Trying to find a body I like & I can maintain

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t_radiohead
t_radiohead Posts: 4 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hello all,

I've been using MFP for more than two years and recently got down from 156 to my goal weight of 128!
P90x through 4 times
P90x2 through once
Swimming, biking, rock climbing, jogging, and lots and lots of walking.

The problem is - while I like how I look at 128, I can't hold on to that point! Well, I can, but I'm hungry ALL THE TIME.

Currently I'm taking a shot at a bulk/cut sequence to build a body I can like AND maintain.
I started at 135lbs and about 20% BF with a waist measurement fluctuating between 27" and 28"

EXERCISE: 5 times a week (P90x legs and upper body videos with heavy weight and heavy use of the pause button :tongue: , and a regular yoga class once a week to keep my body from locking up.)
I also walk between 90minutes and 180minutes a day

FOOD: I haven't been trying for a caloric goal, just eating until I feel full. Chickpea flour pizza with homemade kale pesto, greek yogurt, egg whites and then whatever I want for lunch as long as it is lean meat and low glycemic index. MFP shows I have been eating anywhere from 100-600 calories over maintenance per day - 40% Carb, 40% Fat and 20% Protein

So far I'm about 6 weeks into the bulk phase and, I'm getting bigger! And it's freaking me out! LOL - my measurements have gone up: chest, thighs, - I can also pump out 15 pushups and 6 pullups back to back - which is WAY better than at any other time in my life. I've gone up a pants size and a dress size - but I can see the outline of a six pack underneath the tummy goo!
Current weigh 139lbs and 22% BF -- which would say I've gained 3.5lbs of fat and .5lbs of muscle. Waist measurement still the same, between 27" and 28"

I'm looking for advice on how long I should continue the bulk process, any changes I should make to my bulking approach (and please, I'm not a professional weight-lifter or keen on eating nothing but uber hormone processed chicken in order to stay under budget - real person life solutions please!) and when to start a cut.

Thanks!

Replies

  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Just keep in mind that women generally don't add muscle as quickly as men, and a lot of men will gain fat at 2 lbs/month (500 over maintenance daily).

    How much you gain on a bulk depends how comfortable you are. Some people never want to lose abs. Some people are ok with putting on significant padding before cutting.

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