Anyone know of any studies looking at how effective steroids are at preventing catabolism in differing degrees of calorie deficit compared to a natty control group? All the dieting rules of thumb get applied equally to natural and enhanced lifters it seems, but there has to be a significant difference. I’m running my own experiment at present. I’m tracking my measurements with a tailor’s tape and tracking strength markers while running a nearly-1000-calorie deficit. However, I haven’t attempted a 1000 cal/day deficit 100% natural before (at least not where I tracked it well) so I don’t have a baseline.
I’d also be very interested in any study looking at catabolism at varying degrees of protein intake. Right now, I’m taking this dynamic approach where I eat up to 2300 calories on some days, but I allow myself to eat less calories on days where I hit 1.3g of protein per lb of bodyweight earlier in the day. Would be interesting to know if someone getting 1.3g of protein per lb of bodyweight at 1000 calorie deficit could do as well as someone on say only a 500 calorie deficit who is only getting .8g of protein per lb of bodyweight.
Probably the kind of thing we all wish was available but isn’t.
Too many variables at play here..
Sleep hygiene?
Training stimulus?
You posted similar questions to this previously, and the general consensus was, I believe, that 1000 calories per day is too steep.
I have never, ever, been able to lose more than half a pound of pure fat per week, and I have good to really good genetics, especially for being lean.
Most pros, who have elite genetics, who are using the best anabolics, who have the best coaches, and have their diet and cardio dialed in do not cut more than 1 pound per week.
Take that for what it’s worth.
It’s a numbers game and life is all about the bell shaped curve.
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Yeah, I absorbed the consensus and adjusted my calories up significantly. My BMR is actually higher and has risen potentially due to some of the things I’m taking, which has resulted in me still being at close to 1000 deficit on average. I also took the advice to track strength markers as a proxy for lean mass. I have gained strength actually by the way. I think maybe my body being essentially a virgin to the gear is maybe allowing me to get away with losing around 1.85 lbs loss per week so far. I’ll be adjusting when/if the tape measure and/or strength markers tell me to.
Anyway, this post was me asking if anyone is aware of any studies comparing the things I mentioned.
It’s interesting to me that you say no pros cut more than 1 lb per week. I know there were guys who used to cut more, but these days you might be right since most don’t let themselves get crazy fat in the off season. I’m going to look into how fast different pros cut though. That’s the next best thing to having studies.
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To be more specific, when I made that comment about pros cutting weight, I am referring to body fat.
They can dump 10 pounds in the first week from water and glycogen.
I gotcha. Yeah, I separate out my initial water/glycogen dump when I’m tracking my weight loss. 1% is the advice I keep hearing. That’s 2.25 lbs for me and I’m averaging under 2. I think it’s okay while above 15% bodyfat. My expectation is to lose less per week once I get to 15%. Sound like you stay below that year around? Maybe the slower rate makes more sense. I’ll post all my data at the end of my cut. I just wish I could find more data.
I tend to stay at 12 percent or less year round. During my last gaining phase, I went from 195 to 208 over 16 weeks and ended up at 11 percent give or take. I started that phase at close to 9% though.
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That’s impressive. I’ve never bulked and gained so little bodyfat, but I intend to for the back nine of my life. Cool to know it’s possible to put on 13lbs and have roughly 9 lbs be muscle.
I randomly gained three lbs over the last three days. My calories were actually lower and I had more steps than the previous week where I lost 1.8 lbs. I added a fiber supplement and started Tesamorelin. I’ve never heard of Tesa causing water retention so my best guess is that the fiber is causing me to hold more water in my digestive system. Trying to find signal in the noise is difficult some days.
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