New Pics.....4 weeks done! BF estimates?

[BigBossMan]

Well four weeks are down! I am thinking of cutting for 5 more weeks and then going maintainance for two and on to bulking. I am weighing in at 165lbs and have been stuck there for awhile. It is definetely time to commit to some AM cardio and get BMR going. In the the midst of 3 jobs, and a 45min commute to work I haven't found the time. I am a little dissappointed in the progess fo far. I definetely know that I could have done more if I had been more disciplined with the cardio. Some progress is better than none. Lemme know what you think.

Here is Before:
http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=98193

Here is yesterday:


side pose:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...z/000_0909.jpg

Wheels:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...z/000_0907.jpg

Back arms out no flexage:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...z/000_0901.jpg

Back double BI. Upper back flexage:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...z/000_0904.jpg

Front relaxed:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...z/000_0900.jpg

Pic quality is bad but didn't have time was inbetween one job showering then going to the next. Not good at poses either. The pic of the wheels is poor but they are actually coming along. When I flex I can see the seperation between three different muscles the two near the knee cap and one that sticks out in the upper middle!

[Herandi]

i definately see progress, stomach is leaning out nicely.

[Invain]

So I'm gonna go ahead and ask it...... why are you cutting?

I don't see much of a difference at all, imo. Also, why are you so concerned about cardio? Keep your diet in check and hit the weights and you'll lose the fat. If you're not losing weight, cardio isn't the answer: you need to eat less!

[Gabrielle]

I have to side with Invain. There is only a slight reduction in bodyfat, which means you look pretty much the same. Like others have mentioned in your before pics thread you need to build a base. Spend this whole year working on getting bigger and stronger and then worry about cutting next summer. You have a lot of room for growth, so capitalize.

[BigBossMan]

Thanks all for the response. I understand where you all are coming from. I have cut BF down quite a bit it isn't very noticable in the pics because flash reflects of my stomach(whitey) but I wanted to get rid of a little gut before I started bulking so I can do a nice clean bulk. I know that everyone is all about being big but I am very patient and I think I will be able to track lean gains better when there is less bodyfat covering it. I am actually glad I did a cut first....I have seen some slight gains in LBM along with the cut do to being a noob.I have gained quite a bit of strength as well and feel overall much better about myself. I think I am going to do two more weeks of this cut. Then three weeks maintainance and start adding 250 cals a week until I begin gaining.(what do you think?) I appreciate the advice and believe me I do plan on becoming big but I want to do it nice and slow....as I read in another post that if you just working on gaining lean muscles and the end of the year you will find that you have gained more then you would have bulking for say 1year (gaining muscle) then cutting for say 4mos (not gaining muscle)...if you do 16mos of clean bulk then you are always gaining and therefore in the long run putting on more muscle.

[BigBossMan]

If you're not losing weight, cardio isn't the answer: you need to eat less!

cardio(burning calories)=eating less(less calories)

there is also the benefit of improved cardiovascular health which will benefit overall performance/health as a whole. Studies have shown that Am SS cardio at low intenisty increases BMR all day.

I am currently putting back around 2200-2300 cals on WO days and 1600-1800 on off days. I really don't want to decrease cals much more than that because I think I would go nuts and eat one of my kids. LOL

[Unholy]

So how much weight did you drop in those 4 weeks?

[BigBossMan]

overall i have lost about 12lbs since I first began about 7 weeks....So I lost relatively slow which I understand is better for maintaining lean muscle...plus I am willing to bet I put on .5-1lb of lean muscle

[BigBossMan]

from the before to after picture I lost 8 or 9

[BigBossMan]

maybe less

[Gabrielle]

In general it can be more efficient to clean bulk from a lower bodyfat. Unfortunately, you have to consider other factors such as being carb depleted from dieting and rebound effect from not eating a lot of food. It is a different story to be 5% and clean bulk if you are naturally at that bodyfat. Much different than forcing your body to get super lean and then trying to slowly introduce calories. Just some food for thought. If you are happy with your progress then that is all that matters.

[Con]

Much different than forcing your body to get super lean and then trying to slowly introduce calories.

Would you mind explaining why that is?

[BFGUITAR]

From my understanding, its easier for a fat person to get fatter than a lean person to get fat.

[tdotteg]

You're definitely leaner, great job! and 12 lbs in 4 weeks? thats awesome. are you naturally lean? I also find that it's easier to burn fat when you're lean. Ever since I bumped up my calories for maintenance, I actually look leaner than ever even tho the scale says I gained 5 lbs.

[BigBossMan]

Would you mind explaining why that is?

I think what Gabrielle is refering to is when you become fat you increase fat cells...when you lose the fat it empties the fat cells but they never go away. So it is easier for a person who was really fat and then becomes skinny to become fat again. Also I think she is talking about the effect of switching from dieting mode to bulking your body is going to want to fill up those fat cells again as quickly as possible. Body fat=easily accesible energy that as we already know has twice the energy/cals as carbs or protien(which essentially what muscles are comprised of from what I understand). Your body likes fat.....it would much rather have fat then muscle. Muscle is alot of work for your body to maintain. This is why I was planning on eating at maintainance for three weeks and then slowly start adding calories.....I know Lyle Mcdonald talks alot about the switch from cutting to bulking but I have never read his book...if there is a better way to go about doing to avoid gaining the fat back I am all ears...I don't want to see my work getting lean go to waste...

[BigBossMan]

From my understanding, its easier for a fat person to get fatter than a lean person to get fat.

I think that the fatter you get the more insulin resistant you get. Which means that sugar floats around in your blood stream instead of getting used by your body like normal. It also screws up alot of other things in your body(hormones/cholesterol) and eventually can lead to diabetes. I believe that there actually an organ that stores fat called "omentum". It stores fat to protect your organs which from what I understand is why you get the 'spare tire' effect. I have read about it in a couple of different books. Could be BS though you can never trust what you read these days. Its a shame

[BigBossMan]

I did some side by sides to help myself compare if you guys wanna check them out....the before are on the left. Just in case you can't tell. Not too much progress but oh well. I can't wait I think my next pic will a 8 or 16 wk bulk pic..Hopefully we will see some better progress then!


http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...omparison2.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...Comparison.jpg

[Gabrielle]

Just slow bulk like you are planning to do and make sure your training is in order.

[BigBossMan]

I found it....I knew there was something that I read that pertained to everything that gabrielle was saying.....

CON-check this link out

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/Mis...s/bodyfat.html

[SelfMade]

Nice work man!!!