# Cutting & hypertrophy



## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

I've recently been cutting.

Eating ~ 1500 - 2kcals a day

WO 3 times per week

Progress has slowed recently, and a mate on another forum has advised cutting cals more

Mon - 1700 cals

Tue - 800 cals (fill up on coffee, lean mince and veg, vegetable soup)

Wed - 1700 cals

Thu - 1700 cals

Fri - 800 cals (fill up on the same as Tuesday)

Sat - 2500 cals with more carbs than normal

Sun - 1700 cals

Training - 4 times per week, 2 exercises per day, warm up sets + 2 working sets at 3-5 reps

I have been doing hypertrophy for about 8wks now and so maybe time to switch it over, and I've seen quite a lot of improvement (in my mind anyway).

Currently ~20% BF and looking to get down about another 5% intime for summer. Just looking for opinions on getting this bump started again.

cheers all


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## Queenie (May 30, 2013)

If you've seen improvement doing 2 sets of 2 exercises per session, u are gifted.

Imo increase output. Diet looks complicated but you're doing it now so obviously have your head around it.

So... add cardio, add exercises, work harder.


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## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

Sorry that wasn't clear, that was what he suggested.

No particularly fussed about things being complicated.....gives me more to focus on.

Main aim is to cut and lose BF so making any progress in lifts is great IMO.

So due to things slowing in terms of fat loss, not sure where to move from here


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## doyle1987 (Jan 5, 2014)

How much do u weigh


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## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

~90k @ 5,11"


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## doyle1987 (Jan 5, 2014)

Wow how do you survive on that low cals!

Lowest I've gone is 2300ish and was strugglin

Have you tried upping calories abit get metabolism going abit.

Could also try new things in gym ie dropsets,supersets,rest pause. Get ya sweating mad.

One thing I personally wouldn't do is drop cals more.


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## havering (May 14, 2013)

Don't drop calories, that's stupid and could set you back


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## Trevor McDonald (Mar 30, 2010)

Bowsa said:


> Sorry that wasn't clear, that was what he suggested.
> 
> No particularly fussed about things being complicated.....gives me more to focus on.
> 
> ...


Just remember as you get leaner and leaner fat loss will be very slow.


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## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

doyle1987 said:


> Wow how do you survive on that low cals!
> 
> Lowest I've gone is 2300ish and was strugglin
> 
> ...


TBH i've not found it that hard, i've done things like PSMF and not had any real difficulty doing that for 20odd days.....though I don't really want to cut anymore. I have tried upping a little 2-2.5k but I dont necessarily feel better for it and loss slows further.

Also I have a few supersets in my WO for example today I did: -

Squat 28.04.14

12 x 110

3 x 110 9 x 105

12 x 105

Leg curl / superset leg press

15 x 90 / 210k x5

15 x 90 / 210k x5

15 x 90 / 210k x5

Leg extension

15 x 63

15 x 63

15 x 56

I also do things such as Cosgroves Evil 8

Started Muay Thai on Sat mornings and ride to work a couple of times a week, but again that is only about a 3 mile round trip.



Mey said:


> Just remember as you get leaner and leaner fat loss will be very slow.


I appreciate that this maybe the case, however at ~20% BF I don't think it should have slowed that much.


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## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

Sooo any ideas as to where to go? or on the suggested set up


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## doyle1987 (Jan 5, 2014)

Dunno what else to suggest mate.

Have you thought about getting online coach ?


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## AlexHealy (May 27, 2012)

You're about the same stats as me.

You need at least 1,900 calories a day if not a bit more.

Start with 2,000 calories a day. Lift weights and stick to your 2,000 calories and you'll lose body fat.

Look at dropping down to 1,800 over time and then increasing cardio but don't go below that. You want to be eating above your BMR.


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## jonnym4 (May 8, 2011)

Pretty sure that's lyle McDonald's plan for the diet? I wouldn't say your right for that at all. Basic weights routine and a healthy diet should be your main focus.


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## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

AlexHealy said:


> You're about the same stats as me. You need at least 1,900 calories a day if not a bit more. Start with 2,000 calories a day. Lift weights and stick to your 2,000 calories and you'll lose body fat. Look at dropping down to 1,800 over time and then increasing cardio but don't go below that. You want to be eating above your BMR.


ATM i'm eating ~1500-2k so that isn't a problem, and have started riding to work the last few weeks and Muay Thai (though in all fairness i've not actually done a lesson yet due to the bloke being off the last few weeks.)



jonnym4 said:


> Pretty sure that's lyle McDonald's plan for the diet? I wouldn't say your right for that at all. Basic weights routine and a healthy diet should be your main focus.


I thought it looked a bit similar to the Ultimate diet 2.0......which when I had a brief look at it was more for people ~12-15% BF trying to get under that....though I haven't read it all.

ATM I am doing

Squats 105k x12 x 3

Deads 100k x12 x 3

BoR 35K x12 x 3

Seated MP back to front 25k x15 x 3

Bench 75k x5 x 3

Farmers walks 100k 10m x 10

They are my "mains" if you like around those i'll

Legpress supersetted with leg curls

Leg extension

Bi curls 20k as many reps as possible in 1min x4

dips / pulls both of which I am **** at.

Cosgrove evil 8 @25k

these will be split over 3-4 weekly sessions.


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## fastcar_uk (Jan 30, 2013)

Bowsa said:


> I've recently been cutting.
> 
> Eating ~ 1500 - 2kcals a day
> 
> ...


I wouldn't drop below 1800 cals. Try a bit of carb cycling instead. No carbs for two days then on the third day eat the amount you would have eat on the first two.

This should get things moving again, keep dropping cals will slow the metabolism down which is counter productive obv.


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## jonnym4 (May 8, 2011)

I wouldn't do anything like that even when I was close to 10%. He states himself that it should be only used for a very lean individual as a last option.


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## Trev182 (Sep 24, 2013)

Your diet sounds horrible to try and stick to!


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## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

jonnym4 said:


> I wouldn't do anything like that even when I was close to 10%. He states himself that it should be only used for a very lean individual as a last option.


Yeah I kinda stopped reading the book on the basis, it's just not something I need to do at this stage.



Trev182 said:


> Your diet sounds horrible to try and stick to!


ATM my diet is easy 1500-2000 cals

I usually get about 200g of protien and then anything from there.


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

I wouldn't like to see cals drop any further. I'm a similar size to you (and in my late 40's), and I cut on 2.6k - 2.8k

If you are not losing weight at a decent rate on 1.8k, maybe you need to bump up your activity. Go for a walk at lunchtime (100cals per mile) and add a bit of cardio. This will increase your burn rate and improve your insulin sensitivity


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## Robbie789 (Sep 6, 2012)

Your kcals are waaaaaaaaaaay to low for 90kg!! On 2000kcals every day you should be losing around 1+1/2lbs a week.

Seriously, up your calories to 2K and you will lose more weight without risking muscle loss.


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

the reason you have stalled is because you cut your calories so low so quickly i weigh 10k less than you have been cutting for 8 weeks on 2200kcals and am still loosing a pound per week.


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## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

harryalmighty said:


> the reason you have stalled is because you cut your calories so low so quickly i weigh 10k less than you have been cutting for 8 weeks on 2200kcals and am still loosing a pound per week.


This isn't a quick thing. I'm down about 3st over the last 15months. So not so much a slow thing mate........christ knows at this stage


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

Bowsa said:


> This isn't a quick thing. I'm down about 3st over the last 15months. So not so much a slow thing mate........christ knows at this stage


sorry mate didnt read closley enough.

if i were you i would look at doing a recomp then trying to drop BF% again in that case.


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## Bowsa (Feb 4, 2014)

harryalmighty said:


> sorry mate didnt read closley enough.
> 
> if i were you i would look at doing a recomp then trying to drop BF% again in that case.


No worries mate.......

when you say look at doing a re-comp. what would you mean?


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## AlexHealy (May 27, 2012)

Give this video a watch to understand why your calories have stopped fat loss.


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

Bowsa said:


> No worries mate.......
> 
> when you say look at doing a re-comp. what would you mean?


google a re composition diet and youl get the idea.


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