Starting a Cutting Cycle

Training Logs
1

I am at the beginning of a new cutting cycle that I got from a friend of mine. I will eat the same foods everyday. It will be rather challenging to complete due to my size and appetite, but I am going to do it no matter what. I am looking for some support here from other meatheads like me.

Since January, I have put on 10lbs of muscle while remaining about the same weight with a bf% of 21.1. The diet and my numbers are below:

1st Meal
2 cups mixed berries
1 scoop whey protein
8 oz skim milk
1 serving Flax Seed

Snack
15 unsalted almonds
1 citrus fruit

2nd Meal
3-4 cups of brocoli, cauliflower, carrot mix
1 citrus fruit (ie. orange or grapefruit)
8 oz. tilapia

Post Workout Shake
2 scoops whey protein
2 cups mixed berries
8 oz skim milk or water

3rd Meal
1 baked sweet potato with nothing added
8 oz chicken breast

ht 6’3
wt 267
bf% 21.1
right arm flexed 18.75"
shoulders 58"
chest 47"
waist 38"
right thigh flexed 45"
right calve flexed 17.75"

I will post some pictures later on today, and what I did yesterday. Its time to get busy.

2

Yesterday I did the following:

superset DB Bench 65lbs/DB row 50lbs 4 sets of 15 reps 30sec
core rows with 30lb DBs 4 sets of 5 30 sec
superset Push up/Pull-up ladder 2/1, 4/2, 6/3, 8/4, 10/5
superset DB Incline 50lbs/Reverse Fly 45lbs 4/15 30 sec rest

Cardio for the day was a 2 mile run.

3

Today was a leg and shoulder power lift day:

Power Cleans 165 lbs 10/10/10 30 sec rest
Dumbell Snatch 50 lbs 10/10/10 30 sec rest
Clean and Jerk 135 lbs 10/10/10 30 sec rest
Push Press 135 lbs 15/15/15/15 30 sec rest
alternating split jumps 10/10/10 30 sec rest

This was a damn smoker. We only have one power rack at my gym, and some old guy was doing curls (outranked me so I couldn’t kick him off), so for the push press I had to clean it off the ground to do it, instead of out of a rack.

4

This is my first real attempt at a cutting cycle. When I was in Iraq, I dropped down to 235lbs just by busting my ass, walking everywhere and eating relatively clean on a scheduled intake of Protein and other supps. This is a challenge for me because it is leaving me hungry and wanting more food, but I am staying strong.

Today is supposed to be a rest day, but I have a hard time sitting still, so I am going to play basketball with some friends on post, and may have softball practice tonight. Will post pics tonight when I get home from work.

5

So far, this diet is killing me. I somewhat feel less energized, but it is not too bad. I am doing arms today, and looking forward to it. I need some help with my diet to ensure that I am not getting catabolic with the gains that I just made.

6

Still going strong after a few days…here is yesterday’s workout

Arms

Zottman curls/Swiss Ball Skull Crushers 30lb DBs for both 15/15/15/15 with 30 sec rest between
Chin ups/Med Ball Push ups BW 15/15/15/15 30 sec rest These were a bitch!
Hammer Curls/Overhead EXT 30lbsDBs/50lbs 15/15/15/15 30 sec rest
Spider Curl/E-Z Bar EXT 50lbs/80lbs 15/15/15/15 30 sec rest

Today is legs…have not done them yet due to two more meetings and training inspections for my Privates. It is going to suck the life out of me for this lift, but I am gonna bust my ass to work it. I hope I can get some feedback on this program.

7

Another week ahead of me…I am gonna hit it hard this week again. This diet is a little rough, but I will make it htrough the rough part. I cant wait for my chest/back lift today. I will do that and then about 10 intervals. I have softball everyday this week in the evenings, so that will burn even more calories.

8

[quote]Rogue57 wrote:
Today was a leg and shoulder power lift day, again my weights went up on most lifts and I felt fucking great doing it:

Power Cleans 170 lbs 10/10/10 30 sec rest
Dumbell Snatch 55 lbs 10/10/10 30 sec rest
Clean and Jerk 145 lbs 10/10/10 30 sec rest
Push Press 145 lbs 15/15/15/15 30 sec rest
alternating split jumps 10/10/10 30 sec rest

The diet is still going strong. I am playing softball tonight as well, so that will be my extra session for the day

9

Last night’s game was fun…I parked two and got a double. It felt good to get back in the groove. The diet is still going strong. I had a rough patch when I went out to eat with my family for graduation and Mother’s Day, but still held strong. I will post pics tonight. I have been meaning to…just got lazy and my computer shit the bed. Since we won last night, we are playing again tonight. SHould be fun. Today is a rest day on this program. Only a 4 day split. A little sore from yesterday’s work.

10

OK, I am fucking pissed off with myself for letting go again. I have ballooned back up to about 280. I need to get to 235 again. My wife and I went through a tough pregnancy and I gained my share of weight as well. I am starting the diet tomorrow morning and am gonna hit it hard until I reach my goal, even with the holidays. I am going to cut out a majority of my drinking and just get crazy.

I am going to do the crossfit workout on top of my daily PT sessions with my Soldiers. I am taking pictures tonight to track progress and will post what I looked like at 235 last summer and what I am at now approx. 15 months later. Just wanted to get this out in the open. I hope to get some comments as I work this weight off now that I am going public about it.