Adjusting the Cut?

[ArmandSV]

so I understand how to set up a cut (track calories and weight for a week and then determine basal level, subtract ~20%)

I determined a 2000 daily cal limit

so in the beginning I was (using body fat scale)
172 with 22% fat (38lbs fat) and now 22 days later I am

167 with 20% fat (34lbs), so I am improving.

I also put on muscle (visual differences) and gained strength.

but as I continue the cut, I notice that come evenings I'm getting hungrier and hungrier.

so my question is on a cut, should you add a few calories to your daily calorie limit as you progress?
would having a low calorie count and active days, make your metabolism slow down?


I work out in the morning and follow with breakfast of a meal replacement (w/ creatine) shake and then eat every 3 hours, and stop eating around 9pm before 11:30 bed time. I eat healthy food and have good macros, usually 25% fat, 37% prot, 37% carbs.

as a side note, this is me, I'm pretty happy with my improvements, but a washboard stomach is a goal of mine, and the belly fat you see is very stubborn, so I'm willing to go a little hungry to get rid of it. (and I'm not sure the scale measure BF correctly, but at least its a measurement that is decreasing)
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g252/armandsv/Working%20Out/IMGP2553.jpg
**I know the halo from the light is funny

this is a year ago, not a ideal before but you get idea
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g252/armandsv/Working%20Out/IMGP2068.jpg

[Unholy]

Normally people drop calories into their cut, you may have set your cutting cals too low in the first place, I would bump em by 200/day and watch the scale.

[Built]

Please get away from macronutrient percentages. And I'm with Unholy - you may have cut too hard. Perhaps a maintenance break for a couple of weeks before resuming your cut?

Read the diet link in my sig - it might help you plot out the rest of your cut.

Also, look into HIIT. "How to do cardio if you must" discusses various cardio modalities, including HIIT.

Nice work so far! Good luck!

[ArmandSV]

does anyone keep the cut on the week days and then go to maintenance on weekends?

IE: Train and cut monday through friday
weights: M, W, F
abs and swimming/cardio: tuesday and thursday

then on the weekends reast and eat at maintenance levels.

that seems reasonable to me.


also Built, this is my food intake

8am -- wake up
830am --gym
1030 -- opticen (320 cal)
130 -- low carb pasta with meat sauce (315 cals, 7g carb, 30g prot)
430 -- low carb pasta with meat sauce (315 cals, 7g carb, 30g prot)
730 -- open face pb&J (only one slice of bread, to keep carbs low)
930 -- bbq chicken and veggies
1130 -- asleep
**60grams trail mix total, snacked on all day (320 cal total)

I like your carb cycling, but I'm not sure how to set that up, with a morning work out. I could have the PB and J before I leave for they gym? What schedule would you use?

[ArmandSV]

ok so i decided to go to 2400 calories a day, instead of 2000

i planned it out, such that it will be 200g prot, 108 carb, and 90 fat

I will track this for a week and see what happens

hopefully something good (or at least not bad)

[Built]

Could this work for you? Just target the majority of your carbs pre and post workout, keep these meals lower-fat, taper off carbs toward the evening if you like and focus on the fats. Just an option.

LBM = 133.6 lbs.
Maintenance calories: 2400 per day;
3 lifting/HIIT days per week.

Average daily macros:
246g of protein,
90g of fat, and
152g of carbohydrate,
2,400 calories in total.

(3) Lifting/HIIT days:
246g of protein,
67g of fat, and
246g of carbohydrate,
2,571 calories in total.

(4) Rest/SS Cardio days:
246g of protein,
107g of fat, and
81g of carbohydrate,
2,271 calories in total.

[ArmandSV]

so its been awhile since I've updated my situation

so I took the advice to get off the cut for a bit, and feed my body a little more, but
I have been pretty religious about tracking everything
so I figured maybe a better dieter would be able to take a look

also the way I track might be of interest to some of you
It seems organized to me, also everymorning M-F, I use my body fat scale

http://http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=poqAKPw_jULh06zByJ1wRfg (http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=poqAKPw_jULh06zByJ1wRfg)


the link above shows the spreadsheet I use to track calories weight and BF
anyone have suggestions, as what I should do to end this belly fat
(aka is it time for ephedrine, nitor, thermocin, etc)

[thor310]

fyi, the dates are all messed up in your spreadsheet.:alcoholic

[ArmandSV]

i know transfer thing, ignore it