Cutting...check it out!

[Duke]

Here is my cutting plan for summer. Information from Chris Aceto books have greatly influenced my plan. Check it out and let me know what u think.

Right now im 6'5, 260lbs at about 13% bodyfat.

260 * 0.13 = 33.8
260 - 34 = 226 lbs of lean mass (I rounded 226 to 225 for easier calculating)

I have calculated my Maintenance Calories at 3900 per day which I found by finding my Basal Calories multiplied by my Activity per day:

Basal Calories = 225 * 10 = 2250
Maintenance Calories = 2250 * 0.7 (because I am active) = 1575
2250 + 1575 = ~3900

I divided up my calories like this:

FATS
3900 * 0.15 = 585
585 / 9 = 65 grams of fats

PROTEIN
225 * 1.2 = 270 grams protein
3900 - 585 = 3315 calories left after fats subtracted
270 * 4 = 1080 rounded up to 1100

CARBS
3315 - 1100 = 2215
2215 / 4 = ~555 grams carbs



So with my maintenance calorie intake looking like this:
270 grams protein
560 grams carbs
65 grams fat

I have started cutting a week ago and I have first cut 25% of my carbs which leaves me with:

560 * 0.25 = 140
560 - 140 = 420

270 grams protein
420 grams carbs
Not counting fats as with a strict diet they will fall into place

I will start my cardio when I see that Im not losing at least 1lb a week or I see I'm not looking leaner in the mirror. Cardio will start at 3 days a week for 30 minutes and will increase gradually up to 5 - 6 days a week for 45 minutes until I no longer see any more progress. At that point I plan to drop my carbs another 25% and start a rotational diet of 3 low carb days followed by a higher day. I'm planning for a 14 week diet plan as to allow time for screwups in my plan. Please let me know what you think and if you have any things that you may think will allow me greater success.

- The Duke -

[steve0]

so were is the diet ?

[mwolffey]

so were is the diet ?

we need to know what you are eating exactly bro...you got the numbers down though

[Duke]

Heres a sample of a usual day:

UPON WAKING
1.5 grams Acetyl L-Carnitine
3 grams L-Arginine

HALF HOUR LATER
One scoop Whey Protein - 24 grams Protein
5 grams BCAA's

20 MINUTES LATER - MEAL 1
9 egg whites - 36 grams Protein
1 whole egg - 6 grams Protein
1 1/2 cups oatmeal (measured dry) - 81 grams Carbs
3 slices Whole Wheat - 45 grams Carbs
Multivitamin
3 grams EFA's
Protein = 42
Carbs = 126

2 HOURS B4 WORKOUT
1.5 grams Acetyl L-Carnitine

HALF HOUR B4 WORKOUT
3 grams L-Arginine

MEAL 2 - PREWORKOUT
Whey Protein Shake - 48 grams Protein
1 scoop Glycoload - 50 grams Carbs
2.5 grams Creatine
5 grams Glutamine
5 grams BCAA's
1 slice of white bread w/ some jelly
Protein = 48 grams
Carbs = 75 grams

MEAL 3 - POSTWORKOUT
Whey Protein Shake - 48 grams Protein
2 scoop Glycoload - 100 grams Carbs
2.5 grams Creatine
5 grams Glutamine
5 grams BCAA's
Protein = 48 grams
Carbs = 100 grams

MEAL 4
5 oz chicken breast - 40 grams Protein
1 1/2 cups brown rice - 78 grams Carbs
1 cup broccoli
3 grams EFA's
Protein = 40 grams
Carbs = 78 grams

3 Grams L-Arginine

MEAL 5
1 can tuna - 30 grams Protein
4 slices of whole wheat = 60 grams Carbs

MEAL 6
Casein Protein Shake - 50 grams Protein
3 Grams EFA's
Protein = 50 grams
NO CARBS

ZMA somewhere b4 bed


Totals
Protein = 282 grams Protein
Carbs = 439 grams

[PhishStasH]

Too many shakes.

On a cutting diet, you ideally don't want to consume carbs in more than 3 meals/day: breakfast, pre-workout, and post-workout.

[biglouie250]

i could never cut with 439 grams of carbs......sounds like bulking to me! Not enough EFA's and good fats, and whats with all the arginine and carnitine??

[SwoleCat]

That's a cutting diet? To cut fat?

~SC~

[mwolffey]

i could never cut with 439 grams of carbs......sounds like bulking to me! Not enough EFA's and good fats, and whats with all the arginine and carnitine??

ditto...and same as phish said, morning, PWO, and PPWO pro/carbs imo will be alot more effective while cutting, and all other meals should be pro/fat...throw in some more flax, and some natty PB in those pro/fat meals when you change them...imo...good luck big guy

[Duke]

Yeah its a cutting diet for me. My daily carbs for maintenance or when im tryin to hold my current weight is ~575 grams of carbs so I cut 25% of that to start my cutting diet. Its around 500 calories cut. I've tried to drop my carbs immediately to like 275 and it just seemed to result in me losing muscle mass. Yet I still feel a little weird because my carbs still seem high when I see most posts on this site are saying to cut carbs to in the 100's or so. Thats why I'm posting this diet. To have you guys check it out and critique even though I believe it to work as Chris Aceto stands by it in his book Championship Bodybuilidng.

To answer PhishStash the first shake isnt actually a meal but more of a small hit of fast digesting protein to immediately give my body fuel after the long sleep. The actual meal comes about a half hour later as Meal 1. As to your comment on carbs in all meals I was told to take half of the daily carbs and split it between breakfast and the postworkout meal. The divy up the rest between the rest of the meals and if you want to cut it out of the last meal and divy it up between the others which i did.

BigLouie - How many EFA's do you think I should be taking. I take the arginine as a Nitric Oxide booster as it allows more blood flow to my muscles and the Acetyl L-Carnitine works for fatty acid oxidation among other things. And as for bulking I was eating 900 grams of carbs a day which was a 50% increase on my maintenance of 575. That is what I came up with for my weight.

[biglouie250]

i can cut with around 200g of carbs no problem as long as i get my AM cardio in on an empty stomache and keep the majority of my meals pro/fat. I get all my carbs from morning oats, PWO and PPWO. If i were you id look at the cutting sticky, it has worked miracles for many people on here. Use that as a primer. Ask yourself this.... If your dead set on your diet why post it? Trust me when i say use the cutting sticky!!! I usually get about 60-85g of fat per day, while cutting. I adjust carbs and fats to how i feel. 95% of my fat comes from flax, olive oil, natural PB and nuts.

[Duke]

But do you lose muscle mass on only 200 grams of carbs? I thought cutting was all about cutting all fat while keeping all the muscle that has been built. I am also not on cycle.

[PhishStasH]

To answer PhishStash the first shake isnt actually a meal but more of a small hit of fast digesting protein to immediately give my body fuel after the long sleep. The actual meal comes about a half hour later as Meal 1. As to your comment on carbs in all meals I was told to take half of the daily carbs and split it between breakfast and the postworkout meal. The divy up the rest between the rest of the meals and if you want to cut it out of the last meal and divy it up between the others which i did.

Wasn't referring to the first shake. And you'd be better off with whole food there, anyway. I was referring to having 4 shakes throughout the day. It's too many. IMO, go with one for PWO for quick nutrient absorption and replace the rest of 'em w/ whole foods. I'm sure most others would agree w/ this idea.

I don't agree w/ distributing carbs throughout the day like that. It doesn't make sense to consume carbs throughout the day, as you will be creating insulin spikes. It will not help you stay lean.

To cut, and this is very basic: carbs - breakfast, pre-workout, postworkout; rest of meals should be pro/fat.

If you want to try out what you've got I say go ahead and give it a shot, but you will be better off following the ideas outlined in the cutting sticky.

[PhishStasH]

But do you lose muscle mass on only 200 grams of carbs? I thought cutting was all about cutting all fat while keeping all the muscle that has been built. I am also not on cycle.

Depending on your stats, I would say minimally.

Try a higher amount of carbs for 1-2 weeks, and adjust as you feel needed.