Who has it easier? Bulkers or cutters?

waldo56

For those assuming bulking is easy, have you done it intentionally (not talking about gaining weight recklessly, I'm referring to a strategic bulk where gains are tightly controlled)...?

x2

Seems most of the people saying bulking is easier have never done it.

There is a HUGE difference between a tendency to overeat at times and doing it every single day for months. Its fun for a couple weeks but very much becomes a grind over time.

That feeling when you have 1000 cal to go, you're stuffed from dinner and bed time is 2 hours away. Fuuuuuuuuuu......

Zomoniac

Depends how much you're cutting in my case. Getting from being obese to being in a reasonably decent shape was easy and straightforward. Getting from being 'decent' to cutting off the last bit of BF and ripping is seemingly nigh on impossible. So for me cutting is easier to a point, but once it's down to the end stages then bulking's much easier than the last cut.

JNick77

That feeling when you have 1000 cal to go, you're stuffed from dinner and bed time is 2 hours away. Fuuuuuuuuuu......

That is 100% correct. It is really hard to eat like that.

Cutting is more about willpower and self-control than anything.

csuhar

- Eating at bulking levels sounds fun or easy until you do it EVERY.SINGLE.DAY for months and months.

I run into this same situation even though I'm just really looking to maintain at this point. My size and activity level leave me with a maintenance goal of 3200-4200 a day, depending on how active I am. On one hand, you might say how wonderful it is to have so much room for various kinds of foods and to not worry about an occasional treat.

But then I have some days where I may end up occupied doing something that keeps me from eating or, to be perfectly honest, I may take a long nap. In either case, I can end up having to decide between "cramming" before going to bed or accepting a big defecit. I have often wound up with accidental defecits that can be as high as 1000 calories. While that's not going to hurt me, it would be a challenge if I was specifically looking to bulk.

michail71

I just switched over from bulking to cutting. I was at about 3100-3200 calories maintenance and getting really sick of eating.

I'm now cutting on 2600 calories and I've found my appetite has returned. What a wonderful thing that is! I can enjoy food now.

I think it gets difficult to stay in either mode for a long period of time.

However, I've noticed that it seems fat people can often chisel out some nice definition. In truth the fat people probably spent some years building up some muscle underneath and then have the fuel reserves to cut down. The skinny little people often seem to have a hard time bulking up while not getting too fat. Building muscle takes time, dropping fat is faster.

Fithealthyforlife

However, I've noticed that it seems fat people can often chisel out some nice definition. In truth the fat people probably spent some years building up some muscle underneath and then have the fuel reserves to cut down. The skinny little people often seem to have a hard time bulking up while not getting too fat. Building muscle takes time, dropping fat is faster.

Yup, very common. I call it accidental bulking, and it's common in our society for anyone who accidently eats too much but still works out. People not only gain fat but muscle too and become chubby over time. The skinny people simply don't eat enough to build anything--muscle or fat. Then when it comes time to lift hard, they have no energy because they're calorie-deprived, and no raw materials to build with. Been there, done that when I first started lifting before I discovered "bulking" or "surplus-eating" and how essential it is.

That said, I'm apparently the total opposite of "skinny-fat". Always have definition and muscle tone no matter my weight. And just this past week, I had to stop lifting for over a week. I kept eating a surplus. But guess what...I lost a pound (feels like some of that was water and glycogen and some was fat, but I feel like I kept the 2-3 lbs of muscle I've added over the past few weeks). I have the feeling cutting is going to be such a breeze for me.

verticallyfit

Both are just as strict and challenging. I am a NPC figure competitor and I go through both cycles. Cutting is very demanding because everything has to be exact and there is really no room for error. During the bulking phase I can have a little more "fun" with my diet, I get a MACRO bump but it's still as demanding. Nutrient timing comes into play with both cycles, cycling MACROS depending on what you are training that day, and then not bumping up your MACRO intake to quickly when coming out of the cut cycle. Reverse dieting as it's called is just as strenuous as the cut. I embrace my lifestyle and love the cut and the bulk for different reasons.

I also believe planning is key in making sure you don't end up with unfulfilled or over MACROS at the end of the day. I plan my day the night or days in advance. It makes shopping easier and my life less of a hassle. I eat what I want (as long as it fits my macros) but it is pre-planned.

GODfidence

It sounds like an ectomorph vs endomorph. IMO ectomorphs have it easeir since they can damn near eat whatever they want when they're bluking. Endos still need to keep the diet relatively clean or risk putting on excess fat while bulking. But I'm an endo so it could just be "grass is greener" thinking.

I will admit, I do like the fact that putting on muscle isn't that difficult which would cause some ectomorphs to give up.

I have to agree with this. Bulking is FAR easier. You have to do less (relatively speaking) than those cutting. I have to watch what I eat and do two hours of cardio a day, 3 on Saturdays to just maintain my weight, never mind lose any. I could eat myself silly on any given day and put 15 pounds on eating clean without even trying if I wanted. That would simply entail, more food, less cardio and more sleep. Sounds like win/win to me.

You do realize that NO cardio is necessary to lose weight.
If you have to do that much cardio just to maintain then look at your
Food intake. Thats the controlling factor in weight loss or weight gain.

mndamon

Given my body type and how hard it can be for me to lose, bulkers seem to have it easier in my head.

I can definitely see frustrations from either side though.

michail71

Yup, very common. I call it accidental bulking, and it's common in our society for anyone who accidently eats too much but still works out. People not only gain fat but muscle too and become chubby over time. The skinny people simply don't eat enough to build anything--muscle or fat. Then when it comes time to lift hard, they have no energy because they're calorie-deprived, and no raw materials to build with. Been there, done that when I first started lifting before I discovered "bulking" or "surplus-eating" and how essential it is.

That said, I'm apparently the total opposite of "skinny-fat". Always have definition and muscle tone no matter my weight. And just this past week, I had to stop lifting for over a week. I kept eating a surplus. But guess what...I lost a pound (feels like some of that was water and glycogen and some was fat, but I feel like I kept the 2-3 lbs of muscle I've added over the past few weeks). I have the feeling cutting is going to be such a breeze for me.

I was the "skinny fat" type. It was tough getting out of that. Since I had no strength I had to bulk up a bit while carrying around a gut for a while. Who wants to overeat if they have a gut? Then went on a cut got nice and lean before starting a real a bulk cycle. It's been almost two years since I started lifting and I'm really pleased with the results. It just took me longer than I thought it would.

mustgetmuscles1

Cutting seems to be easier for me because it is fairly short term and results come much faster. Gym performance, energy and recovery seem to suffer a bit though. And of course eating less of the foods you enjoy get old.

Bulking or "controlled bulking" seems much more tedious. Results are very slow for noticeable muscle and strength gains but any new fat or softness is quickly apparent and leads to constant fiddling and second guessing. Gym performance, energy and recovery are better though. More diet flexibility is nice.

Wetterdew

I was under the impression that cutting happens more reliably and at a faster pace than bulking.

lollypop036

personally i'd say cutting is easier just because i find it so hard to consume the amount of calories i need to gain weight

MikeDasTrainer

Whichever one I'm in the process of doing haha

andezz99

I've been the big guy who has to stick to a strict diet to lean down and look my best. I'd prefer that over being a skinny guy who can't put on muscle and struggles to add mass due to a high metabolisim.

sfrohardt5

Speaking from experience on both ends of the spectrum, I would say trying to gain weight is much more difficult than trying to lose weight. I was on weight gaining diets all throughout my junior high and high school years. When I graduated high school, I weighed 105 pounds and was 5'2" tall. During my weight gaining years, my doctors wanted me to eat 3000 calories per day. I would do my best but it really stunk -- you always had that I overate at Thanksgiving dinner type of feeling and didn't want to eat anything more, feeling as if you were going to throw up or burst if you ate another bite (I never did throw up or burst from eating that many calories, but I do remember crying every 6 months when the doctors would tell me to eat more, that I had only gained one or two pounds and that was not enough). My problem with gaining weight back then was that I loved to be active AND I had a high metabolism rate -- bicycling was my favorite activity and I would bike 16 miles per day, everyday.

Now, 20 plus years later, I am on the opposite end of the spectrum. I need to lose 34 pounds in order to be healthy again. Where I once biked 16 miles per day, now I can barely motivate myself to exercise for 20 minutes 3 or 4 days per week. Rather than being stuffed all the time, I am now hungry until my body adjusts to the lower calorie levels and then I balance off. While I don't believe either type of diet is easy, I would definitely say that I would rather have to be on a weight loss diet than a weight gaining diet just because of how you feel. When you are losing weight, you feel more energetic, revitalized and proud of yourself when the weight comes off, gaining confidence and self-esteem along the way as you realize how much better you look. When you are on a weight gaining diet and the pounds don't want to come on, there is nothing you can do but eat more and you feel so stuffed you lose all motivation and feel so lousy you want to bite everyone's heads off.

Visique

iifym'er has it easy