clean bulk question

craigyallan

This may seem like a stupid question to some but please humour me .. I am in the middle of a 500 calorie deficit cut to lose 1lb of fat a week while training 3 days a week. If i decide i want to build musle ( bulk up bigger ) must I increase to my maintenence ( 2410 ) then add 300 calories ontop of that or would my maintenence just on its own just keep me at my current weight?

BodyzLanguage

Lol. Increase to maintenance then add the surplus. Funniest question I've read all day.

craigyallan

Lol I had to ask it maybe a stupid moment ... Any recomendations on a minimal fat bulk ? ie lower surplus ie 200 or 300 ?

MityMax96

Depending on how fast you can drop weight.....would be how I determined my needed excess calories

I can drop weight pretty quick, so in my case I would shoot for around 2 lbs / week over about 6 months.
But my bulks never seem to go according to plan....so my bulks tend to be around 4 - 5 months.....

BodyzLanguage

Personally I wouldn't bulk until I'm the leanest I wish to be for the simple fact that it's no fun walking around as a fatty. However a 200 calorie surplus should be fine. If things are slower then you'd like then bump it up to 300 cals. Also implement intermittent fasting, that'll keep you trimmer than your 6 meals a day jazz. *Due to low insulin in your blood for extended periods of time therefore going after fat reserves.

ndj1979

if you want to minimize fat gains then you want to shoot for a half pound per week gain, but you will still gain some fat...

HamsterManV2

You still can build muscle at a deficit, it will just be a lot slower than lifting at maintenance, or on a bulk.

Basically it is:
Building muscle on a deficit (VERY slow) < at maintenance (slow) < on a bulk (optimal).

However for fat on the body, it is:
Eating at a deficit (fastest fat loss) > Eating at maintenance (slow fat loss) > Eating on a bulk (fat gain)

I personally suggest to keep cutting to get to the point you want, then go on a slow bulk (TDEE+250 calories) for slow and steady muscle gain while keeping the fat off. Go back on a month long cut whenever you want to look good (vacation, party, wedding, etc.)

heybales

Are you still within the beginner period of lifting, say 6-12 months?

You could gain some muscle slowly while in deficit - bigger deficit worse ability obviously.

You won't have that ability later when trained well already.

Might as well lose the fat and get that potential benefit now at start of lifting - if you are.

If already lifting awhile and intermediate - then forget potential and recomp eating at maintenance slowly after getting to goal weight - then bulk as desired.