Lean enough to bulk? Down from 195 lbs in Jan this year to 143.8.

him103

http://imgur.com/a/5Ec4s/all


I am currently reverse dieting for the next two months and plan to eat 2500 cals a day. I want to do a slow lean bulk with the goal of gaining .5 lbs a week.

3laine75

Great place to start. I'm around the same weight but female

As a young guy, I'm sure you could get away with a larger surplus, say 1 lb a week IMO.

LolBroScience

How long have you been lifting?
How many calories are you currently taking in, and whats the macro breakdown?

beastcompany

Let me start by saying Congrats on the weight loss!
That's quiet the accomplishment.

But yes, it's time to start bulking. You're physique is very lean/skinny and needs a developed base of mass at this point.

For your reverse diet you should be slowly increasing calories weekly/bi-weekly until you're at your desired bulking range.

him103

LolBroScience wrote: »

How long have you been lifting?
How many calories are you currently taking in, and whats the macro breakdown?

Currently taking in 2200 calories right now 260 carb, 70 fat, 130 protein up from 1700 calories where I was taking in about 120-160 carb, 40-60 fat, and usually 150+protein. I've been adding 100 calories a week (mix of carbs and fat, lowering protein) since the 1st week of December.

I've been lifting on and off for about 3 years. I was able to maintain my strength for about 90% of my cut until I hurt myself deadlifting. The three months of recovery while still on a cut dropped my lifts significantly as I took over a month off from upper and haven't done any legs until last week (bench 195 x 5 - 165 x 5, squats 225 x 5 - 135 x 5, deadlift 285 x 5 - N/A, OHP 125 x 5 - 110 x 3).

beastcompany wrote: »

Let me start by saying Congrats on the weight loss!
That's quiet the accomplishment.

But yes, it's time to start bulking. You're physique is very lean/skinny and needs a developed base of mass at this point.

For your reverse diet you should be slowly increasing calories weekly/bi-weekly until you're at your desired bulking range.

Thanks! It's been a long cut but I think it was worth it.

As a side note, co-workers have been bringing in lots of candies during this week and before I've been able to walk away with no issue. Increasing my calories and knowing I want to put on size has made that choice much much harder My food diary for the last week shows the amount of crap ive put in my body compared to the cutting phase.

I've only put on about 1 lb since my lowest weigh in three weeks ago from 142.8 - 143.8 this morning.

ndj1979

normally, I would say go with .5 pound but based on your profile pics it looks like you would really benefit from one pound per week gain.

are you on a structured program for lifting?

MagnumBurrito

I'd work my way up to a pound too.

him103

ndj1979 wrote: »

normally, I would say go with .5 pound but based on your profile pics it looks like you would really benefit from one pound per week gain.

are you on a structured program for lifting?

I was doing stronglifts for a while but I switched to a push/pull/legs split.

ndj1979

him103 wrote: »

ndj1979 wrote: »

normally, I would say go with .5 pound but based on your profile pics it looks like you would really benefit from one pound per week gain.

are you on a structured program for lifting?

I was doing stronglifts for a while but I switched to a push/pull/legs split.

is the push/pull/legs split something you designed on your own or an actual program…?

him103

ndj1979 wrote: »

him103 wrote: »

ndj1979 wrote: »

normally, I would say go with .5 pound but based on your profile pics it looks like you would really benefit from one pound per week gain.

are you on a structured program for lifting?

I was doing stronglifts for a while but I switched to a push/pull/legs split.

is the push/pull/legs split something you designed on your own or an actual program…?

Designed on my own. Trying to do LP as much as possible but i haven't been able to gain any strength after my injury. As I increase my calories I do notice I have a bit more energy so hopefully my strength will come back soon. I may try to deadlift and add pendlay rows during the end of January depending on how my lower back feels.

Push:
Benchpress 3x8
Standing OHP 3x8
Incline dumbell benchpress 3x8
Weighted Dips 3x8
tricep pulldown 3x8

Pull:
Wide grip chin ups 3xfailure
isolateral pulldown 3x8
Reverse dumbell flyes 3x8
Hammer curls 3x8
sitting cable row 3x8
hyperextensions 3x8

Legs:
Squats 3x8
leg press 3x8
machine hack squat 3x8
ab-roller 5x8