Lost too much muscle in cut WANT IT BACK!

**djjohnnied** · 02-20-2013, 12:54 PM

Hey guys!

Here's my situation, I've been lifting for a few years, I am 23 now, had never ever been really lean. I did a 12 week test cycle with an AI a year ago and got up to 205 lbs but my body fat was roughly between 18-20% at the end, I didn't eat junk food, my diet was very clean, just ate wayyyy too much of clean food. I gained a decent amount of muscle and strength as well. Now I have gotten a lot more in touch with how my body responds to certain foods, amounts timing etc. I waited 6 weeks after my PCT and started a cut and have lost a fair amount of size and strength. I have been losing about a lb a week and been training heavy, proper supplements good amount of protein, good diet but have still lost muscle. I am about 171 but at roughly 10% bf I am happy with how lean I am at the moment. Now my question is, I plan to start bulking again soon at a very slow and moderate pace of about 2 lbs a month

would it be easier to gain back that lost muscle and lost strength this time than it was getting there for the first time with a much higher body fat? THANKS GUYS!

**Lunk1** · 02-20-2013, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by djjohnnied

Hey guys!

Here's my situation, I've been lifting for a few years, I am 23 now, had never ever been really lean. I did a 12 week test cycle with an AI a year ago and got up to 205 lbs but my body fat was roughly between 18-20% at the end, I didn't eat junk food, my diet was very clean, just ate wayyyy too much of clean food. I gained a decent amount of muscle and strength as well. Now I have gotten a lot more in touch with how my body responds to certain foods, amounts timing etc. I waited 6 weeks after my PCT and started a cut and have lost a fair amount of size and strength. I have been losing about a lb a week and been training heavy, proper supplements good amount of protein, good diet but have still lost muscle. I am about 171 but at roughly 10% bf I am happy with how lean I am at the moment. Now my question is, I plan to start bulking again soon at a very slow and moderate pace of about 2 lbs a month

would it be easier to gain back that lost muscle and lost strength this time than it was getting there for the first time with a much higher body fat? THANKS GUYS!

I think you should have your diet evaluated in the nutrition forum..you likely are not eating enough or enough of the right foods to sustain muscle. During a hard cut you will always lose some strength but it can be minimized!

**djjohnnied** · 02-20-2013, 01:08 PM

I know my diet is good man, I count my calories as well as my macros. I make sure to get proper nutrition pre during and post workout and I have the supplements I can afford to minimize muscle loss, the problem here is not necessarily how to maintain all the muscle, I know I would lose some from the cut and from getting off cycle, my question is is it easier to gain it back than it was to get it in the first place once I start lean bulking.

**acidking** · 02-20-2013, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by djjohnnied

I have been losing about a lb a week and been training heavy, proper supplements good amount of protein, good diet but have still lost muscle. I am about 171 but at roughly 10% bf I am happy with how lean I am at the moment. Now my question is, I plan to start bulking again soon at a very slow and moderate pace of about 2 lbs a month

I think that's where you could've went wrong, you shouldn't overtrain particularly not during or right after PCT, and particularly not on a cutting diet, you're literarily starving your muscles from carbs which they need to maintain themselves. In my opinion, during or after PCT you lower your fat intake but keep up your clean carb intake, and minimise cardio, in this period you're basically all out to save the muscle you gained.

**djjohnnied** · 02-20-2013, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by acidking

I think that's where you could've went wrong, you shouldn't overtrain particularly not during or right after PCT, and particularly not on a cutting diet, you're literarily starving your muscles from carbs which they need to maintain themselves. In my opinion, during or after PCT you lower your fat intake but keep up your clean carb intake, and minimise cardio, in this period you're basically all out to save the muscle you gained.

I meant training heavy throughout my cut as in I include work in the 4-6 rep range and a lot in the 8-20 range. I didn't begin my cut as soon as I finished PCT, I waited 6 weeks AFTER PCT. And I didn't cut carbs back immediately, I cut them gradually as the weeks went. Right now I am following a carb cycling approach and love it.

**ScotchGuard02** · 02-20-2013, 02:00 PM

I lost about 50% of my gains during PCT and rest period. That's pretty normal. Generally, fast gain = fast loss. You're only going to keep about 50% of your gains, at best. It takes a number of cycles to make permanent long term gains. In that process you'll tune in your diet for your size and maintain the muscles while keeping fat down. Be patient, the muscles will come and stay.