How to cut and keep muscle.

[johnjuanb1]

Unless someone has ALOT of fat to lose I don't see how that is possible unless you are referring to just a few weeks. There is definitely no magic number but 5 pounds per week is a lot. Many would risk losing muscle if they lost that much weight each week. Although again things are different if they have loads of fat to lose. Everyone is different and some people are 10 and others 100 pounds over their goal weight but most don't go down too much. When I cut I tend to not lose more than approx 20 pounds so if I lost that much I would be done in 4 weeks. Many do like to do things fast on here and with a high protein (low fat and carb) diet one could lose fat fast and maintain muscle. Many love to use dnp for this very thing as well.

I guess it all depends upon someones goals. Many can do extreme depletions and lose loads of fat fast then they load back up. Like JJ posted I generally prefer a longer more gradual process (although more like 3-4 months and not the 6 he posted). I like the others things in your mix and all are great for maintaining muscle in a deficit. Although I would personally bump the tren dose slightly (20-30mg).

The 6 months I posted was because my lazy ass doesn’t want to do cardio.

 

[knucklehed]

Unless someone has ALOT of fat to lose I don't see how that is possible unless you are referring to just a few weeks. There is definitely no magic number but 5 pounds per week is a lot. Many would risk losing muscle if they lost that much weight each week. Although again things are different if they have loads of fat to lose. Everyone is different and some people are 10 and others 100 pounds over their goal weight but most don't go down too much. When I cut I tend to not lose more than approx 20 pounds so if I lost that much I would be done in 4 weeks. Many do like to do things fast on here and with a high protein (low fat and carb) diet one could lose fat fast and maintain muscle. Many love to use dnp for this very thing as well.

I guess it all depends upon someones goals. Many can do extreme depletions and lose loads of fat fast then they load back up. Like JJ posted I generally prefer a longer more gradual process (although more like 3-4 months and not the 6 he posted). I like the others things in your mix and all are great for maintaining muscle in a deficit. Although I would personally bump the tren dose slightly (20-30mg).

You're right! Maybe 15 pounds the first 3 weeks. It gets me in single digits and I'll ease off the low calories and fill-out a bit. I've tried bumping tren up but even at 20mg/day my blood pressure starts to climb. I am almost 53 and I consider 70mg or Tren a week pretty intense LOL.

Regarding johnjuanb1 comments about several small meals: I would do that if I were running an extended diet and trying to get under 5%. I used to do 12 weeks contest prep and eat 5-6 times a day. That's great if your living the life and competing. It is not for me these days. One thing for sure: When I eat several meals a day, I am starving and it is a challenge. I can do the intermittent fasting and it seems so much easier. Eating always makes me hungry and focused on food. This is just my method for getting a good look going quickly. Once you get pretty lean you have to start cheat meals here and there For energy and sanity. It's amazing what the body is capable of on low calories.

 

[Omegasox]

I’d ditch the intermittent fasting and do frequent small meals to keep the metabolism going. Like throwing wood on a fire. It burns hotter.

This has never been scientifically proven. It’s all calories in vs calories out. 10 300 cal meals produces the same thermic effect as 3 1000 cal meals.

 

[Beti ona]

I guess it all depends upon someones goals. Many can do extreme depletions and lose loads of fat fast then they load back up. Like JJ posted I generally prefer a longer more gradual process (although more like 3-4 months and not the 6 he posted). I like the others things in your mix and all are great for maintaining muscle in a deficit. Although I would personally bump the tren dose slightly (20-30mg).

The ideal time is between 16 and 20 weeks to me.

 

[Elvia1023]

This has never been scientifically proven. It’s all calories in vs calories out. 10 300 cal meals produces the same thermic effect as 3 1000 cal meals.

That is true. Dieting itself (being in a calorie deficit) will slow down ones metabolism over time. On paper it doesn't really matter how you eat and the most important factor is energy balance. I have read all the studies and understand the science (Layne Norton posts about this a lot). However, I think in certain scenarios (bodybuilder contest style preps with drugs that are typically used) I think there is truth to what JJ states. So I go with the broscience on this one but only in certain scenarios. Plus just me I have heard the arguments against this (what you basically stated) and from intelligent bodybuilders as well.

Small feedings (esepcially when combined with certain drugs) can literally turn your body turn into a furnace. Granted the same effect can be done with 1 large feeding after many low days. But I 100% notice the difference when small feedings are used and if done correctly your body becomes this well oiled machine and you just process things so efficiently and effectively. It's a different thing when methods such as fasting or larger infrequent meals are used. It can almost defy logic in many ways as you can start to burn through everything (carbs). The key is picking the right foods at teh rigth quantities. Now many will disagree and I understand why but I do know what JJ means.

 

[Elvia1023]

The ideal time is between 16 and 20 weeks to me.

I don't think there is an ideal time as it all depends upon the starting point and the end goal. Many just have their own ways/times of doing things. I tend to stay relatively lean all year so I never need to drop weight fast or have loads to lose. If I did then I would either do it quick then slow down or just do it very slowly over approx 4-6 months. It's true many think 1-2 pounds loss per week is ideal but I don't go by everything like that. Although it's also true most peoples contest preps range from 24 to 8 weeks with 12-16 weeks being very common so that seems to be the ideal time for most. No one wants to be dieting hard for too long. Now if someone is fat then sure it will take a very long time but for most people on here 8-16 weeks is plenty of time.

 

[mytreefiddy]

This has never been scientifically proven. It’s all calories in vs calories out. 10 300 cal meals produces the same thermic effect as 3 1000 cal meals.

Really? You think so huh?...Ahhhhh cuz science hasn't "proven" it...... how about this..... try it..... then come and say its the same shit....

 

[johnjuanb1]

This has never been scientifically proven. It’s all calories in vs calories out. 10 300 cal meals produces the same thermic effect as 3 1000 cal meals.

One meal won’t allow the body to absorb much protein. 50 grams of protein every 2 hours is going to work much better.
Besides, real world anecdotal evidence trumps what some asshat in a lab says every time. Go ask the top 10 bodybuilders how they diet precontest for the Olympia. Nobody eats one big meal. They eat frequent small meals.

 

[mytreefiddy]

Besides, real world anecdotal evidence trumps what some asshat in a lab says every time. Go ask the top 10 bodybuilders how they diet precontest for the Olympia. Nobody eats one big meal. They eat frequent small meals.

JJ its straight up comical i swear..... and the same applies to the dingalings that say the same about cardio... "all about calories in vs out".... true to a CERTAIN DEGREE.... i chat with some of the best athletes in the world.... Bodybuilders, Classic guys, Physique guys.....and guess when i chat with them? when they're on the fucking treadmill...

People need to stop strictly going by how something should be ON PAPER....apply it in real world scenarios then come to YOUR OWN conclusion....

 

[johnjuanb1]

JJ its straight up comical i swear..... and the same applies to the dingalings that say the same about cardio... "all about calories in vs out".... true to a CERTAIN DEGREE.... i chat with some of the best athletes in the world.... Bodybuilders, Classic guys, Physique guys.....and guess when i chat with them? when they're on the fucking treadmill...

People need to stop strictly going by how something should be ON PAPER....apply it in real world scenarios then come to YOUR OWN conclusion....

Yep. Look at all the Americans that skip eating all day, eat at night, and look like blubbery shit. I promise you eating the same total calories will look completely different if the calories are spread over 6 meals and the carbs are low with no fats.

 

[fitzchivalry]

Really? You think so huh?...Ahhhhh cuz science hasn't "proven" it...... how about this..... try it..... then come and say its the same shit....

There are lots of people who have tried it and say it is the same so this will not validate your opinion.

 

[nihilixm]

Yep. Look at all the Americans that skip eating all day, eat at night, and look like blubbery shit. I promise you eating the same total calories will look completely different if the calories are spread over 6 meals and the carbs are low with no fats.

By the same token serge nubret said look at tigers are lean and ripped and only eat 1–2 huge meals per day, so he did the same.

Had to be the contrarian