# Gaining Muscle whilst cutting



## Brownz23 (Jun 28, 2013)

So I'm currently trying to lose about 7% of my body fat, but I'm worried I'll be losing too much muscle. I've just finished 7 months on a strict cutting diet + exercise regime and lost nearly 60lbs, but I know a lot of muscle went with it. Can anyone advise on the best way to gain muscle whilst cutting? Here's my diet and exercise program at the minute, including the supplements I'm taking.

*My Diet: *

*
*

AM:

- Banana

- 25g Whey Protein

- Apple

LUNCH:

- Meat Sandwiches

PM:

- 25g Whey Protein (PWO)

- Meat with either Vegetables or Salad (30% Carbs)

*My Exercise:*

*
*

AM:

- 15 minute light jog

- 1 hour walk

PM:

- Weight Training (either Back, Chest and Abs, Arms, Shoulders or Legs)

- 10 minute stepper (intense)

- 10 minute jog

- 30 minute walk

*Supplements: *

*
*

- Whey Protein

- Omega 3

- Multi-Vitamins

- Creatine Monohydrate

- BCAA's

- L-Glutamine

Does this look OK? I'm an Endomorph, so fat is something I struggle with lol. I currently have 19% BF and my long-term goal is to get as lean as possible.

Criticism highly welcomed!

(I think I've posted this is the wrong section, sorry)


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## MunchieBites (Jan 14, 2013)

do you mean gain muscle or do you mean keeping your existing muscle?

You can't cut and bulk at the same timeis why i ask (well normal people can't)


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

A 7month cut will have lowered your metabolism, have you had any cheat days ie 1 per week?

7months is a long time to state in a call defect mate, catabolism is highly likely imo. If you are worried about muscle loss then imo being in a cal defect:

I'd lean bulk for 8weeks get your metabolism back up and fill those depleted muscles back out, feed your body then you should have a good rebound effect but keep the diet clean because a low metabolism makes it easy to gain fat. This will be because uve dieted this long.

Then after 8weeks cut again 500cals below maintainans and hammer the cardio.

A constant cut is counter productive and will result in more fat gain once you do start to eat properly. changing it up if fat better than keeping things constant.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

I think you will struggle (if your not already) to drop the fat further because you have 'cut' for too long. That's if you've been in a call defect for the whole 7month??

If you don't feed your boddy will drop your metabolism because your putting it in a catabolic state and that leads to death if the body doesn't react, your body doesn't know your trying to loose the fat, it just sees that your not eating enough to sustain it.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

But if you have to keep cutting then you still need to eat more and do more cv. Have a look into 'insanity beachbody' (not instanity asylum its for advanced once you've passed beachbody) its very good for fat loss.

Also we need your macros not just what types of food your eating, and your weight to judge your diet.

At a glace of the above your diet looks more like starvation not a cut diet.

It looks like about 100g protein 150carbs? Starvation dude, your not doing your fat loss any good on this. Endo's have a slow metabolism to start with, and your diet for 7month will have made it plumet thru the floor.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

Now the cv workout:

Walking is no good for fat loss people walk all day and don't loose fat, its not effective for fat loss to stay in your comport zone it has no effect) its fine if your obese and can't physically perform a proper cv workout but at 20-%bf you need to do more, your cv isn't enough. At your level now for fat loss imo to yeild the best fat loss results you need your heart rate in the 120-160bpm range and I would do as follows:

45min cv x5 ew:

5min warm up, build up HR to 120bpm and hold,

30min cv wo 140-160bpm,

10+min cool down, bringing your HR steadily down to 110bpm then off the off the machine, done.

Once you reach 10% bf or your fitness level allows it (which ever comes 1s, imo probably fitness) do as follows:

60mins x5 ew:

5min warm up (as above)

45min cv wo (as above)

10+min cool down (as above)

to make this a little easier the best machines I can suggest is the cross trainer and step climber, you can keep a steady pace with minimal effort and still maintain your heart rate a the level needed, unlike running on a treadmill your moving your whole body weight it gets exhausting a lot faster, or an exersise bike which is constant pushing forward wwith the legs and will cause lactic acid and burnout sooner.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

For your diet I would increase your protein consumption to 300g ed, eat low gi carbs+high fibre veg etc, and a small amount of good fats.

6 small frequent meals per day,

The fat consumed early on in the day even if its just a small amount of evoo or mcts, fats is needed for healthy hormone production and good fats are best for your health over all.

You should still drop the fat easy from all the cardio not from starvation.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

Jmo lol hope this helps.


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## Ceek (May 5, 2013)

If you're at a high level of bodyfat like 20%+ losing fat and gaining muscle is totally possible!

Have a diet without sugar and fast food. Weight train, get some HIIT cardio in there. Job done.


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## 25081 (Nov 24, 2011)

Gain muscle and lose fat: test and tren. :laugh:


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## Adz (Jan 29, 2008)

Im in the same position I think, been eating low cals for about 5 months now trying to lose my fat, its really slowed down now so maybe I should lean bulk for couple of months?


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## Heath (Mar 3, 2011)

@stone14 kudos for the amount of help you gave the lad!


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## NoGutsNoGloryy (Jan 7, 2013)

I can easily cut and gain muscle maybe I'm one of the lucky few :lol:


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