All experienced dieters get in here!!

[97cobra]

I have been cutting now since Jan 1. I have lost 18 lbs. Currently @ 202lbs, down from 220. I am 5'9". I am around 14-15%, down from 20%. This is my first cut, and have lowered my carbs slowly equalling 200 calories each time I reduce my cals. I am currently at 2700 cals down from 3600. I do cardio in the am 5 days a week for 35 min. I am about to bump that up to 40 then 45.
I know I have always read that it should take about 3 months to get ripped. I have been dieting longer than that and can tell a difference but I think I should have made a little more progress. So the only thing I think could be hindering my progress is my diet. So here it isMeals are spaced 2-2.5 hrs apart except for ppwo which is 45-60 min. after pwo)

Cals/Pro/Carbs/Fat
20 minutes after cardio
Protein shake 240, 44, 8, 3
Flax 130, 0, 0, 14
Multi
1G vit C

Meal 2 (1 hr before workout)
5.5 oz chicken 297, 50, 0, 11
oatmeal 300, 10, 54, 5
Glutamine
L-Carnitine & Co-Q10
Glucorell R-ala

Meal 3(PWO)
Whey 240, 44, 8, 3
Creatine 140, 0, 35, 0
Multi
3G vit C
1 glucorell R-ala

Meal 4
Same as meal 2 except for L-Carnitine & Co-Q10 and glutamine.

Meal 5
whey or 5.5 oz chicken
flax

Meal 6
5.5 oz chicken
flax
glutamine

totals 2741, 302, 167, 94

On a day where I might skip morning cardio but still workout in the evening, my 1st and 2nd meals switch. And on off days, that are not cheat days, I take in all my carbs in my 1st 3 meals. The the rest are flax and protein.


I workout 6 days a week but lately w/ holidays(gym closed) and days when I could not make it, it has been more like 4 -5 days a week. I switched my routine from one part a day 5 days on 1 day off to 3 on 1 off. I am doing 2 parts a day, chest-tris, back-bi's, shoulder-legs. For a chest-tri day I will go heavy w/ chest and go light on tri's by doing 10-12 reps and doing isolation exercises, then vice versa the next chest-tri day and so on for the other parts.

Please help me, I am determined to do anything to get do 7-8%. I want to do this for myself cause this is something that I want and am going to get there. Just need a little help. Plus I have a cruise coming up in the beginning of June so it is kinda like getting ready for a contest . Something to push me. Thanks ahead of time. I am gonna try and post some pics either tonight or tomorrow from the 1st of Jan and some picsa I will take tonight.

[SwoleCat]

At first glance it appears your calories are very high. H*ll, I barely go at/over 3600 while bulking, and when I'm cutting I'm at about 2800 (but I weigh 240 or so at the time) Try the simple art of reducing your calories more, to around 2450 or so, dependent on the cardio you actually end up doing.

Also, creatine I don't like when cutting. What creatine are you using that has 35 grams of carbs, or am I reading that wrong? In any event, it's a caloric issue I believe, but then again those are only my $.02.

~SC~

[97cobra]

I kinda thought my cals were the prob but some people in my gym said I shouldn't go under 2500 cause I would probably start to lose muscle. The creatine I am using is phosphagen hp.

[SwoleCat]

You won't really lose muscle just because kcals are low. You'll lose muscle if you equally reduce all macros across the board. Lower carbs, up fats, keep protein about the same, and you should be pretty well off!

Also, I'd dump the creatine while cutting, just a preference of mine.

~SC~

[97cobra]

Thanx swole, I appreciate the quick response. But just one question. For my Pwo meal should I use just dextrose instead of the phosphagen for my spike.

[SwoleCat]

That'd be great! I am thinking that's the ingredient (or one of them anyway, malto may be the other) that is in that "delivery system" anyhow.

~SC~

[97cobra]

Yeah I believe just dextrose is in the phosphagen. Sorry for taking up your time but last question, I think. When I lower my carb intake to around 100 or less a day should I carb up every 4th day or so. Right now my carb up day is my cheat day and I don't go overboard. Also, say I do need to carb up every fourth day would I need to ingest carbs like 150 for 1st day, 100 for 2nd, and 50 for 3rd, then carb up? If so, how much carbs should I ingest on a carb up day? Or do I need not to worry about that?? thanx