calories vs protein during cut

[QuestionGuy]

Hey, Im currently cutting and it is going pretty good but i am soooo paranoid of loosing muscle like i did once before four years ago during a cut when I lost 20 pounds of muscle during a cut......

Im 230 pounds 6'0 tall with about 17% bf
currently eating 2000 calories 240 protein and 140 carbs a day wiht one hour of intense cardio a day (computer shows that i burn about 600 cals in that hour)

the cut has gone decent wiht a few to many cheat meals a week (2-4)...wondering if i can down the calories by 300 which would make it 1700 cals, 200 protein, and 110 carbs a day....is that too low calories for my size???

 

[Merkaba]

Why are you doing an hour of intense cardio a day? Estimating about 600 calories from the machine and youre at 1400 calories a day! You should be on target to lose that 20 lbs again!

 

[tucker01]

You have been a member here since 2003 and still think Cardio is the choice during a cut?

 

[QuestionGuy]

Why are you doing an hour of intense cardio a day? Estimating about 600 calories from the machine and youre at 1400 calories a day! You should be on target to lose that 20 lbs again!

fuck ur right.....well, cardio is just something i do as a lifestyle, i just love it, love the feeling and is just a satisfaction to me so i dont see every stoping that hour that keeps me sane from stress.....

 

[QuestionGuy]

You have been a member here since 2003 and still think Cardio is the choice during a cut?

well, i realise that im very "infamous" here, because of all the things i strongly believe in and speak out for...BUT, im still allowed to asks peoples opinions because im not a know it all and of course im not perfect, i know a lot about this sport but there is people in here that know a lot more......I know cardio is number 2 compared to dieting, but u never know what others success was so i might ask...

 

[QuestionGuy]

Why are you doing an hour of intense cardio a day? Estimating about 600 calories from the machine and youre at 1400 calories a day! You should be on target to lose that 20 lbs again!

well, but if I consume at least 1 gram of protein per lean pound a day I should keep maintaining most of it during the cut.....how many cals do you tihnk i should do??

 

[tucker01]

well, i realise that im very "infamous" here, because of all the things i strongly believe in and speak out for...BUT, im still allowed to asks peoples opinions because im not a know it all and of course im not perfect, i know a lot about this sport but there is people in here that know a lot more......I know cardio is number 2 compared to dieting, but u never know what others success was so i might ask...

I have done well on a few occasions with no Cardio.

Diet and Weight Training.

The only Cardio I would get is the sports I play.

 

[tucker01]

well, but if I consume at least 1 gram of protein per lean pound a day I should keep maintaining most of it during the cut.....how many cals do you tihnk i should do??

If you are in too much of a deficit then 1 gram per lb of lean body mass won't matter.

What is your Maint Cals?

 

[Hench]

well, but if I consume at least 1 gram of protein per lean pound a day I should keep maintaining most of it during the cut.....how many cals do you tihnk i should do??

Your confusing the role of protein while dieting. As im sure you know its used for repair after micro trauma(among other things), however protein alone will not help you maintain LBM. How much muscle you retain is down to you lifting program.

And doing 1 hour of cardio a day is a great way to chew through a ton of muscle and turn your body into a very efficient fat buring machine (ie homeostatis adaptations, less energy for same amount of activity).

Im about 35lbs lighter than you (though at just over 8%) and nearing the end of my cut. I started at 2700cals a day, then dropped down to 2400cals along with volume reduction about 2weeks ago as my fat loss was really beginning to slow down.

 

[Merkaba]

Nothing wrong with doing tons of cardio if you "feel" you need it.
But don't expect to hold onto all of your muscle in the process. Youre going to have to simply up your intakes to offset it as much as possible. I would get an extra thousand calories as a starting point since your "estimating" what the machine says as being actual truth. I'd be damned sure to get good nutrition around that cardio.

 

[QuestionGuy]

Nothing wrong with doing tons of cardio if you "feel" you need it.
But don't expect to hold onto all of your muscle in the process. Youre going to have to simply up your intakes to offset it as much as possible. I would get an extra thousand calories as a starting point since your "estimating" what the machine says as being actual truth. I'd be damned sure to get good nutrition around that cardio.

ok....i will, i usually plan my meals out every three hours wiht about 260 cals to about 500 cals each meal...from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed, I pack in a meal every three hours...so should i add more calories to each meal or try eating every 2 hours...??

 

[DiGiTaL]

When you do Cardio, your body says "Hey, I need to move more therefore I'll just get rid of some of this muscle so I can last longer running."

Hence, loss of muscle

 

[danzik17]

ok....i will, i usually plan my meals out every three hours wiht about 260 cals to about 500 cals each meal...from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed, I pack in a meal every three hours...so should i add more calories to each meal or try eating every 2 hours...??

It doesn't matter. Do whatever makes you comfortable.

 

[QuestionGuy]

It doesn't matter. Do whatever makes you comfortable.

copy, thanks...you know i always considered others advise...but jsut like wiht lifting in the past and dieting, it always comes abck as what feels the best and what works, there are people ehre who know a lot more than i do, so I like to ask, but for now, i think i will just continue to do what I do now because it showed me results, if i start loosing more than 2 pounds a week i will bumb my calls up by 300 a day and see what happenes....thanks for the advice tho...but nothing will keep me from doing cardio because it is jsut like a hoppy for me, i ride 25 miles a day on the bike and i just like it that way.....keeps me in good shape for a big guy...

 

[Vieope]

calories and proteins, that is the question.
calories from proteins might be an answer but you dont like it. So let me think for something you might like..
well, what about the two and not only one of the two? Try it or not try it. You need.. calories, yes you do. Calories are more important than the superhero protein. So calories you need, if you want to grow or to keep it. Agree or dont agree.
So enough calories is your answer, did you like it? It is impossible to know how much of course. Tests must be made. Trials must be done. Scientific experiments must be applied! You should do it. All the calories tests.

 

[Lobo2009]

Im also one for cardio while cutting - I do a light jog of 5 miles 4 times a week at the moment, with a brisk 45 min walk another 5 times a week. I push weights 3 times a week. When Im not doing cardio or pushing weights, Im basically sitting down at my desk job.

I'd hate to try and diet down with no cardio - that would mean the only activity I do all week is 3 weight sessions. And I dont see how me doing some cardio is much different to somone who has a more active job.

Just ensure you get the right amount of nutrition before and after. I take 10g whey when I wake up - do my cardio and then take another 10g whey and 1/2 banana after cardio before before my breakfast 30 misn later. YOu also need to ensure your calories arent too low.

 

[jhawkin1]

I was cutting for awhile and did successfully get to around 10% bf by just counting calories to make sure my cals were just below maintenance level. I really burned out the last few weeks because I really pushed the cardio aspect, when, one needs to focus mainly on diet and lifting heavy weights for a shorter period of time (to maintain more lean muscle mass).

I also misinterpreted the word 'cardio' always thinking that cardio was either a difficult jog or HIIT training. That led me to over training of my legs and lack of energy. I now walk on a steep incline about 4 miles per hour on the treadmill for 20-minute sessions and it does wonders (gives me more of a caloric deficit while promoting natural movements my body is used to without overdoing it).

Cardio is not always the right answer for a cut, but if you know how to use cardio wisely within your system, then things may be beneficial for you.

IM BACK, by the way! Sorry if I went on too long. I burned myself out this last week, and after eating like shit the whole weekend and sitting on my ass, I finally found the motivation to start back on my cut, but more importantly, eat the right foods at the right time.


Jim

 

[Lobo2009]

My approach to cardio is a 45-50 min jog outdoors upon waking at a very light pace where I dont get out of bretah. I also add a 50 min walk during my lunch break Monday to Friday.

I used this method last year to get down from 20% to 5% bodyfat (calipered - see avatar). Had to increase from 4 cardio sessions a week (with no added walks) to every morning with the 5 additional walks in the week. I also reduced calories over time and cycled my carbs which I think helped.

I think if you keep the intensity down and the nutrition right, cardio can only help.

 

[djk80]

Like everyone else is stating the cardio is probably why you would loose too much muscle during a cut...I agree no cardio is the best way when cutting but it all kind of depends what your going for......There is no "bad" way of doing things

If you do not mind losing muscle then continue with the cardio.

But what I really do is keep a heart rate monitor on me at all times...you can then track how your doing with your heart rate and your cardio....youd be suprised sometimes what your heart rate is during weight training when its not even "cardio" it does the job

 

[Unreal]

What is your lifting like? If you keep your lifting intense then it may work. 1 hour of intense cardio is a lot. I would make sure you are using that just for the heart/lung benefits of cardio and eat extra to compensate for it.

 

[OuiSwim]

I don't fully understand "cut"..
If you're just cutting body fat(if that is indeed what it is) then wouldn't running help to burn calories putting you in to a deficit each day which in turn would help lose pounds?

 

[Ngordyn]

I don't fully understand "cut"..
If you're just cutting body fat(if that is indeed what it is) then wouldn't running help to burn calories putting you in to a deficit each day which in turn would help lose pounds?

absolutly it will also tell your body it does not need at that muscle you have built up during his bulk , causing greater muscle loss, where as heavy lifting reminds your body that you regularly use those muscles therefor should burn the utilize the fat storage instead

 

[Hench]

absolutly it will also tell your body it does not need at that muscle you have built up during his bulk , causing greater muscle loss, where as heavy lifting reminds your body that you regularly use those muscles therefor should burn the utilize the fat storage instead

It does, eventually, but not to a great degree at the beginning, and also depends on what sort of cardio you are doing.

There are advantages for and against, you just have to do the right amount. Everybody seems to be either ''cardio to death'' or ''death to cardio''(<<how I felt for a long time) whereas the correct answer lies somewhere in between. Basically cardio is useful and has its place, but should not be used for creating a calorie deficit.

And lobo, I know you love cardio, but a 50min light jog in the morning where you dont get out of breath burns what, 250cals at most. This doesnt make a huge difference and will cause more harm than good. It will help create somewhat of a deficit, but you risk fibre conversion, increased efficiency(less fuel for same activity), hormone changes ect. ect.