Cutting: Eating less vs more cardio

[Cdave.aol]

From what I gather everyone has their own approach to being in a caloric deficit. Some prefer to eat around maintenance and let cardio put them at a net deficit, while others prefer the least amount of cardio and to simply just eat less.

I can see pros and cons to both approaches. On one hand you’re training even harder in the gym expending more energy through cardio. The alternative would be maybe some light cardio 30 minutes here and there with the main focus being on your diet.

What works best for you when cutting? If your goal is just 10% bf

 

[Mac11wildcat]

More food more cardio is always my preference for most people. Unless you’re eating 4K+, I think food is always more valuable for nutrients contributing to performance than less cardio would be.

 

[Ridethelightningbarefoot]

I did it with calories but I think optimally increasing activity is best possibly throwing in some fat burners here and there when the fat gets stubborn

 

[NLM36]

I always do it with calories. I hate cardio, don’t really like being outside and when I go to the gym I train.

 

[Cdave.aol]

I always do it with calories. I hate cardio, don’t really like being outside and when I go to the gym I train.

How many calories do you cut on?

 

[Cdave.aol]

More food more cardio is always my preference for most people. Unless you’re eating 4K+, I think food is always more valuable for nutrients contributing to performance than less cardio would be.

How much cardio do you implement?

 

[NLM36]

How many calories do you cut on?

X15+400 of estimated lean body mass then I adjust from there as needed

 

[Mac11wildcat]

How much cardio do you implement?

How much fat do you wanna lose?

I start show prep at 20m 4x a week and it turns into 6 days of however long is needed + however much of a deficit from food by show time. None of this isn’t static. Been trying to preach this my entire time on Meso.

 

[Cdave.aol]

How much fat do you wanna lose?

I start show prep at 20m 4x a week and it turns into 6 days of however long is needed + however much of a deficit from food by show time. None of this isn’t static. Been trying to preach this my entire time on Meso.

6lbs is my current goal

 

[NLM36]

6lbs is my current goal

Go take a massive shit

 

[Mac11wildcat]

So start at a small deficit from cardio. 20m a day. Then a small deficit from food. Then add more cardio. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Type-IIx]

I track calories and eat at a deficit to lose. I walk 5-10k steps a day. I rationalize avoiding gym cardio (getting HR up) because it potentially saps some explosiveness, I can put in more effort on resistance training, and it's less time in the gym... but in reality it's mostly that I hate cardio and justify to myself not doing it.

 

[TrenTrenTren]

Anything I can do to not do any cardio, I'll do. I hate it.

 

[Silentlemon1011]

So start at a small deficit from cardio. 20m a day. Then a small deficit from food. Then add more cardio. Rinse and repeat.

This has been working very well for me.
Restarted this a few weeks ago.
Look better and feel better.

 

[NLM36]

6lbs is my current goal

How do come to the conclusion of 6lbs?
I never understood putting a number on a fatloss goal especially something small like 6lbs.
shouldn’t a fat loss be based around body composition not a scale number.
losing 6lbs will be pretty insignificant. I could drop 6lbs of fat in a week, by going on a psmf and keeping my cals around 1800. I could drop 6 pounds by sitting in a sauna.
Scale weight is a poor indicator.

 

[Cdave.aol]

How do come to the conclusion of 6lbs?
I never understood putting a number on a fatloss goal especially something small like 6lbs.
shouldn’t a fat loss be based around body composition not a scale number.
losing 6lbs will be pretty insignificant. I could drop 6lbs of fat in a week, by going on a psmf and keeping my cals around 1800. I could drop 6 pounds by sitting in a sauna.
Scale weight is a poor indicator.

Just an estimate of body fat to lose. I wish 6lbs of fat loss in a week was possible lol

 

[NLM36]

Just an estimate of body fat to lose. I wish 6lbs of fat loss in a week was possible lol

I told you how. If you want it quickly. Consume nothing but 1000cals of lean protein for a week. I’m talking liquid egg whites, boiled chicken, white fish, and protein isolate.
6lbs is nothing.
Force yourself through gym sessions and do morning and night cardio every day as much as you can handle

 

[Cdave.aol]

I told you how. If you want it quickly. Consume nothing but 1000cals of lean protein for a week. I’m talking liquid egg whites, boiled chicken, white fish, and protein isolate.
6lbs is nothing.

You sure it was an actual 6lbs far though? I hear the body can only lose so much fat in a given time before muscle loss happens. I could be wrong though

 

[NLM36]

You sure it was an actual 6lbs far though? I hear the body can only lose so much fat in a given time before muscle loss happens. I could be wrong though

If you’re eating 800-1000 cals of protein and taking anabolics you’ll lose no muscle in a 7 day period. You’re gonna feel like complete shit and wrecked. You’ll look small and flat, you’ll probably feel weak in the gym but you’ll retain muscle mass.
Lyle McDonald has a good book called rapid fat loss.

 

[Cdave.aol]

I’ll look into it. How much cardio did you do on that protocol? I’m sure the lethargy won’t affect me as much since I’m prescribed adderall

If you’re eating 800-1000 cals of protein and taking anabolics you’ll lose no muscle in a 7 day period. You’re gonna feel like complete shit and wrecked. You’ll look small and flat, you’ll probably feel weak in the gym but you’ll retain muscle mass.
Lyle McDonald has a good book called rapid fat loss.