Bulking question

agustinaamurrio
agustinaamurrio Posts: 4 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.

Replies

  • geoff2986
    geoff2986 Posts: 11 Member
    Do you know your body fat percentage? This will be more important in determining when you should bulk than your weight. The general consensus is for men to be 10-13% body fat before attempting a bulk, and women to be 19-23% or less. Insulin sensitivity decreases with higher body fat. So the lower your body fat when bulking, the better your muscle gains when you overeat.
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
    agustinaamurrio wrote: »
    I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
    I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.
    it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    What is your body fat %? It's more about this than weight. I have female friends who are the same height as me who had to drop 10 more lbs than I did in order to get to the same body fat%. 18-20% is a decent place to start.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited July 2016
    I second the recommendation of 10-13% male and 18-20% female body fat percentage.
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    I second the recommendation of 10-13% male and 18-20% female body fat percentage.

    Yep!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    What is your body fat %? It's more about this than weight. I have female friends who are the same height as me who had to drop 10 more lbs than I did in order to get to the same body fat%. 18-20% is a decent place to start.

    this.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    robs_ready wrote: »
    agustinaamurrio wrote: »
    I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
    I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.
    it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake.

    actually it does matter, as body fat % will determine how efficiently one puts on muscle...
  • Jcl81
    Jcl81 Posts: 154 Member
    edited July 2016
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    agustinaamurrio wrote: »
    I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
    I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.
    it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake.

    actually it does matter, as body fat % will determine how efficiently one puts on muscle...

    How much a person weighs and how much body fat percentage a person has are two different things. I believe the person you quoted was implying don't get caught up in the scale number which makes sense since high or low weight doesn't necessarily mean they have high or low body fat percentage.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Jcl81 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    agustinaamurrio wrote: »
    I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
    I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.
    it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake.

    actually it does matter, as body fat % will determine how efficiently one puts on muscle...

    How much a person weighs and how much body fat percentage a person has are two different things. I believe the person you quoted was implying don't get caught up in the scale number which makes sense since high or low weight doesn't necessarily mean they have high or low body fat percentage.

    Body fat percentage and scale weight are def two different things when deciding on a bulk. The original poster basically said to just ignore how much you weigh, what current body fat percentage you are and just eat more and lift.

    That was not good sound advice. So body fat percentage will indicate how much fat will be gained as to muscle gainz and is a very important indicator one should follow before jumping into a calorie surplus.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Jcl81 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    agustinaamurrio wrote: »
    I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
    I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.
    it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake.

    actually it does matter, as body fat % will determine how efficiently one puts on muscle...

    How much a person weighs and how much body fat percentage a person has are two different things. I believe the person you quoted was implying don't get caught up in the scale number which makes sense since high or low weight doesn't necessarily mean they have high or low body fat percentage.

    the only way I know to lower body fat percent is to lose weight, so your weight will determine your body fat %, which determines when one should bulk and cut...
  • Jcl81
    Jcl81 Posts: 154 Member
    edited July 2016
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Jcl81 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    agustinaamurrio wrote: »
    I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
    I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.
    it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake.

    actually it does matter, as body fat % will determine how efficiently one puts on muscle...

    How much a person weighs and how much body fat percentage a person has are two different things. I believe the person you quoted was implying don't get caught up in the scale number which makes sense since high or low weight doesn't necessarily mean they have high or low body fat percentage.

    Body fat percentage and scale weight are def two different things when deciding on a bulk. The original poster basically said to just ignore how much you weigh, what current body fat percentage you are and just eat more and lift.

    That was not good sound advice. So body fat percentage will indicate how much fat will be gained as to muscle gainz and is a very important indicator one should follow before jumping into a calorie surplus.

    The person that was quoted never mention body fat percentage just weight.

    "it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake."
  • Jcl81
    Jcl81 Posts: 154 Member
    edited July 2016
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Jcl81 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    agustinaamurrio wrote: »
    I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
    I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.
    it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake.

    actually it does matter, as body fat % will determine how efficiently one puts on muscle...

    How much a person weighs and how much body fat percentage a person has are two different things. I believe the person you quoted was implying don't get caught up in the scale number which makes sense since high or low weight doesn't necessarily mean they have high or low body fat percentage.

    the only way I know to lower body fat percent is to lose weight, so your weight will determine your body fat %, which determines when one should bulk and cut...

    True, but we are talking about a bulk, and when gaining weight one should go by measurements as mass distributes all over the body even as body fat percentage goes up its still better to go by pictures. the person opinion of themselves and measurements, not what a scale says. Hense why the person said don't worry about the weight, that is just a number has little bearing in actual situation as it's different for each person and one cant say just gain 5 pounds. What does that even look like? Thus, my reply to you.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited July 2016
    Jcl81 wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Jcl81 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    robs_ready wrote: »
    agustinaamurrio wrote: »
    I've been cutting seriously for about 4 or 5 months (note that i never bulked before). I wanted to lose the excess fat first then start a lean bulk later on.
    I have little to no biceps, and I want to gain muscle. My question is how much do you have to weigh to start a successful bulk? I'm a 5'5 female.
    it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake.

    actually it does matter, as body fat % will determine how efficiently one puts on muscle...

    How much a person weighs and how much body fat percentage a person has are two different things. I believe the person you quoted was implying don't get caught up in the scale number which makes sense since high or low weight doesn't necessarily mean they have high or low body fat percentage.

    Body fat percentage and scale weight are def two different things when deciding on a bulk. The original poster basically said to just ignore how much you weigh, what current body fat percentage you are and just eat more and lift.

    That was not good sound advice. So body fat percentage will indicate how much fat will be gained as to muscle gainz and is a very important indicator one should follow before jumping into a calorie surplus.

    The person that was quoted never mention body fat percentage just weight.

    "it doesn't matter how much you weigh, what's important is that you up your calorie intake."


    Doesn't matter anymore for the sake of the discussion, I am sure that OP understands what is being said from members in the forum, and has enough information in order for her to set the right goals. I am sure she will submit questions to the forum if needed.

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