Cut diagnosis

[average_joe]

Last December

maintaining weight at 3,500 calories per day
205 pounnds, 24% bodyfat

5 months later, Today

maintaining weight at 2,700 calories per day
195 pounds, 22% bodyfat

Five months
800 maintenance calories lost
only 6.7 pounds of fat lost
3.7 pounds of lean body mass lost

This is pathetic results. What am I doing wrong? Is there more to cutting than just a calorie deficit? I feel like there’s something wrong with my body.

The first three months was crusing Test E dose, the past two months has been 250mg/week.

I keep detailed records of daily calories & macros on excel, normal people would immediately say I’m crazy and have an eating disorder. But this way I know exactly the calories,protein, fat, and carbs I’m eating.

I keep detailed records of weight lifting: my volume, density, and strenght actually increased since starting.

Didn’t do any cardio, was saving that as a tool for later to maintain a calorie deficit. Cardio just saps glucose out of the muscles, right? I’d rather increase volume in the gym and lift more weights instead.

I tried caffeine 3-4 times a week to keep up intensity in weightlifting and maintain the deficit, but burnt out after a week, sleep was thrown off too. Before that, I rarely touch any stimulants.

Seriously, this is disheartening, but I’m not quiting, I just need to change something. What that is, exactly, I’m not sure yet.

 

[nlite2k]

I’m not trying to be a dick just speaking plainly: if you’re not losing fat at a clip you find satisfactory, then you’re eating too much. 24% to 22% in 5 months? 10 pounds lost? And your diet is locked in? Either you have a metabolic disorder (That would be manifesting itself in other ways besides the scale and would be impossible to ignore, this is highly highly highly unlikely. One more “highly”) or you’re eating more than you think you are.

See what happens if you eat 2000 calories a day, using the exact same methodology for counting calories (I’m making the assumption that your count is not accurate, but it doesn’t matter if you’re consistent with it. 2000 calories using your counting method will be fewer calories than you’re eating). I guarantee fat will fly off.

How are you measuring your bodyfat? The scans at the gym are pretty inaccurate and you’re better off just eyeballing it. I would think without seeing any photos that you’ve leaned out more than you think just by default (lifting+test) Regardless, if you’ve been cutting for 6 months from over 20% bodyfat and only 10 lbs have come off, you can just eat less. Success 100% guaranteed.

 

[average_joe]

No offense taken, I’m happy for the feedback. My feelings won’t get hurt, all I care about are results and, right now, I’m hardly getting any results.
nlite2k" pid='50239' dateline='1556239765:

(I’m making the assumption that your count is not accurate, but it doesn’t matter if you’re consistent with it

Could be inaccurate, but I am consistent with it.

back of oatmeal box says 40g of oatmeal has x grams of fat, x grams of protein, x grams of carbs.
I enter this in excel
I can change the grams of oatmeal to get the exact amount of carbs I want
If I want 32 grams of oatmeal, I weigh it on the food scale.

I do this for every food I eat.
nlite2k" pid='50239' dateline='1556239765:

How are you measuring your bodyfat?

fitbit weight/bodyfat scale
weigh every morning:
after toilet
before eating & drinking
naked
scale in the same place
take 7 morning weigh ins
calculate average
compare with last week’s average

I’m as consistent with weighing in as possible.
nlite2k" pid='50239' dateline='1556239765:

2000 calories using your counting method will be fewer calories than you’re eating). I guarantee fat will fly off.

What happens after 2-3 weeks when the body adapts to that and I stop losing weight? I lower calories even further? How do I even maintain gym performance on that low calories? If I can’t even do the same volume in the gym as I was before I started cutting, how can I say I’m not losing muscle?

 

[nlite2k]

at no point will 2000 calories not be a deficit, so there’s no “adaptation” to worry about. You can do a weekly refeed if you’re worried about leptin or whatever. I can ride on 2000 a day all the way down to single digits. There’s really no other answer than “eat less” if the question is “how can I lose more fat?” 250mg a test a week should be enough to maintain strength, if not gain some, even on an aggressive deficit, as far as I know, especially if we’re talking about going from 20 percent bodyfat to like 12 or whatever, as opposed to from like 10 to stage ready.

I still think you’ve leaned out more than the fitbit’s indicating—you’ve slowly lost scale weight while on a supranatural dose of Test from 2 of the five months and have been lifting.

 

[brownlakai]

nlite2k" pid='50282' dateline='1556261650:

at no point will 2000 calories not be a deficit, so there’s no “adaptation” to worry about. You can do a weekly refeed if you’re worried about leptin or whatever. I can ride on 2000 a day all the way down to single digits. There’s really no other answer than “eat less” if the question is “how can I lose more fat?” 250mg a test a week should be enough to maintain strength, if not gain some, even on an aggressive deficit, as far as I know, especially if we’re talking about going from 20 percent bodyfat to like 12 or whatever, as opposed to from like 10 to stage ready.

I still think you’ve leaned out more than the fitbit’s indicating—you’ve slowly lost scale weight while on a supranatural dose of Test from 2 of the five months and have been lifting.

i think he might be recomping a bit too hence the lbs aren’t dropping as expected. it’s better in the case to go by how you look in the mirror.

 

[Allstar1233]

We literally have no way of knowing with out seeing dick pics. We aren’t magicians

 

[alphaproject]

Sounds like genetics to be honest. I’m the opposite. I couldn’t put on 24% BF if I tried. I was out of the gym for a good month and only lost 7 pounds, gained no fat at all… in fact I looked pretty good. I went from 160 to 153 at one point all on the same dose as I usually take but just didn’t workout that month.

 

[tren4trump]

Do you do any cardio to speak of? Cardio is so essential to cutting down. Do 30-60 min of walking each day after training and the weight will melt off. Cutting without cardio is anti-healthy in my eyes. Losing weight is to be in better shape inside and out of the body, why not make improvements to your cardiovascular health? I cut,bulk and maintain with cardio being instituted everyday. Keeps me healthy and improves my recovery as well. Give that a try on 2500 cals and you’ll make some progress.