Cutting, worse before better?

[jJjburton]

So when you cut, does your physique get worse before it gets better?


It almost looks like the muscle got smaller and the fat stayed, its been relatively short, so hoping if i trust the process it will be successful.

 

[Whopperflopper]

When I lower calories and increase exertion while maintaining a trt level of test, I look better.

 

[jJjburton]

When I lower calories and increase exertion while maintaining a trt level of test, I look better.

Ugh, then i must not be doing as well as i hoped, i also came off cycle 4 weeks ago. But have maintained 12 out of the 20 lbs i gained on cycle.

 

[jJjburton]

When I lower calories and increase exertion while maintaining a trt level of test, I look better.

How long does this take? Until you see results?

 

[Logan44551]

Ugh, then i must not be doing as well as i hoped, i also came off cycle 4 weeks ago. But have maintained 12 out of the 20 lbs i gained on cycle.

That's pretty quick to cut after a cycle isn't it?

 

[jJjburton]

I

That's pretty quick to cut after a cycle isn't it?

I am eating at maintenence. Not cutting yet, staying at 232 for a couple more weeks. I have never cut before. So asking questions to better my understanding.

but even eating at maintenence not liking the way i look, and i just want to blast, but i need to be patient. Hoping it will workout, if i trust the process.

i look flat.

 

[jJjburton]

I

That's pretty quick to cut after a cycle isn't it?

I say cut, because i lost 8 lbs once off my cycle, going on to trt which i assume is water.

 

[malfeasance]

i look flat.

LOL! Well, stuffing your face will fix that . . . but what will it do for your cut? LOL!

Just keep cutting.

Have you lost weight yet?

 

[Logan44551]

So when you cut, does your physique get worse before it gets better?


It almost looks like the muscle got smaller and the fat stayed, its been relatively short, so hoping if i trust the process it will be successful.

Sounds like the glycogen went away after the cycle. Your not going to stay looking that full off cycle. Did you adjust you TDEE to account for the weight you gained? If you're loosing weight eating at maintenance, you aren't eating at maintenance

 

[jJjburton]

Sounds like the glycogen went away after the cycle. Your not going to stay looking that full off cycle. Did you adjust you TDEE to account for the weight you gained? If you're loosing weight eating at maintenance, you aren't eating at maintenance

Yes i did, good advice. so basically i should be eating a little less then what i ended with since i am not using gear?

so if 4000 cals was bulking on gear, 3600 cals off gear, if i maintaned 232 lbs for 2 weeks should be good?

I upped the protein too and lowered carbs and fats hoping that would help perserve more muscle. Adjusting my ratio of macros

 

[malfeasance]

You're cutting, right?

Have you lost weight?

 

[jJjburton]

You're cutting, right?

Have you lost weight?

Ok true, yes.
Besides gear, whats the best way to maximize fat loss and not weight lost?

adjusting macro ratio?

once again i am overthinking most likely. And being impatient.

 

[malfeasance]

Then stay the course until you need to change your diet or cardio to keep progress at an acceptable rate.

Yeah, you get "flat" sometimes when cutting. LOL!

12 donuts and some orange juice will fill you right back out . . . but stop your early progress.

Remember what I wrote about the first 8 pounds being glycogen and water?

 

[jJjburton]

Then stay the course until you need to change your diet or cardio to keep progress at an acceptable rate.

Yeah, you get "flat" sometimes when cutting. LOL!

12 donuts and some orange juice will fill you right back out . . . but stop your early progress.

Remember what I wrote about the first 8 pounds being glycogen and water?

Yes i do very true, it sucks, but good advice keep doing what i am doing. Even if it feels annoying to look smaller. Used to looking big and pumped all the time.

 

[BigDaddyV]

Typically when I lean out my muscles seem to lose some fullness but yes, it gets better. I’d bet it’s mostly you, we tend to be critical of ourselves and when you first see yourself leaning out you probably think you look smaller or worse than you actually do. In my experience at least

 

[TheH0517]

When I’m cutting, I don’t like how I look as much unless I’m at the gym and have a pump going. Once I get lean enough though, the definition comes back. From what I hear from a lot of people, you’re facing a very common dilemma. Fresh off a cycle and starting to decrease the carbs that fills your muscles with glycogen/water. It’s to be expected. Just stay focused and stick to your goals, whether that’s to lose weight quickly or not. Losing too fast? Decrease expenditure or slightly increase carbs. Too slow? The opposite. Personally, I don’t like to change too much at once.

I also prefer to be on cycle when I cut to help fix my dysmorphia But stay smart, don’t take that as advice.

 

[malfeasance]

Yes i do very true, it sucks, but good advice keep doing what i am doing. Even if it feels annoying to look smaller. Used to looking big and pumped all the time.

Wait til you hit 6%, then fill up with carbs and halodrol and get a huge pump pushing those striated muscles against the skin with nothing in between the skin and the muscle!

 

[ergomaniac]

Ok true, yes.
Besides gear, whats the best way to maximize fat loss and not weight lost?

adjusting macro ratio?

once again i am overthinking most likely. And being impatient.

Fasting. Not an expert or a pro, but a 24 hour fast let's you cut cals while eating maintenance for the remaining 6 days. I never really liked eating just enough for too long. And you won't lose muscle in 24hrs.

"Cutting" can make you "look" worse until you start eating again, ime.

 

[jJjburton]

I

Fasting. Not an expert or a pro, but a 24 hour fast let's you cut cals while eating maintenance for the remaining 6 days. I never really liked eating just enough for too long. And you won't lose muscle in 24hrs.

"Cutting" can make you "look" worse until you start eating again, ime.

Interesting, good idea, will be throwing this in once in a while when needed.

 

[bob357sig]

James Hollingshead posted a picture himself on IG at “maximum depletion”. About one week before his show, from the back- you can’t even hardly tell it’s him. I guess you have to trust the process and loose size and fullness to get lean- then begin the re feed process to fill back up and be huge and ripped “everybody’s ideal goal”, that process is what really separates the guys who compete vs lifting bro’s. I can imagine this takes a huge amount of discipline, I have never really did a legitimate “cut” ither. Eating that clean is what kills me- I love pizza and burgers too much