# First proper cut. Loosing too much weight. Help please.



## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

Hey all been cutting for about 11 weeks now.

I'm 25

5ft 8

was 225 ppounds

now 205

Was cutting on 3000 cals originally then I was told by a pro fitness competitor at my gym that I only needed 2500 cals a day.

And to carb cycle.

So stick to 300g protein per dday and then have 100g carbs on rest days 200g on shoulder and chest days. And 300g on back and legs days. Then make the remaining calories up with the fat.

I started doing this about 6 weeks ago and was looking different every morning I woke up. I read up on it and I think the change in carbs must of been making me retain water or something.

So I decided to switch to a standard diet.

Which consists of

2500 cals per day

300 grams protein

100 grams carbs non weight lifting days

150 on lifting days

and make up the remaining cals with fats.

Been doing this the past 2 and half weeks.

First week I had 1 cheat meal and I'd lost 2kg in one week!

second week I had 2 cheat meals and still lost 2kg!!

i am looking alot leaner but obviously I'm loosing far too much weight per week.

Shal I up the cals another 500 cals or more?

Is this normal as I've read alot on here and most people are cutting on around 2000 cals per day.

Also what are the signs I've lost muscle. I'm still just as strong but I'm getting paranoid as I've lost so much weight.

Appreciate your help lads.

Thanks alot


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

I always drop fat quickly but if you feel that it's too quick for you just up ya calories mate.Would rather slow it down than lose too much muscle.I was 197lbs when I started cutting and got 182 on 2700 calories and 300g carbs


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

I think il up it to 3000 calories and up the carbs to 250 everyday.

It takes me a while to start loosing weight and then when I do I can't seem to stop!!

Is that normal?

It's like I suddenly have a fast metabolism when I get leaner?


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## 1manarmy (Apr 22, 2012)

Your cutting... But worried about losing 2kg a week? Your body will get to a stage where it slowed down completely.. I got to arround 6% and it was the hardest thing ever to drop the final bits before the stage! Worry about it when you get to that stage pal! Don't go adding foods back in you don't need or having extra cheats when you don't need them!


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

I think you are doing just fine,eating more will not do you any favours,those cals are enough for your hight mate,I assume you are fat.

having 2 cheat meals is not good either..Just remember 11 weeks is sod all and you always drop a ton of water to start.300g of protein is way to much also.


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

1manarmy said:


> Your cutting... But worried about losing 2kg a week? Your body will get to a stage where it slowed down completely.. I got to arround 6% and it was the hardest thing ever to drop the final bits before the stage! Worry about it when you get to that stage pal! Don't go adding foods back in you don't need or having extra cheats when you don't need them!


spot on


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

2500kcal's at 205lbs and you wonder why you're losing weight too quick!?

Drop the protein, up the carbs and hit some HIIT would be my advice.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

Mack10 said:


> I think il up it to 3000 calories and up the carbs to 250 everyday.
> 
> It takes me a while to start loosing weight and then when I do I can't seem to stop!!
> 
> ...


Funnily enough the leaner I got the more crap I could eat(not too much though)


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## dann19900 (Dec 29, 2012)

u lost 4 kgs in 2 weeks without losing strength and you're unhappy? lol


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

1manarmy said:


> Your cutting... But worried about losing 2kg a week? Your body will get to a stage where it slowed down completely.. I got to arround 6% and it was the hardest thing ever to drop the final bits before the stage! Worry about it when you get to that stage pal! Don't go adding foods back in you don't need or having extra cheats when you don't need them!


I was just worried loosing that much weight per week would mean il definately be loosing muscle.

So you think I should just stick to what I've been doing and not worry about loosing that much weight per week?


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

gearchange said:


> I think you are doing just fine,eating more will not do you any favours,those cals are enough for your hight mate,I assume you are fat.
> 
> having 2 cheat meals is not good either..Just remember 11 weeks is sod all and you always drop a ton of water to start.300g of protein is way to much also.


I've already been doeting 11 weeks. Surely I've gone past the first few weeks where you lose water rapidly.

And I'm about 15% bf ATM I'd say. No lower.

How much protein would you advise.

I've always been told 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.


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## 1manarmy (Apr 22, 2012)

Mack10 said:


> I was just worried loosing that much weight per week would mean il definately be loosing muscle.
> 
> So you think I should just stick to what I've been doing and not worry about loosing that much weight per week?


Slightly personal question but are you fat? What body fat are you at? If your fat then yes pal stick it out. Cutting isn't meant to be easy work and cheat meals are designed for a reason not just cus you had a clean week and feel you've earnt it! I wasn't allowed a re feed for the first 5 maybe 6 weeks until I reached a certain point! If cutting was easy everyone would be walking round comp ready all year round


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

1manarmy said:


> Slightly personal question but are you fat? What body fat are you at? If your fat then yes pal stick it out. Cutting isn't meant to be easy work and cheat meals are designed for a reason not just cus you had a clean week and feel you've earnt it! I wasn't allowed a re feed for the first 5 maybe 6 weeks until I reached a certain point! If cutting was easy everyone would be walking round comp ready all year round


I had it measured 4 weeks ago and was 18%bf but got told I was holding alot of water. Which is why I stopped carb cycling.

I'm now alot leaner and can see abs more especially in the morning. Not the centre line though.

So I've got to be at about 15-16% now. Was going to get it measured in another week or 2.

So I'm not exactly fat. Which is why I worry that I'm loosing too much weight. I think I'm going to have 1 cheat meal per week so I don't look as flat.

And only 1 cheat meal if I really feel I need it etc.

What you think?


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

Flexible diet, that way you don't "need" cheat meals


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

K



Silvaback said:


> Flexible diet, that way you don't "need" cheat meals


Are cheat meals that bad Aslong as I'm still getting leaner and losing weight?

What do you do instead of cheat meals then?

whats your idea of flexibility?


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## 1manarmy (Apr 22, 2012)

Mack10 said:


> I had it measured 4 weeks ago and was 18%bf but got told I was holding alot of water. Which is why I stopped carb cycling.
> 
> I'm now alot leaner and can see abs more especially in the morning. Not the centre line though.
> 
> ...


You competing or anything pal or cutting just for personal benifit? You aren't losing weight at an alarming weight for your size and body fat mate infact your doing it right and going the right way. Why slow down a process when its working


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

Nothing's bad about them but in my opinion they still need to be recorded regardless of your goals.

I treat myself to abit of what I like every day, once I've hit my fibre and micronutrient target for the day I eat whatever I like, cereal, pop tarts, froyo but all within my targets. It helps to keep me sane without the urge to binge, plus studies show it makes no difference in body composition.


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

1manarmy said:


> You competing or anything pal or cutting just for personal benifit? You aren't losing weight at an alarming weight for your size and body fat mate infact your doing it right and going the right way. Why slow down a process when its working


No not competing. Want to see how lean I can get and where my weak parts are so can develop them when I bulk next and hopefully compete next year or year after.

Only reason I'm worried is because I've never cut properly before and everything I read says dont lose anymore than 1-2 pound per week and I'm losing double.

But I've not lost any strength sometimes lose a rep or two on certain exercises but that's due to being more drained through lower carbs than I'm used to.


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## 1manarmy (Apr 22, 2012)

Mack10 said:


> No not competing. Want to see how lean I can get and where my weak parts are so can develop them when I bulk next and hopefully compete next year or year after.
> 
> Only reason I'm worried is because I've never cut properly before and everything I read says dont lose anymore than 1-2 pound per week and I'm losing double.
> 
> But I've not lost any strength sometimes lose a rep or two on certain exercises but that's due to being more drained through lower carbs than I'm used to.


I honestly wouldn't worry pal! The macros you've posted are more than enough to retain your muscle! I started off at 220g carbs a day but I carb cycled and went down to 110 on low days.. When I reached a point where weight loss slowed I went as low as 50g a day carb wise! I lost just over a stone but looked 2 times as big as when I started the diet! Stick to it and keep strong you don't need a re feed unless your body's in such a stage it requires it and your heads such a mess from leptin being so low you feel like you literally can't go another day without one!


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## Irish Beast (Jun 16, 2009)

Have I read this wrong? You said in original post you have drppped 20 lbs and are in week 11. That's 2 lbs a week pretty much. Hardly losing to fast! Perhaps I have misread


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

No you read it right be as I said I got told I was eating too much so I dropped cals and have lost 9 pounds nearly in 2 weeks. Which I was worried is too much and I don't want to loose muscle.


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

Mack10 said:


> I've already been doeting 11 weeks. *Surely I've gone past the first few weeks where you lose water rapidly*.
> 
> And I'm about 15% bf ATM I'd say. No lower.
> 
> ...


I think you need to get your story straight mate.You quote about water loss only being the first few weeks,then later you say a friend told you ,you were holding to much water 4 weeks ago.

You hold water all the time especially when you keep banging in cheat meals.

And I would say your protein should be around 200-250 at you weight and size.


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

Are you 100% sure diet has not changed?

Do you track you're intake?


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## Irish Beast (Jun 16, 2009)

I was swelling up from t4 use and a dietary change. Was 18 stone 10 on thursday and 17st 13 yesterday. Weight can fluctuate massively with slight llifestyle changes. Its only now at 33 that I really know my body and how to change things. Better late then never!


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

gearchange said:


> I think you need to get your story straight mate.You quote about water loss only being the first few weeks,then later you say a friend told you ,you were holding to much water 4 weeks ago.
> 
> You hold water all the time especially when you keep banging in cheat meals.
> 
> And I would say your protein should be around 200-250 at you weight and size.


My mistake. Thought you lost water at the start of diet before loosing fat. Buy yeah makes sense as I have cheat meals they must be making me hold water.

I'm still loosing 2 kg per week though even if I have them.

Also if I'm 200 pound and its 1.5 grams of protein per pound then 300 grams is right isn't it?


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

Irish Beast said:


> I was swelling up from t4 use and a dietary change. Was 18 stone 10 on thursday and 17st 13 yesterday. Weight can fluctuate massively with slight llifestyle changes. Its only now at 33 that I really know my body and how to change things. Better late then never!


Yeah I suppose everybody is different at the end of the day. Il just stick to my diet and carry on loosing the weight. Surely it will slow down soon.

Only reason I posted on here was because everything I've read says that over 2 pound per week then you must be loosing muscle Aswell.

Thanks for your help.


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

Mack10 said:


> My mistake. Thought you lost water at the start of diet before loosing fat. Buy yeah makes sense as I have cheat meals they must be making me hold water.
> 
> I'm still loosing 2 kg per week though even if I have them.
> 
> *Also if I'm 200 pound and its 1.5 grams of protein per pound then 300 grams is right isn't it?*


No mate..1.5 is a guide not a stipulation,as you are not bulking 1g per lb is plenty imo.


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

gearchange said:


> No mate..1.5 is a guide not a stipulation,as you are not bulking 1g per lb is plenty imo.


Okay thanks alot. I will drop to 1 gram of p per pound of body weight when weightless slows or can't handle lower carbs anymore. Thanks.

Is it not more crucial to have higher protein when cutting to help retain muscle or aas stop that?


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

Mack10 said:


> Okay thanks alot. I will drop to 1 gram of p per pound of body weight when weightless slows or can't handle lower carbs anymore. Thanks.
> 
> Is it not more crucial to have higher protein when cutting to help retain muscle or aas stop that?


Having the right amount and a good supply of protein is of course a great benefit to cutting,but overdoing it will only add cals and slow you down,finding the right amount to optimise your goal is the key..If it was just a matter of more is best why not have 500g a day instead ?

I am 205lb at the moment and my body is happy with 250g a day.Its really down to the individual ,I just gave you my opinion.


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## Mack10 (Apr 22, 2011)

Okay. Thanks for your input.


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## rsd147 (Nov 14, 2012)

I'm at 186lbs and anything from 130g Protein is fine for me. Depends on each individual I suppose

If your losing weight and and not losing any strength, then your on the right track. If you start dropping up your cals slightly until you are back on track.


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

FelonE said:


> I always drop fat quickly but if you feel that it's too quick for you just up ya calories mate.*Would rather slow it down than lose too much muscle*.I was 197lbs when I started cutting and got 182 on 2700 calories and 300g carbs


Myth.

You dont lose muscle it just gets flat through lack of glycogen.

I really wish this nonsense was stopped being bandied about.

Its just an excuse people with not as much muscle as they thought pre-diet use when they finally strip the fat off.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

banzi said:


> Myth.
> 
> You dont lose muscle it just gets flat through lack of glycogen.
> 
> ...


Layne Norton

Importance Of Slow Dieting

Keep in mind that if you think you have around 25 lbs of fat to lose, you are not going to be able to lose it all in 10 weeks and keep all of your lean body mass. Aim to diet as slowly as possible. The severity of your calorie deficit will, to a large extent, determine how much muscle you retain/lose.

Short periods of high severity dieting (more than 1000 kcals per day below maintenance level) are not too muscle wasting, but prolonging them for more than a few days will certainly cause one to lose a good deal of muscle.

As a general rule of thumb, losing 1 lb of bodyweight per week will allow one to retain most of their muscle mass. One can probably lose up to 1.5 lbs per week and retain most, if not all of their muscle mass (provided their training and nutrition are optimized).


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

FelonE said:


> Layne Norton
> 
> Importance Of Slow Dieting
> 
> ...


You keep believing Layne Nortons BS.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

banzi said:


> You keep believing Layne Nortons BS.


Pretty sure he's more qualified on the subject than you


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

FelonE said:


> Pretty sure he's more qualified on the subject than you


Hes full of broscience combined with real science to blur the simple fact that losing weight is easy.

Its the easiest process in the world in fact.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

Losing weight is easy yeah but losing fat and retaining muscle takes a bit more work or we could all just not eat and lose weight


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

FelonE said:


> Losing weight is easy yeah but losing fat and retaining muscle takes a bit more work or we could all just not eat and lose weight


Its you that gets you in shape, not Layne Norton or not me.

I can give you the tools just like Layne can, its just like he thinks blinding you with science makes it his achievement rather than yours.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

banzi said:


> Its you that gets you in shape, not Layne Norton or not me.
> 
> I can give you the tools just like Layne can, its just like he thinks blinding you with science makes it his achievement rather than yours.


Are you in good shape?


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

FelonE said:


> Are you in good shape?


always

Heres a photo from 2 days ago on holiday

Im 49 next month and am 220 in the pic.



That looks way better than an off season Layne Norton doesn't it?


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

I forgot appearance dictated intelligence.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

Silvaback said:


> I forgot appearance dictated intelligence.


No-one said it does.I'm just always curious to see what people with no avi look like


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

banzi said:


> always
> 
> Heres a photo from 2 days ago on holiday
> 
> ...


'You wont lose muscle mass on low cal diets if you are using gear'.A quote from you suggesting that if I'm natty I will lose some muscle mass.Looking good btw


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

FelonE said:


> 'You wont lose muscle mass on low cal diets if you are using gear'.A quote from you suggesting that if I'm natty *I will lose some muscle mass*.Looking good btw


Negligible.

Thanks for the props.

I got there with two weeks diet on 900 cals a day.

Dropped about 10lbs

I could have dieted for 10 weeks on 2500 cals and got the same results.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

banzi said:


> Negligible.
> 
> Thanks for the props.
> 
> ...


I'm not trying to discredit what you're saying,I'm interested.If I could go vlcd and not lose too much muscle and cut quicker I would def do it.It's always interesting to get different peoples points of view and reasoning behind it.Always learning


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## dann19900 (Dec 29, 2012)

FelonE said:


> Layne Norton
> 
> Importance Of Slow Dieting
> 
> ...


lol u can with a gram of test and a few other goodies lol


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

FelonE said:


> I'm not trying to discredit what you're saying,I'm interested.If I could go vlcd and not lose too much muscle and cut quicker I would def do it.It's always interesting to get different peoples points of view and reasoning behind it.Always learning


PM me anytime if you want any advice or help.


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

FelonE said:


> No-one said it does.I'm just always curious to see what people with no avi look like


I ment the "That looks way better than an off season Layne Norton doesn't it?" comment


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

Silvaback said:


> I ment the "That looks way better than an off season Layne Norton doesn't it?" comment


Oh ok my bad


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

Silvaback said:


> I ment the "That looks way better than an off season Layne Norton doesn't it?" comment


Yep, all the knowledge in the world and looks like garbage.

Amazingly a drug free athlete who grows into shows and gains muscle and loses fat at the same time.

He's amazing, shame none of his drug free clients ever manage the same transformation, I guess its all that knowledge about nutrition he keeps to himself.


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

banzi said:


> Yep, all the knowledge in the world and looks like garbage.
> 
> Amazingly a drug free athlete who grows into shows and gains muscle and loses fat at the same time.
> 
> He's amazing, shame none of his drug free clients ever manage the same transformation, I guess its all that knowledge about nutrition he keeps to himself.


Most power lifters look like **** to be fair, that said, he'd run rings around each and every single one of us on here when it comes to nutrition.

Learney and Coomber must just invite him over for the comedy value eh.


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

Silvaback said:


> Most power lifters look like **** to be fair, that said, *he'd run rings around each and every single one of us on here when it comes to nutrition.*
> 
> Learney and Coomber must just invite him over for the comedy value eh.


So what?

Who needs to know the macro/micro nutrients of food to be a bodybuilder?

Its all a massive pile of nonsense created by an industry to sell you overly priced fart powder and supplements.

Diet is easy, training is easy.

Why make it complicated.


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

banzi said:


> So what?
> 
> Who needs to know the macro/micro nutrients of food to be a bodybuilder?
> 
> ...


What a load of bollocks, if it was that easy we'd all be walking around like greek gods..


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

Silvaback said:
 

> What a load of bollocks, if it was that easy we'd all be walking around like greek gods..


You walk around like a greek god if your genetics dictates it.

Sorry if that hurts.


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## Silvaback (Jul 31, 2013)

banzi said:


> You walk around like a greek god if your genetics dictates it.
> 
> Sorry if that hurts.


I can buy just as much gear as you mate, genetics my ass.


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## banzi (Mar 9, 2014)

Silvaback said:


> I can buy just as much gear as you mate, genetics my ass.


Dosage has little to do with it if you dont have a good genetic response my friend.

If you cant make good gains on 250mgs of test a week , taking multiple grams isnt gonna make you a greek god.


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