Eating regimen during my cutting phase:

170 grams of protein, with fat as a ballast for rest of calories. Carbs should be zero, or severly limited. I try to limit my food intake to 2,000 calories.

I drink only water, tea, coffee with heavy cream.

During the cutting phase, I workout differently. Morning run on an empty stomach, which I try to stretch out to 35 min.

Afternoon weights with high to moderate intensity.

I eat most of my protein calories at night after my weight workout.

High intensity begins...
 

Enjoyed a weekend of intense workouts, which is the norm during the aggressive weight loss desired during a cutting phase.

Both days started with a brisk morning run for about 35 minutes. Saturday, I followed my run with a full lower body weight session. This afternoon’s workout was an intense upper body weight session. I warmed up with a 2 mile run ~ 6 min per mile. I combined the weight session with 90 pushups, 100 sit-ups on the exercise ball, and 15 pull-ups with a 10lb weight strapped to each leg. This is the off-season workout regimen I followed when I played baseball in college. It’s taken me a full 3 years of eating and working out to be able to train as I once have.

In an effort to accelerate weight loss, I’ve decided to continue my 40-yard sprints on alternating days. This morning before my run, I timed some sprints coming in at about 4.6 seconds in the 40. Frankly, that is very disappointing. In college, at my fastest, I was timed at about 4.4 seconds. Over the next month or two, I’ll try to increase my speed. If the results do not improve, I’ll have to accept the diminished performance as a natural progression of getting older.

The personal trainer who had patiently worked with me on proper technique when I was new to weight lifting several years ago was there today to oversee my weight session. She works with me once per month, just to follow up on my progress and ensure that I’m still lifting with the proper technique as I increase the poundage. Of course, I generally simply ignore the, “eat more carbs” thing, but she did make a nutritional recommendation that makes sense. She advises that during my cutting phase with my increased fast twitch muscle workload, I should increase my calorie intake to more around 2,500 per day. She thinks this will minimize the muscle cannibalization while I cut the 5 – 6 lbs over the next 8 weeks.

I’m bracing myself for week 6 when the increased intensity and slight caloric deficit will have affected my cortisol and leptin levels where widespread hunger may occur. I need to closely monitor satiation levels and introduce a refeed when necessary. Or, depending on my results, I may stop the cutting cycle short at week 6, and immediately go into the bulking up cycle reversing the stress the cutting cycle has placed on my hormonal balance.

Monitoring weight: For consistency, I weigh *only* once per week, on Monday mornings after an empty stomach run. In my view, that is my truest weight with minimal water retention weight. At any other time, I could be 2, 3, or even 4 lbs more during the day; but, will always use my Monday morning post run weight to gauge my progress.

Wow, pull ups with weights strapped to your legs? I'm lucky I can do pull ups at all, let alone with excess weight! I bow before your awesomeness.

You played baseball in college? I'm interested--I played softball. For some reason I picture you as outfield, perhaps left or center. I played both.

As far as sprinting, that's still a pretty damn good time to be clocked at the 40. I wouldn't beat yourself up too much, though I know we are our own worst enemies when it comes to fitness success and acceptance.

My question is do you weight yourself daily? Is your relationship with the scale healthy or is the scale an afterthought compared with body performance, endurance, strength, and appearance?

I related to what you mentioned about it taking three long years to train as you once did. My low carb fitness journey has taken me three years also, though I'm in better shape now than I was in college. I attribute this success to marathoning and becoming a seasoned runner. I'm debating the merits of a triatholon next summer, but I don't have anywhere in which to safely swim outdoors in my area, unless one wants to be sucked underneath a tow boat and processed through the propellers on the other side. I have rrational fears of propellers and spiders, so that's definitely not for me.

Alright, I'll stop rambling now. Er...keep up the good work with your exercise? It sounds silly to offer encouragement to someone who has made it daily routine. I'll have to think of something quirky and witty for next time, as it's late and most of my idiosyncratic wittisms have escaped my brain. Nothing like trying to pull rapier comments from vapid space.

Amory

Just popping by to see how you've been...

Amory

Miss talking to you; life is crazy right now. I'm hooked on gruyere cheese and have started dabbling in smoked provolone, harvati, and rye cheeses. You'd be proud!

I hate teaching this year, that's another story. Not the profession, but our nation is raising a generation of indulged monsters. Argh.

Just checking in, hoping things are going well for you.

Hugs,
Amory

MALE "GRECIAN IDEAL" PROPORTIONS
 

Over the past couple of years, some have asked what my motivation is to continuously monitor my eating and continuing my workout regimen, especially since I "appear" to be very good shape.

To each of us, we have a need fueled and driven by our need for perfection.

http://www.sandowmuseum.com/ideal.html

In my view, the Greeks had it right on what constitutes male physical perfection. I'm not into the bulging muscle builder look, the flabby marathoner skinny look, but rather the well "ideal" portioned sleek muscular Greek look that lays somewhere in between.

And, by the way, my wrist size is about 6.3 inches.

The Bulking cycle...
 

Ok, my cutting cycle has come to an end.

The results:

My weight is at about 143 lbs. Along with my trainer, we estimate the loss comprised of about 70% fat/30% muscle fat to muscle ratio.

Now, I need to bulk up to 152 - 153 aiming for at least a 60/40 muscle to fat ratio gain. Of course, I purposely planned my bulking cycle to coincide with Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays.

My year is coming to an end, and my industry slows down to a halt after Thanksgiving. I plan to take all of December off to focus on my bulking up cycle, which should last about 3 months.

Over the weekend, I'll devise a plan in greater detail after consulting with my trainer. Her nutritional advice is rudimentary at best, but her knowledge on cutting/bulking appears to be quite extensive, along with her advice on cortisol and the need to refeed.

intense exercise with very low carb
 

Frederick- Im a 42yr old female, in moderate physical condition. Im new to this forum and have used atkins off and on( for a month at a time average) usually to drop fat and maintain weight when needed. I have done this for about 8yrs now. I have always found it hard to get the energy I needed to exercise (bike, run, etc) while doing very low carb. I have always wondered if this was just a matter of not letting my body get used to the fat burning long enough? After reading your gym log, it sounds like you have plenty of energy. My delima has always been the low energy if I keep carbs below 30 daily. Like I said though, I dont think Ive ever went over a month on extreme low carb. If I start eatting higher carb ...say 150 or more daily I find it hard to lose weight. I want to start incorporating weight lifting into my excercise program to build or save as much muscle as I can to combat old age. I do not want to bulk up like a competive lifter, although I am prone to muscle gain if lifting and eatting a lot of carbs...more than the average female I would say. Did it take you a longer period of time(more than a month) before you felt energy on extreme low carb? How has your body done without much fruit/veg over the years? Would you say you feel healthy? Do you still eat low carb now without any suppliments? I am not a believer in the low fat high carb "healthy" diet. I would love any advice or opinion you can give me.

Hi Trene,

I'm not sure if you're still around the forums, but I must apologize for not having written to you sooner. Your post appeared during a time while I was away from the forums with work demanding my constant attention.

If you're still around, please let me know and I shall be more than happy to answer your questions.

With kindest regards,

Frederick