Cutting but want to keep muscle - SuperiorMuscle.com

OhHannah · #1 02-29-08, 09:03 PM

Basic stats: I'm 3F (fat, female and forty), and as a consequence I know I'm also 4F. In other words, I'm fucked when it comes to building muscle and losing fat quickly or easily. I can work around these things, especially with intelligently applied chemical assistance, but it's definitely a disadvantaged position to start from.

As close as I can measure it, which is to say not very close, my bf% apears to bounce around the high 20's to low 30's. Before I get blasted for still being there after 4+ years of healthy eating and weight training, I'll say that I have been flat out unwilling to reduce my weight to a point that I feel unsafe on my job. Weight and physical leverage is a huge safety factor in doing some of what I do, and I would not feel safe or comfortable at a "normal" girly weight for my height. Fortunately I really do have a "big boned" frame, with shoulders wider than a lot of guys I've dated. I tend to look stocky and rangy even when I'm thin, and I don't really look fat even when I'm carrying a fair bit of weight.

To a certain extent the more weight I gained the more effective I was on the job, so I kept gaining until I was actually fat and unfit. I realized that weight wasn't what I needed, muscle was what I needed, so I took up lifting and started eating a high protein diet instead of processed or junk foods.

I really do need to weigh a lot for my height (I'm 5'3"), but I would prefer that as much of that weight as possible be quality muscle. So as I pack muscle on I'm taking more fat off. I just haven't wanted to dump too much of it in a hurry to avoid losing too much scale weight. After gaining about 20 pounds on a 4 month clean bulk (and at the same time losing inches around my waist), I can now afford to seriously start cutting.

What I don't want to do is to lose much of my muscle gains, so I'm trying to run a fairly small kcal deficit from maintenance/basal calories (roughly 8 to 10X bodyweight in daily calories, heavy on the protein, fairly low on fat and low-ish on carbs except in the morning and pre/post workout) and run a larger caloric deficit from exercise. Doing double cardio (mostly 15-20 minute HIIT interval sessions with a few 30-40 minute standard interval sessions thrown in) while sticking to my 3X moderate to heavy 1X light weight lifting schedule.

I've already gotten some feedback about not cutting my carbs quite so low, which I may well pay heed to if that's what it takes to avoid losing muscle. I'm not in a tearing hurry to accomplish any particular goals, I just want to get permanently stronger, fitter and bigger. Any additional helpful feedback is gratefully received.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #2 03-01-08, 09:10 AM

You pretty much covered it all. Like I said before, I feel the diet that you laid out is set up for muscle waisting. I feel that you need more complex carbs a little further into the day.

OhHannah · #3 03-01-08, 03:29 PM

I could add a small portion of sweet potato into a later meal and only cut the carbs down to meat and veg with dinner. I might bring back brown rice but I'm leery of it as when it's around I tend to eat nothing but brown rice, tuna, green tea and seaweed for every meal, and it's hard to cut it out later in the day. If it's simply not in my house then I don't have that problem as no other carb source tempts me.

Do you think that 8-10X/lb in calories daily is a decent range? I may need to up that a bit on heavy workout days as I've been feeling like absolute shit.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #4 03-02-08, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhHannah

I could add a small portion of sweet potato into a later meal and only cut the carbs down to meat and veg with dinner. I might bring back brown rice but I'm leery of it as when it's around I tend to eat nothing but brown rice, tuna, green tea and seaweed for every meal, and it's hard to cut it out later in the day. If it's simply not in my house then I don't have that problem as no other carb source tempts me.

Do you think that 8-10X/lb in calories daily is a decent range? I may need to up that a bit on heavy workout days as I've been feeling like absolute shit.

Sure, your going to feel like shit when your body has no energy to fuel your workouts etc..

You have to do a little experimenting I think. Add in 1 more carb meal and evaluate how you look for a few weeks. If you continue to get lean no need to worry.

**redsquirrel** · #5 03-03-08, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

Sure, your going to feel like shit when your body has no energy to fuel your workouts etc..

You have to do a little experimenting I think. Add in 1 more carb meal and evaluate how you look for a few weeks. If you continue to get lean no need to worry.

And you're more prone to cheat when you are depleting yourself of so much...especially w/ no cheat meal.

I agree w/ B- add in a little more carbs. See how you feel & look, but give it a couple weeks.

OhHannah · #6 03-03-08, 05:45 PM

Ok, thanks.

I've been advised of a reality check; my Tanita scale is most likely not estimating my bf% accurately and I'm a lot lower than that.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #7 03-03-08, 08:10 PM

so what is your bf% then?

OhHannah · #8 03-03-08, 10:10 PM

Wish I fuckin knew. The only measurement I have is an old Tanita scale, but apparently it's not even in the ballpark for accuracy.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #9 03-04-08, 09:33 AM

how far off are you from being able to see abs? can you see them in the mirror or no?

OhHannah · #10 03-04-08, 12:36 PM

I can see a bit of a dividing line at the top, but that's all I can see. I still have some "poochie belly" and can pinch a few unwanted inches down there.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #11 03-04-08, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhHannah

I can see a bit of a dividing line at the top, but that's all I can see. I still have some "poochie belly" and can pinch a few unwanted inches down there.

really rough guess but going by what you say, i would bet you are around 16-20% bf. definitely not low 30's like you thought.