as i continue on with my cutting diet... ive noticed that as im getting leaner im also feeling lighter (given) and starting to see myself as scrawny looking. do any of you all deal with this? i mean... i know ive actually created more muscle for myself as opposed to when i first started... but the loss of a lot of fat has seriously made me percieve myself as scrawny. i guess its because i was soo used to being husky/fat.. chubby ...whatever.

i just cant wait to start adding some serious bulk.

is this normal?

is this normal?
In some people, I suggest you increase your calories only by 500 when you reach your goal. Keep up the weights and cut the cardio. the increase of 500 calories can give you a one pound a week gain.

There is a good saying from the past, You never can be too skinny or too rich. I used to believe that until I saw some after cutting pictures here. Post a good picture so we can see what you look like.

In some people, I suggest you increase your calories only by 500 when you reach your goal. Keep up the weights and cut the cardio. the increase of 500 calories can give you a one pound a week gain.

There is a good saying from the past, You never can be too skinny or too rich. I used to believe that until I saw some after cutting pictures here. Post a good picture so we can see what you look like.


thnx. i will do that. my next post should include a pic of my current look.

as i continue on with my cutting diet... ive noticed that as im getting leaner im also feeling lighter (given) and starting to see myself as scrawny looking. do any of you all deal with this? i mean... i know ive actually created more muscle for myself as opposed to when i first started... but the loss of a lot of fat has seriously made me percieve myself as scrawny. i guess its because i was soo used to being husky/fat.. chubby ...whatever.

i just cant wait to start adding some serious bulk.

is this normal?

It is normal man. It's one of those deals where your change in mind hasn't kept up with the change in your body. You've spent x number of years as a "husky" guy - suddenly you're not anymore. Your body percieves this as unusual.

I can relate in that I still hesitate to buy clothes that actually fit. I ALWAYS think they're going to be too small for me. And even though time and time I repeat the same process, I still reach for the extra large shirts even though a medium fits.

You're looking great man - and I don't think "scrawny" is even close to reality! ;) You look lean - and rather angry.

These mind games happen to me every time I get ready for a show or photoshoot. I feel like I am wasting away and will blow away w/the wind, but it's mental more-so than anything. Once I see the pictures from the show or the shoot, I realize that everything is just fine and that all the hard work has paid off.

~SC~

as i continue on with my cutting diet... ive noticed that as im getting leaner im also feeling lighter (given) and starting to see myself as scrawny looking. do any of you all deal with this? i mean... i know ive actually created more muscle for myself as opposed to when i first started... but the loss of a lot of fat has seriously made me percieve myself as scrawny. i guess its because i was soo used to being husky/fat.. chubby ...whatever.

i just cant wait to start adding some serious bulk.

is this normal?

I know how you feel. I've thought the same thing when looking at my progress photos. It's just part of the process. Keep at it.

Jesse

I can't wait to get to that stage in the game :whistle:

It could be because you *are* getting too scrawny but scrawny to one is lean and trim to another so its a personal preference.

Too many people emaciate themselves IMHO, the main focus is obviously fat loss but it should also be bodybuilding. You should be looking at increasing muscle and strength expecially if its new to you. If you have a 40" waist and 15" arms to start with when you get down to 35" waist your arms should be 16" and not 13" or 14".

Everyones diet should be different but mine is high protein 250g - 300g a day and low carbs, about 150g a day sometimes or less, for fats Flax and peanut butter. I'm eating to grow although my cals are 2000 - 2200 a day.

I'm more concerned about muscle than wearing my treadmill out. Diet is 90%+ of this and I can guarantee when I have finished my cut I'll look like a bodybuilder and not a POW.

Don't forget though if you are too emaciated adding even 5 lbs of muscle will look excellent if you are now lean so its not too much of an issue. There is a road to take, many roads lead to the destination, I just choose to stick to the uphill slow path rather than short cuts (losing too much muscle too quickly).

In 1995 I cut and lost a shit load of muscle, I came down from 230 to 175 in 3 months by being an idiot and filling myself with ephedrine. I got some photos done and when I saw them I realised I was an emaciated POW lookalike. I then got back to 210lbs without adding too much fat and looked excellent, far better than when I was 265lbs with a big bloated gut.

Hope some of my ramblings are of use(!)

These mind games happen to me every time I get ready for a show or photoshoot. I feel like I am wasting away and will blow away w/the wind, but it's mental more-so than anything. Once I see the pictures from the show or the shoot, I realize that everything is just fine and that all the hard work has paid off.

~SC~

Yes but without the diet know how and the ability to *know* when you are losing muscle many newbies and those with little lifting experience will probably be eating muscle faster than they realise.

If I were a newbie I would certainly be signing up to your program but I'm confident I know what I am doing.

haha, I *SO* know that feeling cross!!! I went from 350 to 180, I've not felt normal since and to this day I've yet to come accorss a normal feeling weight range unless I'm a bit overweight.

Anything under 220 to 210 and I feel incredibly awkward, I can't even put it into words.

It's as if my mind will not accept thin.

Too many people emaciate themselves IMHO, the main focus is obviously fat loss but it should also be bodybuilding. You should be looking at increasing muscle and strength expecially if its new to you. If you have a 40" waist and 15" arms to start with when you get down to 35" waist your arms should be 16" and not 13" or 14".


I am not a man, but, this sounds a little fishy to me.

If you're going to lose 5 inches off your waist, it's impractical to expect not to lose any girth from your arms. Your 15" arms were not made of solid muscle. Once you shave the fat off of them, they're not quite so big anymore.

It's not difficult to lose a pound of fat per week; but gaining a pound of muscle takes longer than a week. Cutting is a much quicker process than bulking. That's why the scrawny feelings persist.

I'm not intentionally scrawny, but I like the body fat percentage I'm at. I can't just will my muscles to grow, I have to spend the time developing them.

I don't think it's right that the main focus should be bodybuilding. If that's your main focus, that's fine, but there's nothing wrong with the rest of the world focusing on fat loss. Different goals for different people.

I am not a man, but, this sounds a little fishy to me.

If you're going to lose 5 inches off your waist, it's impractical to expect not to lose any girth from your arms. Your 15" arms were not made of solid muscle. Once you shave the fat off of them, they're not quite so big anymore.


There is nothing fishy about it, 9 weeks ago I had 16" arms and a 44" waist. I now have a 38 1/2 waist and 17 1/2" arms. My weight has gone down almost 20lbs. I have gained what is obviously a large amount of muscle and dropped a lot of fat in that time.

I have the pics too prove it which I'll be posting when I'm done with my cutting on December 11th (5 months by then).

Maybe I am lucky and muscle memory has kicked in, before my 6 years of being a slob I was training regularly.

My point is many people here are cutting or bulking, why not eat and train to grow no matter which you are doing. It appears SwoleCat helps people to do this and I do it too and others I have seen have also gained a decent amount of muscle while cutting.

There is nothing fishy about it, 9 weeks ago I had 16" arms and a 44" waist. I now have a 38 1/2 waist and 17 1/2" arms. My weight has gone down almost 20lbs. I have gained what is obviously a large amount of muscle and dropped a lot of fat in that time..
So in another 9 weeks, if you dropped to a 32 or 33 waist, your arms should be 19" by then? :confused:

So in another 9 weeks, if you dropped to a 32 or 33 waist, your arms should be 19" by then? :confused:

No because in 18 weeks I won't have a 20" waist and 22" arms :lol:

However in 9 weeks I will have at least 17" arms and a 34" waist, unless I injure myself I see no reason why I can't do that. My point is ensuring you don't lose msucle is the main goal, well for me anyway. If others prefer to cut then grow then fine, each to his/her own.

as i continue on with my cutting diet... ive noticed that as im getting leaner im also feeling lighter (given) and starting to see myself as scrawny looking. do any of you all deal with this? i mean... i know ive actually created more muscle for myself as opposed to when i first started... but the loss of a lot of fat has seriously made me percieve myself as scrawny. i guess its because i was soo used to being husky/fat.. chubby ...whatever.

i just cant wait to start adding some serious bulk.

is this normal?

You've done a great job & since I've lost around 50+ Lbs. as you have, I can relate as well - I'm always wondering if it's gone too far & if it's time to maintain or maybe even work on clean & slow bulk yet. It's funny how when starting out it only seems like you need to lose 10-20 Lbs., then it turns into 10 more, than 5 more, etc., always more than you originally thought & not just a simple math equation.

I'll bet that (& hope) that somedays you feel scrawny but somedays you don't & are proud of what you've accomplished. I think it's mostly mental... a mind game that you are winning. How's your strength - you probably haven't lost too much & maybe even gained some strength & stamina which could be more of a true test.

Learn to enjoy your newer, healthier, more defined & efficient, cut to quality, lean shape. You have earned it & it's lookin' good man! :tu:

Good luck & keep on movin',

G

EDIT: :cool: Here's the proof... (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=20035)

as i continue on with my cutting diet... ive noticed that as im getting leaner im also feeling lighter (given) and starting to see myself as scrawny looking. do any of you all deal with this? i mean... i know ive actually created more muscle for myself as opposed to when i first started... but the loss of a lot of fat has seriously made me percieve myself as scrawny. i guess its because i was soo used to being husky/fat.. chubby ...whatever.

i just cant wait to start adding some serious bulk.

is this normal?


:lol: that's exactly why i went to bulking before i reached my goal of 6% bf.........i felt scrawny as hell, i thinked i might of mentioned it in one of my posts....it looked like i was just getting skinny, although my muscles looked great i felt scrawny and now i'm bulking cause i couldn't take it any longer :D

it's funny when i think about it before i looked great with a shirt and now i hate how scrawny i look with a shirt...but without it i love it

i feel alot better now that i'm bulking back up though especially the pumps being back, man i missed those

:gl: ............oh and to answer your question yea i felt scrawny :D