Yeahhhhhhhhhhh, I was 300lbs the beginning of my 11th grade year. The summer before I made the decision I would make changes and lose weight. I went from eating thousands of calories a day to 1300 calories a day. I wanted to hit a hard reset, at least that was my mentality. I joined a weight training class in highschool as well that year. That year I lost 70-80 lbs, and I lost it fast. But half way through the year I stopped losing weight. I also stopped getting stronger, and honestly that whole time I wasn’t gaining a ton of muscle. I was also getting super lightheaded and having problems in my everyday life. I did some research and it probably had something to do with me eating so little. I’m not necessarily upset that I made that mistake, I needed to hit a hard reset. I ended up increasing my calorie intake to about 1800-2200. I just started college and I’m now down like 105lbs so I’m doing good :).
I truly hope Dr. Mike does not think he is an idiot for not winning his last bodybuilding competition. Dr. Mike is smart and articulate, some people just don’t have the genetics and that’s ok. The knowledge and information you provide is invaluable and means more than the completion as that’s what is truly helping all of us!
Knowing Dr. Mike, (at least from the vids that he posts in his second channel) he doesn't beat himself up over it and looks at it in a positive light. After all, he did give it his best shot as far as we could tell. It's just that competing would cost him so much (his collabs in the yt channel, his declining physical and mental health due to the steroid use, etc.) that it's just not worth it.
@@annelieniedzwitzki1389I definitely agree, the standards for a pro card are crazy! It’s tough because I know how much it would mean to him on a personal level about getting his pro card and professionally how it would elevate him… His contribution to the fitness / TH-cam world is so important, the pro card is great but doesn’t detract from what he offers…
After losing 70 pounds over the course of 1 year, I have a really really hard time to loose anymore, even though my deficit is still really high (aimed around -1000. Some days it was -2000, some days - 500 or no deficit). I tried to vary but now Im at a point where I just dont burn any more fat, even though my body fat % is still around 28%. I was 265.7 pounds before and had a body fat % of over 40%. Now Im at 194 pounds with around 28% body fat. I love the change, but I still would like to shed my weight down to 177 - 187 pounds and a body fat % of around 15 - 20%. Struggling a lot right now. Lost a ton of muscle mass in the process as well, but I got really defined in many areas. I hope your video can help to spark a change again. No ozempic, no surgical operation, just pure dedication and discipline in eating and training. It all started with therapy and working on my mental health. I was fat all my life. 33 years old right now, and turned my life completely around. Feeling better then ever before.
Get to maintenance for a few months and give yourself time to grow a little muscle before going back in a deficit, honestly. Trying to dig too deep at once will always lead to frustrating plateaus. Learn to live with a fluctuating daily bodyweight too, which is a psychological mess sometimes. You might experience 2-5 pounds of variation in your weight in a week when you're in maintenance mode.
You're probably not in such a big deficit anymore. Your old numbers at your previous weight are now irrelevant. You need to recalculate your BMR at your current bodyweight. Try going to a nutritionist and getting professional help. They have a machine you can breathe into which will tell you your true BMR. Then they can set a healthy deficit for you and give you a new diet plan. The closer you get to being lean, the harder it gets to keep getting results. You may need more help to dial things in
Time for a maintenance phase. Track your calories to maintain your weight be okay with gaining 2-5 lbs within 6-8 weeks. During this time focus on consistent weight training. Do very light cardio if any. Once you dialed in your maintenance calories, then start another cut
The answer is ~500 calories, though that number is variable if you are above or below average weight. The range is 250-750, 500 being optimal for the average person.
Yeah, I struggle right now. Had a aimed deficit of -1000 for around a year now. Some days it was -2000, some days it was less then -1000. I varied over the course of the year, but now its really hard to loose any more weight. Lost 70 pounds and around 12 - 15% of body fat. Still have like 8 - 13% of body fat and 5 - 10 pounds to go, to reach my end goal.
When he give this advice, does he typically mean to run that deficit for the length of the macrocycle? Mike and others typically mention that this a bodyweight loss of around 1 pound/per week, but obviously there's a drop off in that curve as we can't continue to drop 1 pound per week ad infinitum on the same deficit, until we're a bag of bones. What I hardly ever see advice on is when/how to reassess the deficit and if it should be adjusted etc.
@@TopKat1 You can re-adjust as often as you want. But if you lose 1 lb per week, it's going to be a couple months until it makes much of a difference.
Usually in the shower I think of something I did wrong 14 years ago and go through every possible scenario where I could have done something differently and how it would have changed the outcome lol
@@TheDeadbirdy lol I don’t use that playlist. I just haven’t had time to go through and delete all of them 😂 recently, I haven’t been listening to music at the gym.
Im 31. Took up weight training couole years ago now. Smoker since i was a teen and recently quit feburary this year. Cold turkey havent looked back. Quitting junk food is so much harder. Carvs get me, crisps mostly. I have been slowly losing weight over the last 12 months or so but recently really made progress with protein shakes as meal replacement. Trying to get under 100kg. Hovering around 103, getting there.
One of the best videos I have come across on this subject. Love the end of it for a more advanced version. I am 12 weeks into a 20 week prep for my first show and was refeeding by about 250 calories on the weekend on accident because of diet fatigue but it's actually been beneficial. Getting stronger and leaner at the same time even though I have been losing almost 2 lbs. a week.
I hate it whenthat happens. I also hate it when I stick a screwdriver in my ear and accidently hit the butt of the handle. Just hate it when that happens. (Old SNL skit)
When I am trying to get weight down slightly I usually switch to a one day a week fast where every other day increases my intake from maintenance by about 5% or so. As an example, if a person was on a 2000 calorie a day diet then your regular weekly intake is 14000 calories. Instead of you move to 2100 calories but only 6 days a week you drop down to 12600 calories total, so a 10% overall reduction, but spend the vast majority of the time in a very slight surplus which is where you keep all of your heavier training. Then on the day you fast concentrate on walking, stretching, or other low impact, low intensity steady state stuff. This has worked surprisingly well for me. I find it way easier to power through one day of not eating than to spend multiple weeks in a 10% deficit every day.
@@whatever3543 do you not worry about getting your protein intake on the days you fast? I've been wanting to give something similar a try, but I feel if I don't hit my protein intake for the day I'm going to lose strength and lean mass
yeah great stretergy !! when i push too hard with caloric deficit my recovery suffers and then i up the caloric intake with more carbs and even protein.. I FEEL STRONGER EVERYTIME
Can u make a video on best way to go about strength training for new dads? Like best ways to go around the loss of sleep and best way to train/eat considering sleep loss is a factor
Awesome! Discovered your channel a few days ago. I am loving your videos :) I have been working out with a personal trainer at my gym but not experiencing any fat loss. decided to do my own thing and have been dropping weight pretty quick. your videos are giving me the knowledge to preserve my muscle and maximize fat loss... very eye opening. you make this all make sense. Thank you!
I just want to say you are very knowledgeable and informative. I do NOT agree with the person saying there is a delay in videos. I am in no way affiliated with that person.
This is the video i've been waiting for! No matter what i do, i've continued to lose muscle while in a calorie deficit and its driving me crazy. I've been eating more protein than ever and pushing myself more in the gym but still seeing muscle loss. I'll do my best to apply these tips going forward.
There is a solid chance you didn't have as much muscle as you thought when you started dieting. Not trying to sound harsh but if your knew to lifting and/or cutting, this is likely the case. Also if you don't know, looking lean on camera and looking lean in real life are not the same. Most people appear bigger on camera than they do in person when they are lean. So it may also be you have unrealistic expectations about how it's going to look
@@canecorsomom2023 i get body scans done. It shows I've consistently lost muscle mass over the past several months. I'll get another scan done at the end of the year to see my progress. Since I'm now eating more protein than i have in the past.
500 Kcal deficit is my go to for all reasons you stated. It's manageable, results are fast enough to provide motivation. Hunger levels are a huge thing to consider. Once you get closer to 750 or more, hunger can overwhelm a lot of people. Good topic to discuss. 👍
Can I ask you please. Do you tend to run that same deficit for the entire length of the macro? or is there usually a further adjustment required somewhere due to bodyweight loss slowing down? If it's the latter, for how many weeks to you need to have monitored that progress slowing down over?
@TopKat1 I get what you're asking, but it's not really an adjustment to your deficit that is needed, it's a change in your maintenance that would make you plateau. Any time you start eating in a caloric deficit, your body wants to close that gap. That's expressed by hunger and less overall energy to do physical activity. So, if you plateau, stop losing weight, you're just not burning enough to be in a deficit anymore. Readjusting overall caloric intake, not going into larger deficit, will get you back on track. Make sense? I don't have a specific time period I use when deciding to change, just when I notice changes slowing or stopping.
@@DanielSmith-yp7mw absolutely mate. I wasn't suggesting going into a larger deficit. What I was meaning was do you find yourself having to readjust when your body is running close to a new maintenance. For example, let's say you start a cut phase aiming to lose 1lb per week and for the first 6 weeks you steadily lose on average around 0.7 pounds of fat per week, then at some point after this you start to notice the rate of loss becomes slower, let's say under 0.3 to 0.5 lbs over the next few week, do you accept this rate of loss and continue to run with the same calories you started out at (I.e 500 deficit of original maintenance), or do you make an adjustment at that point to increase that rate of weight loss closer to the 1 lb per week target?
A lot of 'experts' talk as if a 500 calorie deficit will lose you 1 pound of bodyweight ad infinitum, but we know it doesn't work like that in practise. After about 5-6 weeks you'll only be dropping half a pound per week on that original deficit if you're lucky.
@TopKat1 ok, gotcha. Yes, it's true that just one set of numbers won't work indefinitely if you're on an extended leaning out program. Your body will close the gap eventually whether you like it or not. For me, the times I've done cuts, probably like 4 to 5 weeks I would need to slightly adjust. I just gauge how much activity I'm doing at that point and if feasible, I would rather increase calorie burning some first before reducing Kcal intake. So I may burn an extra 150/200ish daily for another couple of weeks. Then, I may drop Kcals by 150 afterwards. I don't get overly precise with weight numbers. Gets really difficult to discern tiny increments smaller than 1/2 lb. I don't really weigh at intervals shorter than two weeks after awhile.
Thank you, Dr. Mike, for always providing the perfect blend of good humor, science, and "I'm not saying you HAVE to do this, but it's a damned good science-backed idea". It's also reassuring for me (perhaps with a bit of confirmation bias) when your content lines up with the research and plans I've developed for myself. "Huh, I reached the same conclusion as Dr. Mike - great success!"
I'm 6' tall and at 200 lbs right now. My Withings Body+ scale says I'm at around 29% body fat, though I think I'm actually closer to 25%. I've been thinking about trying to shed somewhere around 20 lbs, with a calorie target of about 15% less than maintenance (minus roughly 400 cals). My plan is to diet for 8 weeks, go into maintenance for 6-8 weeks, then rinse and repeat util I get there. We'll see how it goes.
I've been on a 700-1100 calorie deficit for about 2.5 weeks now and am down 7 pounds, definitely noticing my lifts going down. But of particular interest, some groups are suffering more than others. My pull days are almost unaffected, but I'm pushing way less weight.
I advise my clients to create most of the calorie deficit through activity rather than restricting input cals. When I prep for a show I slowly increase my training output frequency (not by cardio) and run circa 300-350 a day deficit of input cals. Their also incorporates one day where I have two meals that refill me sufficiently. At 55 yrs old I see little to no atrophy, and for the first 6-8 weeks I can still lay down new tissue. Beyond that point I pull training intensity back a little as there simply isn't the calorie reserve to be tearing fibres down the emphasis at that juncture is tissue preservation
Ok, you convinced me. I've been losing about 2 lbs per week for almost three months. So far, my strength has held up well, but I've had the fear that the honeymoon period ma6 be ending and I'm pushing my luck. I think I'll go to 1 lb per week for the last 15 lbs I need to lose. Great video!
Great content! Any interest in making a deep-dive video on how combat sports athletes fluctuate their weight so much (cutting insane amounts of water weight) and how that affects body composition and what the long-term health effects of that process might be? It seems like a very fascinating topic!
Professor Mike, I appreciate this lecture. I was always opposed to higher learning, but majoring in Shredology at TH-cam University really turned my life around. Now my GPA’s almost up to six-pack abs!
Timely vid, I'm trying to accomplish this right now. 340 pounds (down from 480) with virtually all weight loss accomplished by changing diet and a shitload of walking. But now at a plateu that I can't seem to break through and I'm sure I've lost a decent amount of muscle mass in the process
I have seen the 3DMJ guys talking about this kind of refeed methodology for a while now and was curious why i hadnt heard Dr Mike endorse the practice but it's worked well for me over the last few months so I'm glad to hear him endorsing the idea.
Been cycling 3 months. Every week or so that I feel stuck, eat a lot and rest and scale goes waaaay down days after. This makes "dieting" so much easier. There are also weeks in which I cycle 1day a lot of food and next day lesser calories - so on so forth. That way my body is never really depleted from starvation.
I swear I’ll have a question about my weight lifting journey and I’ll search around for a couple days then book docter mike comes along with a video about the exact topic …. Perfect 😅
Add GLP-1 agonists to the mix really changed the dynamics in a positive way - I dropped 22kgs over 5 months without losing much if any muscle mass, in some muscles I gained size while doing weight work 3-4 days per week.
A consistent 500-calorie deficit has worked for me. I've been losing 2 - 4 lbs a week. Looks wise, I haven't really lost much muscle at all. The only lift that's harder for me now is bench press.
Over the next year and a half, I'm following a structured plan to optimize my body composition, inspired by a previous video on your channel. Starting at 250 lbs, I'll cycle through 4-week bulking phases and 8-week cutting phases: Bulking Phases: Each bulking phase lasts 4 weeks, during which I'll aim to gain about 0.5 lb per week by consuming around 250 extra calories daily above my BMR. These phases help build muscle mass. Maintenance Phases: Brief periods where I stabilize my weight and let my body adjust, consuming calories equal to my BMR. Cutting Phases: Each cutting phase lasts 8 weeks, aiming to lose 1% of my total body weight per week by creating a calorie deficit (between 950 to 1,250 calories daily). This approach focuses on fat loss while preserving muscle, as discussed in a previous video. Over this period, the average daily calorie adjustment is negative 545 calories, reflecting a net calorie deficit to support gradual weight loss while still allowing for muscle growth during bulking phases. By alternating these phases, I plan to gradually reduce my weight to approximately 175 lbs, enhancing muscle definition and overall fitness.
@@c0wg0d it's not fun but it is doable. i do supplement my deficit with walks. about 6.875 calories per minute walked. so a mile of walking gets me an extra 137 calories. i adjust that number dynamically based on current body weight. this is intentional walking above and beyond what I would do normally. everything in my plan is dynamic based on goal weight/date and current weight. in other words I'm an excel/math nerd.
Dr Mike - in one of your videos with Dr Schoenfeld it was said that only 1/3 of normal volume is required to maintain the muscle mass. Is it then reasonable to do only 1/3 of normal volume during the cut/fat loss phase, and keep the same amount of muscle as with the normal volume? Thank you.
I think the 1/3 rule only applies while in maitenance calories or above. Since your body is so depleted on a defict, something close to your usual training volume is what would maintain your muscle mass.
It's in a previous video, but the summary is this: When your caloric intake is suggiciently defecit, your body signals for it to consume tissue. You use your training to influence what type of tissue. Using slightly higher volume training will place metabolic importance on your muscles. Imagine telling your older, much bigger brother "I'm using that". Whatever it is, you're about to need to fight hard to hold onto it. Whereas at maintenance calories, your body isn't actively seeking to consume tissue, so the metabolic importance of that muscle isn't as significant, cuz its not required for consumption. This is you telling your much younger sibling "I'm using that". It's barely an effort. TL;DR - it might be a good idea to lift (slightly) higher volumes during your cut. But if you're at maintenance you can dial back training and not lose progress.
@@crow3710 This is what I've taken from his videos as well, which is quite different from what many other 'experts' will tell you. What I'm struggling to find from Mike's archives is how to actually monitor training progress on a cut. Doing the 3 RIR to 0 RIR across a meso doesn't work without drastically losing reps. Is his advice more along the lines of train as hard as possible to keep your reps close to PRs etc, and deload when you burn out (quicker) ? I'm on a cut just now and looking for advice on this, but it's something I'm really struggling to get good information on.
Good video. I caught on to this watching Jared's videos during his preps. Before that, when I started my prep, I made the mistake of targeting 2lbs a week with a five hundred calorie deficit the first 8 weeks of this prep. Sure, I lost 15.4 pounds in those two weeks, but paid for it. Fatigue really hit me about 6 weeks in and by 8 weeks I was toast. I went to maintenance mid prep for 4 weeks then carb cycling with 3 days of more carbs and a 200 calorie deficit vs. 500. Seems to be netting me 3/4 to a pound a week now and is way more sustainable. I do plan to go to 2 days higher carb at five weeks out then the peak week thing.
Maintaining a prolonged calorie deficit during exercise can be difficult. Feeling hungry and tired is not ideal, but it's crucial to stay focused on achieving results. By setting realistic body goals and being kind to myself, I have successfully managed to lose weight consistently at a rate of 0.5-1 pound per week. This approach is steady, achievable, and sustainable compared to fluctuating between a 750-calorie deficit and 500-calorie surplus on alternate days, which would be very frustrating.
I will say, as someone who just went from 300 to 200 pounds, only seeing one pound of loss per week would be really frustrating and I'd lose motivation fast. I like the rule of 1% body weight loss per week. Feels good, isn't too fast, and gets you great results.
I think it depends a lot on your maintenance calories, I go on severe deficits but I maintain required protein and fat and enough carbs to feel good. 250-300g protein, 50-60g fiber and few gallons of water keeps me full so I don't even get that hungry. I'd rather feel a lot hungry for a short time than a little hungry for a long time, but that's me and I have a lot of experience.
I agree about it depending on your maintenance calories, but man you’re in a different range than me. I weigh 85 kilos, and I find that I have no major issues with about 2,200 calories a day, getting at least 140 or so grams of protein and at least 30 grams of fibre per day. Sit on my butt all day? 2,200 calories like that is fine. Take 20k steps? 2,200 calories like that is fine. But if I drop much below that, even down to 2,000 or so, it’s NOT FINE. 😅
i do 2100-2200 cal, 200g of protein, about 150 of carbs and about 70-80 of fats. a gallon of water on a good day and try to get 50g of fibre too. seems to be the sweet spot for me and it’s about a 800-1000 cal deficit daily, lift heavy 5x per week
Man I’d love you to do a review of Dr Jason Fung’s work on fasting. He claims (and cites studies) that muscle loss during calorie deficits would be maladaptive from an evolutionary point of view ie we maintain muscle to increase chances of finding our next meal. Your thoughts appreciated.
Coop from Garage Gym Reviews just released a video critiquing your home gym. A critique of his critiquing video would be awesome. He said he'd even laugh at your jokes if you let him see it in person 🤣
I just started another cut 2 weeks ago. Aggressive, as I still need to lose 30lbs but also trying to be more smart than the first 80 I lost. 30 gets me under 200lbs at 6ft tall and coming in with a lot of muscle mass, so should be looking and feeling quite good. Once again, you're in my head and you didn't tell me.
Actually, going slower in a plane isn't necessarily safer. The slower you are going, the less lift you are generating, and the closer to a stall you are. So at lower speeds, maneuvering is actually more dangerous because of how easy it is to stall. I know that doesn't matter at all to the analogy, but I couldn't help myself. Love your content though, you've honestly helped me completely change my life for the better over the last few years.
he really was not joking when he said they have tons of videos recorded and even if they stopped filming, they will have 1 year worth of videos to upload
The systemic fatigue portion really makes me think of split squats. I've been doing the dumbbell workout regimen that was posted by RP some time ago and split squats just kill me. They leave me so fatigued I had to move them to be the very last exercise, because after I do those I can't do anything. I can't even stand up for several minutes after the second set or I get woozy.
I've been very slowly but steadily making progress with a -750kcal cut, but my performance, but I performed quite badly during the last workout. That's it, I'm flat, I've lost literally all the gains I made during the bulk :( On a more serious note, depending on how my next two workouts will go, I might actually do this glycogen store replenishment thing. Thanks for the video!
"Women want a real man? It's 2023!" - some heavy delays on uploading these videos 😆
haha i wondered why he said 2023
Must be 😂
All RP videos have been prerecorded for the last year. In a couple weeks Mike will reveal his new 160lb physique.
Bro is 2 stepps ahead
@@AriWeismanchesterdoing the nicocado avocado
10:26 "It's 2023" 😲 For a split second I really thought "if Dr. Mike says it's 2023 it must be 2023..."
Yup, old video re-upload, he was wearing those tshirts and that watch band a year ago.
Every gregorian calendar world wide amending their dates the moment Dr Mike said so.
Dr Mike is the new Chuck Morris 😂
Dude, I actually thought it was 2023 until I read the comments. I'm not even joking. 😂
Yeahhhhhhhhhhh, I was 300lbs the beginning of my 11th grade year. The summer before I made the decision I would make changes and lose weight. I went from eating thousands of calories a day to 1300 calories a day. I wanted to hit a hard reset, at least that was my mentality. I joined a weight training class in highschool as well that year. That year I lost 70-80 lbs, and I lost it fast. But half way through the year I stopped losing weight. I also stopped getting stronger, and honestly that whole time I wasn’t gaining a ton of muscle. I was also getting super lightheaded and having problems in my everyday life. I did some research and it probably had something to do with me eating so little. I’m not necessarily upset that I made that mistake, I needed to hit a hard reset. I ended up increasing my calorie intake to about 1800-2200. I just started college and I’m now down like 105lbs so I’m doing good :).
How tall are you?
@@ILaf1 That's great! 😃👍
@@Press-pb77 6’1
Congrats 🎉 making the choice is weirdly enough the hardest part and you took that step and never looked back 👌🏻💯
Thats Amazing, great work!!!!! Keep going.
I truly hope Dr. Mike does not think he is an idiot for not winning his last bodybuilding competition. Dr. Mike is smart and articulate, some people just don’t have the genetics and that’s ok. The knowledge and information you provide is invaluable and means more than the completion as that’s what is truly helping all of us!
Knowing Dr. Mike, (at least from the vids that he posts in his second channel) he doesn't beat himself up over it and looks at it in a positive light. After all, he did give it his best shot as far as we could tell. It's just that competing would cost him so much (his collabs in the yt channel, his declining physical and mental health due to the steroid use, etc.) that it's just not worth it.
Also, I CANNOT believe that someone as big as Eric Janicki wasn't big enough to get his pro card, like, that's an absolutely INSANE ceiling to break 😭
@@annelieniedzwitzki1389I definitely agree, the standards for a pro card are crazy!
It’s tough because I know how much it would mean to him on a personal level about getting his pro card and professionally how it would elevate him…
His contribution to the fitness / TH-cam world is so important, the pro card is great but doesn’t detract from what he offers…
Timing is absolutely immaculate (again)
After losing 70 pounds over the course of 1 year, I have a really really hard time to loose anymore, even though my deficit is still really high (aimed around -1000. Some days it was -2000, some days - 500 or no deficit). I tried to vary but now Im at a point where I just dont burn any more fat, even though my body fat % is still around 28%.
I was 265.7 pounds before and had a body fat % of over 40%. Now Im at 194 pounds with around 28% body fat. I love the change, but I still would like to shed my weight down to 177 - 187 pounds and a body fat % of around 15 - 20%. Struggling a lot right now. Lost a ton of muscle mass in the process as well, but I got really defined in many areas.
I hope your video can help to spark a change again.
No ozempic, no surgical operation, just pure dedication and discipline in eating and training. It all started with therapy and working on my mental health.
I was fat all my life. 33 years old right now, and turned my life completely around. Feeling better then ever before.
Get to maintenance for a few months and give yourself time to grow a little muscle before going back in a deficit, honestly. Trying to dig too deep at once will always lead to frustrating plateaus. Learn to live with a fluctuating daily bodyweight too, which is a psychological mess sometimes. You might experience 2-5 pounds of variation in your weight in a week when you're in maintenance mode.
You're probably not in such a big deficit anymore. Your old numbers at your previous weight are now irrelevant. You need to recalculate your BMR at your current bodyweight.
Try going to a nutritionist and getting professional help. They have a machine you can breathe into which will tell you your true BMR. Then they can set a healthy deficit for you and give you a new diet plan.
The closer you get to being lean, the harder it gets to keep getting results. You may need more help to dial things in
For a couple days just eat whatever you want or just not in a deficit and shock your metabolism and you’ll blow past that plateau I promise
hidden calories are everywhere, low carb will stop you feeling hungry
Time for a maintenance phase. Track your calories to maintain your weight be okay with gaining 2-5 lbs within 6-8 weeks. During this time focus on consistent weight training. Do very light cardio if any.
Once you dialed in your maintenance calories, then start another cut
The answer is ~500 calories, though that number is variable if you are above or below average weight. The range is 250-750, 500 being optimal for the average person.
Thanks!!
Depends I do 500 below my goal weight which rn is around 1k under current weight and I've done it for 5 months and haven't felt miserable
Yeah, I struggle right now. Had a aimed deficit of -1000 for around a year now. Some days it was -2000, some days it was less then -1000. I varied over the course of the year, but now its really hard to loose any more weight. Lost 70 pounds and around 12 - 15% of body fat. Still have like 8 - 13% of body fat and 5 - 10 pounds to go, to reach my end goal.
When he give this advice, does he typically mean to run that deficit for the length of the macrocycle? Mike and others typically mention that this a bodyweight loss of around 1 pound/per week, but obviously there's a drop off in that curve as we can't continue to drop 1 pound per week ad infinitum on the same deficit, until we're a bag of bones. What I hardly ever see advice on is when/how to reassess the deficit and if it should be adjusted etc.
@@TopKat1 You can re-adjust as often as you want. But if you lose 1 lb per week, it's going to be a couple months until it makes much of a difference.
Was just thinking this while taking a shower
that’s crazy, because i was thinking of you while taking a shower
@@Zane0202 🤤🤤🤤 when I said “this” I meant Mike🤤🤤
Taking a shower keeping you clean as hell
don't we all think of mike while taking a shower 🤞
Usually in the shower I think of something I did wrong 14 years ago and go through every possible scenario where I could have done something differently and how it would have changed the outcome lol
Dr Mike! I found you about 4 weeks ago, things are changing, and growing😉. I appreciate all you do
Things are always growing when watching dr mike ;)
Dude perfect timing. I was planning a cut in a meso or two
Same. Diet phase #2
@Mr_NB628 Your Workout out music is horrible
@@TheDeadbirdy lol I don’t use that playlist. I just haven’t had time to go through and delete all of them 😂 recently, I haven’t been listening to music at the gym.
I read that as "I was planning to cut a mesa in two" and was very confused on how you would do that.
@@TheDeadbirdy going to someone's profile and looking at their workout playlist is weird
Im 31. Took up weight training couole years ago now. Smoker since i was a teen and recently quit feburary this year. Cold turkey havent looked back.
Quitting junk food is so much harder. Carvs get me, crisps mostly.
I have been slowly losing weight over the last 12 months or so but recently really made progress with protein shakes as meal replacement.
Trying to get under 100kg. Hovering around 103, getting there.
Wow. Long time to be at it, and you're almost there. You'll get there before you know it.
One of the best videos I have come across on this subject. Love the end of it for a more advanced version. I am 12 weeks into a 20 week prep for my first show and was refeeding by about 250 calories on the weekend on accident because of diet fatigue but it's actually been beneficial. Getting stronger and leaner at the same time even though I have been losing almost 2 lbs. a week.
Hey Dr Mike,
I just started my first cut yesterday-- this was perfectly timed to come up, thank you!
It's crazy how this is exactly the video I need right now! Thanks Dr. Mike and Shalom!
Don't you just hate it when you're so fatigued you can only bench 300lbs for 4 reps?
I don't even own enough plates to go that high 😂
Then again I mostly use dumbbells, but even all of those combined only go up to 350lbs
I hate it whenthat happens. I also hate it when I stick a screwdriver in my ear and accidently hit the butt of the handle. Just hate it when that happens. (Old SNL skit)
Wow the timing of this video for me was sublime, thank you based Mike
When I am trying to get weight down slightly I usually switch to a one day a week fast where every other day increases my intake from maintenance by about 5% or so.
As an example, if a person was on a 2000 calorie a day diet then your regular weekly intake is 14000 calories. Instead of you move to 2100 calories but only 6 days a week you drop down to 12600 calories total, so a 10% overall reduction, but spend the vast majority of the time in a very slight surplus which is where you keep all of your heavier training. Then on the day you fast concentrate on walking, stretching, or other low impact, low intensity steady state stuff.
This has worked surprisingly well for me. I find it way easier to power through one day of not eating than to spend multiple weeks in a 10% deficit every day.
I've considered this method but never put it into practice. Thx for sharing!
@@whatever3543 do you not worry about getting your protein intake on the days you fast? I've been wanting to give something similar a try, but I feel if I don't hit my protein intake for the day I'm going to lose strength and lean mass
@@Azr0HD Takes longer than 24 hours to get any appreciable catabolism of lean mass, but you can burn a somewhat significant amount of fat that way.
yeah great stretergy !! when i push too hard with caloric deficit my recovery suffers and then i up the caloric intake with more carbs and even protein.. I FEEL STRONGER EVERYTIME
Can u make a video on best way to go about strength training for new dads? Like best ways to go around the loss of sleep and best way to train/eat considering sleep loss is a factor
Awesome! Discovered your channel a few days ago. I am loving your videos :) I have been working out with a personal trainer at my gym but not experiencing any fat loss. decided to do my own thing and have been dropping weight pretty quick. your videos are giving me the knowledge to preserve my muscle and maximize fat loss... very eye opening. you make this all make sense. Thank you!
I just want to say you are very knowledgeable and informative. I do NOT agree with the person saying there is a delay in videos. I am in no way affiliated with that person.
This is the video i've been waiting for! No matter what i do, i've continued to lose muscle while in a calorie deficit and its driving me crazy. I've been eating more protein than ever and pushing myself more in the gym but still seeing muscle loss. I'll do my best to apply these tips going forward.
Dont starve yourself, you can be full and still maintain a deficit without losing too much muscle, just stuff the right foods :).
There is a solid chance you didn't have as much muscle as you thought when you started dieting. Not trying to sound harsh but if your knew to lifting and/or cutting, this is likely the case.
Also if you don't know, looking lean on camera and looking lean in real life are not the same. Most people appear bigger on camera than they do in person when they are lean. So it may also be you have unrealistic expectations about how it's going to look
@@canecorsomom2023 i get body scans done. It shows I've consistently lost muscle mass over the past several months. I'll get another scan done at the end of the year to see my progress. Since I'm now eating more protein than i have in the past.
please make more weight loss videos, u motivate me always
make more videos on these topics
500 Kcal deficit is my go to for all reasons you stated. It's manageable, results are fast enough to provide motivation. Hunger levels are a huge thing to consider. Once you get closer to 750 or more, hunger can overwhelm a lot of people. Good topic to discuss. 👍
Can I ask you please. Do you tend to run that same deficit for the entire length of the macro? or is there usually a further adjustment required somewhere due to bodyweight loss slowing down? If it's the latter, for how many weeks to you need to have monitored that progress slowing down over?
@TopKat1 I get what you're asking, but it's not really an adjustment to your deficit that is needed, it's a change in your maintenance that would make you plateau. Any time you start eating in a caloric deficit, your body wants to close that gap. That's expressed by hunger and less overall energy to do physical activity. So, if you plateau, stop losing weight, you're just not burning enough to be in a deficit anymore. Readjusting overall caloric intake, not going into larger deficit, will get you back on track. Make sense? I don't have a specific time period I use when deciding to change, just when I notice changes slowing or stopping.
@@DanielSmith-yp7mw absolutely mate. I wasn't suggesting going into a larger deficit. What I was meaning was do you find yourself having to readjust when your body is running close to a new maintenance. For example, let's say you start a cut phase aiming to lose 1lb per week and for the first 6 weeks you steadily lose on average around 0.7 pounds of fat per week, then at some point after this you start to notice the rate of loss becomes slower, let's say under 0.3 to 0.5 lbs over the next few week, do you accept this rate of loss and continue to run with the same calories you started out at (I.e 500 deficit of original maintenance), or do you make an adjustment at that point to increase that rate of weight loss closer to the 1 lb per week target?
A lot of 'experts' talk as if a 500 calorie deficit will lose you 1 pound of bodyweight ad infinitum, but we know it doesn't work like that in practise. After about 5-6 weeks you'll only be dropping half a pound per week on that original deficit if you're lucky.
@TopKat1 ok, gotcha. Yes, it's true that just one set of numbers won't work indefinitely if you're on an extended leaning out program. Your body will close the gap eventually whether you like it or not. For me, the times I've done cuts, probably like 4 to 5 weeks I would need to slightly adjust. I just gauge how much activity I'm doing at that point and if feasible, I would rather increase calorie burning some first before reducing Kcal intake. So I may burn an extra 150/200ish daily for another couple of weeks. Then, I may drop Kcals by 150 afterwards. I don't get overly precise with weight numbers. Gets really difficult to discern tiny increments smaller than 1/2 lb. I don't really weigh at intervals shorter than two weeks after awhile.
Thank you, Dr. Mike, for always providing the perfect blend of good humor, science, and "I'm not saying you HAVE to do this, but it's a damned good science-backed idea". It's also reassuring for me (perhaps with a bit of confirmation bias) when your content lines up with the research and plans I've developed for myself. "Huh, I reached the same conclusion as Dr. Mike - great success!"
10:25 Mike says its 2023, how long was this video being produced lmao
They said they have loads of videos already prepared and ready to upload whenever they want
When he said "Renaissance Periodization" instead of RP Strength it immediately gave it away
@@gurmeharsingh5228 Man idk, he did discuss his recent bodybuilding show though?
Thanks doc I just started my cut today. Perfect timing!
I'm 6' tall and at 200 lbs right now. My Withings Body+ scale says I'm at around 29% body fat, though I think I'm actually closer to 25%. I've been thinking about trying to shed somewhere around 20 lbs, with a calorie target of about 15% less than maintenance (minus roughly 400 cals). My plan is to diet for 8 weeks, go into maintenance for 6-8 weeks, then rinse and repeat util I get there. We'll see how it goes.
I needed something to push me to failure on hack squats, and Dr Mike talking will make that happen!
I've been on a 700-1100 calorie deficit for about 2.5 weeks now and am down 7 pounds, definitely noticing my lifts going down. But of particular interest, some groups are suffering more than others. My pull days are almost unaffected, but I'm pushing way less weight.
We are starting spring here so this video is what i was looking for thank you mike
The best caloric deficit is to avoud losing muscle is tren
Anavar
Good to know. I will try and let you know how it goes 👍 I've never worked out before I just hope I don't lose all my muscles
🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂
But I wanna stay natty though
I advise my clients to create most of the calorie deficit through activity rather than restricting input cals. When I prep for a show I slowly increase my training output frequency (not by cardio) and run circa 300-350 a day deficit of input cals. Their also incorporates one day where I have two meals that refill me sufficiently. At 55 yrs old I see little to no atrophy, and for the first 6-8 weeks I can still lay down new tissue. Beyond that point I pull training intensity back a little as there simply isn't the calorie reserve to be tearing fibres down the emphasis at that juncture is tissue preservation
Ok, you convinced me. I've been losing about 2 lbs per week for almost three months. So far, my strength has held up well, but I've had the fear that the honeymoon period ma6 be ending and I'm pushing my luck. I think I'll go to 1 lb per week for the last 15 lbs I need to lose. Great video!
Perfect timing, my diet anxiety was getting to me all day 😊😅
DR MIKE IS THE MAN
Great timing, just started my cut yesterday! :D
perfect timing ❤❤ I needed this ☝️❤
Great content! Any interest in making a deep-dive video on how combat sports athletes fluctuate their weight so much (cutting insane amounts of water weight) and how that affects body composition and what the long-term health effects of that process might be? It seems like a very fascinating topic!
Every time I have this sort of question and I search for an answer I find a beatiful and new Dr.mike video
Professor Mike, I appreciate this lecture. I was always opposed to higher learning, but majoring in Shredology at TH-cam University really turned my life around. Now my GPA’s almost up to six-pack abs!
Timely vid, I'm trying to accomplish this right now. 340 pounds (down from 480) with virtually all weight loss accomplished by changing diet and a shitload of walking. But now at a plateu that I can't seem to break through and I'm sure I've lost a decent amount of muscle mass in the process
Start doing light weights high reps you will notice step change
Just what I needed. Thanks Bodybuilding Messiah Dr. Mike.
I have seen the 3DMJ guys talking about this kind of refeed methodology for a while now and was curious why i hadnt heard Dr Mike endorse the practice but it's worked well for me over the last few months so I'm glad to hear him endorsing the idea.
Best timing for a video ngl. ❤
Been cycling 3 months. Every week or so that I feel stuck, eat a lot and rest and scale goes waaaay down days after. This makes "dieting" so much easier. There are also weeks in which I cycle 1day a lot of food and next day lesser calories - so on so forth. That way my body is never really depleted from starvation.
You aren't depleted from starvation because you aren't experiencing starvation. A defecit isn't starvation you silly fella
15:37 NUT MUSCLE!?!?!
never skip nut day
Was starting a cut today so the timing for this is perfect.
I swear I’ll have a question about my weight lifting journey and I’ll search around for a couple days then book docter mike comes along with a video about the exact topic …. Perfect 😅
100 bonus points for referencing Sowell
Add GLP-1 agonists to the mix really changed the dynamics in a positive way - I dropped 22kgs over 5 months without losing much if any muscle mass, in some muscles I gained size while doing weight work 3-4 days per week.
Are you microdosing the glp1?
@@stephanielasek6070 I am now on the second round
"it's 2023" - I wonder how many lectures are in the backlog ready to go. This to me is pretty exciting. I WANT MOOOOOOOOOORE (insert Kylo Ren)
A consistent 500-calorie deficit has worked for me. I've been losing 2 - 4 lbs a week. Looks wise, I haven't really lost much muscle at all. The only lift that's harder for me now is bench press.
Same for me. All my other lifts have been the same if not slightly improving 2-3 weeks into my cut.
Great video. I went full on a 750 plus calorie deficit this week and my energy is so low and I'm not trying to lose muscle
1,000 deficit Sunday through Thursday, and flat Friday and Saturday, been really good for myself for about 7 weeks.
Dr Mike is thaaaaa maaaan!
Over the next year and a half, I'm following a structured plan to optimize my body composition, inspired by a previous video on your channel. Starting at 250 lbs, I'll cycle through 4-week bulking phases and 8-week cutting phases:
Bulking Phases: Each bulking phase lasts 4 weeks, during which I'll aim to gain about 0.5 lb per week by consuming around 250 extra calories daily above my BMR. These phases help build muscle mass.
Maintenance Phases: Brief periods where I stabilize my weight and let my body adjust, consuming calories equal to my BMR.
Cutting Phases: Each cutting phase lasts 8 weeks, aiming to lose 1% of my total body weight per week by creating a calorie deficit (between 950 to 1,250 calories daily). This approach focuses on fat loss while preserving muscle, as discussed in a previous video.
Over this period, the average daily calorie adjustment is negative 545 calories, reflecting a net calorie deficit to support gradual weight loss while still allowing for muscle growth during bulking phases.
By alternating these phases, I plan to gradually reduce my weight to approximately 175 lbs, enhancing muscle definition and overall fitness.
A cut of ~1,000 calories daily sounds ROUGH.
@@c0wg0d it's not fun but it is doable. i do supplement my deficit with walks. about 6.875 calories per minute walked. so a mile of walking gets me an extra 137 calories. i adjust that number dynamically based on current body weight. this is intentional walking above and beyond what I would do normally. everything in my plan is dynamic based on goal weight/date and current weight. in other words I'm an excel/math nerd.
Dr Mike - in one of your videos with Dr Schoenfeld it was said that only 1/3 of normal volume is required to maintain the muscle mass. Is it then reasonable to do only 1/3 of normal volume during the cut/fat loss phase, and keep the same amount of muscle as with the normal volume? Thank you.
I think the 1/3 rule only applies while in maitenance calories or above.
Since your body is so depleted on a defict, something close to your usual training volume is what would maintain your muscle mass.
Yea like stated above, caloric deficit with little stimulation will almost guarantee catabolism from what I've heard in Dr Mike's videos
It's in a previous video, but the summary is this:
When your caloric intake is suggiciently defecit, your body signals for it to consume tissue.
You use your training to influence what type of tissue.
Using slightly higher volume training will place metabolic importance on your muscles.
Imagine telling your older, much bigger brother "I'm using that". Whatever it is, you're about to need to fight hard to hold onto it.
Whereas at maintenance calories, your body isn't actively seeking to consume tissue, so the metabolic importance of that muscle isn't as significant, cuz its not required for consumption.
This is you telling your much younger sibling "I'm using that". It's barely an effort.
TL;DR - it might be a good idea to lift (slightly) higher volumes during your cut.
But if you're at maintenance you can dial back training and not lose progress.
@@crow3710 This is what I've taken from his videos as well, which is quite different from what many other 'experts' will tell you. What I'm struggling to find from Mike's archives is how to actually monitor training progress on a cut. Doing the 3 RIR to 0 RIR across a meso doesn't work without drastically losing reps. Is his advice more along the lines of train as hard as possible to keep your reps close to PRs etc, and deload when you burn out (quicker) ? I'm on a cut just now and looking for advice on this, but it's something I'm really struggling to get good information on.
Its also going to depends on your current bodyfat levels, your age and also how long you have been lifting.
Good video. I caught on to this watching Jared's videos during his preps. Before that, when I started my prep, I made the mistake of targeting 2lbs a week with a five hundred calorie deficit the first 8 weeks of this prep. Sure, I lost 15.4 pounds in those two weeks, but paid for it. Fatigue really hit me about 6 weeks in and by 8 weeks I was toast. I went to maintenance mid prep for 4 weeks then carb cycling with 3 days of more carbs and a 200 calorie deficit vs. 500. Seems to be netting me 3/4 to a pound a week now and is way more sustainable. I do plan to go to 2 days higher carb at five weeks out then the peak week thing.
Amazing Head Shape!
Maintaining a prolonged calorie deficit during exercise can be difficult. Feeling hungry and tired is not ideal, but it's crucial to stay focused on achieving results. By setting realistic body goals and being kind to myself, I have successfully managed to lose weight consistently at a rate of 0.5-1 pound per week. This approach is steady, achievable, and sustainable compared to fluctuating between a 750-calorie deficit and 500-calorie surplus on alternate days, which would be very frustrating.
You say consistently but for how long?
oh that head move that head move at 10.26 !!! If that's not a bulletproof winning strategy I don't know what is! 🤣🤣🤣 Dr Mike is the G
Mike is about to drop Basic Economics: Metabolism Edition 9:25
I will say, as someone who just went from 300 to 200 pounds, only seeing one pound of loss per week would be really frustrating and I'd lose motivation fast. I like the rule of 1% body weight loss per week. Feels good, isn't too fast, and gets you great results.
8:10 haha I can’t believe Scott didn’t catch that one.
8:45 I started to lose attention and he startled me by saying my name 😂
I think it depends a lot on your maintenance calories, I go on severe deficits but I maintain required protein and fat and enough carbs to feel good. 250-300g protein, 50-60g fiber and few gallons of water keeps me full so I don't even get that hungry. I'd rather feel a lot hungry for a short time than a little hungry for a long time, but that's me and I have a lot of experience.
I agree about it depending on your maintenance calories, but man you’re in a different range than me. I weigh 85 kilos, and I find that I have no major issues with about 2,200 calories a day, getting at least 140 or so grams of protein and at least 30 grams of fibre per day. Sit on my butt all day? 2,200 calories like that is fine. Take 20k steps? 2,200 calories like that is fine. But if I drop much below that, even down to 2,000 or so, it’s NOT FINE. 😅
Lmao 300g of protein. Unless you are literally Haftor himself, that's insane.
i do 2100-2200 cal, 200g of protein, about 150 of carbs and about 70-80 of fats. a gallon of water on a good day and try to get 50g of fibre too. seems to be the sweet spot for me and it’s about a 800-1000 cal deficit daily, lift heavy 5x per week
This went right over my head right after he mentioned chlorific.
Liisten to chlorine by 21 pilots, should clear it up
Loving the thumbnail. Reminds me of that packet of low fat sausages I saw at the supermarket
Man I’d love you to do a review of Dr Jason Fung’s work on fasting. He claims (and cites studies) that muscle loss during calorie deficits would be maladaptive from an evolutionary point of view ie we maintain muscle to increase chances of finding our next meal. Your thoughts appreciated.
Thank you, it helped a lot
The timing on this couldn’t be better here’s me at peak fatness (I AM THE BLOATLORD POWERBELLY CHAMPION) ready to get back into shape
A blast from the past
“Hip & hobnobbing” I thought I was the only one that used those phrases anymore lol. We love ya Dr. Mike
Have been typing this exact question in on Google the past 2 days. Perfect.
Your hair is looking extra luscious today Dr. Mike
Dr Mike could you do a video specifically on geographical genetics i.e Asian, African, Polynesian, European etc
Always Like before watching
perfect timing, I was just about to give myself an inguinal hand assisted pump
Needed this video 🙏
I love you Mike.
Coop from Garage Gym Reviews just released a video critiquing your home gym. A critique of his critiquing video would be awesome. He said he'd even laugh at your jokes if you let him see it in person 🤣
4:50
Come for the training advice
Stay for the terrible analogies 😂
2023……Dr Mike thanks for taking a year off my age! Great information thanks.
I just started another cut 2 weeks ago. Aggressive, as I still need to lose 30lbs but also trying to be more smart than the first 80 I lost. 30 gets me under 200lbs at 6ft tall and coming in with a lot of muscle mass, so should be looking and feeling quite good.
Once again, you're in my head and you didn't tell me.
I watch my RP videos on 0.001 speed to reduce the risk I miss something to zero! As a side effect it takes forever which fills the void of my life.
Saving this for later!
NEED THIS GANG
“It’s better to burnout,than to fade away.”
Def Leppard
Actually, going slower in a plane isn't necessarily safer. The slower you are going, the less lift you are generating, and the closer to a stall you are. So at lower speeds, maneuvering is actually more dangerous because of how easy it is to stall.
I know that doesn't matter at all to the analogy, but I couldn't help myself. Love your content though, you've honestly helped me completely change my life for the better over the last few years.
How long should you bulk and how long should you cut so your bulk doesn't get out of control?
Thank-you for a good video
Its 2023?!! Old video upload detected! 10:25
Yup, old video re-upload, he was wearing those tshirts and that watch band a year ago.
I'm natty and a 500kcal deficit works very well for me. I'm not losing any strength during a cut.
he really was not joking when he said they have tons of videos recorded and even if they stopped filming, they will have 1 year worth of videos to upload
The systemic fatigue portion really makes me think of split squats. I've been doing the dumbbell workout regimen that was posted by RP some time ago and split squats just kill me. They leave me so fatigued I had to move them to be the very last exercise, because after I do those I can't do anything. I can't even stand up for several minutes after the second set or I get woozy.
So, could this be a good idea?
Fast for 3-4 days, eat in a surplus for 2-3 weeks.
When I imagine a legendary dwarf warrior from Baldur's Gate 3, Lord of the Rings, or from DnD, I think of this guy now. Keep up the great work man.
oh boy i was so confused on how i am supposed to go into a 250.000 calories deficit per day. :D
I've been very slowly but steadily making progress with a -750kcal cut, but my performance, but I performed quite badly during the last workout. That's it, I'm flat, I've lost literally all the gains I made during the bulk :(
On a more serious note, depending on how my next two workouts will go, I might actually do this glycogen store replenishment thing. Thanks for the video!