first cut, how am I doing?

[KenTattoo]

I'm about a year into BBing, am 5 weeks into my first cut and have lost 9lbs.

stats:

6' tall

179lbs

12% BF ( better then it was )

calorie intake: 1890 on WO days 1691 on non WO days

macros: 61-21.5- 17.5 WO days
62-16-21 nonWO days

workout:
4x weekly
2 day split
Focused mostly on compound movements with a few iso's mixed in
all exercises 3X8 w/ 30 sec rests. Average workout is roughly 30mins
cardio: 5 days weekly 30 mins of low-mid intensity immediately following WO.

the rest of the day i work as a tattoo artist...not particularly taxing, but more so then simply sitting @ a desk

I think that my Protien intake is high, and that my fats are a little low. My question is this: Should I lower my protien and up my fats, up my fats thus upping my calorie intake, or leave it alone and let time do it's thing?

thanks for any and all advice / critiques

 

[tkav1980]

if your down 9 lbs then its working...if it aint broke then dont fix it.

 

[AN3M4L]

You are averaging 2 pound loss a week which is what you should be doing. Since this is your first cut then I'd say experiment with it and see what works best for you. Though if you choose to keep it the same it is working. One question though do you have a slow metabolism cause 1900 cals seems low to me. Or are you not doing cardio.

 

[yogiblood]

if your down 9 lbs then its working...if it aint broke then dont fix it.

This. Nice work.. keep it up

 

[Unholy]

Damn only 1690 and 1890 on the cals?

My 5'0" 102lb GF is cutting on the same calories as you.

Maybe bump the cals and increase the cardio a bit? You might hurt your metabolism if you eat too little.

 

[Steve123]

I would second UNholy's remarks. The problem with starting off at such a low calorie mark is this: where will you be 3 months from now? 1200? 800? The hit to your metabolism is not linear - i.e., just dropping that 500 every so often will not necessarily lead to a pound of weight loss.

A very reputable pro who competes in a natural org once gave me the following advice:

"eat as much good clean food as you possibly can to make the needle begin to move. If you can get away with 3500 calories while loosing 1 pound, why the hell would you only eat 2000?"

The point is that the more you can eat, the stronger you will be and less lean body mass you will shed. Also, I can tell you from experience, that you will likely feel completely miserable at anything under about 10 calories per pound after a while.

just my .02

 

[KenTattoo]

thanks for the advice

I eased into this cut from around 3500 cals daily. The current configuration is cut down from a slight platue i had hit when I had been at 2200 cals. Slow metabolism fits me to a "T". at the same time I can pack the muscle on quick.

I am sooo ready to be done with this cut and getting back to the heavies. it's not the lack of food that gets me, nor the limited menu. It's the lack of strength. however, even on the cut I am still twice as strong as I was when I started.

if I run into another platue before reaching my goal, my best bet would be to add more time to my cardio correct?

 

[KenTattoo]

I;ve never had abs, and have always wanted them....thats really the reason for the cut. At this point it's my focus...my drive. once I achieve that, then I would like to add 10 + lbs a year untill reaching my genetic limit. Having my bf up into above 10% is necessary for adding muscle, but I really just want to get it into the single digits before switching back to a clean bulk for the remainder of the year.

I'm tired of working out, and looking flabby. it just doesn't do it for me to look like a small power-lifter.

I totally understand what you're saying there Dad, and I appreciate you taking time to offer up advice to a novice...but honestly at this point I would much rather be ripped, then bigger and kinda on the flabby side. skinny and tight, is much better then skinny and fat IMHO.

 

[sharksden69]

you got picture

I would like to see picture... I am trying to figure how at 6'0 and only 179, that your bf is 12%.. I would think you were lower, unless your muscle mass is very low.. which in that case I would add more muscle, for next couple of 6 to 9 months.. Bro, you can't havemuch more fat to give up there..

 

[KenTattoo]

BF% was taken last week @ the gym with an electronic meter.

Dad, I spent the night thinking about your first post. After talking to the GF, who is also my training partner, we've decided that you are spot on. it would be foolish to continue to cut.

I'm thinking that by switching to a strength based workout,and adding 500 clean cals everytime my strength plateaus I should be able to continue to lower my bf% while increasing strenght and size.

is that correct?

 

[pesty4077]

Dad, I spent the night thinking about your first post. After talking to the GF, who is also my training partner, we've decided that you are spot on. it would be foolish to continue to cut.

I'm thinking that by switching to a strength based workout,and adding 500 clean cals everytime my strength plateaus I should be able to continue to lower my bf% while increasing strenght and size.

is that correct?

Ken, Do you know what your ratios are? For your diet, how much protien, carbs, fats, calories? I would suggest to log them in every day. That will help you alot, www.fitday.com is free.

You will have to forgive me, I should had look at your first post. I am having a senior moment.

 

[KenTattoo]

61-21.5- 17.5 / 1890

 

[pesty4077]

61-21.5- 17.5 / 1890

I don't know you metabolism, but to me not enough calories, especially to pack on muscle. You need more carbs, especially on WO days.

 

[Dad]

BF% was taken last week @ the gym with an electronic meter.

Dad, I spent the night thinking about your first post. After talking to the GF, who is also my training partner, we've decided that you are spot on. it would be foolish to continue to cut.

I'm thinking that by switching to a strength based workout,and adding 500 clean cals everytime my strength plateaus I should be able to continue to lower my bf% while increasing strenght and size.

is that correct?

I think the place to start is figuring out where maintenance calories are.

Weigh and write down everything yuo eat for 2 weeks. Weigh yuorself at the beginning, and again after the 2 weeks. Keep yuor training as it has been - and yuo shuold be keeping written records of this, too.

If yuo are plus or minus a pound or so in bodyweight after 2 weeks, this is maintenance calories for yuo with this level of physical activity.

Now, after this is established, yuo can start to juggle the activity - training and aerobics - and diet, to start slowly gaining muscle. This will have to do with:
What yuo eat - ratios of protein, carbs, fats, and food choices for each
How much yuo eat - total calories
How yuo space meals out - more little ones, and frequently is better
Yuor training with weights - big, compound movements, with varying reps schemes (you might want to read up on DC Training and get the DVD Jason Wojo did on this)
Yuor approach to aerobics, if yuo decide to use aerobics - Brisk walks are great, and don't cut into recovery (DC and Dorian love this one!)

Hope this helps as a start...

 

[oldfella]

Ken,
You are below 2k cals a day. This is way too low even for e relative lightweight like yourself. I would go to 2200 cal a day and change your ratios to something like 45 % of those cal from protein. The the carbs around 35 % and fats make up the rest. Give that a try and see whee you are at. This shouldslow down your weightb loss and allow to add some and I stress soem lean mass. Then slowly increase cals on a 2 weekly basis till you are gaining slow and steady. But less than 2k cals a day and you are training is nothing short of muscular suicide!!!