now been in a lean out phase now for 26 weeks. Just so that I can get to the point where I can get back into what I would call ” training condition” . Due to the long extended brake I took. During this current period ive averaged a 1.7 lbs loss weekly. For about a total of 45lbs
So not really a crash diet or extreme.
Even though im no where near being at the point of being overly “ lean” nor are my cals extremely low IMO.
Im starting to run into a few issues such as recovery and energy level issues. Along with a few other things.
Im just wondering if my system is telling me its time to get out of a deficient. DUE to the length of time ive been running in said deficient.
Regardless im staying on my game plan and aiming for another 10lbs.
Yeah, a diet break or some kind of “Refeed” or Zig Zag where you come out of the defecit 1 or 2 days a week.
You definetly don’t want problems like poor recovery and lack of energy to continue to the point of hormonal changes where your sleep and appetite are thrown off too.
Congrats! You’ve proven you can stick with a deficit; I don’t think any harm could come from a period of maintenance. My only recommendation would be to have a plan for it just like you did for the losing phase.
Nice work. 26 weeks is a long time to be in deficit.
How many cals are you currently eating?
What’s your LBM?
What’s your BW?
Is weight still dropping at the same rate or are you stuck?
This is obviously concerning.
You have a couple options here. Answer questions above.
Sounds like maybe now? Since you don’t have a hard deadline, I’d be careful to avoid getting further into the redline area. I think there’s the obvious risk, like further performance regression, but it could also make the break a little more damaging… if you’re miserable and in “eat everything in sight” mode, then give yourself permission to be on a diet break, I could see that being tough to control
Thanks… like I mentioned above. Longest time that ive been in a deficit. So its definitely unfamiliar territory.
Well im using a diet app i used in the past with good results by Layne Norton. It adjust based on the data I enter … currently it has me at a range of 2646 - 2820 average daily cals. So nothing honestly extreme .
At this point it would be a very rough estimate. Based on current waist measurement and the mirror im estimating no higher then 18% - 20% bf being conservative at my end. But take that with a grain of salt. I need to get with the oldest son and see if he will do a old school multi site skin fold measurements. Or see if he will take me to the performance lab at the university and do something more high end. I should have done that to begin with. So I cant be certain at this point how much lean im lugging around.
But obviously im not low enough in bodyfat to cause any major impact in that regards.
Im taking a fight club mentality on that one. Since im too embarrassed to state it . Pretty disgusted with myself from my layoff … more so how self destructive i was being during that period.
There was a slight decrease in September. The app did a caloric adjustment and the loss has jumped back up.
Apparently my “ lady” has noticed a few things that I have not.
Which i assume is due to the length ive been running at deficient. But I could be grasping at straws.
Well on my end ,figured i can stay the corse for a few more weeks and drop another 10lbs. Then start a reverse diet and slowly work myself back to a maintenance level of cals. So that I can actually start having more productive lifting sessions.
OR
Just cut it short and give my system a break from the weight loss phase.
I honestly know what I would advise someone else. BUT im so locked in with this phase mentally that I honestly believe my judgment for myself is possibly compromised.
I think this is where I am too. Somewhat obsessed with 7 pounds. I think I probably need to give up the ghost and increase calories to support my lifting. So IF you decide to move away from deficit, there is no real reason you can’t go back to it later when things even out.
Edit: that post was as equally for me as for you. Helped me make a choice. Thanks for that.
Personally I would keep it going a bit. You still have quite a bit of cals to play with. If you are down around 180-2000 currently I would say bail
And work back to maintenance for a while.
How are hunger levels?
Can you speak to what your current macros are?
This is def not a diet macro dispersion.
I would flip protien and carb ratios. Keep carbs around training. If your on TRT you could drop fats a bit as well.
I’m now with @s.gentz. If you aren’t super hungry and you’re still mentally in a space where you’d rather not eat than go overboard, that’s the place to be. Finish this thing!
Are performance degradations severe, or it’s just getting tougher? I know 6 months is a long time, but it’s really not too out of the norm (especially if you were wildly on the other end of the spectrum like it sounds) and it doesn’t seem like you’ve been extreme with calories. I wouldn’t overly worry about any longer term adaptations, especially since you’re still losing on relatively high calories. For me, it would be whichever I thought my psyche could better handle.
