I’ve been on TRT for 8 months (from 200 ng/DL up to 950 ng/DL), lift 4 days a week following Wendlers 531, and do 30min cardio 4 days a week.
I recently started a glp-1 agonist as my weight has been creeping up despite the gains I’ve seen from TRT (new baby at home and I’ve previously been very obese; I struggle with impulse eating even when following a calorie restrictive diet). The glp-1 has allowed me to actually stick to my diet, which has been amazing and the weight is melting off. But it has me wondering if I’m losing weight too quickly?
I am currently losing 3lbs/wk by eating 1800cal/day (150g protein, 70g fat, 135g carbs). Is this too fast? Will I lose muscle mass, even though I’m on TRT and lifting?
Sorry about that, I realized after my post was already in “pending”.
37M, 6’ 0", started 220lbs down to 202lbs in 6 weeks. I’d like to get down to 170lbs and then maintain and long term bulk/cut off in that weight range.
In total I’ve been calorie counting and trying to lose weight for years with intermittent success (I got down to 180lbs, once). I have only used the glp-1 agonist for 6 weeks.
37M, 6’ 0", started at 220lbs currently 202lbs, took about 6 weeks. I’d like to get down to 170lbs, then maintain and eventually bulk/cut in that range.
In prior years I’ve been up above 300lbs, and had some success with calorie counting (got down to 180lbs, once) but the weight always comes back.
IMO you are losing weight to fast and in too deep of a calorie restriction. If you want to continue to lift weights and gain muscle you need to up your protien and cals.
Are you 20%bf or more?
If I were you I would bring it back up to 2200. Where you are now gives you no runway to drop cals. .
Macros could be:
Protein 1.25xlbm
Fat .3xlbm
Carb- Fill the rest in to your calorie goal
If you wanna keep carbs low raise up protien
At risk of sounding like a tool, isn’t 170 rather light for that height? especially on TRT?
Could it be possible you’re making an inaccurate assessment of your body-fat and extrapolating from a flawed calculation? I have old jeans in my closet sized in a 28x34 and back when I could fit in them I felt like I could be leaner. Now I’m walking around 50lbs heavier and I still have decent enough definition.
I would tend to agree that 170 for 6’ is not gonna be a great look. I’m 5’11” and send on stage at 172 and extremely low body fat. Totally unsustainable. For me 190 with decent muscle is a good look.
I got down to 180 a few years ago and still had significant love handles and a paunch. I figured 10lbs less might get rid of those and set me up for a clean place to start bulk/cutting. I’ve basically never been able to do a good bulk/cut because I’ve never gotten to a low enough weight and been able to control the bulk enough to do it effectively. I’m either too heavy to begin with, or gain it back way too fast once I do.
But you may be right that 170 is too low especially if I have more muscle from extra years lifting and recent TRT.
Your thoughts on upping to 2200cal/day with more protein, and aiming for 185 and bulk/cutting from there?
Look man, you don’t think I’ve tried? I’ve been battling on this for going on 15 years. Once you’ve been that heavy, you don’t lose the fat cells you grew, they just get smaller. And those fat cells want energy and contribute to your appetite cues, forever. My leptin levels are off the charts, even when I’m at a healthy weight.
A GLP-1 agonist doesn’t prevent you from eating more. All it’s done for me is curb my appetite so I don’t overeat and actually stick to my diet, consistently. I don’t expect to have any trouble adding 500cal when I eventually want to bulk. I don’t expect to need to, but the dose is also modifiable so I could just reduce the dose a bit if needed.