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Feeling spaced out during cut

S

sjay

New member
Hi all,

Had a DEXA scan done last week which showed 25% body fat and recommended calorie intake of 1700 cal to lose fat. This pretty much correlates with my own calcs done before the scan based on my daily activity (maintenance of about 2150 cal)

Ive been eating at or just below the 1700 cal target for the last 4 days and I have to say i'm struggling! Along with being constantly hungry and dreaming about food, I feel spaced out and unfocussed.

Is this normal for a cut? Could my metabolism be burning more than my calcs and DEXA are estimating or is my body just getting used to it?
 
Well im at 72kg. I start my first session of strength training tonight but im worried I might faint!

Scan was done at Measure-up in Sydney CBD
 
You weigh next to nothing and have a high bodyfat %. Cutting now and you'll wither away unless you're 4 foot tall.

Add some lean body mass first and then drop some fat
 
GROAR said:
You weigh next to nothing and have a high bodyfat %. Cutting now and you'll wither away unless you're 4 foot tall.

Add some lean body mass first and then drop some fat
Click to expand...

Im 172cm short. I was hoping to get down to at least 20 % bf before trying to add muscle mass. Im 36 and think that I'll see quite a bit of fat gain with any muscle gains.
 
sjay said:
Well im at 72kg. I start my first session of strength training tonight but im worried I might faint!

Scan was done at Measure-up in Sydney CBD
Click to expand...

Send jarrod an email and ask if the calories are right. They dont sound right. He will review it for you.
 
Mate your numbers sound totally reasonable going by my DEXA and various models of calcs and progress so far this year, we're a similar weight.

I set my maintenance at 2179 and exercise day at 2450 (DEXA model + activity cals). Dropping at a .5kg rate a week equates to a 1707 normal day and 1978 exercise day.

You could just be adjusting to it? Is your diet any different than normal, or just less?

Yes your metabolism could be/will be different - use the DEXA/model results as a starting point and adjust slightly.

Why not try 200 cals extra for 2-3 days and see if you feel better. If so, hold it there and watch the scales over the week to come... if not dropping weight you know you need to go back down a little.
 
Cals sound right to me if ur not holding much LBM! Eat foods that keep you full, green veggies and meat
 
cals seem fine to me. OP needs to man up a little. I'm guess they have done something like cut lots of carbs and not upped salts and water or something. what are your macros?

source: i'm 90kg, 186cm, 15-20%ish and i eat at 1800cals to lose less than 0.5kg/wk. any lower and it's unsustainable for more than a month (my metabolism slows to a crawl, i stop losing weight and i'm constantly cold. any more and the deficit is too insignificant to make any real difference).
 
Last edited:
At first glance I'd say it's just your body adjusting to it. I would keep at it for at least another week and if you're still not feeling better, then increase cals and do some cardio.

For the record, I'm also 172cm, and weighed about 74kg before going on a diet. I'm not sure what bf% I was then, but now I'm about 65kg and 10.6%bf. However the only time I ever dropped my calories as low as 1700 was when I was already in the 65-66kg range.
 
sjay said:
Im 172cm short. I was hoping to get down to at least 20 % bf before trying to add muscle mass. Im 36 and think that I'll see quite a bit of fat gain with any muscle gains.
Click to expand...


Note that there are two ways to reduce bf%

Sounds like you need to use the second one...
 
Lean muscle mass is 52kg, bone mass is 2.6kg, rest is fat. I swim twice a week and adjust calories up slightly on those days. Just started my first routine, 3x5 compound strength training to try and preserve muscle.

I was eating a lot sugary foods before this which I've cut out except for fruit. Now eating 100g protein (whey) a day plus mostly low gi carbs and fat in every meal

I'll stay on the calorie intake for a few more days and see if I adjust.
 
Last edited:
you need more LBM mate. you are going to look scrawny if you cut. real scrawny.

eg. im 11cm taller. LBM is around 73kg.
 
id be eating atleast at maintenance level personally. being a beginner, if you train right anf eat enough, you'll gain good weight easily enough.
id probably eat 200 above your maintenance mate and train hard.
 
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