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Time to cut!

Saturday, April 11, 2015

This week I have just been trying to settle back into my normal routine. I hadn't been to the gym for nearly 2 weeks, so it was a shock to the system when I went back on Monday. I thought I would feel nice and refreshed - but I'm not going to lie - my leg day hurt a lot. I couldn't walk properly for 2 days, I normally ache a bit after my work-outs, but not that much!

(this is definitely true for me - I only have 1 pair of jeans that currently fit me - woops)

I think it's fair to say that I have been taking the whole "Lift Big - Eat Big" moto far too seriously, I have been over indulging, and my body fat has been slowly creeping up! I'm not really happy with the way I look and feel at the moment, so it's time to cut!


I've gone back to counting my Macros. When I lost a lot of weight last year, it was because I was counting my macros and eating mostly clean foods. Everyday I was counting/weighing everything I was eating. It sounds like a lot of work/hassle, but it doesn't take a second to put your plate on a scale and weigh everything that goes on there!


For those that don't know the macronutrient count for each food is:

Protein: 4 calories per 1g
Carbs: 4 calories per 1g
Fat: 9 calories per 1g

How much do you need?

As a guideline only (I am by no means an expert this is just from what I have read):

Protein: 1g per pound of bodyweight
Carbs: 1-1.5g of bodyweight
Fat: 0.5g per pound of bodyweight

So for an example if a man weighed 180 lbs, his macros would look something like this:

Protein: 180lbs x 4 = 720 calories
Carbs: 180-270lbs x 4= 720-1,080 calories
Fats: 90g x 9 = 810 calories

From this you can work out what food you need to eat (by working out it's nutrient break-down) and forming your own diet plan. It does sound like a lot of effort, but once you get in the swing of it you don't even realise your doing it, it just becomes a part of your daily routine.

If anyone is interested in having a food plan written for them, please get in touch with me and I'll put you in contact with Nick Openshaw (he is the owner of my gym, and a  Natural Body Building Pro who know's his stuff).

This will be the story of my life for the foreseeable future:


I'm currently working out my food plan, and will share this with you in a later post to help anyone out who is trying to put together a food plan. I will also share what has worked for me and what hasn't - but this is all my own personal opinion and from my own experience.

But at the end of the day, everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. If you had a diet plan for a builder compared to an office worker, the builder would need more food as they are always moving about, compared to the office worker who is more sedentary. You also have to time into account how active you are out of work, e.g. if you run/gym/yoga or attend classes - you will need to fuel up more.

The last time I weighed myself I was 11st 8lbs (73.5kg) this is the most I've ever weighed. I aim to lose about 10-12 lbs, then I'll go by how I feel when I look in the mirror and decide whether to carry on cutting or maintain that weight. I'll keep you updated with how my progress goes :)

Do you count your Macros?
Do you follow IIFYM?
Do you follow any type of food plan?






2 comments:

  1. IIFYM is a fantastic tool - I have used it for years. Good luck with your cut, if you ever need any help just let me know and I would be more than happy to give you advice :-)

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  2. Thank you so much! I will keep that in mind :) I really like doing it, it helps me to make better choices whilst still having the occasional treat :)

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