Calorie Surplus vs. Deficient, and Macros?

Robertfitnax

Calorie Surplus vs. Calorie Deficient, Macros and Building Strength?

Sorry for being a N00B, but trying to get the concept down. Whenever I go on a clean calorie surplus, I notice I feel heavier and body fat. I usually feel good when I’m on a calorie deficient, my body looks more defined and I feel good in the morning. When I see bodybuilders/athletes on instagram or just in general they post up their diet which looks like a lot of food, for example Devin Physique eats a lot, protein with brown rice, veggies, etc. big portion meals. Obviously if I ate that I would probably get fat off of those portions.

How can I get to single digit body fat without losing strength? Do you guys prefer going on a deficient with high protein or a surplus? What are your macros?
So far my macros/stats are looking like (yesterday) 43P/18C/39F 1570 Calories my weight 153.5 height 5’7 Age 23
Protein intake yesterday was around 197G
So what would you guys recommend?

Cortelli

Spend some time reading some of the "stickied" threads in the "Getting Started" forum and elsewhere. Your short packs in enough basic questions that a wordy *kitten* like me could write paragraphs and paragraphs in response. But to try and keep it simple:

* To lose body fat you must be in a calorie deficit (i.e., consuming fewer calories than you are burning)
* To maintain / grow strength while in a deficit, and to preserve muscle mass while in a deficit, engage in regular heavy resistance training and consume adequate protein (generally at least 1 g per pound of lean body mass, for some perhaps higher)
* With some exceptions (new to lifting, returning to lifting after a long lay-off), do not expect to add muscle mass while in a deficit
* Even when in a deficit, and without gaining muscle mass, you can gain strength for a long time -- a big chunk of strength comes from neuro-muscular training -- your body learns how to better utilize existing muscle fiber to allow you to get stronger.
* Over a prolonger deficit, an experienced lifter is likely to lose some strength.
* In order to build muscle mass a calorie surplus is required -- your body needs excess calories to build the new muscle
* When "bulking" (eating a calorie surplus to gain muscle mass) you will basically always also add fat; it is unavoidable.
* Many people alternate bulk - cut cycles -- adding weight in the hopes of adding muscle mass; then losing weight while trying to preserve muscle mass (i.e., shedding the fat they started with or added during the bulk phase).
* Many people undertake a "recomp" or body recomposition - eating roughly at maintenance calories (neither deficit nor surplus) while lifting regularly in the hopes of slowly shedding some excess fat and adding some muscle mass. This is generally considered much slower than a bulk / cut cycle, but may suit one's lifestyle needs or choices much better.

Good luck, and as I said, read a lot of threads as there is a ton of good information here (and some bad, but reading a lot will help you figure out which is which).

Robertfitnax

Thanks! I Actually liked your answer a lot compared to some of the answers I've read on bodybuilding.com...