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Cutting

Not losing fat but been cutting for 6 weeks

stevenjames
stevenjames g Steven James
2 Post(s)
2 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: May 5, 2018
Posted

I've been cutting for 6 weeks now, I do intermittent fasting every day (not a fan of breakfast and I train at 6am), i have only lost 4-5lbs but i look a little bit leaner, I eat 2600 calories a day (im 6"4, 210ish lbs, 18yrs old and been training for 2.5 years), seeing little ab definition and my chest looks very flat, yet my arms/legs are vascular and really definied. How can I get down to having a six pack ?? btw I do PPLPPL and do cardio most days after training.

jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: stevenjames

I've been cutting for 6 weeks now, I do intermittent fasting every day (not a fan of breakfast and I train at 6am), i have only lost 4-5lbs but i look a little bit leaner, I eat 2600 calories a day (im 6"4, 210ish lbs, 18yrs old and been training for 2.5 years), seeing little ab definition and my chest looks very flat, yet my arms/legs are vascular and really definied. How can I get down to having a six pack ?? btw I do PPLPPL and do cardio most days after training.

I too use IF and have been doing so for about 4 years now. Muscle definition is a function of lower body fat. The amount of body fat and where it is mostly deposited is determined by genetics. Most men deposit around their abs and lower back. Some in their legs and chest and still others in their back. When and at what body fat level you will see abs is also determined by genetics. Some people have noticeable abs at 15% BF but not much leaness in their legs or chest/shoulders. Others need to get to 10% or lower to see abs even if the rest of their body is lean and vascular.

 

For you, only time and persistence will tell at what point you will see a six-pack. The good news is you are losing weight slowly which means you are keeping more muscle. When you lose weight too fast, it signals you are losing a lot of muscle and fat together which makes further fat loss harder as muscle is active tissue - the less you have the lower your BMR.

 

John

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: stevenjames

I've been cutting for 6 weeks now, I do intermittent fasting every day (not a fan of breakfast and I train at 6am), i have only lost 4-5lbs but i look a little bit leaner, I eat 2600 calories a day (im 6"4, 210ish lbs, 18yrs old and been training for 2.5 years), seeing little ab definition and my chest looks very flat, yet my arms/legs are vascular and really definied. How can I get down to having a six pack ?? btw I do PPLPPL and do cardio most days after training.

John has laid out some good points. Getting that definition really does come down to body fat percentage for the most part. Do you know what your current body fat % is?

 

Honestly I am wondering if you actually need to cut.. you're only 18.. unless you are obese or well above 20% body fat, you should probably still be focusing on a surplus to keep adding muscle, in my opinion. And maybe actually adding more mass will give you more definition.. maybe you are lean, but don't have enough muscle in those areas yet compared with your arms/legs?

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stevenjames
stevenjames g Steven James
2 Post(s)
2 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: May 5, 2018
Posted

i have tried getting my BF% on different scales and get a different answer every time, i would guess i’m around10-12% , i do have a fair bit of muscles and i would like to get seriously lean this summer and i’m noe starting to see abs like i have a six pack in good lighting so keep going or keep putting on muscle ?

Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: stevenjames

i have tried getting my BF% on different scales and get a different answer every time, i would guess i’m around10-12% , i do have a fair bit of muscles and i would like to get seriously lean this summer and i’m noe starting to see abs like i have a six pack in good lighting so keep going or keep putting on muscle ?

If you're only just starting to see abs in good lighting, you're probably at more like 15% or a little higher. It's up to you really what you want to do.. if you're happy with your muscle mass at the moment and getting leaner is your ultimate goal, then keep cutting.

 

Just keep in mind that while cutting you can't really add muscle, because after training for 2.5 years you are probably past that newbie stage.

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