Calories and Plateaus

[Nmattero]

BBM team, you guys put out some fantastic content. Hard to get enough!

Question on nutrition - I’m currently eating around 2200 calories per day. I’m male, 5’7, 214lbs. Always been on the heavier side. I started with the Bridge, and now about to start week 6 of the 4 day Hypertrophy program. I started the bridge at 228lbs. My strength is still increasing somewhat or at least maintaining while I’m losing weight which is what the goal was.

I started the deficit at 2600 calories when I began the Bridge. As things stalled, I’ve shaved off 100 calories each time and I’m seeing things starting to slow again at 2200 calories. I‘m going to cut it back to 2100 calories per day, but is there a certain point I should stop decreasing and go back to maintenance for a period and then start again? Or am I on the right track? I know it sounds pretty low and I’ve heard you guys mention that people often underreport their intake, but I’m semi neurotic about it and track pretty closely.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I don't think you should stop losing weight until you reach your body comp/weight goals. I don't think you're actually that low at all. Carry on!

[moorejl57]

Along the same lines, using the Navy method, I am at 22% BF (male, 5'11", umbilical waist 37", neck 16", 197 lb) and my goal is to reach 15% which implies I need my waist down to 34". I have lost ~10 lbs @ 0.75 lb / week from 207. I am doing mostly my own hypertrophy training (will start on your 3 day template next week) and have maintained strength. My question is should I just carry on until I reach my goal, which could take a few more months or go into maintenance after some set time. I have nocebo'd myself about missing out on muscle gains by staying in a deficit for so long. The purpose of the 15% goal is due to my notion of nutrient partitioning being improved at lower body fat % for future gains.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Along the same lines, using the Navy method, I am at 22% BF (male, 5'11", umbilical waist 37", neck 16", 197 lb) and my goal is to reach 15% which implies I need my waist down to 34". I have lost ~10 lbs @ 0.75 lb / week from 207. I am doing mostly my own hypertrophy training (will start on your 3 day template next week) and have maintained strength. My question is should I just carry on until I reach my goal, which could take a few more months or go into maintenance after some set time. I have nocebo'd myself about missing out on muscle gains by staying in a deficit for so long. The purpose of the 15% goal is due to my notion of nutrient partitioning being improved at lower body fat % for future gains.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I would continue on towards your goal until you get there. I don't think your nutrient partitioning will improve markedly enough to warrant a strong push to get leaner just for that. If you want to be leaner, get leaner. If you want to partition nutrients better, getting leaner will help to a very small degree.

The stuff you have read on other sites (mostly) about strength and muscle gains have likely nocebo'd you, yes.