Cutting: Setting Up Calories

[transXisomer]

Cutting: Setting Up Calories

I want to outline some guidelines as to how to setup calories when cutting. First, what is cutting? Cutting means shedding bodyfat while minimizing muscle loss. Many like to use the words 'weight loss', however I prefer the words 'fat loss'. One can lose bodyfat while gaining muscle and on the scale, a net weight loss of zero occurs, because while they lost fat, they gained muscle. Nobody wants to lose muscle, they want to shed body fat. So how do we setup calories for losing bodyfat?

How Do I Setup My Maintainance Calories?

There are many ways to approach this, I will go through the more complicated methods and then with finally, what I usually use and see as the simplest.

First off, we need to determine maintainance calories. What are maintainance calories? They are the calorie amount you can eat, and not gain or lose weight. For example, if I eat at maintainance calories and I weigh 180lbs, in a week when I step on the scale, I will not see a gain or loss, I will still weigh 180lbs. Now, how do I setup these maintainance calories? Well, there are a few ways to go about this.

To estimate maintainance calories, you can calculate and add Resting Energy Expenditure (REE), the Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) and the Thermic Effect of Feeding (TEF). I really do not want to get into those calculations, as I see them overly complex for most people, if you want to setup your maintainance calories that way, do the calculations.

I like rough estimating maintainance*calories from this method:

Females - Multiply bodyweight x 15
Males - Multiply bodyweight x 16

Example:

Female 120lbs x 15 = 1800 calories per day
Male 190lbs x 16 = 3040 calories per day

Ok, now that we have maintainance calories setup, lets move on to setting up calories for fat loss. First off, lets set some ideal expectations of fat loss for a given time period. It is not realistic to expect 20lbs of fat loss in a month. Generally speaking, a good range to expect to lose in a week is about 1-2lbs. If you are losing more than that, you are most likely losing muscle mass. Be aware that INITIALLY, you may experience a more profound weight loss on the scale, this can be in part due to water loss, glycogen loss, alongside fat loss, so if this initially occurs, don't wig out. Keep track of the weight change on the scale to make sure that after this initial drop in weight, that a weight loss of around 1-2lbs a week is occurring. Also, make sure you do not just use the scale as a sole indicator of progress.

What are some ways to monitor progress?

-Scale progression (lbs lost on scale)
-Mirror
-How your clothes fit
-Bodyfat % (I only recommend skin calipers, DEXA, hydrostatic tank, and bodpod)
-Body Measurements (Chest, thighs, waist, arms, etc.)

How Do I Setup My Cutting Calories?

To cut you will need a calorie deficit. This means calories subtracted from your maintainance calories. Lyle Mcdonald recommends a good starting point of decreasing your calories by 20% below maintainance. This number however will vary person to person. Some may find this number to be perfect in terms of losing 1-2lbs a week, some may find it not enough, some may find it too much. In this case, calories adjustment upwards or downwards can be used. We will use the examples from above:

For Females:

In the example above we used a 120lb female with a maintainance calorie amount of 1800 calories per day. So:

120lb Female - 1800 calories (maintainance calories) x .20 = 360 calories
1800 calories - 360 calories = 1440 calories per day for cutting

For Males:

In the example above we used a 190lbs male with a maintainance calorie amount of 3040 calories per day. So:

190lbs Male - 3040 calories (maintainance calories) x .20 = 608 calories
3040 - 608 calories = 2432 calories per day for cutting



So, here we have how to setup your calories for cutting. Please remember these numbers are rough estimates, and while perfect for some, may need adjustment based on your individual status. Also remember that there is more to your progress than simply what the scale says weekly, use bodyfat % changes, body measurements, etc. If you have any questions feel free to ask.*

-transX

References:
-The Ketogenic Diet - Lyle Mcdonald
-Bodyrecomposition.com

[Disturbed1]

Very informative.

[smoooth]

food suggestions for cutting?

[Dnephi]

Non-starchy vegetables
EVOO
Fish- Salmon/Tuna

[transXisomer]

Originally Posted by smoooth

food suggestions for cutting?

A LOT can fit into 'cutting' if you make sure you keep an eye on amount, though some really all around great food items include:

-Nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.)
-Enova Oil
-Coconut Oil
-Olive Oil
-Avocado
-Really any meat (chix, beef, pork)
-Seafood (fish, crab, lobster)
-Whole grain breads, pastas, wraps, etc.
-Whole grain cereals
-Non starchy vegetables (brocolli, spinach)
-Same for fruits, things like blueberries are especially good

Avoid all refined carbs / sugar items.

[Jane Doe]

I am 5'1", 102 pounds, female, 31, very fit and very active. I would like to get really cut so my muscles are defined, as well as get my shoulders more defined. Can I cut while building muscle mass?

[transXisomer]

Originally Posted by Jane Doe

I am 5'1", 102 pounds, female, 31, very fit and very active. I would like to get really cut so my muscles are defined, as well as get my shoulders more defined. Can I cut while building muscle mass?

Hi Jane, sorry for not seeing this sooner. Anytime anyone has a question, my PM box is open.

Yes it is possible to lose fat and gain muscle at a time, however, the process is oftentimes ten times harder than either just cutting or bulking, and for some people just doesn't work well. I would choose a goal, either 'fat loss', or 'muscle gain', and head in that direction entirely. Through the process, some of the other will happen, but working on one goal at a time is easier and more efficient IMO.