Cutting is HARD!!!! well at least for me

[iggy]

Cutting down to 150-160lbs has been my goal for the past five months.

i managed to cut from 225-180 in the first few months, but i have been stuck

at 180lbs since january. I've tried various routines and exercise plans and

diets. read a few books on cutting down, and changed my diet significantly. I

tried No-Explode and it made me bigger, vanyer, and stronger, but also didnt

help me cut at all. Superpump was bad on my stomach and that made me

vany too. The Abs diet never worked for me either. I think it was the cheat

meal that killed me. The diet told me once a week i could eat whatever i

wanted for a meal and go as big as you possibly can. So one day at quaker

steak i ate 46 wings and one atomic wing. The next day i gained 3 lbs and it

took me two weeks to get off. I've been eating breakfast every day with a

high protein low carb diet and i havent been eating fast food hardly at all. I

run about two or three days a week for a couple miles. My daily food intake

looks like this.


7:15 - Instant Oatmeal with 24g whey protein

9:20 - Protein Bar

11:20 - Almonds and Berries

12:00 - Lunch - Salad, Tuna or Turkey Breast or PBJ sandwitch

2:00 - 48g whey protein shake

3:15 - workout at the gym

5:00 - Protein shake, or fazoli's whole wheat penne with marinara sauce (sometimes)

7:00 - Dinner - Beans, Steak or Chicken, Skim Milk

9:00 - Protein Bar


Thats what i ate every day for the past 3 months (with a few cheat meals).

I've been taking liver pills for about two weeks now with every meal, but you

have to realize that i'm still a senior in high school and it's real hard when you

go to a catholic school and if they catch you with food between classes or in

class you get a detention and they take your food away. It's also really hard

to drink water during school. One other problem i have is a drink a few days a

week. Maybe 4 or 5 a couple days a week when i bowl, and a couple forties

or eleven during friday or saturday. I have eliminated drinking from my diet for

a few weeks and my results were the same. I was stuck.

My Workout Routine looks like this.

I hit every body part with 5-7 different exercises.

Monday - Chest/bi's

Tuesday - Shoulders

Wednesday - Back

Thursday - Tri's

Friday - Leg's

I'm just trying to cut as quick as i can. I've set goals, tried different things,

different approaches. Right now iam open to anything. I wanted to start No-

Explode again next monday, but i'm not sure if that would be right either.

I weighed in at 24% body fat one month and two weeks ago. Now after all of

that i'm only at 23% body fat. I really appreciate anyone who reads this and

i'm open to any suggestions.

Stats
Age: 17 (almost 18)
BFP: 23%
Body mass index: 25.0
I'll post some pictures once i fix my camera later today.
thanks.
- iggy

 

[coolcolj]

you probbaly need to go off the diet for 2-3 weeks and into maintenace to get your metabolism back into order and then resume

plus if you go under your natural bodyfat set point by a lot it gets harder and harder to get leaner

also not all bodyweight gain/loss is fat - there is water and muscle too. You can't gain 3lbs of fat in one day

 

[dshiznit00]

how much cardio are you doing. Do early AM cardio on an empty stomach if you wanna get rid of some fat.
also might wanna look into taking some off days of lifting and do atleast 40 misn of cardio a day. I would change the groups your working out together personally but thats just me.
back/bis
chest/tris
shoulders
legs

the oatmeal is wholeweats right? not the instant ones in the pkg with crap added? I do 1 cup of oatmeal in the am with some blueberries or rasberries and a scoop of whey.

I would add like one cup broccoli to your diet since it keeps test. levals high
also I think asparagis is good to help cut some of the water weight.
before the gym I would do 30-40gs protien and a orange or bannana or something. after the gym you need to drink your protien shake with like 40gs protien then a little later get in 40 carbs (baked potato or something) this will help build the muscle and the cardio should burn off the carbs your taking in.

take in alot of water or crystal light

 

[Protobuilder]

how much cardio are you doing. Do early AM cardio on an empty stomach if you wanna get rid of some fat.
also might wanna look into taking some off days of lifting and do atleast 40 misn of cardio a day. I would change the groups your working out together personally but thats just me.
back/bis
chest/tris
shoulders
legs

the oatmeal is wholeweats right? not the instant ones in the pkg with crap added? I do 1 cup of oatmeal in the am with some blueberries or rasberries and a scoop of whey.

I would add like one cup broccoli to your diet since it keeps test. levals high
also I think asparagis is good to help cut some of the water
before the gym I would do 30-40gs protien and a orange or bannana or something. after the gym you need to drink your protien shake with like 40gs protien then a little later get in 40 carbs (baked potato or something) this will help build the muscle and the cardio should burn off the carbs your taking in.

take in alot of water or crystal light

Congratulations on cramming in more BB'ing voodoo into one post then I've seen in awhile.

 

[dshiznit00]

dont know if thats a good thing or bad thing lol

 

[iggy]

instant oatmeal is bad for you?
the abs diet praises it......
do you really think lifting less would make it easier to cut?
i was also thinking of getting some Clen; Winn-50; and Tren 75.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

Uhm, not to nitpick or anything. You said your in HIGHSCHOOL, drinking 2-3 times a week, and considering 'roids as the answer.......

Your diet sucks....you need meat, vegetables, and water...thats it. Stop eating "instant" oatmeal, cereal, fazoli's, etc. Don't get lazy and think a sandwich counts as a meal. Start walking/running EVERYDAY. DON'T do it on an empty stomach, eat a piece of fruit before you go.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

o


m


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[SgtSlaughter]

ok...

if you swear not to buy any SHIT from the r o i d store, I will help you out.

But don't waste my time if I take time out of my day to help you out...

so tell me if you want a plan, let me know... but if you don't do it, don't post up here in a month or two and say nothing happend.

 

[iggy]

i'm just confused. that's all i will say. i went two weeks without drinking or eating fast food and following the abs diet for the past 3 months which praises instant oatmeal. I've read a few books too but the truth is i really dont know much at all about cutting or nutrition at all. I would be very greatful for any advice. I've been trying for months to cut with different techniques. Just trying not to sound like a dumbass because i'm a straight up powerlifter and know nothing about cutting weight except how my wrestling friends do it. which will slow down my metabolism anyway. I've been trying to eat throughout the day at school even though its hard because you'll get a detention if they catch you. Maybe the problem is i'm eating too much with around 8 meals a day. 200-250gs of protein a day for the past 3 months too. Any help would be much obliged.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

Don't waste your time with this friggin moron

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=536243

 

[SgtSlaughter]

please go read in the diet forum and educate yourself... it'll be the best thing for you.

Do NOT waste your money at the roi d store... it's garbage as far as I've heard.

 

[Protobuilder]

Losing fat is very simple. Fuck drugs. Don't need 'em. Your goal is pretty simple.

You're not losing weight on your current eating plan. Simple. Eat less. Not a ton less. Just a little bit less than usual. Yes you may need to start tracking your daily intake, which can be a pain at first. But otherwise, you may have no real idea how much you shove down your piehole. If the scale starts moving down, you're on track. Keep doing what you're doing until the scale stops. Then eat a little bit less again. The scale should start moving again.

It's quite simple. Where do drugs factor in? Unless you're trying to shred down to competition level, drugs only mean you lack the discipline and willpower to consistently put forth intelligent effort. Meaning, you want something, but won't work for it.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

If the scale starts moving down, you're on track. Keep doing what you're doing until the scale stops. Then eat a little bit less again. The scale should start moving again.

i agree with all but this ^^

During a cutting diet if one is training one may recomposition, aka gain a bit of muscle and loose body fat (as did I on my first cutting diet).

Therefore the scale is NOT what one needs to gauge progress.

Use progress photos, tape measure, caliper tests, how you feel, ect.

Weight is not the "end all factor" of cutting progress.


Take your bodyweight and go for 10-12 x BW (EXAMPLE: 200lbs x 10 = 2,000 calories) for your caloric range. Use that as a baseline or so and adjust weekly or every 2 weeks as needed.

Start with 40/30/30 for your macronutrient ratios (%Proteins/%Carbs/%Fats)

Quick diet comments:

Pack your own lunch.

No skim milk.

Last meal... make that a protein powder in water shake and ANPB or 1oz of Almonds (or something similar)

 

[Protobuilder]

All good points. I was going for the down and dirty basics. At 23% Bodyfat, with regular heavy lifting (e.g., no real risk of dropping muscle mass), the scale is "good enough," IMHO. Personally, I use the scale, the mirror (terrible indicator frankly), and my gut measurement.

And if he's looking at cutting drugs, I figure all that calorie counting, macronutrient ratio stuff is too "complex" for him. Just a couple of diff't approaches.

Re: the recomp bit . . . you mentioned your first cut . . .I wonder if this was during your "noob gain" stage? Otherwise, it's like the holy grail: losing fat AND adding slabs of meat at the same time. LoL

 

[SgtSlaughter]

Ahhh, lol... all good points back at ya.

No, definetly wasn't my "noob gain" stage (that happened 6 years ago from 137-180)... could have been the weider confusion principals though ... because i just came off a sloppy bulk and went all out animal intense i'm not sure what i'm doing but i hope it works lifting...and it did

My body is wired differently, i'm still trying to figure it out.

I burnt out on chicken and veggies, but it was worth it, lol

 

[dce2956]

My body is wired differently, i'm still trying to figure it out.

This is an incredibly important concept for you to understand. Your wrestling buddies are different than you probably. what works for them to lose weight apparently doesnt work for you.

there are many different variations on the idea of losing weight, but it all comes down to caloric deficit, and there are many ways to achieve this. i have friends that need to eat 3000 cals a day and then workout twice a day to lose weight. i also know people that can just eat less and sit on their ass, and can lose weight.

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!!! just experiment in 3 week periods until you find what combo of intake and expenditure works for you

 

[perp69]

Well I think cutting is not a cake walk for most people. Lots of cardio and diet is the key. Some people take less and some have to bust ass to do it. Sounds like you are in the bust ass category, like myself.

Perp

 

[iggy]

Thanks guys. I think i will reduce my sodium intake, up my potassium intake and cardio and reduce the amount of food i eat also along with making a cutting journal next monday. I realized how appealing steroids look when you don't know any of the side effects. Heck if there weren't any side effects i'm positive about everyone would do them. But thanks for kicking me back into gear guys, and i apoligize for my ignorance on the subject. The last question is, to take NO-explode or not to? Superpump made my stomach hurl, Redline made me feel like my heart was stopping when i drank some, and No-Explode doesn't seem like it does much for me except make me real vainy and a little bloated (which could be the result of not enough water intake. i was only taking in a half a gallon of water a day while taking it). Thanks for your time though guys. This forum always seemed to give me advice at times when i needed it.

 

[Cynical Simian]

Aside from the 10 extra calories per day you'd burn as the result of the small amount of caffeine in NO-Xplode, it won't make a bit of difference. I suppose there's no harm in finishing what you have, but buying more after that would, IMO, be a colossal waste of money.

 

[Protobuilder]

Someone mentioned instant oatmeal above . . . it's got lots of sugar, which is why it tastes so damn good. Sugar isn't the greatest thing for you, in excess, and if you're cutting, you probably should avoid getting extra 'empty' calories where possible. I mean, everyone has to live a bit, but if you can skip the instant oats, I'd do it. Just buy a big jug of regular oats (or the "quick" oats, still in the big cheap tub). Stir in a quarter cup of frozen (well,thawed) blueberries or strawberries if you want. Personally, when cutting, I stir in a scoop or two of Champion banana protein powder into some oats. Tastes good. High protein. Fiber. Good breakfast.

The last question is, to take NO-explode or not to? Superpump made my stomach hurl, Redline made me feel like my heart was stopping when i drank some, and No-Explode doesn't seem like it does much for me except make me real vainy and a little bloated

I'd skip it. It doesn't do anything positive for you LONG TERM. It may (MAY) give you a boost for your workout, which is a good thing, but hell, at your age, you shouldn't NEED anything more than your own motivation. Seriously. If you can't gear up to live, you need to evaluate some things, not give money to a supp company.

You mentioned above lifting less while cutting or something . . . you may need to back off the volume (e.g., number of sets, number of reps) b/c you might not have the energy for a full bore workout . . . BUT try to keep the bar heavy. That will help ensure you don't start cutting muscle. If you start going light and doing "pump" stuff, your body will decide to get rid of what it needs the least--extra muscle. Keep it heavy.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

I'd just like to say THANK YOU for listening to the advice given on this board. I had almost given up hope, but you pay attention and listen better than most. Best of luck with the rest of your cut, don't give up hope.

NO-Xplode is useless for me. I paid to use it for 3 months, dropped it, and haven't noticed any difference. I think it gave a good placebo (sp) effect, 'cause I thought it was doing something, but my weights have still been climbing due to good programming and tracking.

 

[dce2956]

Oh yeah, just realized, where are your EFA's (essential fatty acids) in your diet? Udo's choice is a great oil that i take two tablespoons of every day, while bulking or cutting. they're important little molecules for both, and should be in your diet. spend your money on this instead of no-explode

 

[iggy]

well i take liver pills and i have some omega fatty 3 acids in my tuna and smart balance butter. I think i'm going to invest in a george foreman grill and start a new journal later tonight. thanks for all your help so far guys. i appreciate it all.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

I doubt you get enough omega's in your butter and canned tuna. Just buy a bottle of fish oil caps, or get some UDO's. The foreman grills are pretty sweet, buy a bunch of "lawry's 30 min marinades" and your set for awhile.

 

[kish]

ya can always substitude every 3rd or 4th can of tuna with salmon to take in more omegas, thats what I do. I cook with extra virgin olive oil too.

hey yea those George Foreman grills work wicked for cooking chicken breast etc. when they do work. I had to return one a week after I got it, either the left or right side kept quiting. had problems with the second one too ffs.