Cut Diet Help

Diet and Nutrition
1

I have recently started cutting (2/9).
I started the cut at roughly 214. Not sure what my bf% was, but my the pic in my avi is pretty close to that time frame.

As of yesterday I was 208. I know that there is going to be that initial loss of water for the first week or so, so I’m not overly concerned with that drop in weight.

Before starting the cut, I was at roughly 4,500 to 5,000 cals.

Right now I am sitting at about 3,500-3,700 cals.
~400g protein
~220-250g carbs
~100g fat

Obviously I am feeling small and flat right now lol :frowning:

Do you think this was too drastic a drop in calories to begin with? I feel like 3,500 cals is still pretty decent.

Any input, criticism, critiquing would be greatly appreciated…as long as we can cuddle after.

2

I find dropping a couple of hundred calories a week and coming into a deficit slowly to be better. But then again i’ve never gone from 5000 cals to 3500 either. Hell i don’t even bulk on 3500 these days. But i’ll go from about 3000-3200 to 2400-2500 over about 3-4 weeks. As you’ve already done it i wouldn’t worry.

Calorie break down of 40% Brotein, 30% fat and 30% carbs is working for me! Works out at about 260g protein, 70g fat and about 200g carbs? Less carbs on off days of course. Probably about 130g’s! I started reducing calories on the 2nd jan and i was 188, now im 178.4. So 9.5lbs in 7 weeks. Nice and slow.

3

[quote]ESX wrote:
I find dropping a couple of hundred calories a week and coming into a deficit slowly to be better. But then again i’ve never gone from 5000 cals to 3500 either. Hell i don’t even bulk on 3500 these days. But i’ll go from about 3000-3200 to 2400-2500 over about 3-4 weeks. As you’ve already done it i wouldn’t worry.

Calorie break down of 40% Brotein, 30% fat and 30% carbs is working for me! Works out at about 260g protein, 70g fat and about 200g carbs? Less carbs on off days of course. Probably about 130g’s! I started reducing calories on the 2nd jan and i was 188, now im 178.4. So 9.5lbs in 7 weeks. Nice and slow.[/quote]

Thanks for the input man, appreciate it.

Yea I have a ridiculously fast metabolism so I need a lot of calories lol.

4

How are energy levels throughout the day? Performance in the gym this week?

5

I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

Secondly 400g of protein is too much. I know we are all about figuring out what works for you and all that jazz but you don’t need 400g of protein my friend haha.

drop it to like 275-300 at the absolute MAX and, give the rest of those calories to carbs.

This will give you more calories to take from as you move along your cut, even though your fat is pretty damn high and you can take from that too as you move along and might be more effective if you did drops of carbs and fat sometimes.

***what I wrote above about protein and carbs is pretty damn important IMO because you need to take calories from somewhere and by the end of your diet depending on how lean you are getting you can near the tail end of your diet be miserable with 100g of carbs or less, or you can still be chilling at around 200g of carbs, it’s on you.

Your initial drop was huge, most would only do a 500cal initial (so maybe 4000), but it probably wont be that big of a deal especially if you are eating a decent amount of nutrient dense foods because you are still eating a lot of calories…the big question is how do you feel after a week or two on 3500 calories (in and out of the gym)?

but anyways no need to do 100-200 calorie drops unless you are trying to move this cut along really fast.

Seriously sometimes a 50 cal drop can bring 1-2lbs of weightloss in a week.

6

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:
I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

Secondly 400g of protein is too much. I know we are all about figuring out what works for you and all that jazz but you don’t need 400g of protein my friend haha.

drop it to like 275-300 at the absolute MAX and, give the rest of those calories to carbs.

This will give you more calories to take from as you move along your cut, even though your fat is pretty damn high and you can take from that too as you move along and might be more effective if you did drops of carbs and fat sometimes.

***what I wrote above about protein and carbs is pretty damn important IMO because you need to take calories from somewhere and by the end of your diet depending on how lean you are getting you can near the tail end of your diet be miserable with 100g of carbs or less, or you can still be chilling at around 200g of carbs, it’s on you.

Your initial drop was huge, most would only do a 500cal initial (so maybe 4000), but it probably wont be that big of a deal especially if you are eating a decent amount of nutrient dense foods because you are still eating a lot of calories…the big question is how do you feel after a week or two on 3500 calories (in and out of the gym)?

but anyways no need to do 100-200 calorie drops unless you are trying to move this cut along really fast.

Seriously sometimes a 50 cal drop can bring 1-2lbs of weightloss in a week.[/quote]

So you’re saying maybe I should drop the protein to 300 and up to carbs to like 350?

And honestly I don’t feel to bad. A little weaker in the gym, extra tired at night. But other than that, not a big difference.

7

[quote]ironmanzvw wrote:

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:
I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

Secondly 400g of protein is too much. I know we are all about figuring out what works for you and all that jazz but you don’t need 400g of protein my friend haha.

drop it to like 275-300 at the absolute MAX and, give the rest of those calories to carbs.

This will give you more calories to take from as you move along your cut, even though your fat is pretty damn high and you can take from that too as you move along and might be more effective if you did drops of carbs and fat sometimes.

***what I wrote above about protein and carbs is pretty damn important IMO because you need to take calories from somewhere and by the end of your diet depending on how lean you are getting you can near the tail end of your diet be miserable with 100g of carbs or less, or you can still be chilling at around 200g of carbs, it’s on you.

Your initial drop was huge, most would only do a 500cal initial (so maybe 4000), but it probably wont be that big of a deal especially if you are eating a decent amount of nutrient dense foods because you are still eating a lot of calories…the big question is how do you feel after a week or two on 3500 calories (in and out of the gym)?

but anyways no need to do 100-200 calorie drops unless you are trying to move this cut along really fast.

Seriously sometimes a 50 cal drop can bring 1-2lbs of weightloss in a week.[/quote]

So you’re saying maybe I should drop the protein to 300 and up to carbs to like 350?

And honestly I don’t feel to bad. A little weaker in the gym, extra tired at night. But other than that, not a big difference.
[/quote]

I think this would be much more balanced and in the long term help your diet go a little smoother.
So yes and this would make your macro breakdown look like this P/C/F:35/40/25:300g/350g/100g

which I feel is a pretty good starting point.

I don’t think that huge drop at the beginning was very wise, but if you feel okay and it’s not killing your performance and bringing you desirable results I can’t really argue since you still have quite a bit of calories to play with.

Usually a good starting point is BW x 13.

8

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:
I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

[/quote]

I disagree. Throughout my entire cut with Shelby my daily caloric intake has had a window of about 300 calories, and I’m 8 weeks out now. For someone just starting to cut I think it’s fine. My 2cents.

9

i agree 400 is little much for protein- i think i would drop it down to around 300, bump carbs up—see how that works–and then strategically remove them as weight loss stalls- keep protein and fat the same until carbs start to get fairly low and then maybe remove some dietary fat.

10

[quote]GrindOverMatter wrote:
i agree 400 is little much for protein- i think i would drop it down to around 300, bump carbs up—see how that works–and then strategically remove them as weight loss stalls- keep protein and fat the same until carbs start to get fairly low and then maybe remove some dietary fat.[/quote]
Sounds like a plan. I think all that protein has been irritating my stomach too. Had an achey stomach the past few days

11

[quote]ironmanzvw wrote:

[quote]GrindOverMatter wrote:
i agree 400 is little much for protein- i think i would drop it down to around 300, bump carbs up—see how that works–and then strategically remove them as weight loss stalls- keep protein and fat the same until carbs start to get fairly low and then maybe remove some dietary fat.[/quote]
Sounds like a plan. I think all that protein has been irritating my stomach too. Had an achey stomach the past few days[/quote]
i learned that the hard way too (stomach pains) on my bulk up where i was eating WAYYYY too much protein— in fact zfter my competition only eating 20 more grams of protien then i was through out the whole prep!— what shelby had me do was divide 270 evenly into 6 meals a day which equalled to 180x1.5…180lbs being close to my contest weight!

12

[quote]jskrabac wrote:

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:
I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

[/quote]

I disagree. Throughout my entire cut with Shelby my daily caloric intake has had a window of about 300 calories, and I’m 8 weeks out now. For someone just starting to cut I think it’s fine. My 2cents. [/quote]

I don’t know your strategy and how you guys cut together. But in my method of making the smallest incremental changes of 50 cals in some circumstances I feel like a 200-300 calorie window would completely throw that off.

13

[quote]jskrabac wrote:

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:
I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

[/quote]

I disagree. Throughout my entire cut with Shelby my daily caloric intake has had a window of about 300 calories, and I’m 8 weeks out now. For someone just starting to cut I think it’s fine. My 2cents. [/quote]

I just want to say regarding my other post I don’t mean to put you and your methods down I know Shelby is a top coach for a reason.

14

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:

[quote]jskrabac wrote:

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:
I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

[/quote]

I disagree. Throughout my entire cut with Shelby my daily caloric intake has had a window of about 300 calories, and I’m 8 weeks out now. For someone just starting to cut I think it’s fine. My 2cents. [/quote]

I don’t know your strategy and how you guys cut together. But in my method of making the smallest incremental changes of 50 cals in some circumstances I feel like a 200-300 calorie window would completely throw that off.
[/quote]

You dont burn the same amount of calories every day. Its how it adds up over the week, weeks, months that makes the difference.

15

[quote]ESX wrote:

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:

[quote]jskrabac wrote:

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:
I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

[/quote]

I disagree. Throughout my entire cut with Shelby my daily caloric intake has had a window of about 300 calories, and I’m 8 weeks out now. For someone just starting to cut I think it’s fine. My 2cents. [/quote]

I don’t know your strategy and how you guys cut together. But in my method of making the smallest incremental changes of 50 cals in some circumstances I feel like a 200-300 calorie window would completely throw that off.
[/quote]

You dont burn the same amount of calories every day. Its how it adds up over the week, weeks, months that makes the difference.
[/quote]

wait are you guys saying eat 3300 one day and maybe 3800 the next day but at the end of the week still hit the a specific target number of calories like 24000 or something like that?

or

are we refering to what I was thinking of not caring what the total intake for the week is and just having a 300 cal window per day?

16

Either! Depending on the diet type you are doing.

I wouldn’t blindly guess what im eating. I’ll stick to the same sort of thing through out the day but then in the evening i might fancy a big ol’steak one night, the next night some salmon, next night chicken in a lentil curry sauce etc. I’m not going to sit and calculate how to make all these things have the same p/f/c and calorie content.

Just like i’m not going to eat the same thing day in and out for 16 weeks. Switching dinners up keeps me sane and 200 cals a day doesn’t make a difference (im talking in a general cut, no idea once you get down to contest lean).

17

I really don’t understand people giving diet advice without knowing op specified goals?!?!
How much weight are you trying to loose or what body fat % are your trying to reach?
How long do you want cut to last?
Is it for a show or competition of some sort?
How much and what type of cardio?

I think a basic guideline for diet questions could be developed and could make this forum more useful.

18

Chances are there are a lot of people giving advice when they are not nor have they ever been where the poster is trying to get.

19

[quote]BlakeAJackson wrote:
I really don’t understand people giving diet advice without knowing op specified goals?!?!
How much weight are you trying to loose or what body fat % are your trying to reach?
How long do you want cut to last?
Is it for a show or competition of some sort?
How much and what type of cardio?

I think a basic guideline for diet questions could be developed and could make this forum more useful.
[/quote]

I don’t have a goal weight loss. Just to get to ~10%.

I’m not planning on a competition.

Not doing any cardio at the moment, losing weight too quickly as it is lol.

The cut will last until I feel that I’m lean enough and then I will build off of that leaner base.

20

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:

[quote]jskrabac wrote:

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:
I think you want to be more accurate with your daily intake.

Obviously cutting down from 4500-5000 calies a day it doesn’t seem like a problem now. But later on if you plan to hit X cals a day you need to hit that caloric intake within a few macros every day, a 200 calorie window is too big unless that is your plan with low/highcarb/low/highcal days.

[/quote]

I disagree. Throughout my entire cut with Shelby my daily caloric intake has had a window of about 300 calories, and I’m 8 weeks out now. For someone just starting to cut I think it’s fine. My 2cents. [/quote]

I don’t know your strategy and how you guys cut together. But in my method of making the smallest incremental changes of 50 cals in some circumstances I feel like a 200-300 calorie window would completely throw that off.
[/quote]

Do you have any kind of background in math and/or statistics? (I’m asking because I intend to make a point with it if you do…if not, I’ll have to go outside of my comfort zone to present an argument =)…)