Best/Fastest way to cut?

[Trix1]

Hey everyone! So, after reading up a lot on this forum, I've decided to take the plunge and start cutting. I'm 5'8, 150 pounds, 16 years old (turning 17 in a month). I'm not sure what my BF% is but I'm hoping to find out later on this week @ my gym. Even though I play sports, with all the junk/fast food I eat, I prob. have a decent amount of fat on me.

Anyway, I have a few questions before I start:

1.) I'm not familiar with all the science behind cutting and calorie counting and all that, can someone explain in depth how best to go about cutting in a organized manner. I'm willing to write down the calories I'm eating and losing but I'm not sure exactly what I should pay attention to. Any links or answers would be greatly appreciated. I want to do this right before I start!

2.) What would be the best diet for cutting? I'm done with junk food and any type of fast food but could someone point me to the right direction in terms of the amount of calories I need, when in the day I should eat etc. (in order to get my BF% as low as possible)

3.) For my cutting, I'm currently running to my gym (30 min.), running 2 hours on the treadmill at my gym, working on my abs for about 30 minutes and then running home (another 30 min.). Is that good enough? Should I be adding or doing something else?

4.) Should I still work on upper body/lower body while cutting to maintain my muscles?

5.) All in all, what would be the best/fastest way to get my BF% lower?


I'm really sorry for the long post, but any information whatsoever regarding cutting would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your patience and help!

 

[Danger_Dave]

Hey everyone! So, after reading up a lot on this forum, I've decided to take the plunge and start cutting. I'm 5'8, 150 pounds, 16 years old (turning 17 in a month). I'm not sure what my BF% is but I'm hoping to find out later on this week @ my gym. Even though I play sports, with all the junk/fast food I eat, I prob. have a decent amount of fat on me.

I think you should try to gain some muscle first. But this is my opinon. I don't know what you look like, and in the end, it's what you want that counts.

1.) I'm not familiar with all the science behind cutting and calorie counting and all that, can someone explain in depth how best to go about cutting in a organized manner. I'm willing to write down the calories I'm eating and losing but I'm not sure exactly what I should pay attention to. Any links or answers would be greatly appreciated. I want to do this right before I start!

1. The purpose of a cut is that by inducing a caloric deficit and combining this with training, we lose fat and maintain what muscle we can. the 40 30 30 diet is popular. that's 40% calories from protein, 30% from carbs and 30% from fats. In the end, this is extra details. If you have a deficit (you use more calories in a day than you take in) you will lose weight of some kind.

Here are some links on nutrition and fat loss:
Nutrition
Cosgrove's Hierarchy of fat loss

2.) What would be the best diet for cutting? I'm done with junk food and any type of fast food but could someone point me to the right direction in terms of the amount of calories I need, when in the day I should eat etc. (in order to get my BF% as low as possible)

see above. Read the links I sent you, particularly nutrition, as this will tell you how to induce a deficit.

3.) For my cutting, I'm currently running to my gym (30 min.), running 2 hours on the treadmill at my gym, working on my abs for about 30 minutes and then running home (another 30 min.). Is that good enough? Should I be adding or doing something else?

Weight training is the most beneficial thing you can do for fat loss. It increases metabolism for up to I believe 2 or 3 days afterwards, and helps maintain muscle. There is no need to go all out on cardio (though it should not be ignored), 2.5 hours is a bit much in my opinion, especially if it is steady rate running. I lost 55 lbs. I didn't run at all really, unless i was injured and could not lift. Again, read the link called "hierarchy of fat loss." Lowering body fat % can be easily done without cardio (again, this does not mean cardio should be ignored).
You have a gym right? Start lifting

http://training.fitness.com/weight-...-split-maybe-read-first-34522.html#post304151

Those are programs that I have found around the net amde by professionals. I have used many and I know they will help you. If you are new to lifting weights, I'd choose a beginner program, and I would wait to cut until you are a little more familiar with weights (1-2 months, but I'm not sure how long you'd need).

4.) Should I still work on upper body/lower body while cutting to maintain my muscles?

Yeah, you must have a balanced routine. Look at the link I gave you in answer to number 3.

btw, the link i gave you has links to other important threads or pages on the web or this forum. Read weight training 101.

5.) All in all, what would be the best/fastest way to get my BF% lower?

Read the links I gave you.
Eat at a caloric deficit. (this will cause weight loss)
Lift Weights (this will help maintain muscle, the VAST majority of the weight lost should be fat)
do HIIT, etc. etc. (the extras, like running, HIIT training, will speed things along)

questions? happy to answer them!


P.S. Do not induce too much of a caloric deficit. You must read the link on Nutrition

 

[tjl]

3.) For my cutting, I'm currently running to my gym (30 min.), running 2 hours on the treadmill at my gym, working on my abs for about 30 minutes and then running home (another 30 min.). Is that good enough? Should I be adding or doing something else?

4.) Should I still work on upper body/lower body while cutting to maintain my muscles?

Yes, you should do some weight training to maintain muscle (or gain muscle if you are deficient in it). At your height and weight, you are within "normal healthy" body weight range; if your body fat percentage is too high (a condition sometimes called "skinny fat"), then increasing muscle is likely to be desirable (and the increased muscle will increase metabolism to help reduce body fat). BTW, while working on the abs can build core strength which is useful for many activities, it will not spot reduce the fat there.

Three hours of cardio in the absence of anything else seems a bit much unless you are doing endurance training (training for a marathon or something like that). Seems like a more effective workout would be to do cardio running to and from the gym (perhaps taking the long way home if you want more; also consider doing HIIT on the way home some days), while using the gym mainly for doing weights (but give your muscles a day of rest between lifting days, so you might alternate different exercises on different days).

 

[Danger_Dave]

Yes, you should do some weight training to maintain muscle (or gain muscle if you are deficient in it). At your height and weight, you are within "normal healthy" body weight range; if your body fat percentage is too high (a condition sometimes called "skinny fat"), then increasing muscle is likely to be desirable (and the increased muscle will increase metabolism to help reduce body fat). BTW, while working on the abs can build core strength which is useful for many activities, it will not spot reduce the fat there.
Three hours of cardio in the absence of anything else seems a bit much unless you are doing endurance training (training for a marathon or something like that). Seems like a more effective workout would be to do cardio running to and from the gym (perhaps taking the long way home if you want more; also consider doing HIIT on the way home some days), while using the gym mainly for doing weights (but give your muscles a day of rest between lifting days, so you might alternate different exercises on different days).

agreed. though i'm fairly sure increased metabolism simply from additional muscle size (assuming it's not like a huge amount of muscle mass you suddenly gain) is nearly negligible. however the increased metabolism from the training is very important.

 

[Phate89]

Why are you cutting at 150lbs?

 

[Danger_Dave]

while i agree that 150 lbs. is light for a guy, some people want to be thin. 150 at 5'8" isn't an unhealthy weight or anything.

And this brings me to a point. I'm not trying to aim this at you in particular or anything (because I myself am guilty of this), but I feel that many on this forum tend to pressure people who come on here into bulking even if they want to just lose some weight. I mean, I don't want someone to in fact further themselves from their goal just because I think they should bulk.

 

[Phate89]

The last thing the OP needs to do is cut. He is not fat, just skinny fat. Skinny fat people lack muscle, that is what gives them that soft look.

He shouldn't be cutting, or bulking. He should be eating clean, and making sure he gets enough quality food while lifting. Were not telling people to bulk or not cut for fun, were telling them because its the truth and because if they take the chance now to build muscle they can lower their body fat and make it easier to lose any excess fat in the future.

Having a little bit of fat, but a good amount of muscle looks much better than having little muscle and no fat.

 

[Danger_Dave]

The last thing the OP needs to do is cut. He is not fat, just skinny fat. Skinny fat people lack muscle, that is what gives them that soft look.

He shouldn't be cutting, or bulking. He should be eating clean, and making sure he gets enough quality food while lifting. Were not telling people to bulk or not cut for fun, were telling them because its the truth and because if they take the chance now to build muscle they can lower their body fat and make it easier to lose any excess fat in the future.
Having a little bit of fat, but a good amount of muscle looks much better than having little muscle and no fat.

I'm not stupid. I understand the underlined portion of your statement.I'm not exactly new to bulking or cutting myself. The boldened part of your statement is your opinion. Which is the point I'm getting at. Maybe he just wants to be skinny isntead of skinny fat. Maybe his intention isn't to look better. Maybe he just wants to be skinny.

Unless he were anorexic, at a dangerously low weight and psoted pictures of himself to support the afore mentioned statements. THere is no real reason to try to change his mind on wanting a cut.

 

[Trix1]

Wow! Thanks for all the comments, I'm really glad I joined this forum. The help on here is incredible. Thanks a bunch!

Danger-Dave, thanks for all the advice! Those links you hooked me up with were pure GOLD, I'm definitely gonna read all of them through and through. I appreciate the really organized and in-depth answer, I couldn't ask for more!

tjl & Phate, It may sound like I'm "normal healthy" but I can assure you that I'm probably not the most healthy guy around, LMAO. Although I play a hell of a lot of sports, most of them are just recreational and all of them have to do with my legs mostly. I have pretty good endurance and I'm exceptionally fast...playing soccer, wide-receiver in football, track & field and I used to be in cross-country. HOWEVER, my worst bad-habit was that for most of my life my diet has been a MESS. I used to eat junk food and fast food a lot and I've been one of those people who basically eat whenever they're hungry and not on a particular schedule. Eating before I go to sleep is not uncommon for me. Skipping breakfast is also not uncommon for me. For example, just last week, I went to a buddies house until around 3 a.m. Before we went home, me and a friend decided to stop at McDonald's and order 10 cheeseburgers each. haha. As you can see, "normal healthy" is defintly not me, although I don't know where all the fat goes since I don't look obese or anything. I'm probably skinny fat like you said.

Now, my ultimate goal for my fitness is to look bigger, get stronger, bulk up etc. but the reason I'm cutting is because I want to get rid of all that fat in me before I start getting bigger. Up until now, I thought it was a good idea - get rid of all my fat so I can start fresh when I start bulking. I guess I have the wrong idea though, you guys think I should bulk right away? How will I get rid of those cheeseburgers in me (all the fat)? haha

I've revamped my diet though. No more fast food or junk food for me. That's a good start.

EDIT: I guess I can show some pics when I have the chance but they won't show you anything new, I have an average upper-body, flat stomach and athletic legs ... but I know I have a lot of fat in my body just from my diet.

 

[Danger_Dave]

Hey man no problem.

I too tihnk you should bulk first, i just dind't want to push you in a direction I wasn't sure you wanted to go in or not.

If your ultimate goal is to look bigger and stronger, I would bulk now. It's easier to cut when you have more muscle on you.

Important thing here. Take a good look at all of those threads. Bulk does not, I repeat, DOES NOT mean stuff your damn face and become a fat ****. If you are willing to sacrifice being "fat" for a bit longer, a good bulk right now will help you cut faster later. Bulking, again, does not mean putting on any amount of weight at whatever cost. Do not get fat on a bulk, it's really demoralizing and definitely is not necessary to ensure a good bulk.

You can't gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously. Those links I provided will also tell you how to bulk correctly. Read them through, and come back for help.

 

[Phate89]

Post some pictures.

 

[tjl]

I've revamped my diet though. No more fast food or junk food for me. That's a good start.

That by itself may make a huge difference in your health. Cutting out fast food every day will probably cause you to cut, simply due to the fewer calories consumed (even if you counter it with eating more healthy foods, they are unlikely to have as many calories, not to mention trans-fats and other unhealthy things).

But still, a balanced workout with both cardio and weights, rather than tons of cardio and just abs, will likely be better for the goals of strength and general health. Of course, if you intend to compete in a sport, you'll have to tailor your workout for that goal with sport specific training.

Have you had your body fat percentage measured? Or even considered your waistline measured around the navel level (should be less than half your height for health; David Willoughby, a body builder from decades ago, measured athletes and found their waist to average around 46% of height)? Try not to consider the weight scale as your only measure of progress.

 

[Trix1]

That by itself may make a huge difference in your health. Cutting out fast food every day will probably cause you to cut, simply due to the fewer calories consumed (even if you counter it with eating more healthy foods, they are unlikely to have as many calories, not to mention trans-fats and other unhealthy things).

But still, a balanced workout with both cardio and weights, rather than tons of cardio and just abs, will likely be better for the goals of strength and general health. Of course, if you intend to compete in a sport, you'll have to tailor your workout for that goal with sport specific training.

Have you had your body fat percentage measured? Or even considered your waistline measured around the navel level (should be less than half your height for health; David Willoughby, a body builder from decades ago, measured athletes and found their waist to average around 46% of height)? Try not to consider the weight scale as your only measure of progress.

I definitely don't want sport specific. I generally just want to get noticeably bigger, stronger and more fit. My greatest goal after several years is to be totally ripped with low BF% and still have huge muscles and a 6 pack.

I'm gonna take the advice from you guys and I'll start bulking instead of cutting. Come to think of it, it prob. wasn't a wise idea to want to cut. I'll start up a journal and we'll see where it goes from there.

One more question, you mentioned I should weight-lift and do a little cardio, would running to and from my gym be enough cardio?

Thanks for the all the input everyone! I'm gonna BULK! haha

 

[tjl]

One more question, you mentioned I should weight-lift and do a little cardio, would running to and from my gym be enough cardio?

Assuming that it is an hour every day like you've mentioned before, and you are running at a high aerobic intensity or doing HIIT (as opposed to slow jogging), that should be enough cardio for general health and conditioning (as opposed to sport specific training for running a marathon or whatever).

 

[Trix1]

Assuming that it is an hour every day like you've mentioned before, and you are running at a high aerobic intensity or doing HIIT (as opposed to slow jogging), that should be enough cardio for general health and conditioning (as opposed to sport specific training for running a marathon or whatever).

Thanks for the great help man!

Time to Bulk. :azzangel: