Here's My Take on a Cut, Thoughts?

Nutrition
1

Okay so I’m currently at 74ks and 14-15% body fat and am aiming to lean down.

I’m getting towards the end of rehab cycle, (blew out my cruciates and tore my adductor at the same time) so am not doing any explosive cardio. My week consists of 3 strength days and 3 days of rehab and accessory work. I try and incorporate 2 days of low impact HIIT a week.

I’ve been following Ben Greenfield for a good few years now and have had a fair amount of success with his take on nutrition: LCHF. Any way here’s my plan, such that it is.

Diet protocol. Cyclic Ketosis/ Carb Backloading

2200 calories, (using katch mcardle’s formula)

Seeing as a LCHF diet is supposed to be protein sparing I’m aiming for 1.2 grams of protein per kg, so 88,8 grams (round it up to 90)

Carbs I’m setting at 120 grams a day with one re feed day a week where I’ll push it up to 180, (planning on doing this refeed on my leg day which I find is the most taxing).

The rest will be made of healthy fats.

So in summary:

2200 calories

90 grams of protein/ 360 calories/ 16%
120 grams of carbs/ 480 calories/ 22%
150 grams of fat/ 1360 calories/ 62%

Supplement wise I’m going to be on Vit D3, Omega 3 Fish Oil, Tryptohphan and 5 HTP, (depressive disorder).

Other, “hacks,” I’ll be using include taking twice daily cold showers and using a standing workstation to burn extra calories. I’ve also started meditating to help reduce excess stress and cortisol.

I’m also looking into gut health so will be including Sauerkraut and Komboocha into my diet. I’ve found bonebroth to be beneficial to my recovery in the past so will use that too. Lastly as a predigestive I normally have chunks of ginger before every meal and have at least one glass of water with lemon juice in it at the beginning of the day as an alkalinising agent.

So that’s it. Trying to not over think things, I believe I have most of the basics covered though. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob

2

You are incorporating a lot of different tactics. Kind of like throwing everything at the wall and see what sticks.

You are 74 kg. That is pretty small unless you are under 150 cm…

You should start thinking adding muscle and forgetting the word cut and bulk. Think more about eating to grow. I find your protein low.

3

Thanks feedback JFG, will look into upping the protein.

4

There is nothing wrong with a scatter gun approach when it comes to fat loss tactics. I personally find it adds to the motivational aspect of body transformation. For that reason, I like your set up, although I do think you are around 60g below the protein mark. I’m also not sure how 120 CHO per day is a low carb diet? Or how 180 CHO is a reefed? That said, given your training volume, those macros may fit you perfectly. So you are entitled to go with that formula and see how it pans out. Good luck.

5

Thanks James, will definitely up the protein.

I’ve played around with glucometer/ ketone monitor and have found that if I eat in pretty ketogenic state throughout the day, train heavy and then have between 100 - 120 grams of carbs at dinner post workout that I recover more effectively, sleep well and that I’m back in ketosis by within a few hours. I suppose that’s my threshold? That approach works until I throw in a really heavy session, say a hard leg day, in which case I find that if I throw in another 50ish grams of carbs to recover. So I suppose you could that a refeed? I know a lot of that’s maybe garbeled? Bit of my own research. Seems to be working in term of maintanence.