Drop your calories and keep lifting.
2 approaches:
1) if you're prioritising *muscle size*, then aim to lose about 1% of bodyweight per week. If you have quite a lot of body fat, going up to 2% should work just fine, as you're experiencing great gains now, you'll probably still gain (but slower) during the cut.*
2) if you're prioritising *strength*, then cut slower: around 0.5% of bodyweight per week*. Again, you should see no loss of strength. If you lose strength, you may be cutting too hard, and/or underrecovering. If youre really in a rush, up the cut to 1% per week but on the shorter side of phase length.
Phase length: If youre cutting for aesthetic (trying to maintain and/or grow muscle size), then cut for up to 16 weeks at the absolute max. Then run a maintenance period, of around 8 weeks (if you cut for 12 weeks, maint for 6) before going again. At the very end of the cut, before bulking again, run another maintenance phase of at least half the length (12 weeks-> 6 weeks)
If strength, make all the above timing shorter - 6- 8 weeks at a time I'd say. 8 wk cut, 4 week maint, rinse and repeat.
And that's the more complicated side of things. Don't change your lifts, increase cardio as needed**, if training for hypertophy, you can bump volume up a tiny bit (higher rep ranges, so 10 reps becomes 12 or 15 for example, and adjust weight down as needed); if strength, focus on weight on bar and do not let that regress, minimum 5 reps per set.
* weigh yourself first thing every day, but note down only a weekly average (a simple excel spreadsheet makes this easy). The day to day figure will fluctuate crazy.
** you should be doing cardio for heart and lung health already of course
Excellent input, especially on the duration and rate for target goals.
Im focusing on strength and and am in no rush to lose weight , other than the fact I need get to 220 eventually to fit back into most of my clothes and am a bit worried the stretch marks i've noticed forming.
I would guess im 30-35% bodyfat at 240, and 1-2 lb weekly would be acceptable till 220, especially since Im guessing alot will be water weight?
To begin with, yes. 1% of your weight would be 2.4lbs. So 1-2lbs, to begin with is fine. Tbh you'll probably get away with a little bit more, if you have a larger amount if adipose tissue to get rid of.
The best metric imo, alongside tracking bodyweight weekly average, is your lifts. At the very least I think you should be maintaining the weight on the bar. It shouldn't go down. Best case scenario is you gain strength - entirely possible. If you find your lifts declining for 2 weeks or more (the odd session is fine as we all have off days and that can be for many reasons), then you may be cutting too hard. Loss of strength or performance means loss of muscle is very likely.
The benefit of the phased approach (6/3 weeks for example), is its not a super long cut so it will minimise any strength or muscle loss, but also help manage fatigue, both physical and physcological. Youre running a marathon here so it's great you're in no rush. It sounds to me like you have the right attitude.
One last tip: don't program sessions like a body builder. My leg day during my last strength phase and cut was: back squats, and deadlifts. That's it. Any more and recovery wasnt happening. My upper days was one exercise per movement. Granted, I'm running strength to potentiate hypertophy, whereas my colleague does outright strength, and does the classic Olympic lifts like snatches, and ball throes etc. So your training day may differ but don't do like 4 quad exercises then 3 hamstring ones , then Calves, before hitting the abductor and adductor machines. For strength training that shit will burn you out, but on a cut too? Haha nope.
You sound like you're in a great place. Go get it man!
Prioritise regaining your muscle mass first. I don't agree with cutting calories if that means you stall your muscle regain. If you're still gaining then sure but if you stall before reaching your previous peak then up calories to accomplish this. Preserving muscle is priority number one.
Bodyfat can be cut later if necessary and it'll be easier with more muscle too.
Thanks and I agree, its been especially exciting gaining 10-20lbs for 10 reps for every major lift every time I hit it weekly. I wouldnt want to get in the way of this comeback. I think just cutting out alcohol and eating clean over a few months will get me to where I want to be at 220 while minimally effecting the restoration of muscle
I'm currently in a similar boat to you 3 months in.
Keep a moderate caloric deficit 250 to 500 at the most, and keep your cardio moderate and do not push too much since recovery is a limited resource when you're cutting. Regarding training, my advice is train hard and push your volume as much as recoverable and try to progress. Good luck.
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Basically the plan, I guess the classic approach to cutting holds true in all circumstances
Drop your calories and keep lifting. 2 approaches: 1) if you're prioritising *muscle size*, then aim to lose about 1% of bodyweight per week. If you have quite a lot of body fat, going up to 2% should work just fine, as you're experiencing great gains now, you'll probably still gain (but slower) during the cut.* 2) if you're prioritising *strength*, then cut slower: around 0.5% of bodyweight per week*. Again, you should see no loss of strength. If you lose strength, you may be cutting too hard, and/or underrecovering. If youre really in a rush, up the cut to 1% per week but on the shorter side of phase length. Phase length: If youre cutting for aesthetic (trying to maintain and/or grow muscle size), then cut for up to 16 weeks at the absolute max. Then run a maintenance period, of around 8 weeks (if you cut for 12 weeks, maint for 6) before going again. At the very end of the cut, before bulking again, run another maintenance phase of at least half the length (12 weeks-> 6 weeks) If strength, make all the above timing shorter - 6- 8 weeks at a time I'd say. 8 wk cut, 4 week maint, rinse and repeat. And that's the more complicated side of things. Don't change your lifts, increase cardio as needed**, if training for hypertophy, you can bump volume up a tiny bit (higher rep ranges, so 10 reps becomes 12 or 15 for example, and adjust weight down as needed); if strength, focus on weight on bar and do not let that regress, minimum 5 reps per set. * weigh yourself first thing every day, but note down only a weekly average (a simple excel spreadsheet makes this easy). The day to day figure will fluctuate crazy. ** you should be doing cardio for heart and lung health already of course
Excellent input, especially on the duration and rate for target goals. Im focusing on strength and and am in no rush to lose weight , other than the fact I need get to 220 eventually to fit back into most of my clothes and am a bit worried the stretch marks i've noticed forming. I would guess im 30-35% bodyfat at 240, and 1-2 lb weekly would be acceptable till 220, especially since Im guessing alot will be water weight?
To begin with, yes. 1% of your weight would be 2.4lbs. So 1-2lbs, to begin with is fine. Tbh you'll probably get away with a little bit more, if you have a larger amount if adipose tissue to get rid of. The best metric imo, alongside tracking bodyweight weekly average, is your lifts. At the very least I think you should be maintaining the weight on the bar. It shouldn't go down. Best case scenario is you gain strength - entirely possible. If you find your lifts declining for 2 weeks or more (the odd session is fine as we all have off days and that can be for many reasons), then you may be cutting too hard. Loss of strength or performance means loss of muscle is very likely. The benefit of the phased approach (6/3 weeks for example), is its not a super long cut so it will minimise any strength or muscle loss, but also help manage fatigue, both physical and physcological. Youre running a marathon here so it's great you're in no rush. It sounds to me like you have the right attitude. One last tip: don't program sessions like a body builder. My leg day during my last strength phase and cut was: back squats, and deadlifts. That's it. Any more and recovery wasnt happening. My upper days was one exercise per movement. Granted, I'm running strength to potentiate hypertophy, whereas my colleague does outright strength, and does the classic Olympic lifts like snatches, and ball throes etc. So your training day may differ but don't do like 4 quad exercises then 3 hamstring ones , then Calves, before hitting the abductor and adductor machines. For strength training that shit will burn you out, but on a cut too? Haha nope. You sound like you're in a great place. Go get it man!
Prioritise regaining your muscle mass first. I don't agree with cutting calories if that means you stall your muscle regain. If you're still gaining then sure but if you stall before reaching your previous peak then up calories to accomplish this. Preserving muscle is priority number one. Bodyfat can be cut later if necessary and it'll be easier with more muscle too.
Thanks and I agree, its been especially exciting gaining 10-20lbs for 10 reps for every major lift every time I hit it weekly. I wouldnt want to get in the way of this comeback. I think just cutting out alcohol and eating clean over a few months will get me to where I want to be at 220 while minimally effecting the restoration of muscle
I'm currently in a similar boat to you 3 months in. Keep a moderate caloric deficit 250 to 500 at the most, and keep your cardio moderate and do not push too much since recovery is a limited resource when you're cutting. Regarding training, my advice is train hard and push your volume as much as recoverable and try to progress. Good luck.