So here's a list of things I did to lose 3% body fat with no muscle loss in a month:

0.1 lb muscle loss, ~7lb of fat loss

There's alot of method and techniques I used to get here, mostly around building better habits. Here are what those habits are, and how you can reproduce it for yourself:

Checking in

dexa scan

• Dexa scans once a month to start out and analyze results scientifically on fatloss%

  • do it at the end of a cut and halfway in it
  • before you start a new workout routine
  • Dexa scan is an MRI machine that checks how much fat is in your body in different regions

• Weekly progress pic to check in with self

  • take pictures at same angles everytime
  • do it in the morning

• Weekly measuring of body sizes

  • this gives a bigger picture of whether I'm losing fat or not (e.g. smaller abdomen)

Working out

example of notetaking for workouts on sets

• Pyramid sets upward during workouts. For lower power lifts near one rep max, 5-10 lb increments. Upper body at 2.5-5 lb increments
• Allow 3-5 mins recovery on big 3 lifts between sets
• Perfect breathing techniques on eccentric and concentric loading
• Check in with body. If I couldn’t do a warmup set or got overly fatigued from it, skip workout
• Increase total number of warmup sets to reduce injuries
• Checking if new strength numbers were met from previous workouts

• Write down how every set went in a workout.

  • I use shorthand notations like ls for lastset, ms for midset, fs for first set, bs for best set etc.
  • I write a lot of notes here, more than I think I'll need
  • I'll add levels of exertion of effort for each set.
  • I'll write down if I need to go down a level or up next time.
  • I also add notes on dates of when I worked out (to be implemented)
  • More data is better
  • I add the notes from my phone while working out to a google spreadsheet, based on program I'm on
  • I run a FIND/SEARCH to see what my last sets were for that specific exercise. E.g. "helms row" for instance

Recovery Habits

• Improve sleep hygiene with better practices and melatonin
• Yoga for strength and meditation
• Stretch regularly before a workout and foam roll it out
• Before a deload period, I went for one max PRs and hit to failure
• Being aware of stress levels and solutions to remedy it
• Get into the habiting of moving a lot and not sitting stand for too long

Macro dieting

tracking weight changes over time

• 2000-2200 calories daily on workout days
• A little more calories on recovery days
• Deload week, I did maintenance 2500 calories
• Do macro nutrient tracking every so often, and calculate calories per meal everytime I qcook
• Chicken Egg Rice Broccoli just works
• Eat about 500 calories before a workout, should be high in carbs and protein
• Eat 30g protein / meal max, but eat 4-6 times in a day

Dealing with Hunger Pangs and desire to eat out

chicken broccoli rice eggs

• Only plan ~1500 calories a day, fill the rest however I wanted (junk food, beef jerky, alcohol etc)
• Postworkout, do half casein half whey protein
• Creatine and vitamins
• Nighttime, do all casein protein
• Add starchy vegetables that are filling and low cal, broccoli. Add eggs into diet. 35-45 % protein intake daily at ~200g
• Drink lots of water during before after workout, and also have a habit of drinking a post nighttime smoothie too with more water