Agreed. Weight can fluctuate quite a bit day to day, but averaging it out over the week is probably the best way to assess it
Transformation Recomposition
- Thread starter JeffFran
- Start date
I have been seeing great weight loss recently after dropping calories on working out days around 1800kcal and dropping carb intake to 100-110g
Last week's average weight was 156.35lbs and this week:
Monday: 156.7lbs
Tuesday: 155.6lbs
Wednesday: 154.9lbs
Thursday/Today: 153.6lbs
Therefore I have to thank you for your advice and hoping starting the lean bulk at December!!! I have a structured plan already and I was thinking increasing around 250kcal each week for 2 weeks and then lean bulk becasue I think it wouldn't be wise to raise calories that much all of a sudden
Last week's average weight was 156.35lbs and this week:
Monday: 156.7lbs
Tuesday: 155.6lbs
Wednesday: 154.9lbs
Thursday/Today: 153.6lbs
Therefore I have to thank you for your advice and hoping starting the lean bulk at December!!! I have a structured plan already and I was thinking increasing around 250kcal each week for 2 weeks and then lean bulk becasue I think it wouldn't be wise to raise calories that much all of a sudden
As with most things, you will get varied opinions and advice on reverse dieting. Remember, your calorie deficit is being created by 2 methods 1.) Your calorie intake 2.) Your weekly calorie output created via cardio.
IMO i think increasing calories by 250 per week is to fast.
I generally prefer to make an initial calorie increase by 200 - usually by increasing carbs 40 and fat by 5. At the same time, i initially reduce my cardio amount by half to decrease my energy output. So if i was doing 3 hours of cardio per week, i reduce to 1.5 hours total.
From there, i increase calories by 100 per week and reduce cardio back down to 1 hour per week...say 2 30 min sessions. I will then hold cardio constant going forward at 1 hour per week. I record my weekly weight and caliper readings to monitor changes during this transition phase. Historically i have found that i lean out...ie. My weight drops and caliper readings decrease during the reverse diet period. This is when i look my best! Probably due to the drop in cortisol, reduction of water weight and the increase of glycogen in the muscle giving that full look.
Once my calories reach maintenance i hold for 2 weeks...keep in mind your maintenance calories will be less than when you started your cut....depending on how much weight you lost, this could be 200 calories less.
After 2 weeks at my new maintenance, i assess my weights and caliper readings and record.
At this point i am ready to lean bulk. I generally start with a 200 calorie increase. For me, i have found this sufficient to start gaining. I monitor progress and adjust accordingly.
As i have said before, the reverse diet phase is where people mess up. Increasing to quickly makes it difficult to assess what changes are causing what. Also, your body will be primed for growth...what kind of growth will depend on you. Transition to quickly and i guarantee you will pack on fat quickly.
Bonus
Irons cutting tip of the week
Avoid artificial sweetners or sweets in general while cutting. In my experience these cause hunger cravings making it difficult to stay compliant. Not saying not to have a cheat meal or sweets at all, but limit the occasions and keep them isolated.
IMO i think increasing calories by 250 per week is to fast.
I generally prefer to make an initial calorie increase by 200 - usually by increasing carbs 40 and fat by 5. At the same time, i initially reduce my cardio amount by half to decrease my energy output. So if i was doing 3 hours of cardio per week, i reduce to 1.5 hours total.
From there, i increase calories by 100 per week and reduce cardio back down to 1 hour per week...say 2 30 min sessions. I will then hold cardio constant going forward at 1 hour per week. I record my weekly weight and caliper readings to monitor changes during this transition phase. Historically i have found that i lean out...ie. My weight drops and caliper readings decrease during the reverse diet period. This is when i look my best! Probably due to the drop in cortisol, reduction of water weight and the increase of glycogen in the muscle giving that full look.
Once my calories reach maintenance i hold for 2 weeks...keep in mind your maintenance calories will be less than when you started your cut....depending on how much weight you lost, this could be 200 calories less.
After 2 weeks at my new maintenance, i assess my weights and caliper readings and record.
At this point i am ready to lean bulk. I generally start with a 200 calorie increase. For me, i have found this sufficient to start gaining. I monitor progress and adjust accordingly.
As i have said before, the reverse diet phase is where people mess up. Increasing to quickly makes it difficult to assess what changes are causing what. Also, your body will be primed for growth...what kind of growth will depend on you. Transition to quickly and i guarantee you will pack on fat quickly.
Bonus
Irons cutting tip of the week
Avoid artificial sweetners or sweets in general while cutting. In my experience these cause hunger cravings making it difficult to stay compliant. Not saying not to have a cheat meal or sweets at all, but limit the occasions and keep them isolated.
Glad to see the changes working well for you my friend.
Hello everyone. I will give last week's update
1st Week: 160.3lbs
2nd Week Average: 157,78lbs
3rd Week: 156.6lbs
4th Week: 156.3lbs
5th Week/Last Week: 154lbs
However, my weight is much lower than last week's average
Saturday: 153lbs
Sunday: 151.2lbs
Today: 150.4lbs
Hope that I can reach 2 weeks from now around 145.5lbs because it will mean I would be around 12-14% and I would have a visible 4 pack
Next Sunday or Monday I will post a progress picture and I hope changes would be more noticeable for everybody
1st Week: 160.3lbs
2nd Week Average: 157,78lbs
3rd Week: 156.6lbs
4th Week: 156.3lbs
5th Week/Last Week: 154lbs
However, my weight is much lower than last week's average
Saturday: 153lbs
Sunday: 151.2lbs
Today: 150.4lbs
Hope that I can reach 2 weeks from now around 145.5lbs because it will mean I would be around 12-14% and I would have a visible 4 pack
Next Sunday or Monday I will post a progress picture and I hope changes would be more noticeable for everybody
Alright bro, now things are moving along. Keep up the good work.
Great job brother!! Sounds like your finding the right caloric deficit for your body!!
Thanks bro. I forgot to answer to your advice!! I will do what u said... I will up my calories on first week of my reverse diet by 250kcal and cardio will decrease from 60m to 40m per week (without adding Tennis) and from thereon It will depend on how my body reacts but around 100/150kcal per week and maintaining the cardio or maybe decrease a bit more...
But since I don't have much muscle I don't know If my abs will be that visible even though my body fat could be low...
Indeed. I hope that I can reach my goal seeing that I already lost 9.9lbs is very good and I can definitely see a difference, my waist is smaller and I can start see my abs a bit better even though they still are not that visible
You can reach your goal brother!!! It's just a matter of time that's all!! Stay focused and disciplined throughout the process and make adjustments accordingly!! You have the plan now it's just a matter of how long you can stay disciplined, so hope is not a factor. The only factor that will determine you reaching your goal is YOU!!!
Thank you so much bro. Your words are inspiring! Even though sometimes we may know what we must do and how much inner strength we might have to accomplish our goals , we tend to doubt ourselves and let personal thoughts or problems interfere , but there’s no goal worthwhile and worth having without hardships since the feeling of accomplish will be much sweeter
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Couldn't agree more!! See a big difference in your abs brother!! Great job!!!
Big difference since you started JF. Don't stop, keep going bro.
Thanks bro!! Hope dropping couple pounds this week as well! I will give updates asap
Thanks bro you have been helping a lot! Do you think I am around 15% by now?
I forgot to ask you something... When I reverse diet I will add 250kcal on my 1st week and drop cardio by 33% or 50% still yet to see, but when raising 250kcal we are talking on adding 250kcal in working out days and 250kcal on non working out days as well (250+250=500kcal) or 250kcal adding those two togehter?
If I had to guess, 15-17%.
I would not focus so much on an exact BF%, projected weight OR projected date to end your cut. I would just keep cutting until you reach a certain look in the mirror, whatever weight, BF% or date that happens to be. It took me many, many attempts to get really lean. I would say, I am going to cut to (blank) weight or for (blank) amount of time. I would start to feel skinny and small so I would stop, never really obtaining the level of leanness I wanted. It wasn't until, I started cutting and just kept cutting and cutting until finally my abs appeared, then I kept going. Actually, it took me 9 months to go from 25% down to about 10%. I did 3-4 separate 8 week cuts with reverse diet/diet breaks in between for mental sanity. At that time, I reverse dieted VERY VERY slowly by adding 100 calories per week initially, then went to 50 calories per week. I spent 6 weeks reverse dieting out of the cut, then hung out at maintenance for 1-2 months before ever bulking. Now I stay between somewhere between 8-15%, never losing full site of my ab's.
Back to your other question.................Personally, I would add 250cal per day across the board. Adding 250 per day, whether it be on a workout day or non-workout day, is still adding 250 per day. Not sure where you are getting 500 calories from.
I am not a fan of calorie cycling when cutting or reverse dieting. IMO it takes a simple process and over complicates it.
Let me ask you this to simplify:
What are your current calories on workout days?
What are your current calories on non-workout days?
Totally agree with what you said above... What really matters is how you look since no one will ever ask you "how much bf% do you have" or those kind of questions, they will judge on how you look!
Workout days: 1850-1900kcal
No Workout days: 1750kcal
Ok so you could either:
1.) Increase calories to 2000 cal. everyday
2.) or increase calories to 2100 cal.on workout days and 2000cal on non workout days.
But you are refering when I reverse diet right? Because I am still cutting...
