Bulking up then cutting

slay0r

The stronglifts program is telling me to eat a minimum of 3000 calories a day, obviously taken in cleanly which I eat mostly anyway. This is like doing the opposite of what I've done the last couple of years, I've lost 130lb but I did it really low calorie and burned off a lot of my muscle I already had under the fat.

As it's the opposite of what I'm used to it feels like I'm just gonna get really, really fat from eating so much. I guess I just need some reassurance that eating that much is neccesary. Then my second thing which is once you've got to the desired muscle mass that I want, do I then go on a cut? How do these cuts work, is it still really high protein to keep your muscle you've earned but you drop your carbs and cals to cut off the fat you've put on (if you have?)

Any help would be much appreciated, I want to do as much research as I can so I get this perfectly. Once that's done my willpower will do the rest!

momof3and3

bump

Sean_The_IT_Guy

Bulking and cutting is primarily a myth. If you are getting enough calories to power your workouts, and enough protein to help rebuild muscles after a workout, then you are eating enough.

It's "easier" to just eat like a pig when you're bulking, because you don't have to read labels and balance your calorie to protein intake and whatnot. And hell, it's just fun to eat like a pig sometimes. Concentrate on protein from good sources like chicken breast, egg whites, tuna, whey protein, you know, sources that are high protein and low calorie.. You can easily hit your 2g/kg protein intake without being anywhere near 3000 calories a day.

That said, if you're not still trying to lose fat, 3000 calories a day might be a maintenance weight target that's not unrealistic, if you're working out intensely, 3-5 times a week.

chrishgt4

I can't say that you definitely need that, but that number is not out of the way - in order to put on weight I need circa 4000/day. I am very active though.

In order to bulk you WILL put on some fat - the closer you get to your optimum number and the stricter you are the less fat you will gain and the less you will have to cut, but it is a tightrope walk where it is better to go over by a few hundred to make sure you get all the gain you can.

stayxtrue

Its different for every one... For example I am about 5"4 and this currently my diet

Breakfast: 1cup of oats and 2 boiled Eggs
Morning Tea: Almonds and BCAA's
Lunch: 1 cup basmati, 200grams chicken and veges ( i cook my chicken with spices, no sauces)
Afternoon Tea: 200 grams of tuna and BCAA's
Dinner#1 1 cup basmati, 200grams chicken and veges ( i cook my chicken with spices, no sauces)
*note*
I eat this at least 2 or more hours before my workout
*note*
Pre workout: Mesomorph, BCAA's
Intraworkout: Scivation extend
Post workout 48grams whey protein, 10grams of creatine, 15 gramms BCAA's
Dinner # 2 Steak and veges
Before bed: Some turkey breast

Its not for everyone but thats my daily diet, and I stay away from processed as much as possible

Aperture_Science

I wonder if the best strategy would be to slowly introduce the cals from maintenance by adding say 250 cals per day every couple of weeks.

This way you can monitor progress (weight and measurements) and once you are at the minimum to see muscle gain stick at that. From that point as long as yo are seeing strength increases I would suspect you are getting the cals you need (but not significantly more)?