Cutting phase stalled...help please

[Quil]

I've had a very successful cutting phase thus far, and am very pleased with my results. I had let myself get to a very soft 233lbs at the end of January, and I've cleaned up my diet via the cutting sticky, started doing heart-rate based cardio, and have dropped to 205lbs as of this morning. I am 6'1, 29 years old.

While I'm happy with my results, I still feel like I have between 5-10 more pounds to lose before I'll be secure enough to go on a clean bulk. Over the past 3 weeks, I have only dropped 1lb, and that was kind of scattered out over the 3 weeks. I'm getting frustrated because I feel like I'm so close to my goal, but can't seem to close the deal. I had been dropping a consistent 1.5-2lbs each week previously. I'll go ahead and post my diet/workout for you guys to critique...

Meal 1 (which is Post AM cardio): Pro/Flax (2Tbs) shake
Meal 2: Pro/ 1/2 cup oats
Meal 3: 2 chicken breasts / broccoli
Meal 4 (PWO) Whey/40g Dex
Meal 5: Chicken/Fish/Lean steak, and vegetables
Meal 6: (Right before bed) 40g Casein pro, flax (2 Tbs)

I shoot for 40-45g protein for each meal. I do my cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, and I do 45 minutes of either incline walking, stairs, or an eliptical at about 65% MHR (I stay between 130-135bpm) six days a week. Saturday has been my cheat day thus far, and I try not to go too crazy. 4 days a week, I go and lift weights after work with a typical split. I supplement with glutamine before AM cardio and before bed, and also have been taking Sesathin and Lipo6.

I plan to reduce my cheat day considerably, and bump up my cardio to 1hr/six days a week. Is there anything else you guys can see that I should be doing or changing. I am desperate to start my clean bulk, because this cut is driving me freaking crazy...my mood swings drastically, and I'm just feeling tired. My fault, because I let myself go so much. I just want to get leaned way out so I won't have so much to do after my upcoming bulk.

Any suggestions/comments/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

[Giants11]

I've had a very successful cutting phase thus far, and am very pleased with my results. I had let myself get to a very soft 233lbs at the end of January, and I've cleaned up my diet via the cutting sticky, started doing heart-rate based cardio, and have dropped to 205lbs as of this morning. I am 6'1, 29 years old.

While I'm happy with my results, I still feel like I have between 5-10 more pounds to lose before I'll be secure enough to go on a clean bulk. Over the past 3 weeks, I have only dropped 1lb, and that was kind of scattered out over the 3 weeks. I'm getting frustrated because I feel like I'm so close to my goal, but can't seem to close the deal. I had been dropping a consistent 1.5-2lbs each week previously. I'll go ahead and post my diet/workout for you guys to critique...

Meal 1 (which is Post AM cardio): Pro/Flax (2Tbs) shake Make this a solid protein source (cottage cheese, meat, eggs) Do not underestimate the TEF (Thermic Effect of Food)
Meal 2: Pro/ 1/2 cup oats Again shoot for solid protein here and switch this with meal 3.
Meal 3: 2 chicken breasts / broccoli
Meal 4 (PWO) Whey/40g Dex
Meal 5: Chicken/Fish/Lean steak, and vegetables
Meal 6: (Right before bed) 40g Casein pro, flax (2 Tbs) Make sure this is solid as well
I shoot for 40-45g protein for each meal. I do my cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, and I do 45 minutes of either incline walking, stairs, or an eliptical at about 65% MHR (I stay between 130-135bpm) six days a week. Saturday has been my cheat day thus far, and I try not to go too crazy. 4 days a week, I go and lift weights after work with a typical split. I supplement with glutamine before AM cardio and before bed, and also have been taking Sesathin and Lipo6.

I plan to reduce my cheat day considerably, and bump up my cardio to 1hr/six days a week. Is there anything else you guys can see that I should be doing or changing. I am desperate to start my clean bulk, because this cut is driving me freaking crazy...my mood swings drastically, and I'm just feeling tired. My fault, because I let myself go so much. I just want to get leaned way out so I won't have so much to do after my upcoming bulk.

Any suggestions/comments/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

Comments are above in bold.

Also no need to scale back on the cheat as a matter a fact I'd cheat a bit more. I'd have a full out carb up day once a week. Try and get the carbs high as hell, keep fat as low as possible. This will help alot.

[copenhagen]

carbing up works very well for me

[novastepp]

Quil, maybe try splitting up your cardio to 45min in the am and then a few days a week drop another 30 minute session in the evening about 2-3 hrs after a meal. even if it is not straight up fat burning like the actual cardio...your body will be using more calories as a whole after cardio activities. might help.

[Quil]

OK, thanks for the replies. I will work on switching my meals to mainly solid foods. If I cheat on Saturday, what would be a good day to carb up? And as far as carbing up goes, should I replace my pro/flax meals with pro/carbs meals instead? That would give me 4-5 meals of pro/carbs. I weigh on Friday morning first thing religiously, BTW...don't know if that matters as far as which day to carb up on.

Nova, I try to get some extra cardio in when I can...Wednesdays are my rest days from lifting, so I usually do something that afternoon. Plus getting out the dogs for a walk, usually before dinner. My only problem with adding more cardio is, I'm dog tired by Friday now as it is...I mean really out of gas. Maybe carbing up will help with that.

[novastepp]

i cardio every moring and a few evenings. i know what u mean by being out of gas. find time for a nap in there if you can. i was just thinking that the calorie burning effects of exercise might help.

oh and yeah, def. have a carb up day!

[Quil]

Any suggestions on my carb-up day? How much carbs should I be taking in? I'm guessing I'm getting about 100g right now, so should I bump it up to 200? More? And's what's the benefit to the carb-up day, relating to a cutting phase?

[EKLM]

Ok thanks

[Quil]

Another bump for help on the carb-up day....thanks guys.

[yom]

carb up day is alot more than 100grams . thats whay youd use on a cutting day. id do a complete glycogen restoresation to get energy back and speed up metabolism and give the body a break and help feed the muscles . for 2 days go about 6oo -800g carbs day 1 ,and day 2 about 450g carbs.

[Warrior]

Other than the refeed - remember that as your weight drops, so does your metabolic rate. You need to keep the defecit by either further dropping your energy intake (total calories from food) or increase you caloric expenditure (cardio).

[Quil]

carb up day is alot more than 100grams . thats whay youd use on a cutting day. id do a complete glycogen restoresation to get energy back and speed up metabolism and give the body a break and help feed the muscles . for 2 days go about 6oo -800g carbs day 1 ,and day 2 about 450g carbs.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure about going with that much carbs for 2 days....maybe you know better than I do. I find it hard to see how I will be at a caloric expenditure for a weekly total with that amount in carbs. Could you elaborate further on how this would work for me? Thanks.

[Quil]

Other than the refeed - remember that as your weight drops, so does your metabolic rate. You need to keep the defecit by either further dropping your energy intake (total calories from food) or increase you caloric expenditure (cardio).

That's kind of what I figured. I'm bumping up my cardio another 15 minutes a day, and I'm going to see where I can cut a few calories out of my diet.

[IBdmfkr]

Looks like all your questions have been answered Quil. I'd just reiterate that when cutting like you are keep all meals solid foods and drop the shakes/supps. No need for them other than being lazy. Goodluck.

[Quil]

Looks like all your questions have been answered Quil. I'd just reiterate that when cutting like you are keep all meals solid foods and drop the shakes/supps. No need for them other than being lazy. Goodluck.

Thanks for taking a look. Any suggestions on how much I should bump up my carb intake on my carb-up day?