First time cutting down.......doing right ?!?

[dazbo]

This is the first time Ive tried to cut down to get rid of fat - well the first "Proper" effort at it.

Im in my last 2 weeks of aas of sus and deca (Goin to inc test prop in the next 4 weeks before PCT too). I decided I want to get rid of some of the fat Ive gained since starting the cycle.

Anyway heres the breakdown from it -

Typical Days Foods While Cutting

Typical Days Activities While Cutting

My days of training are pretty much as above with only slight variances. I do my cardio on the morning and heavy weight training on the night. My daily foods are spread out throughout the day so that I get something every few hours, protein before the gym, protein and carbs after the gym in shake form. The only time I eat carbs is 2 hours after the gym along with high protein. I could maybe do with some protein before bed but dont want to increase my cals anymore.

My cals work out as 40:40:20 -> Prot:Carbs:Fat, or as close to that.

I consume approx 2900 cals, and I expend approx 4900cals per day so I have a calorie deficit of approx 2000cals per day. The only time this will change is at the weekend.

I realise I am doing a lot of cardio but assumned because Im on my cycle still, I would be in a more catabolic state and shouldnt burn off any muscle.

I have also started taking ECA before cardio and going to before training too - good idea ???

What I would like to know, is am I going about the above in the correct way ?? I need to cut up and would like to go from approx 14% BF down to 6-8% if possible ?? How long should I expect to have to stay like this for to get to that ?? Just an estimate from your ecperiences. Maybe the 4 weeks I have left before I start PCT ??

Thanks guys and I appreciate any comments

Darren

[dazbo]

bump - does noone here read this forum ???

[BigBoi83]

you dont show what your eating with what and and what times ur eating so its hard to say if ur on the right track
check out the cutting sticky
http://forums.steroid.com/showthread.php?t=75729

[dazbo]

soon as Ive ate this highly nutritous meal, Im going to comment on that last post - and expecially about the link he gave............

[dazbo]

morning
6:10 - Banana, water
6:30 cardio at the gym for 45mins
8:00am - Protein shake with ceral such as weetabix/oats(With prot powder in)
10:00am - tin of tuna in sunflower oil
12:15 - 2 x chicken breasts in marinade plus yogurt
16:00 - Protein shake plus apple
17:00 - Sometimes Nuts if cant bare hunger!
17:30 - weight training heavy lifting, still reps of 20's
18:45 - Protein shake plus fresh orange juice/carb mix
20:30 - 2 x Chicken breats with wholemeal pasta/brown rice/vegetables

The above is how my days normally plan out.

Ive read the post you gave before. 1 thing I'd learnt from reading it again, is the cheating days - which I wouldnt have done but now will.

I stick to points 1,2,3,4(I supp with oils at night too). Point 5, I dont really agree with, makes sense but its something thats not proven to work. The only thing people agree on is cals in have to be less than cals out to lose weight. Also, point 6. Again, thats THOUGHT of as being anti-catabolic to take glutamine, but no proper research proves it. Also, I get those amounts in my whey protein alone anyway. R-ALA, im not sure about as Ive never used it but could give it a go.
My cardio I do as soon as I get up, I only eat a banana to help with recovery afterwards so Im not fcuk'd for the weights in the aft.

There's also not much food in the sample diet - I dont think many could go with just eating that amount of food! 1 of the meals is just oats!!

I only have milk at breakfast time, to help kick start me for the day. an apple and a banana a day I think is OK also. Its certainly not a staple.

I do eat the amount of protein it says and the same amount of fats - mainly good fats too. I beleive that with the amount of training I do, 2 sessions per day, then 130g of carbs would not be enough! so I think my 40:40:20 ratio is ideal for this.

So all in all, I think Ive stuck pretty well to that thread with the exception of what I eat with what, maybe.

[BigBoi83]

the sticky diet only works out to 200 calories less than the one u posted and remember its only a guide and has to be adjusted to the individual.

y not skip the banana before the cardio?

[BigBoi83]

1600 and 1700 meals, why not combine both meals at 1630

[dazbo]

Sometimes thats what happens - it all depends on how hungry I am but yeah it could be an option that I could change to.

Also, I could skip the banana, but the main reason for me eating it when I wake up is hunger. I wake up and I always feel sick with hunger until I eat, and Ive noticed if I do cardio without that little something in my stomach, afterwards I tend to feel REALLY sick and could quite easily throw up from just not eating. When I have the banana, Im fine until Ive finished and get my main breakfast at 8:00am.

thanks for the input

[dazbo]

Oh yeah, the sticky diet only has 2170cals in it, my diet has an average of 2900 - mainly cos I eat more carbs I think.

Some of my carbs come from couple glasses fresh orange juice which I havent included above also.

surely if im in a calorie deficit of nearly 2000 cals, thats enough cals ate to burn fat yeah ?? Do you have any idea how long till I get from 15% BF (Approx) to about 8% in this way ?? Is it possible ?

thanks

[BigBoi83]

Oh yeah, the sticky diet only has 2170cals in it, my diet has an average of 2900 - mainly cos I eat more carbs I think.

Some of my carbs come from couple glasses fresh orange juice which I havent included above also.

surely if im in a calorie deficit of nearly 2000 cals, thats enough cals ate to burn fat yeah ?? Do you have any idea how long till I get from 15% BF (Approx) to about 8% in this way ?? Is it possible ?

thanks

sorry my bad, i did my math wrong. I dont think that the orange juice should really be included but im new to this too so ull have to wait out an answear

[dazbo]

bump - not had much feedback on this ..............

[SwoleCat]

I suggest you read the cutting sticky again, go over it really good w/a fine tooth comb, apply it's principles, apply the cardio a.m. on E, etc. A plethora of people have utilized that approach with great success. The example given w/calories and such is only ONE example. You will have to figure your own caloric needs. You then simply start at one point, take notes, see how it goes over the weeks, make adjustments, etc. The quicker you begin is the quicker you will be done.

~SC~

Oh yeah, the sticky diet only has 2170cals in it, my diet has an average of 2900 - mainly cos I eat more carbs I think.

Some of my carbs come from couple glasses fresh orange juice which I havent included above also.

surely if im in a calorie deficit of nearly 2000 cals, thats enough cals ate to burn fat yeah ?? Do you have any idea how long till I get from 15% BF (Approx) to about 8% in this way ?? Is it possible ?

thanks

[dazbo]

Im still not sure what Im doing so wrong with my diet after reading through it again !?!

All I can think of is that 1 banana upon waking up, is being denied. I also use ECA in the morning before I train . I train first thing in the morning within my target heart rate etc etc.

Or the other thing I suppose was the orange juice - I can quite easily cut that out iff thats a problem.

I wasnt sure how long to expect to drop my BF because Ive heard some people talking about only a few weeks and things - even though I never thought that to be possible.

Most of the fats in my diet come from sunflower oils - from my tuna and my eggs (They're columbus eggs where the birds are fed on sunflower seeds only)

I only eat carbs in the morning or PWO also. So where am I going wrong ?? I need someone to be specific. And BTW - I dont beleive in the seperation of certain macronutrients either, its not proven to work.

Thanks

darren

[SwoleCat]

And BTW - I dont beleive in the seperation of certain macronutrients either, its not proven to work.

Not to start an argument, but it is proven.

I've proven it 100's of times through my own clientele.

To each his own, so do as you wish. Seems to me like you may want to start
applying other principles and actually get this thing moving. Writing about what you believe/don't believe in is not getting anyone results.

~SC~

[dazbo]

I started this cutting diet on Monday of this week. So far I feel like I am starting to notice a difference but what I dont know is how long it will take to get to where I want and whether it will keep working as I get towards the 10% mark cos I know it'll be harder to lose it when BF is that low.

Why cant you point out the mistakes in my plan if there are some ? What "Other" principles do I need to apply ??

Thanks

Darren

[palumbo]

in my humble opinion i would for sure get rid of the banana pre cardio, also remove the fruit and maybe change one shake to a real food meal as u have three shakes a day which in my opinion is too many stick to two. maybe vary the sources other then chicken and tuna add some eggs salmon or lean ground beef.

oh ya weetabix is the shat

good luck bro

[dazbo]

thanks for the reply

Sometimes, my 20:30 meal is lean minced beef in spag bol, chilli con carne or what ever - this meal varies each day but I only put down one of my most common meals.
Half of the week I replace the tin of tuna with 3 boiled eggs so, one day I have tuna and the next I have eggs.

My 12:00 meal varies slightly with the type of marinade etc and can also be 2 salmon steaks in a sauce too.

I know the weetabix aint that good but I dont have time during work after going to the gym to make my oats like I do when Im not working - Im not even supposed to be eating this during work at all! What other cereal that dont involve heating could I eat that is better than Weetabix ??

Ill leave the banana and the apple out from now on. I dont think I will get rid of the 3rd shake though. 1 of them is with breakfast, and like I said, I cant cook eggs and things when Im at work, thats a definate no! What is there that I can have for breakfast thats whole food that I dont need to cook or heat ?? That would replace my weetabix.

Are the nuts OK as a little snack if I get hungry because I know due to the high (Albeit good fats) amount of fats they have a lot of cals. Are they OK to eat on a cutting diet as long as my cals are kept low enough ??

thanks

[Panzerfaust]

CAPS! I will see if i can help you get rolling...

morning
6:10 - Banana, water
DROP THIS MEAL ALTOGETHER!

6:30 cardio at the gym for 45mins
OK! TARGET HR RIGHT?

8:00am - Protein shake with ceral such as weetabix/oats(With prot powder in)
HAVE A PRO SHAKE W/ FLAX OR PRO SHAKE WITH 1 CUP 100% ROLLED OATS, YOUR CHOICE

10:00am - tin of tuna in sunflower oil
THROW SOME FULL FAT MAYO IN THE TUNA AND DROP THE SUNFLOWER OIL

12:15 - 2 x chicken breasts in marinade plus yogurt
MARINADE? DROP IT AND ADD SOME FIBEROUS VEGGIES (BROCCOLI, SPINACH)

16:00 - Protein shake plus apple
DROP THE APPLE, ADD AN EFA

17:00 - Sometimes Nuts if cant bare hunger!
DROP THIS MEAL ALTOGETHER!

17:30 - weight training heavy lifting, still reps of 20's


18:45 - Protein shake plus fresh orange juice/carb mix
DROP THE OJ/CARB MIX AND MAKE THIS 2:1 PRO/DEX

20:30 - 2 x Chicken breats with wholemeal pasta/brown rice/vegetables
OK!

WHAT TIME DO YOU GO TO BED? I WOULD HAVE A PRO SHAE W/ FLAX OR SOME NO FAT COTTAGE CHEESE AND SOME FLAX.

I would take some Glutamine and an ECA before AM cardio, most of your carbs should come from PWO & PPWO while cutting. All this fruit needs to be scratched as yuo wanna cut out all unnecessary sugar. And remember that when you take in some carbs it will take 3-4hrs for them to have any effect so taking in a apple/orange right before weights is not neccesary IMO.

You will get used to this after awhile and you can begin to add some things here and there as you learn how your body reacts.

[dazbo]

OK thanks. After my first week Ive dropped 3lbs but I really couldnt say if its fat or muscle loss ?!?? Im hoping its not muscle loss and dont think it is because im still using sus/deca at the moment.

I have scrapped the fruit and juice during the day now. My weekend wasnt clean diet by any means but I'm hoping that this is kinda of like cycling to prevent my body from getting used to what its eating during the week ??? If not, Ill try and eat a bit more clean during the weekend!

Also, what about the nuts then ?? Is a handful allowed ? The carbs I do have are directly after the gym at night, and then a couple of hours later in my 8:30pm meal - is this OK yeah ?

thanks again

[niXon)(]

yes handfull is reg. try and eat the ppwo meal under 1hr 1\2 after pwo, preferably 45min-1hr. so you can fully utalize the carbs in this meal for your muscles.

[dazbo]

OK thanks for that - ill try and stick to things

What about the fact that I dont stick to it at the weekends - will it really cause a problem or will it help a little due to the "Cycling" ??

Thanks