FLAX!)
Calcium
Zinc
Magnesium
Potassium
Day 1
BREAKFAST - Meal One
Omelet
-3 egg whites
-1 whole egg
Stir together egg and cook, inside omelet add the following:
-3 slices fat free American cheese
-1 cup of cooked broccoli or spinach
Salt/pepper to taste
LUNCH - Meal Two
Spinach Salad
-2 cups fresh spinach
-5 slices of oven roasted deli turkey slices (must be 98% fat free, only 1 carb per serving)
-2 tbsp fat free italian dressing (must be no more than 3 carbs per serving)
-5 slices of peeled cucumber
-¼ cup fresh raw broccoli
-¼ cup fat free cottage cheese
DINNER - Meal Three
-Shredded Chicken
Place two ¼lb size chicken breasts in crock pot, add 1 cup water and cook on low for approximately six hours. After 5 hours, attempt to shred chicken with fork. If it does not shred up readily then wait 30 minutes before trying again. Repeat 30 minute intervals if necessary until chicken shreds up. Add spices or calorie free options to flavor chicken.
-½ cup of broccoli, brussel sprouts or spinach
-½ cup fat free cottage cheese
SNACK - Meal Four
-Any shredded chicken leftover from meal three
-1 cup of cooked broccoli with 1 slice of fat free cheese melted over the top
-½ cup fat free cottage cheese
SNACK - Meal Five
Two Turkey Burgers
Green vegetable option
½ cup lowfat cottage cheese
PREBED
2 scoops whey
Day 2
CARDIO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING
FAST BREAKER - PROTEIN SHAKE
-1 hour after Cardio session
2 scoops of whey protein in water
BREAKFAST- Meal One
-2 hours after Protein Shake – DO NOT EAT ANYTHING PRIOR TO THIS ASIDE FROM THE PROTEIN SHAKE 1 HOUR AFTER CARDIO
Omelet
-3 egg whites
-1 whole egg
Stir together egg and cook, inside omelet add the following:
-3 slices fat free American cheese
-1 cup of cooked broccoli
-8 slices of oven roasted deli sliced turkey
Salt/pepper to taste
PROTEIN SHAKE TWO
-2 scoops of whey in water
LUNCH – MEAL TWO
SPINACH SALAD
-2 cups fresh spinach
-5 slices of oven roasted deli turkey slices (must be 98% fat free, only 1 carb per serving)
-2 tbsp fat free italian dressing (must be no more than 3 carbs per serving)
-5 slices of peeled cucumber
-¼ cup fresh raw broccoli
-¼ cup fat free cottage cheese
CAN OF TUNA - 1 can tuna, drained (mix in mustard and a calorie free dill relish for flavor if desired, or a calorie free or very low carb salsa instead)
SNACK – MEAL THREE
-1 cup of cooked broccoli with 1 slice of fat free cheese melted over the top
-½ cup fat free cottage cheese
DINNER – MEAL FOUR:
Two Turkey Burger
Green vegetable option
½ cup lowfat cottage cheese
PREBED
2 scoops whey
SATURDAY
PROTEIN SHAKE 1 – 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO WORKOUT
-2 scoops of whey in 1 cup skim milk
-1 Banana, orange or apple, or else 1 cup of any kind of berries
BREAKFAST - MEAL 1 – 1 HOUR AFTER WORKOUT – NO EARLIER, NO LATER
-1 cup oatmeal – cook and then stir in 1 scoop of whey and a handful of berries or fruit
May add ½ cup skim milk, up to 2 tbsp of sugar
-2 slices of whole wheat bread or 1 whole wheat bagel, top with either 2 tbsp of peanut butter, jelly or low fat cream cheese
LUNCH - MEAL 2
-2 cups of pasta in your choice of sauce – either marinara/spaghetti sauce or alfredo sauce
-¼ lb chicken breast, spiced as desired
-2 slices of whole wheat bread (you may butter the bread)
-½ cup fat free cottage cheese
PROTEIN SHAKE 2
-2 scoops of whey in 1 cup skim milk
-1 Banana, orange or apple, or else 1 cup of any kind of berries
SNACK – MEAL 3
Two Turkey Burger
Green vegetable option
½ cup lowfat cottage cheese
DINNER – MEAL 4
Free meal – eat a meal of your choice (obviously you don’t want to go hog wild, try to keep protein high and fats relatively low…)
RULES
Drink options:
Water
Black Coffee (you may sweeten with splenda, if you require cream in your coffee, buy heavy whipping cream and use one to two tablespoons at most)
Green or Black Tea (do not add sugar or honey! Again, use splenda to sweeten)
Any diet soda (these should be a last resort, as they contain a lot of sodium)
Sugar free Lemonade
Sugar free drink mixes (crystal light, for example, or walmart brand – be sure to get the sugar free ones)
Optional toppings to add flavor to your food:
Mustard
Vinegar
Hot sauce (make sure it is calorie free, frank’s red hot is one option)
Salt (you actually will want to salt some of your food to make sure you get enough sodium)
Dill relish (make sure label says 0 calories)
Lemon Juice
Some salsas (must have less than 3 carbs per serving or it is no-no, and only use a couple tablespoons at a time)
REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTS:
6 x fish oil a day MINIMUM (FISH OIL, NOT FLAX!)
Calcium
Zinc
Magnesium
Potassium
Joe.Muscle
Active Member
That's a very low calorie amount for your body weight. So I'm guessing the high protein intake and heavy lifting keeps you from losing muscle? Am I correct?
How long do you cut on that low of calories?
I do this for only two weeks at a time, maximum. It is basically a PSMF/RFL diet. I never seem to lose appreciable muscle mass on this kind of diet, but again, as I've stated in the past, I seem gifted when it comes to cutting. I can cut fat quickly and I rarely lose much strength, if any, and very little lean mass. Because I am able to do this, I just hit the cutting as hard as I can to get it over with as fast as I can. Typically I only have to run a couple cycles of this diet to get down to a lean enough state that I am satisfied.
I have done more moderate diets and usually they mean that I am a happier person, because I can be a real asshole when doing a diet like the one detailed above. But I don't like moderate diets because they take too long. Example, at the beginning of this log when I was dieting and eventually quit because I was sick of it. Two weeks of extreme hell at a time is something I can manage. Several weeks or months of a more moderate hell is more difficult for me.
nativetroutbum
Member
I really appreciate you posting detailed information of your cutting diet/program. When I eventually do get to the point of wanting to cut, I'll be employing something very similar.
First day of tens today.
Squat 295 x 10 x 2
Bench 205 x 10 x 2
Row 205 x 10 x 2
CGBP 185 x 10 x 2
Upright Row 145 x 10 x 2
I actually intended to go lighter on close grip bench but I messed up and grabbed the wrong plates because I was in a hurry. Yes, I am taking it easy on squats. I lost my knee sleeves during my last move and need to find them.
Squat 295 x 10 x 2
Bench 205 x 10 x 2
Row 205 x 10 x 2
CGBP 185 x 10 x 2
Upright Row 145 x 10 x 2
I actually intended to go lighter on close grip bench but I messed up and grabbed the wrong plates because I was in a hurry. Yes, I am taking it easy on squats. I lost my knee sleeves during my last move and need to find them.
I'm using a wider than normal grip, just inside shoulder width, so that allows a higher load than if I were using a very close grip. I also only pull to about the middle of the sternum. I'm not sure I could do that much pulling up to my neck with hands touching like most guys do. But then again I also will still have shoulders in twenty years, unlike them.
Sci
Well-Known Member
I do them the same way, but it is still impressive. I think I can do like 95 for 2x10 maybe.
Have you ever tried High Pulls? I used to do them frequently years ago, and started doing them again back in September on a suggestion from Lol. They are basically explosive upright rows from the floor, or at least seated on pins near to the floor. It is sort of like upright rows version of the power shrug and definitely builds strength in that area. You have to be careful, of course.
However will you build muscle on only 2 sets ...
Given your #'s and pics, I'd be pretty surprised if you weren't able to do a similar #, Sci. It might just be a question of technique/form.
When did all the negative press re: Upright Rows begin, just wondering? I've never experienced any issues re: my shoulders and have done them on/off for a decade. I like DB's atm, as it lets me doing somewhere in-between a high pull and an upright row, v.explosive movement. I probably raise the weight to ~ sternum, raising it to the neck feels a little unnatural I imagine.
Sci
Well-Known Member
I never have tried high-pulls, it seems like just a power-clean without catching the bar. A staple for oly lifters.
regarding upright rows, I do them very strictly and controlled, to keep my funky right shoulder from tearing, so this may be a factor. I still think a strict upright row at 145 for 10 reps, is advanced in the strength department. Usually, only the huge guys, (like Tot) can heave that kind of weight up with good form.
Also, what Tot said about form is spot on. Narrow grip, full rom are a recipe for impingement of the supraspinitus, which can really suck. Wide-grip to sternum is safe generally, as there is more room in the shoulder capsule, less impingement.
regarding upright rows, I do them very strictly and controlled, to keep my funky right shoulder from tearing, so this may be a factor. I still think a strict upright row at 145 for 10 reps, is advanced in the strength department. Usually, only the huge guys, (like Tot) can heave that kind of weight up with good form.
Also, what Tot said about form is spot on. Narrow grip, full rom are a recipe for impingement of the supraspinitus, which can really suck. Wide-grip to sternum is safe generally, as there is more room in the shoulder capsule, less impingement.
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I've never actually tried upright rows with a narrower grip, so I'm not really sure, but I see people doing it all the time and pulling it as high as they can, right up to the neck. I've never had any shoulder issues from upright rows ever, but I've always done them the way I do them.
I do get some issues from overhead work, but I was pressing pretty heavy when I quit doing them, not sure if that had anything to do with it.
I'm out of training in another four weeks and transferring to a location that is next door to my gym. Right now I've been working at a different place that is 30 miles away. So this should make things a lot easier for me.
A dude at work approached me weds night to ask for diet advice. I guess he just assumed I know what is what. He said "So, you, like, workout and stuff, right?" We got into a conversation and he seems to know a little bit about lifting and such. I got him on a diet plan, so we will if anything comes of that. He has a vacation to Florida coming up and wants to drop 20-30 lbs before that. I haven't mentored anyone in a long while, so this could be fun.
I do get some issues from overhead work, but I was pressing pretty heavy when I quit doing them, not sure if that had anything to do with it.
I'm out of training in another four weeks and transferring to a location that is next door to my gym. Right now I've been working at a different place that is 30 miles away. So this should make things a lot easier for me.
A dude at work approached me weds night to ask for diet advice. I guess he just assumed I know what is what. He said "So, you, like, workout and stuff, right?" We got into a conversation and he seems to know a little bit about lifting and such. I got him on a diet plan, so we will if anything comes of that. He has a vacation to Florida coming up and wants to drop 20-30 lbs before that. I haven't mentored anyone in a long while, so this could be fun.
Some douche was monopolizing the power rack the entire time I was at the gym today, so I had to do deads instead of squats. When he finally got up to his top set on deads, I asked him to let me get a couple sets of 10 reps in real quick with the same load. It was only 365 so I didn't really need to warm up or use straps or anything. He seemed upset after I was done, but I couldn't hear his smart comments he was muttering to himself while he tightened his lifting belt and started the process of wrapping his straps around the bar. Jerk.
So I did 365 x 10 x 2 on deads instead of squats today.
And prior to that I did:
Bench 215 x 10 x 2
Row 215 x 10 x 2
CGBP 195 x 10 x 2
Upright Row 150 x 10 x 2
Tricep Pushdowns 100 x 10 x 2 - I was trying to kill time while waiting for the power rack to be free
So I did 365 x 10 x 2 on deads instead of squats today.
And prior to that I did:
Bench 215 x 10 x 2
Row 215 x 10 x 2
CGBP 195 x 10 x 2
Upright Row 150 x 10 x 2
Tricep Pushdowns 100 x 10 x 2 - I was trying to kill time while waiting for the power rack to be free
Well first he was using it for shrugs, then bentover rows, with the safeties at the absolute lowest point, which leaves the plates like a millimeter off the floor. I can see why he would want to do that since it makes loading a lot easier. Still, to do several exercises all in a row in the rack during a rather busy time at the gym was kind of rude.
More like a lot rude. At peak times, it's one exercise per rack. 5 squat sets are fine. But 3 squats & 3 pulls + loading times etc (for example) is just obnoxious if folks are waiting.
Yeah, it still kind of pisses me off to think about it. He was acting like the gym belonged to him or something. But I made him feel pretty insignificant when I took his top set that he was using straps and all this crap for and did 10 reps double overhand without straps or anything, and he wasn't going all the way down to the floor or anything when he did his, I paused each rep on the floor for a second and made it look easy. Yes, petty to show off like that, I realize that everyone has to start somewhere, but realistically I didn't do anything wrong, I just did a proper couple sets of deads. I might not have cared so much if he wasn't resting five minutes between sets. When I was at his stage in my training, I never acted like I owned the gym. I know that it bothered him because he was not happy at all when I finished my second set and wasn't winded or anything. Bastard.
I'm going in at a different time tomorrow so hopefully I don't have any problems this time.
I'm going in at a different time tomorrow so hopefully I don't have any problems this time.