# Road to 8% bodyfat



## Gator (Mar 5, 2015)

Frustration with first ever cut.

5 days lifting, 1 day mixed cardio 15-20 minutes.

Add me on MFP @ BeardedGator.

Katch-Mcardle

37 Yoa
199 Pds
17% BF
6'

199x.17= 34 Pds FAT
199-34=  166 Pds LBM
166x12.5=2064 Calories a day

TDEE= 3087(IIFYM)

September 11 - Began cut at 1900 calories 50p/30c/20f 
February 1- 260 pounds down to 199 Pounds. 
February 9 Increased caloric intake to 2200 @ 50p/30c/20f
Plateau'd out for one month and began reverse dieting adding 100 calories each week.
March 5- at 2400 calories and adjusted to 40p/30c/30f (240P/180c/80f) and weight and BF has not budged.


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## Stevethedream (Mar 5, 2015)

Switch to keto for a little while. It has been absolutely amazing for me so far. The first 2 weeks I lost 1.5% bf and actually gained .9 lb of muscle mass. I started at 12.5 % body fat and in a total of 3.5 weeks on keto I'm down to 10.3% now. I also do two a days with just cardio in the morning and than weight training and another cardio session in the late afternoon.


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## Gator (Mar 6, 2015)

Solid results! Will definatley give that try. How is you caloric intake?


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## Gator (Mar 9, 2015)

*2014*
Sept.11   265 Pds    1900 Calories 50/30/20
Oct.28     260 Pds    1900 Calories 50/30/20
Nov.5      230 Pds    1900 Calories 50/30/20
Dec.18    214 Pds    1900 Calories 50/30/20

*2015*
Jan.1       212 Pds    1900 Calories 40/40/20
Jan. 19    205 Pds     1900 Calories 50/30/20  19.6% BF
Feb. 1      203 Pds     1900 Calories 50/30/20  18.4% BF
Feb.9       203 Pds    2200 Calories  50/30/20  17.8% BF
Feb. 16    199 Pds     2200 Calories 50/35/15   17.5% BF
             *Began Reverse Dieting* +100 cals/week
Feb. 23     199 Pds     2300 Calories  40/30/30  17.3% BF
March 2    199 Pds     2400 Calories  40/30/30   17.3% BF
March 9    198 Pds     2500 Calories  40/30/30   17.9% BF


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## Gator (Mar 17, 2015)

March 16 200 Pds 2600 Calories 40/30/30 17.6% BF


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## Gator (Mar 23, 2015)

March 23 
200 pounds 
Increased to 2700 calories 
40/40/20
17.5% BF 

After increasing my caloric intake 900 calories at +100/week, I have not not gained a pound and my BF % has not increased. To this point, this has been a successful reverse diet and will be my preferred method of coming off of future cuts


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## Gator (Mar 30, 2015)

March 30
196 pounds   
Remaining at 27 calories
40/40/20
16.6% BF

At 2700 calories and 40/40/20, I shed 4 pounds and lost 1% BF. Will stay @ 2700  until progress stops again 

If ain't broke don't fix it!


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## Gator (Apr 6, 2015)

April 6 
197 Pounds  
40/40/20
15.2%

Holding tight again this week at 2700 calories and 40/40/20. Body Fat dropped another percentage down to 15.2%. Skin is tighting and starting to develop vascularity in the arms.Will start with prep picture updates soon. Im keeping Cardio limited to once a week steady state for 10-20 minutes. Keeping the cardio card in my pocket for the lower BF %'s. Theres a large learning curve while prepping without a coach.


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## widehips71 (Apr 6, 2015)

Curious what you're using to get your bf%


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## PillarofBalance (Apr 6, 2015)

widehips71 said:


> Curious what you're using to get your bf%


I use poptarts in excessive amounts to get my BF. Very reliable. I highly recommend.


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## AlphaD (Apr 6, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> I use poptarts in excessive amounts to get my BF. Very reliable. I highly recommend.



Its true.  We all are on the excessive poptart plan...........


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## Gator (Apr 7, 2015)

widehips71 said:


> Curious what you're using to get your bf%



Omron handheld


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## widehips71 (Apr 14, 2015)

I don't know whether to laugh or wince


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## Ezskanken (Apr 14, 2015)

What an ugly color for a lawn mower...


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## PillarofBalance (Apr 14, 2015)

Gator post another pic like that and I will terminate your account.


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## Gator (May 6, 2015)

*April 20 *
198 Pounds 
2800 cals
50c/30p/20f
16.7% BF

*April 27*
196.6 pds
2700 cals
16% BF
50c/30p/20f

*Beginning Summer Cut*
*May 4*
194 pds
16%BF
*Reduced to 2500 cals*
313c/187p/56f


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## trodizzle (May 6, 2015)

Stevethedream said:


> Switch to keto for a little while. It has been absolutely amazing for me so far. The first 2 weeks I lost 1.5% bf and actually gained .9 lb of muscle mass. I started at 12.5 % body fat and in a total of 3.5 weeks on keto I'm down to 10.3% now. I also do two a days with just cardio in the morning and than weight training and another cardio session in the late afternoon.



What do you keep your carbs at on keto? Under 50g per day?


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## halfwit (May 6, 2015)

trodizzle said:


> What do you keep your carbs at on keto? Under 50g per day?


You start at 20g per day for two weeks, then you can bump it up slowly.  I prefer to just keep them at 20g myself as it ensures you stay in ketosis.


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## DF (May 6, 2015)

halfwit said:


> You start at 20g per day for two weeks, then you can bump it up slowly.  I prefer to just keep them at 20g myself as it ensures you stay in ketosis.



Jeeezus! 20g :32 (6):  I think I eat that many carbs in my sleep.


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## halfwit (May 7, 2015)

DF said:


> Jeeezus! 20g :32 (6):  I think I eat that many carbs in my sleep.


Yeah, it's definitely not easy to do.  In fact, your body goes through withdrawals as sugar (carbs) are so integrated into the average diet.  Definitely effective way to cut though!


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## Gator (May 11, 2015)

No way I would do Keto unless I was trying to get to 5% or under. But from what Ive been told it is effective if that's your goal. Alternating high,low, and moderate carb days are about as far as ill go.

May 11
189 PDS
15.1 BF
2500 Calories
312c/56f/187p


Ive scrapped trying to stay at a particular ratio and just focused on hitting my macro goal for the day. Currently taking in *312g carbs 56g fat and 187g protein*. Happy with the progress after only cutting 300 kcals per day with plenty of room left to reduce more when fat loss stalls.


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## Gator (May 18, 2015)

May 18
189 pounds
14.6% BF
2400 calories
270c/53f/210p

Reduced by 100 calories


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## Gator (Jun 2, 2015)

June 1
189 pounds
14% BF
2400 calories
240c/53f/240p


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## Tetsuro Hoshino (Jun 2, 2015)

You're really low on calories for an active adult. I'm 182-184 and 10% bf, on 4500-5000 calories per day, 80% fat, 10% protein/fat. Overdoing protein will cause an insulin response, sabotaging fat loss. Keto is High Fat/Low Carb very moderate protein. If you feel hungry all the time, something is wrong, if you need to count calories something is wrong- you eat until you're satisfied, keto is muscle sparing only when fat intake is high enough. The body will regulate your metabolism depending on food intake: too low will cause metabolic slow down, eating to satiety will let your body do what it has to.


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## PillarofBalance (Jun 2, 2015)

Tetsuro Hoshino said:


> You're really low on calories for an active adult. I'm 182-184 and 10% bf, on 4500-5000 calories per day, 80% fat, 10% protein/fat. Overdoing protein will cause an insulin response, sabotaging fat loss. Keto is High Fat/Low Carb very moderate protein. If you feel hungry all the time, something is wrong, if you need to count calories something is wrong- you eat until you're satisfied, keto is muscle sparing only when fat intake is high enough. The body will regulate your metabolism depending on food intake: too low will cause metabolic slow down, eating to satiety will let your body do what it has to.


Where did you come by this information that eating 10% of your macros as protein will spare muscle? And at what point are you overdoing protein? And since when does insulin stop fat loss? 

I have cut 30 pounds over 4 months on a diet that was 60% carbs... I would love to see the source of the info you just posted because science...


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## Tetsuro Hoshino (Jun 3, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Where did you come by this information that eating 10% of your macros as protein will spare muscle? And at what point are you overdoing protein? And since when does insulin stop fat loss?
> 
> I have cut 30 pounds over 4 months on a diet that was 60% carbs... I would love to see the source of the info you just posted because science...



I'm sorry if I offended you, it's cool really. Yes the research is there, HFLC is pretty standard dietary advice in Europe, I know Americans are taught otherwise.  There are many ways to get to our goals. Saw the exchange between Trodizzle and Stevethedream re keto and obviously misunderstood.  I've seen people cut on 80 percent carbs (vegans), it can be done, but in the U.K. when we talk about cutting it's always about keto first and foremost - its just quicker and less painful. Again, I don't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers m8, still getting used to it on your side of the atlantic.


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## PillarofBalance (Jun 3, 2015)

Tetsuro Hoshino said:


> I'm sorry if I offended you, it's cool really. Yes the research is there, HFLC is pretty standard dietary advice in Europe, I know Americans are taught otherwise.  There are many ways to get to our goals. Saw the exchange between Trodizzle and Stevethedream re keto and obviously misunderstood.  I've seen people cut on 80 percent carbs (vegans), it can be done, but in the U.K. when we talk about cutting it's always about keto first and foremost - its just quicker and less painful. Again, I don't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers m8, still getting used to it on your side of the atlantic.


Keto isn't new here.  You still can eat upwards of 30 percent protein on a keto diet. That isn't going to spike insulin nor does insulin cause you to be fat.

I am not offended either.  I just want you to post something that backs up your claims. Eating 10 percent protein would not be adequate to maintain your lean tissue while training.


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## Tetsuro Hoshino (Jun 3, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Keto isn't new here.  You still can eat upwards of 30 percent protein on a keto diet. That isn't going to spike insulin nor does insulin cause you to be fat.
> 
> I am not offended either.  I just want you to post something that backs up your claims. Eating 10 percent protein would not be adequate to maintain your lean tissue while training.



This is from Jefferson University Hospitals website (http -hospitals dot jefferson dot edu/tests-and-treatments/ketogenic-diet-therapy/getting-started/)

 Getting Started on the Ketogenic Diet

Normally our bodies run on energy stored from glucose, which is provided from food. When we go without food for one to three days, our bodies use all of our stored glucose, and the brain and body switch to burn fat for energy stores. The ketogenic diet, which is a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates, keeps the body burning fat instead of burning glucose.

\\The diet was originally discovered because patients with epilepsy were found to have a remarkable reduction in their seizures when they were ill and not eating. So, it was noted that during times of starvation, the seizures improved. The ketogenic diet actually tricks the body into thinking that it is starving.

During the ketogenic diet, 80 percent of calories are from fat; very little comes from carbohydrates and protein. Each meal has about four times as much fat as protein or carbohydrates, a 4:1 ratio. Some centers restrict the amount of liquid at each meal; however, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, fluids are not restricted.\\

Haven't had any problems maintaining (and building) muscle on this regime, and I've been on it for a little over ten years as a way to relieve symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, not simply to stay lean and muscular, but that is a definite side benefit.


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## Gator (Jun 20, 2015)

Had my first Re feed day on 6/19. Finished up feeding my pie hole with 8833 calories (857 carbs/414 fat/ 350 protein), thats an additional +6633 from the deficit Ive been running. My metabolism should be primed for another weeks of low cals.

6/22
Reducing to 2200 cals
275 protein
49 fat
165 carbs

Sitting @ 185 and 14% BF.


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## TheLupinator (Jun 20, 2015)

Tetsuro Hoshino said:


> This is from Jefferson University Hospitals website (http -hospitals dot jefferson dot edu/tests-and-treatments/ketogenic-diet-therapy/getting-started/)
> 
> Getting Started on the Ketogenic Diet
> 
> ...



A keto diet for sick people and a keto diet for powerlifters, bodybuilders, and athletes should be (and is) very different in regards to protein. It's already been shown athletes need more protein than ordinary people. 


And you are 185lbs eating over 4.5k calories - you're not in a calorie deficit, so you should maintain muscle easily regardless of where those calories come from. Try cutting weight and getting into single digit body fat and you will see that .5grams of protein per lb of bodyweight is not going to cut it. Hell even building muscle in a caloric surplus with that protein is difficult. I know you said you've never had a problem building muscle, but I think your definition of "building muscle" is different than most here - most would consider you to be average or even small for anyone over 5ft 8in in height (thats 175cm across the pond). 


*Sorry for the highjack Gator.. Continue


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## Magical (Jun 21, 2015)

Gators bitches better be using jimmy hats


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## Gator (Jul 5, 2015)

who's baby is that . . .

Went to maintenance last week @ 2800 kcals and and will maintain for another 3 weeks. I have much more respect for the process now.
 This process


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