Off cycle fat loss diet

[Derek68]

I’m looking for advice on cutting body fat in between cycles and not sacrificing my gains. I’ve read several of the sample diets on diet and fitness section, but it seems like a lot of calories to slim down.
I’m 5’10”, 207, 16% body fat.
I started my last cycle with a higher body fat than what would be recommended before starting a cycle, 22%.
I’m by no means looking to be a competition builder, just want to accomplish lean athletic build.
Also, are creating and bcaa actually beneficial in between cycles or expensive piece of mind?

[Windex]

I’m looking for advice on cutting body fat in between cycles and not sacrificing my gains. I’ve read several of the sample diets on diet and fitness section, but it seems like a lot of calories to slim down.
I’m 5’10”, 207, 16% body fat.
I started my last cycle with a higher body fat than what would be recommended before starting a cycle, 22%.
I’m by no means looking to be a competition builder, just want to accomplish lean athletic build.
Also, are creating and bcaa actually beneficial in between cycles or expensive piece of mind?

All proper diets work when strictly adhered to. There's no cookie cutter best option - everyone is different. You need to track yourself and how you respond to carbs, amount of calories pre/post workout, meals per day, etc.

Start with something like 300 calories below TDEE and just slowly adjust calories based on progress. Marathon not a race.

Creatine is absolutely beneficial and has the most academic research, second only to caffeine.

BCAA's are a mixed bag. I only use them because it tastes like juice and stops me from craving sugar. Placebo effect goes a long way and if you feel better using them and have the disposable income go nuts.

The reverse option is to do a slow bulk and then use gear to cut to minimize muscle loss.

[Derek68]

All proper diets work when strictly adhered to. There's no cookie cutter best option - everyone is different. You need to track yourself and how you respond to carbs, amount of calories pre/post workout, meals per day, etc.

Start with something like 300 calories below TDEE and just slowly adjust calories based on progress. Marathon not a race.

Creatine is absolutely beneficial and has the most academic research, second only to caffeine.

BCAA's are a mixed bag. I only use them because it tastes like juice and stops me from craving sugar. Placebo effect goes a long way and if you feel better using them and have the disposable income go nuts.

The reverse option is to do a slow bulk and then use gear to cut to minimize muscle loss.

Thanks, I’ll work on a meal plan. At 38 with a slow metabolism I seem to react pretty negatively to most carbs.

As for a slow bulk then gear to cut, what would you suggest?

[GearHeaded]

I take the opposite approach.. when cutting (if your serious about the cut) is the most important time to run AAS and preserve as much muscle as possible. but when bulking, when calories are very high the food itself can become your anabolic and AAS is not quite as important (of course I"m totally fine using AAS for both in an ideal world

anyhow.. just saying. most bodybuilders today and throughout history have ran their most amount of AAS and drug stacks during cutting phases, not bulking phases.
so if your serious about getting lean, then you may want to think about making your next cycle be a cutting cycle and this off time right now being a muscle preservation phase, and not a cut phase or calorie deficit phase (which when done naturally , loosing some muscle is inevitable).


plenty of drug free bodybuilders can get to 230-250 pounds in the off season. bulking is in itself anabolic. but when they cut down for a contest they lose it all and end up on stage at 150 pounds and look like an Aids patient. thats what happens being natty (for most guys).

but an enhanced bodybuilder who bulks to 250 pounds in the off season,, but does his contest prep/cut with plenty of AAS may end up on stage at 230 pounds (nearly 80 pounds bigger then the natty simply because AAS is that good at preserving and even building muscle in a calorie deficit).


personally, I would never do a serious cutting phase without AAS and being on a heavy cycle.. however, I'd have no issue trying to bulk while just being on TRT.

something to consider

[kbunyan]

I take the opposite approach.. when cutting (if your serious about the cut) is the most important time to run AAS and preserve as much muscle as possible. but when bulking, when calories are very high the food itself can become your anabolic and AAS is not quite as important (of course I"m totally fine using AAS for both in an ideal world

anyhow.. just saying. most bodybuilders today and throughout history have ran their most amount of AAS and drug stacks during cutting phases, not bulking phases.
so if your serious about getting lean, then you may want to think about making your next cycle be a cutting cycle and this off time right now being a muscle preservation phase, and not a cut phase or calorie deficit phase (which when done naturally , loosing some muscle is inevitable).


plenty of drug free bodybuilders can get to 230-250 pounds in the off season. bulking is in itself anabolic. but when they cut down for a contest they lose it all and end up on stage at 150 pounds and look like an Aids patient. thats what happens being natty (for most guys).

but an enhanced bodybuilder who bulks to 250 pounds in the off season,, but does his contest prep/cut with plenty of AAS may end up on stage at 230 pounds (nearly 80 pounds bigger then the natty simply because AAS is that good at preserving and even building muscle in a calorie deficit).


personally, I would never do a serious cutting phase without AAS and being on a heavy cycle.. however, I'd have no issue trying to bulk while just being on TRT.

something to consider

Been reading this post for several days trying to mane sense out of it.

[i_SLAM_cougars]

Been reading this post for several days trying to mane sense out of it.

What are you struggling with?
AAS are MORE important when trying to lose body fat you’re in a caloric deficit. That is detrimental to muscle mass.