Idiotic questions about getting leaner!

ben66 said:At 7% or less, a paper cut would kill me, and it's not a pleasant place to stay! 10% is fairly easy to maintain, and where I currently hover around, though I've never actually had my BF measured.

ben66 said:At 7% or less, a paper cut would kill me, and it's not a pleasant place to stay! 10% is fairly easy to maintain, and where I currently hover around, though I've never actually had my BF measured.

AdamT said:
You kept gaining strength while being lean? Is that correct?

danbaseley said:
2) Genetics will determine this. But if you are anadrol'd off your nut, then the puffiness will never leave you.
.

ben66 said:
I can, just watch my waist size. I'll push with food and fill out a bit, but it doesn't take long to cut back when I need to- I'm constantly trying to grow, but try to make gains as lean as possible nowadays. Previously I'd gotten fat, thinking I was 'big', but realised I can have the same strength level much leaner. I actually PB'd in most lifts last year being bigger and leaner than I've been.
Lean 240lbs, then 250lbs is the plan

AdamT said:
Fair play to you.
I think I will have to get lean first and maybe suffer some initial strength loss, then start again.
I'm not really strong anyway, so there is no reason for me to be out of shape. It's just being lazy with the diet.

matthewvc said:
something to consider when leaning out is effect of water retention gets more pronounced,
just a drop can ruin a great physique at low single figure BF.
add in PEDs and the way they change sodium retention, ADH or estrogen levels - even more trouble.
when you see a dry as a bone bodybuilder (think andreas munzer) on stage you know they've gone through purgatory
to get the water off - high doses of letro, lasix, dehydration, carb+sodium manipulation etc. etc.
very transient state and 1 day later after the post show binge, they look like a water melon.

JackRevans said:Ben, Id be interested to know the scale of your calorie surplus/deficit, and also the length of time you stay in each.

ben66 said:
I don't count calories too strictly- Protein is always the same regardless of cut/bulk (around 300+g), fats are generally low. I tend to manipulate carbs to gain/lose weight.
I'll go anything for 200-1000 cals over maintenance when trying to grow, using waist size as a guide to fat gains (IMO, it's the simplest and most effective measure)- if my belt gets too tight, I'll drop the carbs back a little until it's comfy again.
For cutting, I'll drop to about half maintenance cals by reducing carbs, and keep it up until I'm happy- usually 3-5 weeks. It begins to get hard around 4 weeks.
It's not super strict, but it works well for me. Training remains heavy through out.
This is me just now, bulking, around 105kg in the morning:
www.instagram.com/p/BfqOQrJDlx7/?hl
www.instagram.com/p/BfTCLXBjXxA/?hl

ben66 said:
I don't count calories too strictly- Protein is always the same regardless of cut/bulk (around 300+g), fats are generally low. I tend to manipulate carbs to gain/lose weight.
I'll go anything for 200-1000 cals over maintenance when trying to grow, using waist size as a guide to fat gains (IMO, it's the simplest and most effective measure)- if my belt gets too tight, I'll drop the carbs back a little until it's comfy again.
For cutting, I'll drop to about half maintenance cals by reducing carbs, and keep it up until I'm happy- usually 3-5 weeks. It begins to get hard around 4 weeks.
It's not super strict, but it works well for me. Training remains heavy through out.
This is me just now, bulking, around 105kg in the morning:
www.instagram.com/p/BfqOQrJDlx7/?hl
www.instagram.com/p/BfTCLXBjXxA/?hl

AdamT said:
Beast!
I have guys in my gym that have big size, but they don't have the hard dense look you have. Though things like squats, dead's and even pull ups are foreign to them!

JackRevans said:
interesting!
300g protein is very high. Roughly how many g of fat do you have per day? also what is the highest/lowest your carbs will go?

Ham said:Body fat distribution is a weird one. Chap I work with measures 17% on the same scales i measured 8% on...he has a clearly visible 6 pack but a fat back. I have no 6 pack visible but my back is super lean.

Jack is right that hunger must be embraced, lots of water drunk and coffee is my saviour when dieting down.

I've not trained anyone over the years that has lost meaningful weight without hunger being front and centre at times. Pangs get less intrusive and can be useful.