IIFYM: starting a cut.

Deciding to diet down is a commitment.  

"Cutting" or controlling your macros in order to lose fat is a commitment.

Its a total life overhaul. 

I'm not saying it's not worth it, I'm just saying, its hard. 

Weighing, counting, and measuring your foo is a commitment. 

I decided to start a cut about a month and a half ago.  I had been weight lifting for almost 2 years without ever restricting my calories.  I'd gained a lot of muscle and about 10 lbs.  I was never unhappy with my body and actually really enjoyed all my muscle gains and strength.  But I finally decided to lose some fat and let those muscles show.

I figured I needed to lose about 15 lbs and I gave myself a time line of 6 months. 

To start, you have to figure out your TDEE or total daily energy expenditure. 

Its pretty easy, just look up any TDEE calculator online.  That will give you the number of calories that your body naturally burns in a day before exercise.  Mine is about 2100.  I then adjust my calorie goals to facilitate the weight loss and figure out my macros.  (I can write a whole separate post on that).  

I love flexible dieting.  

It gives you the ability to eat lots of different types of foods.  If I know I am 

going to have pasta 

for dinner, I eat less carbs earlier in the day.  

If I want fries, I work it in.  I never have to restrict, just redirect. 

HOWEVER, life does change in a big way.  

Remember those beers you used to go out for with your friends on Saturdays or weekly pizza night. Those all of a sudden become a lot less fun.  Cause now your working with a certain number.  You can blow your carbs on beer and margaritas and pizza, 

but then your working with little else for the rest of the day.  

And when you eat a VEGAN DIET (ahhhh, scary, run away) that means you gotta work even harder to hit everything.  

So here I sit on my couch, writing this blog post and binge watching Gilmore Girls, while my eat whatever he wants and still has a six pack boyfriend goes out to the bar for $2 Tuesday.  

But that's okay, cause I have priorities. I know what its going to feel like when I lean 

down and finally see those abs that I know are in there!