Cutting- The questions which would solve it all for me

[snorkles]

vHi I would like to ask IMPORTANT NUMERIOUS questions about cutting which I plan to carry out from march-april for next summer. I have read tons and tons of articles about cutting but I want answers from successful personal expeeriences please.

my details (clean bulking at the moment)
18yrs old
5ft 5"
158lbs
Lowest BF I have been last summer was 10% (first cut every, by trial and error), abs were visible but couldnt say I had a six pack, was very close. So I need to clarify some things.This summer I am aiming for better results.

ps: After calculating etc I need estimate 2600 cals daily for weight maintenance.

1. IMPORTANT What are the amounts of macronutrients I should have? (in %)
I heard people (succesfully) cutting on very low carbs such as less than 100g and even less than 50g. But keeping their protein high.

2.How much cardio per week and for how much duration per session?

3. Jogging or HIIT (sprinting)?

4. IMPORTANT what should I do as not to lose many muscle?

5. Are there any supplements which helped you during your cut?

I've been recommended Animal Cuts

6. IMPORTANT what do I do regarding lifting when cutting?

I heard different people give different views: some told me to lift heavier than usual but very few reps to preserve the muscle whilst others told me to decrease the weight and increase reps to 10-15 to tone the muscles.

Thanks. Your answers basically will be everything that I need.

 

[sig]

I think you'll get lots of different advice, and there is no one best way to cut. I also think that each person's body is unique in what it responds to - you really won't know what is optimal for yourself until you have some trial & error!

The other critical thing to remember is that there is no such thing as cutting in a 'vacuum.' You are cutting within the context of everything else you are doing in your program. The body responds to progressive, adaptive change. Some ranges of sets, reps, rest intervals, etc. are known for being more efficient at fat loss (higher reps, shorter rest, etc). But if you are already lifting in a similar way to this from January to March, your response will probably be different than if you just switch to it abruptly. I've cut with higher reps, I've cut at more sets & lower reps (with less rest). There are plenty of ways to skin a cat. Hee.

You plan to be cutting from March through the summer. That seems like an awfully long time. Do you anticipate having a lot of cutting to do? Or do you plan to do it very slowly? Fast cutting makes the exercise more about muscle maintenance in a short duration. Long-term, slower cutting changes the focus to producing more growth & gains in strength, even while losing fat.

You don't say what your body fat % is right now & you are in the process of bulking, so we don't know where it'll be when you start cutting (some gain is likely, but if your body fat % climbs too much when you're bulking, then you prob aren't doing that "right"). Your estimate of calories will almost certainly be different by the time you hit March, if you are successful in putting on weight/muscle between now and then too.

Given all that, here's my take on your questions:

(1) The "percentage" of macronutrients is a very rough guide to be using, because it changes based on how many calories you take in. I know the general range of calories I need to produce the deficit I want. I aim for a specific high protein goal (bare minimum 1 gram per lb of body weight). For me, that usually winds up being in the 30-35% range of total calories. I have an idea of how much fat (in grams also) I'm shooting for. For me, that can range anywhere from 15 to 25% of my calories. And my carbs are what's left over. In the past, it's never been below 40% of my total calories, and it often comes in more around 50%. For absolute totals, I'm always well above 100 grams. Low-carb diets are not for me, even though some people can use them successfully.

(2) Hard to explain how much cardio, because my ice hockey is usually my cardio, and I've started to have over-reaching/overtraining problems when I do a lot more other cardio with full time playing and lifting. I think 3 days per week cardio is sufficient, though.

(3) I'm a fan of HIIT & that's mostly what I've used. Again, for me, this is specific to hockey though.

(4) In addition to making sure you're doing strength training, one way to avoid losing muscle is to make sure you aren't deficiting too much. If you eat too little to cut "faster," you are more likely to have this problem.

(5) I'm not a fan of supplements in general, unless you count whey powder. I do recommend looking into whether you need a multi-vitamin or vit B, iron, etc. supplements, because some people have trouble getting enough of the good micronutrients from diet alone, esp when cutting.

(6) As for the lifting itself, as I noted above, I don't think it's possible to come up with the 'right' routine without knowing more about your current program, where you'll be at the time you start, and your goals from that.

Hope this helps!

 

[MarkMyWords]

1) OK, so you need 2600 cals to maintain, so if you eat 2100 or so, you will lose fat. With the exercising, you could burn off 2 pounds a week while being perfectly healthy and safe. As for how much of each macro, this really is hard to say. Protein is easy, you want to be sure you get about a gram per pound. Fats are good for you, and there is a little bit of wiggle room on these I think, 25-35% works. Carbs are usually the question mark for most. Depending on your sensitivity, you might be better off avoiding all bread, potatoes, and rice, or at least limiting them severely. Veggies are definitely a good carb choice.

2) There's no real solid amount of cardio you have to do. If your diet is right, you don't actually HAVE to do any, but whatever biking, running, sports you do will just speed up the process since you'll be burning cals. So to answer, I say just do as much as you can, or like to. Me personally, I try to run a couple miles after lifting, and then run 5-7 on one of the weekend days.

3) Both. As discussed in the last question, jog or run as much as you want. Do HIIT also. Why not have the best of both worlds? I do HIIT on Tues and Thurs, and run after lifting on Mon, Wed, and Fri...

4) You don't have to lose any muscle as long as you stick to your diet and lift heavy. When you lift heavy, your body has a good reason to keep the muscle and burn the fat instead.

5) Just the usual supps, fish oil and a multivitamin. If you are thinking about fat burning pills or some ****, I say don't bother. If you have your stuff together with the nutrition, lifting, HIIT, and other cardio, you won't need a shred of help with some corny pills.

6) As for the lifting, I agree with sig that there is not one single right way to go about it. I do think though, that you need to lift heavy at least 2 days a week. When I cut, I do 5 x 5, 3 days a week. When you lift heavy, your body is saying to itself...damn we can't afford to get rid of this muscle, we are using it a few times a week. Burn off this fat instead! Like the old saying goes...Use it or lose it! I think that applies perfectly.

Good luck, you can do it dude!