Bulking and cutting; Some advice please.

Meg_78

Hi I would like some advice and help please:

I joined MFP with the intention of gaining weight (I have always been underweight) An so far, after about 10 weeks including a few trial and error weeks I have had some success (I'm getting there at least). I started lifting weights (as heavy as I can) as many suggested to me, and kept my training to mostly strength type. I eat about 1.5g protein per lb lean body weight (I eat between 2300-2600 calories a day) and I have seen some muscle growth as well as general bulking. On the bad side, I have also gained more weight on my belly, which has started swallowing my abs.....

My questions are...

Will I be able to cut at a maintenance level or must I be at a deficit?

I'm concerned about too much weight loss if I eat at a deficit, yet I do want to see more definition of my muscle, esp abs which means eating cleaner and leaner an burning some of the fat. So should I actually aim to be at a higher than idea weight before I try to cut?

With cutting, should I add more cardio to my routine.

I guess I just don't want to end up back where I started as I tend to lose weight very fast, and I am very slow to put it on.

Really just some general advice would be helpful.
Thanks so much.

sportsforfun

You sound very similiar to me in your ability to cut weight easily but don't add muscle very quickly at all. You will need to be in a deficit in order to lose but you should only target to lose 1 lb/week. More than that and you might be negating some of your hard work from your bulk. The article for cutting that has helped me the most is:

http://www.simplyshredded.com/layne-norton-the-most-effective-cutting-diet.html

I have increased cardio as well but it is not totally required in order to cut.

ravihira1892

It is possible to gain weight and also lose body fat with TDEE. Just need to play around with carb and fat intakes!

ravihira1892

You sound very similiar to me in your ability to cut weight easily but don't add muscle very quickly at all. You will need to be in a deficit in order to lose but you should only target to lose 1 lb/week. More than that and you might be negating some of your hard work from your bulk. The article for cutting that has helped me the most is:

http://www.simplyshredded.com/layne-norton-the-most-effective-cutting-diet.html

I have increased cardio as well but it is not totally required in order to cut.

I've managed to lose fat , also gain strength and size by being in a calorie surplus.it is possible to do it just need to focus on what you eating

Also I only do strength training no cardio but I know how my body works etc. You will end up experimenting a lot till you find the right amount of carbs, fat, protein etc

HeidiMightyRawr

If you're losing at maintenance, it's not truely your maintenance, it's more of a deficit. You could probably recomp on maintenance, but it'd be very slow. It seems to be what I'm doing at the moment, but I'm trying to cut! (dislikes deficits right here!) To lose weight/body fat, it'd be way easier to just go in a deficit.

I'd personally start cutting when you get bigger than your liking. I started MFP at 150lbs, dropped down to 130. Did a bulk from 134-150. Now at 144. My fat % at 150 pre-MFP was around 27%, after the bulk (same weight) it was around 22%.

You don't need cardio when you cut, but you do need a deficit. A cardio helps with the deficit if you don't like dropping your calories through food

Mercenary1914

Will I be able to cut at a maintenance level or must I be at a deficit?

Calorie Deficit - but no more than 300 cals

I'm concerned about too much weight loss if I eat at a deficit, yet I do want to see more definition of my muscle, esp abs which means eating cleaner and leaner an burning some of the fat. So should I actually aim to be at a higher than idea weight before I try to cut?

Yup

With cutting, should I add more cardio to my routine.

Yes..not much..maybe like 30 to 90 mins a week of incline walk or stair stepper...Nothing Major

Meg_78

I honestly am quite scared of dropping too much with the calories, I lost 3 lb in a week on 1700, around 1900-2000 seems to be my maintenance, and I have even lost on 2300 when I changed my routine. I'm still pretty small too.

I do agree that i will really need to clean up my foods, I have kept less track on the sugars and fats lately just because some days it has been a challenge to meet my goals, but I do focus on mostly good fats...I think I will probably need to see if I can maintain for a few weeks while continuing to lift (and eating extra those days) and then slowly slowly start to cut it a little

Its daunting for me though!

Meg_78

Will I be able to cut at a maintenance level or must I be at a deficit?

Calorie Deficit - but no more than 300 cals

I'm concerned about too much weight loss if I eat at a deficit, yet I do want to see more definition of my muscle, esp abs which means eating cleaner and leaner an burning some of the fat. So should I actually aim to be at a higher than idea weight before I try to cut?

Yup

With cutting, should I add more cardio to my routine.

Yes..not much..maybe like 30 to 90 mins a week of incline walk or stair stepper...Nothing Major

Thank-you!

Mercenary1914

I honestly am quite scared of dropping too much with the calories, I lost 3 lb in a week on 1700, around 1900-2000 seems to be my maintenance, and I have even lost on 2300 when I changed my routine. I'm still pretty small too.

I do agree that i will really need to clean up my foods, I have kept less track on the sugars and fats lately just because some days it has been a challenge to meat my goals, but I do focus on mostly good fast...I think I will probably need to see if I can maintain for a few weeks while continuing to lift (and eating extra those days) and then slowly slowly start to cut it a little

Its daunting for me though!

if you lost at 2300 then your maintenance must not be 2000....

Mercenary1914

Will I be able to cut at a maintenance level or must I be at a deficit?

Calorie Deficit - but no more than 300 cals

I'm concerned about too much weight loss if I eat at a deficit, yet I do want to see more definition of my muscle, esp abs which means eating cleaner and leaner an burning some of the fat. So should I actually aim to be at a higher than idea weight before I try to cut?

Yup

With cutting, should I add more cardio to my routine.

Yes..not much..maybe like 30 to 90 mins a week of incline walk or stair stepper...Nothing Major

Thank-you!

you're welcome..the key is to not cut so much that you are losing all your muscle gains...

I highly recommnend getting a BF% taken with Calipars ...Get your Muscle Mass % too...

Measure every 2 weeks.

Meg_78

I honestly am quite scared of dropping too much with the calories, I lost 3 lb in a week on 1700, around 1900-2000 seems to be my maintenance, and I have even lost on 2300 when I changed my routine. I'm still pretty small too.

I do agree that i will really need to clean up my foods, I have kept less track on the sugars and fats lately just because some days it has been a challenge to meat my goals, but I do focus on mostly good fast...I think I will probably need to see if I can maintain for a few weeks while continuing to lift (and eating extra those days) and then slowly slowly start to cut it a little

Its daunting for me though!

if you lost at 2300 then your maintenance must not be 2000....

It was just one week, I don't know why it happened, at least I hope it was just one week! I have gained fairy steadily on it 2300, but I had a week of not lifting so I think/hope that was probably why....

Mercenary1914

I honestly am quite scared of dropping too much with the calories, I lost 3 lb in a week on 1700, around 1900-2000 seems to be my maintenance, and I have even lost on 2300 when I changed my routine. I'm still pretty small too.

I do agree that i will really need to clean up my foods, I have kept less track on the sugars and fats lately just because some days it has been a challenge to meat my goals, but I do focus on mostly good fast...I think I will probably need to see if I can maintain for a few weeks while continuing to lift (and eating extra those days) and then slowly slowly start to cut it a little

Its daunting for me though!

if you lost at 2300 then your maintenance must not be 2000....

It was just one week, I don't know why it happened, at least I hope it was just one week! I have gained fairy steadily on it 2300, but I had a week of not lifting so I think/hope that was probably why....

oh yea...I understand...it's kinda like one week when I increased my cals to 3000 per day...I lost 4 lbs the first week...then I gained 6 within the next two weeks..

gotcha

Meg_78

I honestly am quite scared of dropping too much with the calories, I lost 3 lb in a week on 1700, around 1900-2000 seems to be my maintenance, and I have even lost on 2300 when I changed my routine. I'm still pretty small too.

I do agree that i will really need to clean up my foods, I have kept less track on the sugars and fats lately just because some days it has been a challenge to meat my goals, but I do focus on mostly good fast...I think I will probably need to see if I can maintain for a few weeks while continuing to lift (and eating extra those days) and then slowly slowly start to cut it a little

Its daunting for me though!

if you lost at 2300 then your maintenance must not be 2000....

It was just one week, I don't know why it happened, at least I hope it was just one week! I have gained fairy steadily on it 2300, but I had a week of not lifting so I think/hope that was probably why....

oh yea...I understand...it's kinda like one week when I increased my cals to 3000 per day...I lost 4 lbs the first week...then I gained 6 within the next two weeks..

gotcha

Well that leaves me hopeful for the next few weeks then! LOL

SergeiKay

i will be in a similar situation soon (well, relatively soon). i'm starting to close in on my goal weight, 180lbs, at which point i will start cutting. my role model, Rob Riches, was describing that for his preparation for a competition/shoot, he slowly lowers intake, while keeping the same routine and load.

I do believe it is possible to stay roughly around the same weight, while cutting. essentially, replacing the weight of fat with muscle. i personally think that to stay on that sweet spot is very hard, but possible, because your maintenance level doesn't stay the same, it fluctuates a bit. i'm pretty certain i'm gonna need some help from caffeine (oxidizes fat, helps the body use it for energy during cardio, but this route is not for everybody), and veeery careful food choices, keeping the same macro ratios and dropping the caloric intake.