A few cutting questions

[ddawg]

Right now I am in the middle of a bulk and I was starting to make my plan for when I start to cut. I just have a few questions about cutting.
1) Right now on my bulk I eat about 3150 calories (50%carbs, 30%protein,20%fat) and gain between 1-1.5 lbs per week. I am wondering when I start my cut, what should I try to make my macro ratios and how many cals should I eat?

2) When transitioning from my bulk to my cut, should I gradually reduce the calories and carbs or drop them right away?

3) How much cardio and weight sessions should I do per week on a cut (right now on my bulk I don't do cardio...just 4 days of weights but I may have to move that to 3 when I start to cut)

4) On my bulk I am going from 166 to 185 pounds.....about how much weight should I look to lose before I start a bulk again (by the way I'm 6'1)

Sorry for all these questions, but thanks in advance....greatly appreciated!!!

 

[ABLQ2]

its all totally up to you man. id say just cut down a bit if to gain some confidence and then go ahead and bulk again. try to do cardios every other day or 3 nonconsecutive days a week. dont do them before or after you lift. for example...

do cardio in the morning before you eat, then lift in the evening. or lift on days you dont do cardio.

but BE SURE TO DO CARDIO IN THE MORNING BEFORE YOU EAT. i cant stress that enough. if i were you, id gradually drop the calories, that way you dont feel all hungry throughout the day.

cutting is totally up to you. when you start it, and when you decide to go on bulk again are all relating to your competitions. if youre not competing, then there are only 2 reasons to do a cut, confidence and girls. (the hidden one being health problems, if you bulk at too high of a bf%)

i assume that you dont compete at your bodyweight and hight, so just base it all on how you feel. youre ratios look fine there, basically on a cut eat the same things that you would un a bulk... just less of them. if youre bulking at 3150, id cut them back to a bout 2500 maybe.

a great cardio, that im about to start doing is here.... http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?t=50053

if you dont understand it, message me or LAM. im sure hed be glad to help.

good luck to you, man.

 

[Jodi]

I wouldn't suggest morning cardio at all! Only those on a really hardcore cut, like competition cutting, needs to do morning cardio. 4 Sessions of cardio per week is sufficient while cutting. 2 Traditional 2 HIIT but I wouldn't do morning cardio unless you absolutely cannot lose any fat. You are catabolic in the morning and the last thing that you want to do it let your body chew up muscle while doing cardio. That's a good way to lose LBM IMO!

As far as your calories, I'd just cut them back a few hundred every week. Until you are losing slowing. You don't want to lose too fast or your losing LBM.

 

[ABLQ2]

good point, Jodi. but it is a faster cut!

 

[furion joe]

I wouldn't suggest morning cardio at all! Only those on a really hardcore cut, like competition cutting, needs to do morning cardio. 4 Sessions of cardio per week is sufficient while cutting. 2 Traditional 2 HIIT but I wouldn't do morning cardio unless you absolutely cannot lose any fat. You are catabolic in the morning and the last thing that you want to do it let your body chew up muscle while doing cardio. That's a good way to lose LBM IMO!

As far as your calories, I'd just cut them back a few hundred every week. Until you are losing slowing. You don't want to lose too fast or your losing LBM.

Jodi, can you suggest an alternate time for cardio that would be good for burning fat?

 

[Jodi]

You can do morning cardio but I'd suggest drinking a protein shake before hand. Other than that, then do it on your non-lifting days or at the very least, after your lifting workout.

 

[Emma-Leigh]

Jodi, can you suggest an alternate time for cardio that would be good for burning fat?

Cardio is best done when you can fit it in to your life - as long as it is not directly before weight training.

 

[furion joe]

You can do morning cardio but I'd suggest drinking a protein shake before hand. Other than that, then do it on your non-lifting days or at the very least, after your lifting workout.

I had good results doing cardio in the morning, but I noticed that my ability to recuperate in between training sessions suffered (I'm not a morning person, my energy level seems to peak later in the day.) So I prefer to do cardio at other times of the day (off days - late afternoon and evenings, and sometimes after training) when my energy level is higher and I can devote more intensity to the activity at hand.

Cardio is best done when you can fit it in to your life - as long as it is not directly before weight training.

Finding the time and the right time to do cardio is what makes it productive; to find what works best for you, as an indivdual.