Muscle/cutting weight

[Rufio]

Since I've been taking Hydroxycut Hardcore and doing about an hour and a half of cardio after my lifting, I've noticed a LOT of fat loss. In fact, I'm very close to my ideal right now for body fat. With the possibile exception of my chest, it doesn't seem like I've lost any muscle mass. Since I gain pec muscle fastest compared to anywhere else on my body, whatever I may have lost there -- and I may be imagining things -- isn't really a concern.


What I have noticed though is that I've lost a bit of bench strength. For each weight, I seem to reach failure at 1-2 less reps than before I started this hyper-cutting.


Any idea why I'd be losing bench strength without losing mass? Is this just natural with fat loss?

[Clint]

It depends. You could have lost just a bit of muscle mass while cutting (it happens) or your body could just be worn out from so much exercise.

How long have you been cutting? and how long had you been lifting before that? You may want to take a week off and just rest or atleast take a week and just do cardio.

Then dive back in and go for some heavier weights lower reps for a while and your strength will jump right back. Also make sure your diet is good while you cut and it will help your muscle gains/retention and your fat loss.

[Metalhead]

If you're doing an hour and a half of cardio following a workout, is a weightloss suppliment really necessary?

[Rufio]

Originally Posted by Clint

It depends. You could have lost just a bit of muscle mass while cutting (it happens) or your body could just be worn out from so much exercise.

How long have you been cutting?

Just started with the pills the night of the Superbowl, and started upping my cardio after that. So, I guess two weeks give or take.

Originally Posted by Clint

and how long had you been lifting before that?

About two years, though I neglected bench presses until about a year ago.

Originally Posted by Clint

You may want to take a week off and just rest or atleast take a week and just do cardio.

Well, I only lift 3 times a week on average, and one of those days is strictly lower body.

Originally Posted by Clint

Then dive back in and go for some heavier weights lower reps for a while and your strength will jump right back. Also make sure your diet is good while you cut and it will help your muscle gains/retention and your fat loss.

Yeah, I've been trying to get in about 250 grams of protein a day (I weigh 185). It may have something to do with last week, when I lifted for 4 days straight.

Originally Posted by Metalhead

If you're doing an hour and a half of cardio following a workout, is a weightloss suppliment really necessary?

Well, I didn't have the stamina to do an hour and a half before I started taking them. I just do 3 sessions of 30 minutes, really. I'm basically where I want to be already for general weight.


Thing is, I got a bit chubby in high school. When I started losing weight, I retained a little fat in my lovehandles and nipples. My nipples kinda looked like Sam Hoger's, if you know what I mean. Not outright manboobs, but like "sausage tits" as they called 'em on TUF. The problem is my gut went away, but I still had that and I couldn't get a decent V-shaped back due to my lovehandle fat.

With the supplement, I've lost more fat in those problem areas in two weeks than I had in the entire previous year. The fat's almost gone entirely. Once I've got it all worked off, I plan to switch back to concentrating on strength and just doing an hour of cardio.

[Clint]

Every couple of months you should take a off from lifting but it doesn't sound like you're overtraining. Along with your protein make sure to get plenty of veggies and try to get your most carb heavy meals around your workout window (1 hour before to 2 hours after).

I say keep cutting until you get to where you want to be and keep the weights heavy even if you have to do fewer reps/sets. Then once you are where you want to be weight-wise, take a week off from the weight and just stay active (play some sports, do some GPP, something like that). The week will give your body and central nervous system a chance to recover and then adjust your workouts/diet for lean gains and get back at it.

As a side note by GPP, I mean general physical preparedness. Do some exercises that wouldn't typically be considered an exercise: Swing a sledgehammer, carry some heavy stuff around, push a wheel barrel, etc. Don't push yourself too hard since it's a rest week, just enough to keep feeling good and active.

[Rufio]

Ah, thanks for the advice as always, Clint.