Not Ready to Cut Yet

[Gary Gibson]

I shot over an entire weight class these past few weeks. Went from the top of the 75 kg (at 5'10"...ha!) to the bottom of the 90 kg. Sailed right through the 82.5 kg in a blink.

Squat and deadlift up a whole bunch and I had the notion to "cut" a little bit and compete at least once in the 82.5 kg. I'm only about a kilo over upon waking. But it seems like my body really, really wants to keep gaining weight.

I tried to restrict my calories today. In the past if I missed a meal here and there, I'd be five pounds lighter in a day or two. Now all I have to show for my brief bout of calorie restriction is a bit of a headache and some fatigue. And I have a heavy squat session later today.

Decided that making weight just isn't priority at this level...I got another 40 lbs to go! Started in on one of the half dozen gallons of whole milk I keep in the fridge. I was apparently in dire need of calories because I drank half of it in less than 30 minutes. Could hardly believe it my own self.

[Mr.City]

I know all about the headaches. I've been on an extreme low calorie diet and I have had a constant feverish headache. Why try to cut, Gary? Why not eat and get strong and let the chips fall where they may?

[Gary Gibson]

I know all about the headaches. I've been on an extreme low calorie diet and I have had a constant feverish headache. Why try to cut, Gary? Why not eat and get strong and let the chips fall where they may?

Because I was SO CLOSE to making 82.5kg.

But my body has given me a firm "no" on this one. I have instructions to keep gaining weight till I'm well over 200 lbs and squatting over 600.

Edit: I compete in a weight class sport. Apparently, however, I really don't need to worry about weight classes until I'm in the next one.

[Dastardly]

I realise I am a lifting noob, but my logic would suggest that you should grow big as you can now.

As you get older you may find it difficult to maintain your bodyweight, and you will naturally come back down the weight categories.

[TTT]

how far away is the comp?
how competetive will you be in the weight class above 82.5kg?

[RobertFontaine]

In terms of putting on the weight. Keep a close eye on your body composition. Once I got over about 15% body fat this year I found a much higher percentage of the mass I put on was fat rather than muscle. I went from 15% to 19% really quick.

There is a point where the calories just overflow into fat, if you are pounding them back. This winter I managed to get to 235 after my second christmas dinner but the last 5 pounds were almost entirely on my belly.

Despite the 70's big theme of late there is no shame in taking 3 or 4 months and bringing you body fat under control and taking another run at it. I'm at 220 at the moment and heading back to around 200 @ hopefully 6-8%. I'm hoping that this will give me the head room for some serious winter eating next year while not going much over 12-13% and adding another 10 pounds of meat.

[stronger]

In terms of putting on the weight. Keep a close eye on your body composition. Once I got over about 15% body fat this year I found a much higher percentage of the mass I put on was fat rather than muscle. I went from 15% to 19% really quick.

There is a point where the calories just overflow into fat, if you are pounding them back. This winter I managed to get to 235 after my second christmas dinner but the last 5 pounds were almost entirely on my belly.

Despite the 70's big theme of late there is no shame in taking 3 or 4 months and bringing you body fat under control and taking another run at it. I'm at 220 at the moment and heading back to around 200 @ hopefully 6-8%. I'm hoping that this will give me the head room for some serious winter eating next year while not going much over 12-13% and adding another 10 pounds of meat.

how have your strength levels been influenced by the fat loss/caloric deficit?

[Gary Gibson]

how far away is the comp?
how competetive will you be in the weight class above 82.5kg?

Comp is Feb 20. I won't be competitive at all. USAPL Florida has a separate raw division. My competition may be one other guy. Maybe. No records at stake right now. No real reason to short circuit the size and strength gains. And last time I tried to make weight from 175 to 165 I lost quite a few pounds on my squat. At 5'10" I really need to be at least in the 90 kg anyway.

Robert: I saw the love handles start to poke out a couple days ago and went into calorie deficit that day out of fear. I've since brought them back up, but I'm tapering the intake as my training volume drops.

[RobertFontaine]

how have your strength levels been influenced by the fat loss/caloric deficit?

What I find is that my stamina is effected first by a caloric deficit. I don't expect my 1RM to go up. On a 500-1000 daily calorie deficit (1-2 pound per week reduction) I can continue to add weight within the context of my program for a good 8-10 weeks before I hit the wall. Volume has to be kept low and intensity high.

I personally use a keto type diet but I'm not religious, I think any deficit diet that provides adequate protein and efa's will work. I find the keto type diet reduces the hunger pangs and blood sugar crashes I have on a more traditionally distributed carb/protein/fat diet.

I'm getting to the point where pounding calories doesn't have the stunning effect it had in the first year. Next winter I will likely be running my diet @ 1.5 protein/pound 1.5 carbs/pound and 20 grams fat per meal with a calorie excess of about 500, rather than a see-food diet. At 5' 9", 220 (soon to be 200) I'm settling in to the idea of 10 pounds of lean mass gain a year.

[stronger]

What I find is that my stamina is effected first by a caloric deficit. I don't expect my 1RM to go up. On a 500-1000 daily calorie deficit (1-2 pound per week reduction) I can continue to add weight within the context of my program for a good 8-10 weeks before I hit the wall. Volume has to be kept low and intensity high.

I personally use a keto type diet but I'm not religious, I think any deficit diet that provides adequate protein and efa's will work. I find the keto type diet reduces the hunger pangs and blood sugar crashes I have on a more traditionally distributed carb/protein/fat diet.

I'm getting to the point where pounding calories doesn't have the stunning effect it had in the first year. Next winter I will likely be running my diet @ 1.5 protein/pound 1.5 carbs/pound and 20 grams fat per meal with a calorie excess of about 500, rather than a see-food diet. At 5' 9", 220 (soon to be 200) I'm settling in to the idea of 10 pounds of lean mass gain a year.

Interesting, thanks for the response. I'm at a pudgy (probably 18-20% bf but I have no idea) 194 at 5'9 and 20 years old. I'm planning to gain until I'm at least 215-220. I prefer to eat an all meat diet, so once I do start with fat cutting I won't miss the carbs. I have also found that a low carb diet doesn't make me hungry as often.

I've dropped 20lbs in a month pretty easily before, so I don't think the weight loss will be a huge problem. I was thinking just a keto-ish diet with prowler sprints thrown in twice or three times a week would do the job. I haven't noticed any increases in bodyfat lately, now that I'm pushing for 215-220 in earnest, so maybe my body composition will remain somewhat stable...