Health and cutting

[jhawkin1]

I have been "cutting" for a very long time now, and I thought I finally had my diet down pat. Well, 3 weeks later, I've had some serious issues with my body including feeling tired at all times of the day, dark circles under my eyes, and feeling like I never have really woken up!

I sleep 8 hours a night, take a multivitamin daily, and keep close enough to my daily macros (total calories, 1 g/lb of body weight, 1/2 gram/lb body weight etc). The last week I have not kept up with fitday, but have eaten the same portions im used to inputing on fitday.com. Is my body telling me it's time to maintain, bulk a little bit, take a week off, or what?

I went and saw a doctor today and he took a urine sample (turned out fine) and also drew blood (get the results this following Monday). Any suggestions? My goal was to get cut up as possible before Spring Break, but I cannot continue this, and look the way I do for work every day.

 

[Yanick]

Might be a bit anemic from a deficiency of Iron or B12 from the prolonged cutting. The blood test will show that if that is the case.

Also, and this is way out there, but have you recently hit your head?

Of course you might just need to up your kcals for a week and take a deload from the gym.

 

[jhawkin1]

Might be a bit anemic from a deficiency of Iron or B12 from the prolonged cutting. The blood test will show that if that is the case.

Also, and this is way out there, but have you recently hit your head?

Of course you might just need to up your kcals for a week and take a deload from the gym.

I will let you know on Monday, but that could be the case.


I did not hit my head, no.


It sucks because I want to look decent for spring break, which is in two weeks. My health is more important though. Maybe a week off will be the best for me, including strict dieting though??

 

[Yanick]

You can still eat clean just up your cals for a week, maybe start with a 6-12 hour carb up then go to maintenance kcals for the rest of the week.

you don't have to stop lifting, just cut your volume and intensity in half. do light low intensity cardio if you want as well, nothing strenuous though, no intervals.

Depending on how long you've been dieting, you'll probably look better after upping your kcals for a week since you're probably all depleted and such, then you could probably drop a good lb of fat the next week when you go hypocaloric again.

 

[P-funk]

Cutting, eating hypocaloric, for a very long time is not a good thing to do at all! Frequent breaks from low calorie dieting are critical to not only your results with your diet but your health as well.

Couple the long bout of hypocaloric eating with intense training and you may be pushing the envelope a little bit.

Seriously, this is why people need to write stuff down, chart stuff out (diet and training program) and figure out a plan instead of going at it blindly.

patrick

 

[jhawkin1]

Cutting, eating hypocaloric, for a very long time is not a good thing to do at all! Frequent breaks from low calorie dieting are critical to not only your results with your diet but your health as well.

Couple the long bout of hypocaloric eating with intense training and you may be pushing the envelope a little bit.

Seriously, this is why people need to write stuff down, chart stuff out (diet and training program) and figure out a plan instead of going at it blindly.

patrick

I was charting my workouts down, would switch everything up (tempo, movement, angle of different exercises, reps/sets, etc). The last 3 weeks (with the exception of this week, I was inputing everything on fit day. Maybe I'm just burnt out and need to take a week or 2 off completely to get my mind right? I'm not even sure, or maybe it's just motivation. Who knows. I will wait for my blood test results, maybe there is an underlying problem I don't even know about. Thanks, Patrick for the response.


Jim

 

[jhawkin1]

Okay, here's the deal. I have decided to up my total caloric intake (more protein, healthy fats, and carbs). I am going to stay on the weights, but I need to increase how much weight I am pushing/pulling for maximum muscle gain. I am currently on a push/pull 4-day split (was for cutting)

day 1: 5x5 seated rows, 3x8 lat. pulldown; 5x5 chest press (db or barbell) 3x8 incline barbell bench.

day 2: 5x5 squats; 3x8 leg press; 5x5 DB push press; 3x8 DB shoulder shrugs; 3x8 functional shoulder movements (weights).

day 3: 5x5 weighted pull ups 3x8 DB bent rows 5x5 tricep extension 3x8 weighted dips

Day 4: 5x5 RDL's (DB or barbell) 3x8 Good mornings 5x5 Barbell curls 3x8 hammer curls/concentration curls



Any changes that I need when I am increasing my calorie count- heavier weight lower reps (6 sets of 3 reps?)

 

[Built]

I do a little higher volume when bulking, but honestly, I'd take a week off training entirely, maybe go for some walks in the fresh air, then go to a very basic full-body three days a week for a week or two on the higher calories before going to a higher volume workout. Your body has asked you to take a break. I would kindly oblige it.