I'm working on my late-spring training plan, and needed some advice on cutting. I've got about four weeks after I get back from my cruise until the swim club opens for the season, and I want to be ready for that speedo :eek:

I'm thinking four weeks for the cutting cycle? Is that right, too much, or too little? I know I'll need to cut out the dairy and the sodium, any other nutrition tips to focus on? I'm a bit confused about carb intake during this phase... I've read a lot about ketogenic diets during cutting, but wouldn't that cut into muscle with the higher levels of cardio?

Speaking of exercise, I know boosting the intensity and frequency of the cardio is a must... but how much should I change the weight training? I was thinking I would be on a three-day schedule during that period, working each body part HARD once per week (maybe twice a week for abs)?

Finally, any additional supplements I should be considering during this period? CLA? Glutamine? Hydroxycut? (just kidding on that last one Chappy)

Hey philly - whats the bodyfat percentage and weight now? and whats the goal (BF and weight? And this is for show not any cycle competitions or anything?

why would sodium reduction be nessasarry for cutting? and do people loose a lot of muscle while cutting?

Sodium will make you hold water subcutaneously. Sodium is amazing how much it can affect fluid levels. There is a trick that bodybuilders use called sodium loading - high salt forma period and then normal salt - theory is you will hold water and then dump all you added plus some ( really doesnt work at all) I tried this years ago and managed to gain 12lbs in a week with fluid retention!

And yes, it is very common to lose huge amounts of lean mass while cutting fatespecially if you don't know what you are doing.

I'm still hovering around the 180 lb mark... some days it's 177, some days it's 182. Body Fat as of Friday was 18.3%... I was at 24.9% on January 1.

As far as events go, I'll be in the middle of a training cycle. I'm doing a 10M race on May 1st to close out the current training cycle, then I'm on vacation May 8-16th. I'm hoping to do the photos the weekend of June 11-12th (so there's my four week "window" for cutting), and my first competition after that is June 26th, a 2M/12M/2M duathlon.

I'm figuring that the training for the dual will give me the elevated cardio levels I'm looking for during the cutting... on most days the cardio part of the training is only about an hour, with the exception of Saturdays when it's a "LSD" (Long Slow Distance) ride on the bike.

AvoidKetogenic diet like the plague with the competitions. Start switching carbs over to more fiberous. Only starches 4 weeks out baked potato?sweet potato and Brown Rice. Lots of greens (romaine, brocolli, spinach etc) CUT OUT - fruit, Dairy, ketchup (condiments -mustard, seasonings, salt, pepper OK) No Carrots, corn, tomatos.

Up water 1.5 Gallons daily

I would up worouts to 4 days per week (train bodyparts 1 per week) High intensity but still try to train heavy with good form.