Should I cut down to 8%

[Deleted member 23022]

I'm 25, 5'11 (179CM) and hovering around 185lbs (84KG) @ 12% Body Fat...

My face is not as lean as I feel it should be - I've tried low sodium high potassium diet, natural diuretics..etc so I'm wondering if cutting down to 170lbs - 8% BF would make the change I want? Obviously getting that lean would be fucking brutal, but I think it's worth a try. My only concern is that I would lose significant muscle as well, I'm not as wide as I want to be and would ideally like to gain more muscle in lateral delts/neck/traps/lats before I cut again.

What think?

 

[Deleted member 23022]

This Summer I cut down from 200 to 180lbs and of the 20 I lost, it was 12lbs of body fat and 5 of Skeletal Muscle Mass per my body scan before/after.

So I'm thinking if I cut to 170, I should end up around 8% body fat. I think we can all agree that face is more important than body, so sacrificing more muscle might be worth it, but idk I'm insecure about my frame.

 

[Sprinkles]

Go for it, it’s not like you can’t get the muscle back. Might as well give it a shot and see how it goes.

 

[Deleted member 22841]

Hows the rest of your face? Also i think you could still some decent amount of muscle at 8%

 

[Gandy]

Unless you are an IFBB pro body builder, I doubt you are currently at 12% body fat. You would need a huge amount of muscle mass.

If you feel your face is not lean at 84kg, 179cm, you are more likely 17+% body fat rather, maybe even over 20% than 12%. The difference in facial aesthetics is massive.

Not saying you can't currently be 12% at 84kg/179cm if you have injected for 5+ years and train 4 days a week. It's just unlikely. It's more likely your body fat is way higher than 12%.

Do you have clearly visible abs and muscle insertions?

 

[Deleted member 23022]

Go for it, it’s not like you can’t get the muscle back. Might as well give it a shot and see how it goes.

I agree

Unless you are an IFBB pro body builder, I doubt you are currently at 12% body fat. You would need a huge amount of muscle mass.

If you feel your face is not lean at 84kg, 179cm, you are more likely 17+% body fat rather, maybe even over 20% than 12%. The difference in facial aesthetics is massive.

Not saying you can't currently be 12% at 84kg/179cm if you have injected for 5+ years and train 4 days a week. It's just unlikely. It's more likely your body fat is way higher than 12%.

Do you have clearly visible abs and muscle insertions?

There might be some truth to what you are saying, I don't have great ab definition, partially cause I don't train abs often. But I think my body fat is at least 1% probably 2% higher than the body scan says it is.

I couldn't find my most recent one but here is my scan from the Summer - it showed 11% at 179lbs after 3 months of hard dieting.

 

[Gandy]

I agree

There might be some truth to what you are saying, I don't have great ab definition, partially cause I don't train abs often. But I think my body fat is at least 1% probably 2% higher than the body scan says it is.

I couldn't find my most recent one but here is my scan from the Summer - it showed 11% at 179lbs after 3 months of hard dieting.

Then you aren't 11%, is the most likely explanation. Many pros who never train or hypertrophy their abs have extremely visible abs even at 13-14%.

Unfortunately I also got inaccurate DEXA readings and have stopped relying on them (or calipers for that matter) - only the measuring tape and mirror matter.

People radically underestimate how painful and hard it is to be a true 11% body fat and how lean you would look facially if you were that lean.
Your abs would also be very ripped at this point, trained or untrained.

 

[Deleted member 23022]

Then you aren't 11%, is the most likely explanation. Many pros who never train or hypertrophy their abs have extremely visible abs even at 13-14%.

Unfortunately I also got inaccurate DEXA readings and have stopped relying on them (or calipers for that matter) - only the measuring tape and mirror matter.

People radically underestimate how painful and hard it is to be a true 11% body fat and how lean you would look facially if you were that lean.
Your abs would also be very ripped at this point, trained or untrained.

Yeah I'm starting to think you are correct man. If going based off my ab definition, my 12% scan is probably closer to 15%.

 

[Deleted member 23022]

So yeah, I think the plan is gonna be to cut down to 170lb and see how it looks from there.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Then you aren't 11%, is the most likely explanation. Many pros who never train or hypertrophy their abs have extremely visible abs even at 13-14%.

Unfortunately I also got inaccurate DEXA readings and have stopped relying on them (or calipers for that matter) - only the measuring tape and mirror matter.

People radically underestimate how painful and hard it is to be a true 11% body fat and how lean you would look facially if you were that lean.
Your abs would also be very ripped at this point, trained or untrained.

scans are inaccurate?

would they be a godo way to measure progress though?

 

[Deleted member 23022]

I think they are a good way to measure progress, but I always had a suspicion that they were a bit inaccurate.

I think it's a good way to measure how much muscle gained or fat you lost over an extended period of time (3-6 months) but shouldn't be relied upon for exact measurements like BF%

 

[Gandy]

scans are inaccurate?

would they be a godo way to measure progress though?

They are an ok way to measure progress. Much better than using a scale.

But in the end, the mirror is the only"blackpilled" measure of your true success - i.e. how lean you truly are while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible.

Dexa numbers don't mean anything if you don't look good in pictures and mirrors.

I have had false readings of 13% when I didn't even have a clearly outlined sixpack.

 

[Deleted member 18840]

They are an ok way to measure progress. Much better than using a scale.

But in the end, the mirror is the only"blackpilled" measure of your true success - i.e. how lean you truly are while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible.

Dexa numbers don't mean anything if you don't look good in pictures and mirrors.

I have had false readings of 13% when I didn't even have a clearly outlined sixpack.

Whats your bodyfat and muscle mass

 

[Gandy]

Whats your bodyfat and muscle mass

Currently I maintain 10-12% year round. During the winter when there is less incentive to go out I'm less strict about my diet and I'm closer to 12%, but I want to maintain 6-pack all year round. In the summer I restrict carbs and sodium heavily to get a leaner and more 'ripped' look.

I haven't measured my total muscle mass, but I've worked out ~6 years with little to no pauses, progressive overload, 3-4 times a week. I have used PED's but never injected testosterone. I don't want to lose hair and collagen at this point which can be the cost of injecting. My goal also isn't maximum size, it's just having decently sized muscles while maintaining good skin and hair.

(I have made one mistake, clenbuterol hydrochloride - I felt like having a heart attack after ~3 weeks during a workout, so I completely cut it out, now I don't consider anything else except cardarine and maybe mk677. I also use synephrine to increase BMR and lower body fat)

 

[Deleted member 18840]

Currently I maintain 10-12% year round. During the winter when there is less incentive to go out I'm less strict about my diet and I'm closer to 12%, but I want to maintain 6-pack all year round. In the summer I restrict carbs and sodium heavily to get a leaner and more 'ripped' look.

I haven't measured my total muscle mass, but I've worked out ~6 years with little to no pauses, progressive overload, 3-4 times a week. I have used PED's but never injected testosterone. I don't want to lose hair and collagen at this point which can be the cost of injecting. My goal also isn't maximum size, it's just having decently sized muscles while maintaining good skin and hair.

(I have made one mistake, clenbuterol hydrochloride - I felt like having a heart attack after ~3 weeks during a workout, so I completely cut it out, now I don't consider anything else except cardarine and maybe mk677. I also use synephrine to increase BMR and lower body fat)

Insightful information ngl. How old are you ? Have you tried semaglutide?
What would you recommend for an oldcel who wants to start gym yes ik its late

 

[Deleted member 20399]

I'm 25, 5'11 (179CM) and hovering around 185lbs (84KG) @ 12% Body Fat...

My face is not as lean as I feel it should be - I've tried low sodium high potassium diet, natural diuretics..etc so I'm wondering if cutting down to 170lbs - 8% BF would make the change I want? Obviously getting that lean would be fucking brutal, but I think it's worth a try. My only concern is that I would lose significant muscle as well, I'm not as wide as I want to be and would ideally like to gain more muscle in lateral delts/neck/traps/lats before I cut again.

What think?

179cm is 5’10

 

[Deleted member 23022]

179cm is 5’10

It fluctuates between 179-181 cause I have scoliosis (25 lumbar and 32 degree thoracic curve) costing me about 4cm FML.

I'm typically 180 but recently been 179 cause my posture is bad & carrying extra weight.