As a beginner, should I bulk, cut or recomp?

Icy_Fox

Hey there, as the title suggests, I'm looking to get into going to the gym and doing some resistance training. I have found a good program for beginners, but am struggling on adjusting my calories. To give you a slight backstory, I lost nearly 30 lbs of weight doing only cardio in the last year or so and would like to gain some muscle definition. Furthermore, I'd like to get rid of the fat in some areas, which can only be done through resistance training and proper nutrition. Which one of the three (bulk, cut or recomp) would you suggest that I begin with? My BMI is currently 23 if that matters

Justin_7272

I'd cut to 10-15% body fat and/or 10-15 lbs below a BMI of 24 before bulking; this will then allow you to gain weight while remaining within a healthy BMI range*. Continue lifting throughout to minimize muscle loss.

*I know BMI is controversial - just using this as a baseline.

mom23mangos

It depends on your current muscle base and BF%. BMI doesn't tell us much. But chances are if you lost weight doing only cardio, that BMI of 23 is not muscle and I would not bulk. You can either continue to cut until definition starts to show or you reach the bottom of BMI range (then bulk), or recomp. I'd probably try recomp first or maybe small slow deficit. Regardless, start lifting.

mom23mangos

Justin_7272 wrote: »

I'd cut to 10-15% body fat and/or 10-15 lbs below a BMI of 24 before bulking; this will then allow you to gain weight while remaining within a healthy BMI range*. Continue lifting throughout to minimize muscle loss.

*I know BMI is controversial - just using this as a baseline.

This advice applies if you are male. It would be dangerous for most women to hit these levels for long. Your profile does not indicate your gender.

Icy_Fox

I am male, I can't say what my BF% is as I have no way of measuring it. Though if I had to estimate, I'd say my muscle base is as beginner level as it gets. Wasn't muscular before I lost the weight, and I lost even more muscle during my weight loss, so I'm pretty much at the very start...

Icy_Fox

Also, how substantial should the cut be? Meaning how many calories should I be in a deficit?

Justin_7272

With 10-15 lbs to lose most would recommend a 500 calorie/day deficit. Whether you can handle more in a healthy fashion depends on your activity level, macro intake, etc.

Icy_Fox

Justin_7272 wrote: »

With 10-15 lbs to lose most would recommend a 500 calorie/day deficit. Whether you can handle more in a healthy fashion depends on your activity level, macro intake, etc.

What would a lesser deficit, for example, 400/day mean? Only slower progression or something else?

mom23mangos

Icy_Fox wrote: »

Justin_7272 wrote: »

With 10-15 lbs to lose most would recommend a 500 calorie/day deficit. Whether you can handle more in a healthy fashion depends on your activity level, macro intake, etc.

What would a lesser deficit, for example, 400/day mean? Only slower progression or something else?

That's it, just slightly slower. But it may mean the difference between compliance and binging, or strength gains or loss. It's all very individual and you may have to experiment to find your sweet spot.

Chieflrg

What gender are you and what is your waist size?