Thread: My Highschool Cutting Diet

Veggies !!!!!!

Add a fat source to your pre-bed meal. I also think that you should be eating more calories.

You may want to ditch some fruit if you can't seem to drop weight...the sugars may hold ya back same with the dairy.

Originally Posted by T-Man

I am a student in high school (17yrs old) and weigh about 173lbs with 11%bf. I want to cut down to around 8-9% before I go on a bulking cycle. Any advice/help is appreciated!

Firsly - How tall are you?

Secondly - At 17 yrs I would be careful about potentially altering your growth with low calorie dieting and reducing yourself to a severely low BF%...

I would seriously consider not 'dieting' at all at your stage in life. One, you are currently experiencing ALL the triggers for EXTREME LEAN MASS GROWTH and you WANT to take advantage of that while you can! And two - if you get yourself into a mind-set of 'dieting' then you might cause yourself disordered eating in the future. Consider 10% BF as a minimum for a few yrs until you hit maturity. Make sure you get lots of different foods with a good range of all the things you need (carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals).

Breakfast

2 Egg Whites
1 Whole Egg
1/2 Cup Oatmeal
1 Scoop Protein
1 Medium Apple
2 Caps of Fish Oil

Add more carbs - I would increase the oatmeal to 0.75 cups.
Apple and fish oils are good.

Meal 2

1/4 Cup Mixed Nuts
*2 Cups Milk
2 Caps of Fish Oil

I am with you on milk - it is one of the most anabolic substances out and you are a growing lad. You WANT milk!! BUT - what type of milk is it? Stick to Skim.

You might also want to add some other protein here - as you are only getting 16g of complete protein. Maybe throw in some egg whites/meat as well?

Probably do not need the fishies here (nuts).

Lunch

1 Cup Yogurt
1/4 Cup Brown Rice
1 Can of Tuna
2 Caps of Fish Oil

Add vegetables. LOTS of them and LOTS of different types.
Add more carbs as well - 1/4 cup of cooked rice ~ 10g!! Increase it to 1/2 a cup.

PWO Meal (Only on days I lift)

1/2 Cup Oats
1.5 Scoops Whey

Add more carbs.

**Meal 4

6-8 oz Chicken or Can of Tuna
1 Medium Apple
3/4 Cup Oats
1 Scoop of Whey

This is good for a second PWO meal - you want carbs + protein but you would be better off spreading some of it out into another meal.

So have protein + carbs for a meal here (eg: the oats, apple and whey) then add another meal in a few hours later - such as tuna/chicken, fish oil caps and some vegetables.

Pre-Bed Meal-

1 Cup Cottage Cheese

Add healthy fats.

Total Calories- 2220
Protein~217g
Fat~42g
Carbs~235g

~39% Protein
~17% Fat
~42% Carbs

At your age and weight need more fats - I would aim for a minimum of 0.3 x pounds = 52g. If you added some fats to your last meal you could do this.

I would also increase your carbs (esp. if you are active - I would go for 1.5g per pound as a minimum = 260g).

Protein is ok at ~1.2 to 1.3g.


But as I said - At your age you should not be 'dieting' - I would just eat clean, train hard and concentrate on growing!

Firsly - How tall are you?

Secondly - At 17 yrs I would be careful about potentially altering your growth with low calorie dieting and reducing yourself to a severely low BF%...

I am somewhere around 5' 11", I didn't think that sub 10% bf for guys was dangerous?

I would seriously consider not 'dieting' at all at your stage in life. One, you are currently experiencing ALL the triggers for EXTREME LEAN MASS GROWTH and you WANT to take advantage of that while you can! And two - if you get yourself into a mind-set of 'dieting' then you might cause yourself disordered eating in the future. Consider 10% BF as a minimum for a few yrs until you hit maturity. Make sure you get lots of different foods with a good range of all the things you need (carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals).

Well I wasn't hoping to lose alot of weight. Mainly just trim down a few bf% so I could look cut/visible abs.

I am with you on milk - it is one of the most anabolic substances out and you are a growing lad. You WANT milk!! BUT - what type of milk is it? Stick to Skim.

yeah it is skim, but would replacing it with yogurt be a better idea?

You might also want to add some other protein here - as you are only getting 16g of complete protein. Maybe throw in some egg whites/meat as well?

I dont know how thats gonna work, I have study hall this period and dont have time to really cook/prepare food. We aren't even supposed to eat in class, so I eat the mixed nuts between class. Maybe I could add some whey protein powder?

Probably do not need the fishies here (nuts).

yeah good call. I think I'll move it to my next meal

Add healthy fats.
At your age and weight need more fats - I would aim for a minimum of 0.3 x pounds = 52g. If you added some fats to your last meal you could do this.

.

The only problem I have with this is that nuts not very filling, and I already take enough fish oil. So do you have any suggestions on other fat sources?

Originally Posted by T-Man

I am somewhere around 5' 11", I didn't think that sub 10% bf for guys was dangerous?

It is not 'dangerous' until you get down to closer to 6% and under... But it is not really all that good for your overall health and growth to be at a hugely low bf%.

Well I wasn't hoping to lose alot of weight. Mainly just trim down a few bf% so I could look cut/visible abs.

I would still be cautious with cutting and being in the time of your prime growth years!

yeah it is skim, but would replacing it with yogurt be a better idea?

No, Skim milk is good for you.

I dont know how thats gonna work, I have study hall this period and dont have time to really cook/prepare food. We aren't even supposed to eat in class, so I eat the mixed nuts between class. Maybe I could add some whey protein powder?

Whey would be ok to add - but other things would be better - maybe add some cc to your milk? Also, casein or egg based powders would be better.

The only problem I have with this is that nuts not very filling, and I already take enough fish oil. So do you have any suggestions on other fat sources?

[/quote]
Swap one of your protein sources to salmon (get the healthy fats there). You could also sprinkle linseed meal on your cottage cheese at night.

Other ok sources of fats are olive oil or avocado.

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Firsly - How tall are you?

Secondly - At 17 yrs I would be careful about potentially altering your growth with low calorie dieting and reducing yourself to a severely low BF%...

I would seriously consider not 'dieting' at all at your stage in life. One, you are currently experiencing ALL the triggers for EXTREME LEAN MASS GROWTH and you WANT to take advantage of that while you can! And two - if you get yourself into a mind-set of 'dieting' then you might cause yourself disordered eating in the future. Consider 10% BF as a minimum for a few yrs until you hit maturity. Make sure you get lots of different foods with a good range of all the things you need (carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals).

Well, I've been thinking now for a while of what you've said and I think you are right. Im going to bulk up to around 200lbs before I even think of cutting. Thanks for the advice Emma!

tman, take advantage of the fact that you have easy access to food. you live at home correct? just eat clean, and eat alot, i wish was home right now... im in college and its really hard to get down alot of calories, especially clean calories. good luck man

Originally Posted by fUnc17

tman, take advantage of the fact that you have easy access to food. you live at home correct? just eat clean, and eat alot, i wish was home right now... im in college and its really hard to get down alot of calories, especially clean calories. good luck man

Hey thanks FUnc for the advice! Im really dreadding going to college next year because of all the extra expenses, but i guess it'll be worth it! Oh btw, Im going to try to post some pics soon...

Originally Posted by T-Man

Well, I've been thinking now for a while of what you've said and I think you are right. Im going to bulk up to around 200lbs before I even think of cutting. Thanks for the advice Emma!

Good decision!

You don't need to turn your life into one giant cutting cycle - especially at this stage of things. You have to BUILD something first!!!

Don't go crazy - train hard, eat well and let your body grow.

T-Man hey Im your age and know EXACTLY what you are going through. We both want to get big but we want to see those abs and should striations! But everytime i think about cutting I remember that I want to be huge. I did the whole cut thing a little under two years ago and I developed an eating disorder so we have to be carefull. Im way past that now and am doing fine. But anyhow lift heavy get big baby! Piece.