Do I continue to cut or do I start building muscle mass?

WaimanaloMan

To those in the know, I humbly request your advice.

I'm 175 lbs and 6 ft tall, an online body fat calculator said my BFI is around 18%. I lost 36 lbs of weight and I think I'm at my goal weight.

My question is, I'm aiming for a low body fat percentage and I'm looking to build muscle too. When I started MFP all I knew is that I had roughly 36 lbs to lose and when I lost the weight I found myself unsure of where to go next. My ideal build would be what Ryan Reynolds looked like in Blade Trinity. I understand he had a personal trainer and pretty much lived in the gym to get that shape. I also understand he had a very specific eating regime, I've read his interviews in magazines.

How would you recommend I go about beginning to do this? I have a pretty decent frame to build on, my best definition is in my legs, from crazy amounts of kettle bells, squats and loads of walking. I don't have much ab definition at the moment, but I've never put much work into this area - which I want to change. As far as diet goes, I cook almost all my own food. I eat plenty of brown rice, black beans, loads of vegetables and meats like lean beef, lean pork and chicken. I hardly touch sodas, candy, and avoid fast food. I'm unsure if it's okay to get all my protein from food and not a powder supplement along the lines of USN's muscle fuel range.

I'd appreciate any advice, basically I've reached my idea of goal weight, do I continue to cut or can I start building the foundations now?

Thanks!

freebirdjones

I am no expert and you can google this, it tells you a bit more about at what fat % to start to bulk in case you needed to cut first. But I'd start bulking now, and after that's done you can finish with a cut until you have he muscle reveal you desire? I don't know that advice could be way off. I think protein bars & powder is okay to help reach your protein goal. I have both daily. I watched "How To Look Like That Guy" and liked it, it was crazy to see what goes into prepping for a show. I'm not going to go that far but right now I'm comparable to his first 18 weeks, seeing gains and soon I will be cutting and we'll see how that goes. I hope you get some good replies, I want to see some good tips from someone who has done this

jonnythan

Online body fat calculators are completely useless. Get a set of calipers for $5.

Anyway, bulk until you're unhappy with your appearance, then cut.

WaimanaloMan

Online body fat calculators are completely useless. Get a set of calipers for $5.

Anyway, bulk until you're unhappy with your appearance, then cut.

I suspected that about the body fat calculator, thanks, will do!

tomcornhole

We are in nearly the exact same spot. I am 6 ft, 185 lbs and 15.6% BF, 156 lbs LBM. I lost 70 lbs to get here and it took me 14 months to do it. When I got to my goal weight of 185 lbs, I could not decide what to do next. Go to 175 lbs and 10% BF? Go to maintenance and be happy? Start a bulk?

I decided to approach it very methodically by changing one thing at a time and evaluating the results:

1. Maintain weight and workout regimen. I added 100 cal / week for 4 weeks until I got to my maintenance calories. All I changed was calories in. Workout and macros stayed the same as when I was cutting. That has been fairly easy to do and I am 6 weeks into this step. My weight has been 185 lbs +-2 lbs and I am now convinced I have nailed my maintenance calories. I got a BodPod when I started maintenance so I know my BF% (15.6%) and LBM (156 lbs). I consider this step complete.

2. Focus on getting stronger while maintaining weight. This is where I am now. I am doing 5/3/1 and adding strength every week. I will adjust calories and macros as required to maintain weight. I will use the mirror to measure my progress. I will do a BodPod once I stop adding strength to see where I am BF% wise.

3. Once I stop being able to add strength while maintaining 185 lbs, then I will have to make a decision. I am anticipating little change in LBM from step 2. But I am hopeful that I might be able to get a slight body recomposition of reduced fat and increased LBM in step 2. If the BodPod indicates I can lose fat and gain LBM while not adding weight (even if it is slow), I will continue with #2 until I get to 10-12% BF. Might take years, but I'm not in a hurry.

4. Party like it's 1999

Hope this helps. Controlled changes with defined and measurable steps is key, IMHO. Change too much at once and you cannot isolate the variables and correlate the results.

Tom

jimmmer

We are in nearly the exact same spot. I am 6 ft, 185 lbs and 15.6% BF, 156 lbs LBM. I lost 70 lbs to get here and it took me 14 months to do it. When I got to my goal weight of 185 lbs, I could not decide what to do next. Go to 175 lbs and 10% BF? Go to maintenance and be happy? Start a bulk?

I decided to approach it very methodically by changing one thing at a time and evaluating the results:

1. Maintain weight and workout regimen. I added 100 cal / week for 4 weeks until I got to my maintenance calories. All I changed was calories in. Workout and macros stayed the same as when I was cutting. That has been fairly easy to do and I am 6 weeks into this step. My weight has been 185 lbs +-2 lbs and I am now convinced I have nailed my maintenance calories. I got a BodPod when I started maintenance so I know my BF% (15.6%) and LBM (156 lbs). I consider this step complete.

2. Focus on getting stronger while maintaining weight. This is where I am now. I am doing 5/3/1 and adding strength every week. I will adjust calories and macros as required to maintain weight. I will use the mirror to measure my progress. I will do a BodPod once I stop adding strength to see where I am BF% wise.

3. Once I stop being able to add strength while maintaining 185 lbs, then I will have to make a decision. I am anticipating little change in LBM from step 2. But I am hopeful that I might be able to get a slight body recomposition of reduced fat and increased LBM in step 2. If the BodPod indicates I can lose fat and gain LBM while not adding weight (even if it is slow), I will continue with #2 until I get to 10-12% BF. Might take years, but I'm not in a hurry.

4. Party like it's 1999

Hope this helps. Controlled changes with defined and measurable steps is key, IMHO. Change too much at once and you cannot isolate the variables and correlate the results.

Tom

I have nothing to add - apart from I love the thought that's gone into this!

mikemc620

I am 6'3" and 188 lbs. I think that I have been hanging around there for about the past 2 months or so. I really want to go on a cut and see how ripped I can get but at the same time I want to bulk to get bigger. So since on 5/3/1 I am still consistently adding weights, I will continue to maintain my weight throughout the summer. I wish I knew what my BF% was, but at the same time I really don't care cause I just gauge everything on what the mirror says. At least I will have a base maintenance level for when I eventually start the long slow bulk that I want to go on.

Just look at the mirror. Pick to either bulk, cut or maintain and just keep doing it until you don't like the results and make a change.

WaimanaloMan

Thank you everyone, for all your awesome replies and the time and effort you put into them!

I've decided I might continue to lower my body fat percentage, I've never had it very low and I'd be interested to see what it looks like. I feel like after I reach that, it will be a foundation from which to bulk and then eventually cut. Learning this is almost like learning a new language, I love the challenge but I respect the effort it requires.

A huge thanks once again for the help!