Quote (RewtheBrave @ Oct 4 2016 12:03am)
Gonna piggy back this and say that if someone is doing it faster than this, they most likely won't be able to sustain it. 1%/wk is pretty decent. Some people jump a lot of fat % early because they are especially heavy, but the amount of fat/water being lost down the road will eventually see a diminishing return. 22-12 is a steeper drop than 25-17; 2% more but also a slightly less fatty physique.
Also, use the same measurements for your bf% the entire time or you'll go batshit crazy. Different devices, different results, And use the same device 3-4x if you can before accepting a result.
Couple factors here:
starting diet: if it's a MASSIVE diet you won't suffer as much with a slightly bigger deficit
energy levels/hydration: if you can stay hydrated and keep your energy up, by all means cut at a greater deficit
I found out the hard way that I can tolerate a very low carb diet. the hard way, because I had to fight cravings for a while when first experimenting.
Indeed I think the "optimal" pace is just under 1% per week. Ryan Terry I believe had 14% body fat 16 weeks out of Mr. Olympia, and then cut down to around 4% for Mr. O-day where he landed second place in the Men's Physique division.
cutting from 14 to 4% is way more difficult than 22 to 12%, but then again Ryan Terry did everything 100% perfect, no cheat meals, perfect meal timing, frequency, nutrition; macros, micros etc... Not to mention the "supplements" and the supplements.