Confused

Hey all - I have a question I hope someone can help me with. I finished up a reset probably 4-5 weeks ago or so, and since then I've been trying to eat at a deficit except that I hate tracking anymore so I've probably only been 50% with it. I gained weight during my reset after having lost 30# last year with the good old fashioned deficit diet and P90X. So, I've gained back probably a total of 15-17 of those #s since last summer. Anyway, my question is how do I know when to do a bulk? Since I'm supposed to be doing a cut, and I want to do a cut to get rid of these extra pounds, but if I'm lifting heavy shouldn't I be doing a bulk? Or will lifting heavy with doing a cut be okay to lose body fat? Did this make any sense at all?? LOL I guess I'm not sure how to say what I mean. Thanks in advance!

Replies

ANewLucia

Here is a link that may help you decide whether bulking is right for you http://eatmore2weighless.com/category/fitness-cycles-periodization/.

silver9051

Excellent, thank you!! I do have one other question though. After having read all that, I do believe I want to be in a cut right now. What does a cut workout schedule look like? It's more reps with a little bit lesser weight, correct?? How much cardio do you do, compared to a bulk session? I think I get myself into information overload and get confused easily, lol. Thanks again!!

Joydriven

A cut or a bulk is determined by your calorie intake and not the weight of your lifts as far as I know. By lifting, you maintain more muscle while reducing your intake and lose more fat. The current lifting for women strategy is all about low reps/heavy weights. And many think the low weight/many reps is not as efficient. And then the whole to bulk or not to bulk debate!

Did you gain 15-17 # during your reset? And are you finding it the same in terms of weight loss rate as the standard starve while moving fast diet? I'm in the middle of a reset and, all of a sudden, my clothes have gotten tight and all my previous fat storage areas that had gone down are once again filled. I'm feeling oh so pudgy! And not happy and I keep on thinking I'm going to bolt for the rabbit food. And so far, talk myself down but I'm not sure how much longer I will be able to.

I wish there were more people posting about their after strategies. My guess is, once a reset is done, one is off and running for lifting, cardio, eating styles to explore.

silver9051

I know what you mean. After my reset I was kind of at a loss of what exactly I should be doing. Couple that with the fact that I was lax on tracking makes for a shoddy plan and strategy and more weight gain. I didn't gain all of that weight back during the reset, but probably about 10-12 since I was starting to gain weight back while still doing a large calorie deficit last year. My clothes are still fitting, but barely. That's why I'm trying to nip this in the bud asap and get my butt back into tracking. And that's why I wanted to figure out the best kind of strategy as far as working out goes during a cut, to get the most bang for my buck, if you will.

heybales

Keep it the same, there is no need to change anything.

At some point, you'll reach a level where you won't increase on your lifts, because you've used all existing muscle, your body has made if possible any it can with your deficit, and you won't progress.

Could take a year.

The problem during this time, the body is going to want to make improvements, because if doing lifting right you are still trying to overload, you are still asking the body to improve.
But without the extra food, it can't. But it'll ask for it by making you very hungry. Hold out, that's just more fat burned during recovery then.