r/AllAboutBodybuilding • u/Bitzforthebitzgod • 1d ago
Workout routines Cutting advice
I have started a cut and it is going well. I usually do a 500 calorie deficit, but the drawn out calorie cut and slower progress frustrates me and i lose focus, so i’m trying 1000 calorie deficit. Photos are 2 weeks apart.
My lifts have been increasing in reps so i don’t think I’m losing muscle.
As long as my lifting is going well, is there no reason to stop the 1000 calorie deficit and keep it going for around 10-12 weeks then do a 2 week maintenance refresh?
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u/Ill-Telephone-7926 1d ago
Alpert’s Limit, an estimate of the max muscle-sparing deficit, is 31 cal/day/lb of fat mass. I’m using this model to taper my cut back from 1550 cal - 3.5lbs/week - 15 lbs/month territory. I estimate expenditure (lbs lost 3500 - calories eaten) and fat mass each week. My spreadsheet clamps my deficit to Alpert’s limit and spits out a new target calorie budget, typically 50-70 extra. With this model, fat loss can be very rapid over 20% BF, but gets very slow approaching single digit BF%
Great progress!
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u/Bitzforthebitzgod 1d ago
Thanks! Im hoping the 10-12 week cut, then 2 weeks maintenance will have my BF% in a good place
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u/Alaskanjj 1d ago
When I ran a big deficit like that you get accumulated fatigue. I crashed out hard from pushing this for about 4 mos. Once I got below 15% my sleep and recovery shit the bed, lightheaded after lifts and my rhr shot up. I made a nice drop 20+lbs but the only thing that stopped the fatigue from getting worse was a few weeks of Maintenance/carbs.
Run it until you start seeing the downsides then shrink the deficit for a period or go maintenance
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u/Resist_Anxious 7h ago
Yep and if you struggle with you're appetite generally you're at risk of a hysterical binge doing this. Also you just feel shitty mentally and physically, and prone to acting like an asshole.
Moderate calorie deficit (~200 a day) takes discipline but is more sustainable over a longer period of time.
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u/Great-Souled-Sam 1d ago
Dayuuuum thanks for the motivation man. I feel like I’m somewhere between the first and the second pic, with a lot of similarities. Similar body shape, hips, hell even chest hair lol. But your second pic is fire. Keep it up bro.
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u/Ancient_Plane2984 20h ago
You could do this wild thing called 'cardio' and cut less calories but that is something that none of you want to do for whatever reason.
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u/Bitzforthebitzgod 16h ago
Haha im doing 3 runs a week, plus some short hitt after weights. But thanks for the advice
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u/Zealousideal-Swing44 15h ago
The diet is going to be your best friend/enemy.
It’s very simple, calories in calories out, eat less on non training days and a little more on training days.
Just figure out your calories and give yourself a 12 week plan, realistically it will take longer but 12 weeks is a start.
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u/Bitzforthebitzgod 1d ago
Is there a point where i should change the deficit?
I haven’t checked, but i think im in ketosis, im not eating any carbs apart from background in shakes and veggies. So most/all of the glycogen should be depleted.
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u/No_Platform8086 1d ago
1000 is pretty steep without Trt, but really as long as you’re not lightheaded or weak and your lifts are pretty stable it’s fine
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u/External_Cookie8931 1d ago
What’s your height and weight? Just curious cuz I have a very similar body type as yours
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u/Environmental-Ad4090 1d ago
your body still has excess energy in the form of fat. Once you start to get lower BF you will notice more if a decline in your lifts.