Cutting for Dummies

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imported_foreverfun

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I've been doing HST for three cycles and made good gains. In muscle, and in fat (I didnt eat so clean). I'm going to start my first EVER cutting cycle in two weeks and had a few questions.

Should I do a full HST cycle while cutting? I was planning on just sticking with my 5rep maxes, and doing them for a few weeks.

What's the best formula for figuring cutting cal intake?

Is cardio neccessary?

Shoud I be eating as frequently as I do as when I'm bulking? (about every three hours)
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Should I do a full HST cycle while cutting? I was planning on just sticking with my 5rep maxes, and doing them for a few weeks.</div>

Yes, why wouldn't you. Some people like to stick to heavy weights when cutting. My feeling is that the 15's and 10's provide an aerobic workout during the light weights. Why waste those calorie burning repetitions?

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">What's the best formula for figuring cutting cal intake? </div>

I am going to do some self-advertising of a recent thread of mine that has gotten little attention. Check out Optimizing your caloric intake as it will have all the details you need.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
Is cardio neccessary?</div>

No. It will burn more calories per minute than weightlifting, so if time is an issue then do so. You would still need to lift weights at least at minimum weight to retain muscle. If you have trouble with cutting back on your food intake, then cardio is a good solution. Either way, jogging/running is good for your heart, and I have no reason to advise against it. I am not doing it because it is too cold out and there are long lines at the gym for cardio equipment.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">

Shoud I be eating as frequently as I do as when I'm bulking? (about every three hours)</div>

IMO, frequency of eating really doesn't matter. Just manage your caloric intake correctly. Once again, check out my thread. Make sure you get ample amounts of protein too.
 
I began cutting on January 1. Since then, I have lost 1.5 lbs per week. I started in the post 5s of an HST cycle. I kept with the heavy weights for about 3 weeks, then started a new cycle. I started in the 10s. I lift for 40 to 45 minutes, then do 15-20 minutes cardio. I do HIIT whenever I can. On the weekend, I do a little more cardio and some ab stuff, other miscelaneous calesthenics ... just stuff to burn calories.

I'm 5'6&quot;, and started out weighing 167 lbs. Right now, I'm at 156 or 157 lbs. I've been averaging around 2000 calories per day. A little more on workout days, a little less on non workout days. I have had a couple cheat days in the past several weeks, but probably haven't gone above 3000 calories on any given day.

Just last night, I did my 5 RM workout. I didn't have enough strength to do all my sets, but I had more strength than I expected this far into the cut. I guess I'm a little bumbed out, but a little happy too -- weird.

I'm trying to cut down to 10% bf. A little less if I can manage, but not so much as to screw up my metabolism. I would estimate that I'm at 13 or 14% right now, but I don't know for sure.
 
I hate you people who can cut with 2000 calories a day intake...all of my contest cuts ended somewhere around 1500 and even lower(that was stupid though, in hindsight I shouldn`t have gone that low). I simply couldn`t get the needed leanness otherwise
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(Morgoth the Dark Enemy @ Feb. 20 2007,10:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I hate you people who can cut with 2000 calories a day intake...all of my contest cuts ended somewhere around 1500 and even lower(that was stupid though, in hindsight I shouldn`t have gone that low). I simply couldn`t get the needed leanness otherwise
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I imagine that if I wanted to get down to 4 or 5% bf, I would need to go to 1500 calories or less.
 
<div>
(Morgoth the Dark Enemy @ Feb. 20 2007,10:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I hate you people who can cut with 2000 calories a day intake...all of my contest cuts ended somewhere around 1500 and even lower(that was stupid though, in hindsight I shouldn`t have gone that low). I simply couldn`t get the needed leanness otherwise
tounge.gif
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Then you probably hate the people who can cut with a 2500 caloric intake like myself.
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Its a catch 22.

The leanest I ever got was this past summer...I was really lean 8% but its the least amount of muscle I have ever had on me as well. 174 pounds!

Right now everyone is telling me Im on steroids at 194 ish pounds but the abs are long gone!

So its seams you can do one or the other.
biggrin.gif
 
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(colby2152 @ Feb. 20 2007,12:07)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(Morgoth the Dark Enemy @ Feb. 20 2007,10:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I hate you people who can cut with 2000 calories a day intake...all of my contest cuts ended somewhere around 1500 and even lower(that was stupid though, in hindsight I shouldn`t have gone that low). I simply couldn`t get the needed leanness otherwise
tounge.gif
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Then you probably hate the people who can cut with a 2500 caloric intake like myself.
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Yes, I do, thank you for bringing that to my attention
biggrin.gif
 
I might sound stupid but:
What is a good average of weight loss per week for cutting?
How do you know if you're losing muscle?
I've been bulking at about 20x my weight (176, or whatever it has been as I've gained) is 10x my weight too low?
 
Definitely too low IMO, at least for the moment. Eat for two weeks at maintenance-which should be around 14-16 cals/lb. After that start the cut with 12-13 cals/lb. When weightloss stalls, add more cardio, then cut into the calories when adding more cardio/activity becomes unfeasible at that caloric level.

You`ll always lose some muscle, no matter what you do. Calipers may help here, but only if you do measurements before, and keep constant at doing them-because even if you get skewed body composition numbers, they`ll be consistent and they`ll allow for insight into what`s going on.
 
I completely agree with Morgoth's post. Very good advice. If you go with that, you can't fail.
 
Well, umm thanks, but there`s always the possibility of failing...humans are such complicated beasts:)

Another thing I didn`t mention:don`t really fret about scale-weight, as it`s mostly a secondary information source, it gives too little insight. A general guideline for per-week weight loss should be 1.5-2lbs, but it`s just that, general. Don`t fret if you`re not really losing scale weight, but caliper measurements go down/your abs start showing up/you`re getting visibly ripped.

Mind you, scale weight SHOULD theoretically go down when those phenomenons happen, but it`s not a golden rule in my experience. The mirror is your friend.

One last boring detail:don`t keep on cutting forever, even if you don`t reach your goals. Just like with HST, after 6-8 weeks, go to maintenance-not your old maintenance intake, but what makes you maintain your current weight. Simply up the calories slowly, and see where you stop losing weight. Do at least 2 weeks of maintenance, and if you feel so inclined, take a new stab at cutting/go to bulking, whatever floats your boat.
 
That's awesome advice Morgoth, and should be included in all cutting advice. 2 weeks maintenance break for every 8 weeks of cutting/bulking.
 
so, I'm on my eighth week right now. I'm still losing a steady 1.5 lbs per week. Should I go back to maintenance, even though all is going apparently well?
 
I would not want to overdue a cut, so I would go on the safe side of taking a week off and eating at maintenance. Some people say not to SD between cutting cycles, but I digress.
 
Well, this is where individual variance comes into play. Sure, what I said is a good rule of thumb, but if you feel your cut is truly going well and don`t have issues with lower than usual temperature upon waking up or feeling sluggish(which may suggest a reduced metabolism), you can prolong it. No two people react exactly alike.

I personally wouldn`t go for very long periods of caloric imbalance, because it tends to screw up the hormonal profile and it messes with your psychology. A contest cut is a particular case, but you kindof become a complete jackass on the last stretches, your life is quite miserable, and asides from some hedonistic satisfaction and the fact that you feel more like an athlete involved in a competitive sport and less like some dude with a hobby, I see little point in doing it.

One of the advantages of doing diet breaks is that they, more or less(physiology here is a tad more complex, but irrelevant in the context of the discussion), tend to &quot;solidify&quot;, for lack of a better term, your new weight, and they breathe new life into your cutting by bringing your metabolism up to speed again-you`ll cut from a leaner status, just like you cut before from a less lean one.
 
Thanks for the replies. This thread is helping a couple of us!

I don't see a point in SD'ing, or starting a new cycle. I'm fine with continuing on in the post 5's right now. I could ramp the calories back up to maintenance for a couple weeks, then cut again, and start in the 10s. That should carry me until I reach my goal, I think. Progressing the weights back up would be cool.

Could I expect anything in the strength area. I've lost just enough that I cannot do my 5RMs for 3 sets right now. One or two sets followed by clustering is how I'm getting through. Could I get any kind of boost at maintenance, or will it be just that in the strength area too -- maintenance of where I'm at right now?
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ Feb. 19 2007,10:27)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">&lt;quote&gt;
I am going to do some self-advertising of a recent thread of mine that has gotten little attention.  Check out Optimizing your caloric intake as it will have all the details you need.
&lt;/quote&gt;</div>
in that thread it's recomended that maintenance is 11 or 12x lbs for calories while cutting, while Morgoth suggests cutting is 12 or 13x lbs for calories while cutting. I know that these are all estimates, generalizations, but that is a strange inconsistency. I know I have to just try it out and see what happens but any advice on which to aim for for a start?
 
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