I'm a little confused(Bulking/Cuttin)

[Mic Soloist]

I have been eating 1800 calories per day for a few months now. The only time I go over 1800 is on a drinking night(1-2 times per week) or when I eat a special meal(usually pasta) which is not often.

During this time I have made sure to get my body weight in protein each day and limited carbs the best I could(usually between 130-150 per day). I've been having my shakes and I have had some great results. I've went from 153 pound to 164 pounds in the last 2.5 months.

Now I've come to a point where I will be ready to cut very soon. I would estimate my BF% between 14-16%. I could be a little off though. I am 5'11 and my waist is about 32.5 inches on an empty stomach. I would like to get my BF% down to at least 10% before bulking again.

I'm sure by now your thinking... "How can you be bulking with 1800 calories??? That should be a cutting diet!!!!"

Yea, I'm wondering the same thing. I eat at least 6 small meals a day and I drink tons of water but I still gain weight with this diet. Which makes me think 1 of 2 things.

1. I am somehow underestimating my calorie intake

2. I have an unusually slow metabilism.

I do not know how I could be estimating my calories wrong since I use fitday and as accurate as I can possibly be.

So I really don't know why I'd be gaining weight quick with this diet. And my real problem is...

How can I cut?????? If I take out a few hundred calories I'll barley be over 1000, and I know that isn't enough for an active dude my size.

If I increase my calories anymore I know I'm gonna gain BF cuz I have gained a little even with the small amount of calories I'm eating. So at this point I'm stuck. I want to take off some BF but I really have no clue how to approach it since my bulking diet is right where my cutting diet should be.



-peace-

[machaf]

The drinking 1-2 nights per week could have something to do with it.

I would double check your calorie intake. Are you getting the number of calories off the package you are eating or are you just using fitday values? And are you servings the size thats on the package?

Fitday stuff is accurate to somethings, but it can vary greatly.

[Holto]

Originally posted by Mic Soloist
How can I cut?

wait till summers over and continue to eat 1800 without the drinking

do you count the cals from drinking ?

it's not hard to pick up an extra 2000cals at the bar

10 beer is around 2500 (I think)

if thats 4000/wk from booze then you are getting a weekly total of 16600

and a daily average of 2370

still pretty low to be gaining even at your weight

[unshift]

i would say you're underestimating your calories, i have the same problem (except i'm at the other end :))

[-TIM-]

Are you active outside of the gym? If you're taking in more calories than you burn you'll be able to gain weight. I would stay where you're at on calories when you cut. Eat a little cleaner and up your cardio. That's really the best way to cut.

As far as the 1800 per day, you're probably taking in more than that if you're eating 6 actual meals per day.

[Mic Soloist]

I always look at the labels and type them into fitday. I am always as accurate as I can possibly be.

As far as the beer goes... I usually have about 6 beers on 1 or 2 different nights per week. I always add the calorie totals in and make sure I've gotten my protein and everything else in for the day b4 drinking. I also drink tons of water and sometimes have a small meal(healthy) b4 bed to flush out some of the beer and avoid a hangover. I never let my calories go over 2500 even when drinking.



Here is my typical day:



Meal 1: Oatmeal or Wheaties w/ 2 cups of skim milk


Meal 2: 2 tbsp Natty Peanut Butter & Sugar Free Jelly on 2 slices white bread


Pre workout shake(21g Whey) w/ 1 cup skim milk


--WORKOUT--


Meal 3: Post workout Shake(21g Whey w/ 1 cup skim milk


Meal 4: 1 Can Tuna w/ low fat mayo & Relish
2 slices wheat bread


Meal 5: 1 Tilapia
1 cup steamed veggies


Meal 6: 1 Can Tuna w/ low fat Mayo & Relish



I substitute foods often and I have things in my diet such as

Chicken Breast
Chicken Salad
Salad
Boiled Eggs
Wheaties
Boca Burgers
Salmon
Cod Fillet
Pasta

[Dedicated]

I've went from 153 pound to 164 pounds in the last 2.5 months. If I take out a few hundred calories I'll barley be over 1000, and I know that isn't enough for an active dude my size.
Sure it is, that's more than enough. I'm your weight if not heavier and I'm doing ok on 1000-1400, depends on the day. And yes you will still gain muscle if you work hard. Just make sure those 1000-1400 calories count, eat lots of protein, vegetables, eat right. Lots of vitamins, water, etc. Oh and do cardio!

[Mic Soloist]

also how should I avoid overtraining if I do a bunch of cardio. I think I was overtraining when I first started and that is why I wasn't making gains at first.



-peace-

[Dedicated]

Doing cardio helps with muscle recovery, it pumps oxygen to your muscles. People don't make gains when they do cardio because there calories drop because they burn them. Like say you eat 1200 calories and burn 400 doing cardio one day, thats only 800 calories. So yea you won't make gains with that, but you will lose fat. Just keep lifting+cardio and you should at the very least maintain the muscle you have. You might "look" skinner but that's cause your losing fat all over your body. If you eat right and lift+cardio and don't drink, you can do it, I'm doing it now and I weigh somewhere between 170-190(don't have a scale heh) and slooooowly gaining muscle. I feel great though, and cardio is fun!

[Berserker]

While the drinking doesn't help I've lost weight drinking alot more then that. Depends on how active you are. Also don't eat crap when drinking, that usually worse then drinking.

[Mic Soloist]

i usually drink Michelob Ultra(95 Cals, 2.6 Carbs) unless it's a special event and I need some good stuff.



-peace-