Been cutting calories for 5 months and working out for 4 months (with calisthenics) I've lost about 55 pounds of fat and gained ten pounds of muscle. I was at 245 (5'7), and now it's starting to slow down around 200. My strength gains are starting to really slow down and I feel somewhat weak throughout the day because I'm restricting myself to 1,300 calories a day, give or take 200. I'm determined to get to a healthy weight before I begin my first "bulk." I'm really excited to blast it out in the gym but it would seem I have at the very least 4 to 6 more months of cutting before I lose enough fat to be satisfied with it. I've been overweight my entire life.
Am I doing it right? Is it ok that I'm weak sometimes (though not so much that it interferes with my life)? Will 1,300 calories probably be a sufficient caloric deficit all the way to the end or will I have to drop it even further? It was hard enough getting used to 1,300 a day.
maybe u need to bring it back up
Like >>37916347 said you may need to come up some. I'm in the same situation as you, I've been able to drop over 70lbs since February. But I started getting relentlessly hungry towards the end of May and I had to bump up my intake, progress stayed the same though.
>>37916347
I forgot to mention I eat one cheat meal a week which pushes me probably 1500 to 2000 over my limit for that day (so 2,800 to 3,300 in that one day). It helps me stay sane and remind me how shitty it makes me feel the next day.
I've seen all sorts of stuff about maintaining a weekly calorie limit so that you can splurge one day and make up for it on others. But there was one video by Brandon Carter where he claimed weekly totals were bullshit because "yo body dont wait till the end of da week to calculate!" It didn't make any sense to me, but he's a beast so I wondered if there was any merit to that claim.
>>37916398
Maybe so, but consider what I said here >>37916402
I want to up my calories to have more energy and make more gains. But like I said, I've been fat my entire fucking life and now I finally see some kind of hope of actually becoming an attractive guy with a little bit of muscle is driving me to keep that limit down to 1,300. Again, I feel weak sometimes, but not so much that it's actually gotten in the way of my life yet.
>>37916427
>don't want to get fat again
OP if you can't progress after a few weeks, up your calories a few hundred and stick to that for a few weeks and see what happens. don't get bullshit crazy if your weight goes up a little at first, just give it 2-3 weeks and see what shakes out. If you gain a little weight, you can come back down to your 1300 and go from there.
It is easy to let yourself go, but it sounds like you're being disciplined, so you'll be fine.
>>37916542
That's the thing. I'm still actually fat. It's mostly gut and some manboobs, but I'm still overweight for certain. I'm not worried about seeing my six pack, but I want to actually be a what's considered a healthy weight for once in my life. I'm definitely not there yet, so it seems wrong for me to up the calories just yet. What would happen if I just stay at this strong deficit until I reach my goal fat level? I imagine I won't actually lose any muscle/strength gains because I'm still just a beginner. In fact, I may still be in the realm of making more (albeit minimal) gains even at this deficit.
Ultimately, my #1 goal at the moment is getting the fat off of me once and for all. Strength, muscle, and energy are behind that.
I am in the same boat
I am 6'2" and 270 (down from 300)
Been eating 1200 calories for two months with a weekly cheat day and I havent really felt like Ive made any atrength gains. I often feel weak after lifting
Strongly considering dropping lifting as it drains me and I am bot making gains on this cut to be at a normal weight
>>37916654
OP here, my advice to you is to stop caring about the gainz and workout anyways. Learn to love it even if you have to brainwash yourself by watching a lot of fitness videos or reading fitness forums. I found my strength in this department by watching a ton of Elliot Hulse videos every day. I coupled that with meditation so that I could learn to "let go" and not be upset that my workouts aren't necessarily progressing the way I'd like. You want to be in shape for the rest of your life? You better fall IN LOVE with working out.
>>37916654
You won't be making too many strength gains for a while anon, but you're definatly making heart health gains which is a important.
While defatting cardio should be the main focus.
>>37916329
>5'7
>200
god man. Im 6'2 and used to be 212 and i was one chubby bastard.
>>37916697
>>37916742
So stick to cardio and dieting until I am <10% bf?
I've been playing basketball and doing 40 minutes of elliptical/stairmaster 4 days a week
>>37916329
nice pic
I think its a bad idea to do both stilmultaneously.
Don't weight if you re both building muscle (aka gaining weight at a slower ratio) while you re losing fat (aka losing weight at a slow ratio).
Use the mirror as your only achievement
>>37916654
Do NOT ignore weights while cutting down from being that weight. You will waste so much time that could be used to grow muscle; and end with way more loose skin than necessary as a result
