To bulk, or keep cutting?

stumblinthrulife

I am closing in on my goal of 155lbs. I am somewhat dismayed by my still obvious spare tire, however. I thought at first 155 was quite a low goal, but I guess I'm realizing now how depressingly little lean mass I have.

So now the question is, what to do when I hit 155? Would bulking a little aid me in getting to lower body fat? If so, how much to bulk?

To be clear, I'm not worried about looking like Arnie, and strength is more important to me than size. But I really would like to have a lower body fat percentage.

Hendrix7

Would bulking a little aid me in getting to lower body fat?

No

But I really would like to have a lower body fat percentage.

That really answers your own question.

Gaining muscle is a loooooooong process so it needs to wait unless your happy having the spare tire for another year.

Chief_Rocka

"Goal weights" are arbitrary numbers.

stumblinthrulife

"Goal weights" are arbitrary numbers.

Yes, of course they are. But it's just a way to quantify and give a feel for how close you are to a goal. I thought I'd be at a much lower body fat percentage at 155lb than it now appears I will be.

Let me rephrase my question -

Obviously there are two ways to reduce BF% - less fat or more lean mass. Once you get to a certain healthy weight, is it more efficient to decrease your body fat percentage through further cutting, or through a slow bulk?

BeachIron

In for this discussion, as I'm also in new lean territory (my lightest weight in 15 years).

Do you know what BF% you are at currently?

Chief_Rocka

"Goal weights" are arbitrary numbers.

Yes, of course they are. But it's just a way to quantify and give a feel for how close you are to a goal. I thought I'd be at a much lower body fat percentage at 155lb than it now appears I will be.

Let me rephrase my question -

Obviously there are two ways to reduce BF% - less fat or more lean mass. Once you get to a certain healthy weight, is it more efficient to decrease your body fat percentage through further cutting, or through a slow bulk?

My point is that people have an idea of what they'll look like when they hit a certain weight, but in my experience, most people underestimate how much weight the need to lose. I once had a goal weight of 200 lbs, but I had to get all the way down to 170-175 before I actually lost as much fat as I wanted too.

To answer your question, you're not going to decrease your bodyfat percentage by bulking. If you want to decrease you bodyfat percentage, you need to cut. Whether you do that now, or bulk for a while and cut some more later is up to you and how good you feel about what you see in the mirror.

Hendrix7

Obviously there are two ways to reduce BF% - less fat or more lean mass. Once you get to a certain healthy weight, is it more efficient to decrease your body fat percentage through further cutting, or through a slow bulk?

Slow bulking requires being in a surplus, you aren't going to lose any fat in a surplus.

Yes gaining lean mass would slightly alter your body fat % ratio but there will be no overall fat loss.

Edit - ^^ rock beat me too it with a better answer

SideSteel

"Goal weights" are arbitrary numbers.

Yes, of course they are. But it's just a way to quantify and give a feel for how close you are to a goal. I thought I'd be at a much lower body fat percentage at 155lb than it now appears I will be.

Let me rephrase my question -

Obviously there are two ways to reduce BF% - less fat or more lean mass. Once you get to a certain healthy weight, is it more efficient to decrease your body fat percentage through further cutting, or through a slow bulk?

My point is that people have an idea of what they'll look like when they hit a certain weight, but in my experience, most people underestimate how much weight the need to lose. I once had a goal weight of 200 lbs, but I had to get all the way down to 170-175 before I actually lost as much fat as I wanted too.

To answer your question, you're not going to decrease your bodyfat percentage by bulking. If you want to decrease you bodyfat percentage, you need to cut. Whether you do that now, or bulk for a while and cut some more later is up to you and how good you feel about what you see in the mirror.

^ Yep.

Sarauk2sf

I just want to re-iterate the fact that most people underestimate how much weight they need to lose at first. I know I did.

Ophidion

bump to see where this goes

Sarauk2sf

If you want to post in the BF estimation thread or PM SideSteel and/or me, we can have a look and give our recommendations as to whether it makes sense to cut or bulk.

prattiger65

This has been on my mind as well. I am now at 19% BF and 177 lbs. I think I want to get to about 12% before I bulk. If I can hang on to most of my lean mass, that will be about 155-160. I thought my goal weight would be about 180 when I started....lol