1st time ever trying to cut...**MACROS INSIDE**

[Trying-Hard]

Hi guys,

I need some help from the vets (baseline, gb, etc.)

This is the 1st time in my life that I am going to cut. I have always been skinny all my life and always bulking. But now I have let myself go a tad and I am not liking what I am seeing so it is time to cut down about 4-5%BF, and I need your help.

Stats:
31 yrs old
5'8
185 morning weight
15%

TDEE:
2,900 calories
TDEE - 400 calories = 2,500 calories

Cycle:
prop/var (8 weeks) - starting soon

Goal at end of cycle:
190 lbs, 10-11%

Diet plan
M1: 1/2 cup of oats
5 egg whites (broiled eggs)
2 full eggs (broiled eggs)
375c, 35p, 26c, 13f

M2: 2 cans of tuna
1/4 tbs olive oil
280c, 52p, 0c, 8f

M3 (PWO): 2 scoops whey
dextrose
415c, 48p, 96c, 2f

M4: 3 oz whole wheat pasta
5 oz extra lean beef
1/4 cup prego (i know, this is bad for cutting, but I dont want to throw up)
535c, 35p, 66c, 14f

M5: 6oz chx breast
2/3 cup green peas
1 cup salad
395c, 50p, 22c, 6f

M6 (before bed)
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
2 scoops casein
1 tbs flax
430c, 62p, 9c, 14f

TOTAL: 2500 calories, 282p, 219c, 57f

Cardio:
Cardio on days off only - WED, SAT, SUN
20-25 each session
THR on cardio days = 220 - age *.7 = 198

Notes:
I work 50 hrs a week so I am trying to do my best with this diet. I can't be home grilling chicken every other meal and eating 100% right, so please take that into consideration. I can always cook the chicken before hand, but re-heated chicken taste like ASS. Anyways, any help/critique from the vets/experts would be much appreciated.

THANK YOU.

[Trying-Hard]

I keep on reading my diet over and over again and my 4th meal keeps on standing out like a sore thumb as a really out of place meal......Do you agree? If so, what do you recommend to replace it with?

[jasc]

I keep on reading my diet over and over again and my 4th meal keeps on standing out like a sore thumb as a really out of place meal......Do you agree? If so, what do you recommend to replace it with?

If it were my diet I'd replace the pasta with whole grain rice. You'll have a better source of carbs and you won't need that prego.

[Trying-Hard]

Ya, I am with you man. Just looking at that Prego bugs my eyes, lol.

If you had to pick between whole grain rice and lean beef or Chicken with veggies (peas/green beans) and olive oil for meal #4, which one would you choose?

Rest of the diet looks OK?

Thank you.

[cj111]

I have never been a fan of dextrose, and you're getting almost half your daily carbs from a powdered source.
Your trying to cut, I don't see how taking dextrose is going to benefit you in any way.
Whats your reason for it ?

[Trying-Hard]

Thanks for chiming in, cj.

My reason for taking it is strictly for an insulin spike and absorption for muscle growth. I am assuming you don't recommend it? If not, what carb do you recommend in my PWO shake?

[cj111]

I use sweet potatoes in mine,with cottage cheese and cinnamon. Scoop of prot and almond milk. I wouldn't worry about spiking your insulin since your cutting, no need.
I've used dextrose when I was younger, I just try and consume food now, 1 scoop of prot a day for me and that's it.

[Trying-Hard]

Wouldn't the fat from the cottage cheese slow absorption down and is counter-productive PWO?

So you recommend a protein source and a complex carb? How about 1/2 cup of oats with the protein?

Anyone else have an opinion about this?

Also, how is the rest of the diet looking?

TIA

[cj111]

I forgot to mention I use dry cottage. Also the fat content in 1 or 2% is so minimal anyways I wouldn't worry about it. It's not going to make or break your progress ?

[cj111]

That wasn't supposed to be a ?... I'm on my phone lol that was supposed to be a smiley face.

[Trying-Hard]

Thanks cj

Any other input on PWO while cutting?

And any comments about my diet and more particularly my meal #4? lol

[jasc]

Ya, I am with you man. Just looking at that Prego bugs my eyes, lol.

If you had to pick between whole grain rice and lean beef or Chicken with veggies (peas/green beans) and olive oil for meal #4, which one would you choose?

Rest of the diet looks OK?

Thank you.

I prefer lower carbs while cutting so I'd go with chicken or beef and veggies, but depending on your macro split a few oz of rice instead would be a good meal too.

96g carbs pwo is a bit excessive imo but the rest of your meals look good.

[Trying-Hard]

Ok, so looks like I got some choices for meal 4 and either one will be better than the original option.

Now regarding PWO shake...how about keeping the dextrose just lowering the serving? So say 50g carbs vs the original 90+?

[jasc]

50-60g carbs pwo would be good imo.

As for dextrose, I prefer whole foods and use ground up whole-grain oats. They taste great in there and they're one of the best carb sources you'll find. The only difference I personally noticed while taking dextrose pwo was bloating. That's not to say it's not a good product, I just haven't had a good experience with it. Hopefully someone else with more knowledge on it will chime in.

[aussie made]

Curious. How u come up with 2900 tdee? I same weight and worked out I'm 2350 roughly. Then add or subtract 500 bulk or cut

[aussie made]

I'm also started a cut at that weight and 15% bf. my macros are 250g pro 115g carbs 55g. Going really week for only one week in

[Trying-Hard]

50-60g carbs pwo would be good imo.

As for dextrose, I prefer whole foods and use ground up whole-grain oats. They taste great in there and they're one of the best carb sources you'll find. The only difference I personally noticed while taking dextrose pwo was bloating. That's not to say it's not a good product, I just haven't had a good experience with it. Hopefully someone else with more knowledge on it will chime in.

So maybe 1 cup of oatmeal with my protein shake PWO? Or possibly a whole grain bagel? (I'd eat that separately, not mixed, lol)

So does this meal basically need to contain protein with a complex carb and not a simple carb? Man, that goes against everything I have researched and read for the past half decade, lol.

[Windex]

So maybe 1 cup of oatmeal with my protein shake PWO? Or possibly a whole grain bagel? (I'd eat that separately, not mixed, lol)

So does this meal basically need to contain protein with a complex carb and not a simple carb? Man, that goes against everything I have researched and read for the past half decade, lol.

You're overthinking everything. Eat as much real food as possible and only use powders when necessary. Cook food you will enjoy eating within reason. You mentioned chicken tastes terrible reheated - so find something else you can stomach and will enjoy. I would easily at any point worsen my diet slightly to reduce the "ad nasuem" feeling of eating bad food which often is directly proportional to the likelihood of binging. I'm not saying replace all your carbs with ice cream or anything that extreme, but for example: if you hate sweet potatoes, which other people preach are infinitely better than regular white potatoes then don't eat the sweet potatoes, go with the white. At the end of the day, you're not an IFBB competitor and the difference in the grand scheme of your life is negligible.

If a bit of Prego pasta sauce is what it takes for you to enjoy your pasta dish then keep using it. The extra 10g of carbs is not going to be as detrimental as 2000 calorie whole box of pizza or whatever cheat meal you go-to because you're sick of eating the same dry food.

Also, show us your math on how you calculated your TDEE - I feel as others have mentioned it seems to be on the high side.

[Trying-Hard]

You're overthinking everything. Eat as much real food as possible and only use powders when necessary. Cook food you will enjoy eating within reason. You mentioned chicken tastes terrible reheated - so find something else you can stomach and will enjoy. I would easily at any point worsen my diet slightly to reduce the "ad nasuem" feeling of eating bad food which often is directly proportional to the likelihood of binging. I'm not saying replace all your carbs with ice cream or anything that extreme, but for example: if you hate sweet potatoes, which other people preach are infinitely better than regular white potatoes then don't eat the sweet potatoes, go with the white. At the end of the day, you're not an IFBB competitor and the difference in the grand scheme of your life is negligible.

If a bit of Prego pasta sauce is what it takes for you to enjoy your pasta dish then keep using it. The extra 10g of carbs is not going to be as detrimental as 2000 calorie whole box of pizza or whatever cheat meal you go-to because you're sick of eating the same dry food.

Also, show us your math on how you calculated your TDEE - I feel as others have mentioned it seems to be on the high side.

Thanks, Windex. But I am still left confused about PWO..lol. Any input on that? I know I am getting in to the nitty gritty details, but this is my personality. If I can make something better, then I will. With the PWO shake, it's not a matter of taste as both protein and oats, just protein, protein/dextrose, or protein and whole grain bagel taste great. It's now a matter of what's better for my goals? Any input?

As far as TDEE:

1) figure out what my BMR:
BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years)
BMR = 66 + (13.7 x 84) + (5 x 173) - (6.8 x 31)
BMR = 1871

2) TDEE:
TDEE = BMR x activity level
TDEE = 1871 x 1.55 = 2900
2900 calories - 400 calories deficit = 2,500 calories..

[Trying-Hard]

So I decided to make my PWO shake with some complex carbs like some suggested. 48g whey protein and 27g carbs (1/2 cup of oats).