Time to end my 29 year bulk cycle...

[Fenbay]

Posted a little bit about this earlier, want to get some more opinions if possible as I embark upon this monumental endeavor.

Goal: lower body-fat significantly, maintain the muscle mass, increase my strength, stay "BIG", ideally around 240.

I'm entertaining the idea of a CKD or TKD since I'm a voracious meat eater anyways. I've actually been doing a bit of a CKD now. It has worked pretty well but I am at the point now where I'm willing to make the choice to do the best cutting diet period.

I'm 6'1 285 pretty fricken big in all categories, in very good shape for my size (play racquetball for 3 hours regularly), out-lift both my work-out partners in all of the big 3 (bench, squat, deads) but I'm def. a fat-boy. I still fall back to my football days and have always worked for strength rather than sculpting when lifting.
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The questions:

First off, should I even concern myself with the potentital muscle loss of a low carb/low calorie diet if I continue a good 3 time a week lifting routine while on this diet? My main goal is to drop fat not muscle of course. I'm doing the diet-fuel thing which seems to help in the metabolic aspect. I'd really like to lower the calories massively since I seem to have a very low natural metabo.

Second, drop the creatine? I'm still shooting for 405 on the bench after recovering from some shoulder trouble. I'd really like to keep my strength while I drop the weight and even make gains if possible.

Third, Should I up the cardio during the diet or keep it the same. Basically twice a week of cycle and mixing in some racquetball now and again.

Fourth, Change the work-out? higher reps and lower weight?

The crummy thing seems to be that I am encountering contradictions or trying to do too many things at once. I think we over-analyze this crap sometimes, but we all want to figure out the BEST approach to try and get to our goals. Thoughts, opinions, flames, welcome!

[fuzz]

Keep creatine. Do full body workouts, 3 times a week, to best perserve muscle. Try HST. Drop calories slowly, and introduce cardio gradually. Make changes slowly and watch for the results to maintain muscle.

CKD/TKD makes no difference in the long run, an isocaloric diet would work just as well, too - whatever you can stick to the easiest is the best program for you.

Check my journal for my slow cut - so far went from about 16% bf to 11%, maintaining nearly all my muscle and improving my strength.

[bradley]

First off, should I even concern myself with the potentital muscle loss of a low carb/low calorie diet if I continue a good 3 time a week lifting routine while on this diet? My main goal is to drop fat not muscle of course. I'm doing the diet-fuel thing which seems to help in the metabolic aspect. I'd really like to lower the calories massively since I seem to have a very low natural metabo.

"My main goal is to drop fat not muscle of course. " I think you answered your own question here.




Second, drop the creatine? I'm still shooting for 405 on the bench after recovering from some shoulder trouble. I'd really like to keep my strength while I drop the weight and even make gains if possible.

I agree with fuzz. Keep the creatine. I don't see any point in dropping it.


Third, Should I up the cardio during the diet or keep it the same. Basically twice a week of cycle and mixing in some racquetball now and again.

For right now I would keep the cardio and training the same see what kind of results you get from diet alone. Maybe later you might want to think about adding in some more, but for now the cycling and racquetball should be fine, IMO.




Fourth, Change the work-out? higher reps and lower weight?

Keep it the same.

Slowly lower cals and try not to make drastic changes in caloric intake. Slowly decrease cals over a period of weeks, and not all at once.