Very slow bulk to minimize fat gain?

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  • Butrovich
    Butrovich Posts: 410 Member
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    Yeah, I know it's a small surplus, but I am okay with going really slow. Like I said, I'm just paranoid about belly fat because that seems to be the first place I gain weight. Your guys' advice to just see how it works for a while and then make changes accordingly seems to make sense.

    I am almost done with Body Beast (Beachbody) and the first nine weeks suggested I eat 3200 calories based on my size and starting weight. I gained 1-lbs per week, but my body fat percentage hovered around the same point. Now I am in the final stage and my calories are down to 2200. Still lifting weights, but adding more cardio. If all goes according to the plan, my weight should drop as well as my body fat, but the muscle mass should stay close to what it is now.

    This sounds very close to the same thing sculli123 advised also.
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
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    I started a slow cautious bulk in June and I've been pretty satisfied with the results so far. I'm currently about 200 calories over maintenance. I started really cautious and only went about 100 over and found I wasn't gaining anything (actually lost a pound over the course of a month), so I've been slowly upping and now I'm finally starting to see the scale go up slightly.

    Beyond the scale, I feel amazing. I have so much more energy from the extra food and my lifts keep going up which is exciting. The hardest part is the mental aspect, some days I feel like a fluffy marshmallow, and other days I feel leaner than I did when I was eating at a deficit. I haven't noticed too much in the way of fat gains yet, all of my clothes still fit good so I'm content with that.

    Give it a try! I think the positives far outweigh the negatives if you can get a handle on the mental game of eating to gain.
  • linda4
    linda4 Posts: 7 Member
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    Oh my goodness, this is so interesting. I wonder if I could tag on and ask your advice. I'm a 5' 0", 120 lb woman looking to finally get in shape...possibly for an upcoming wedding 9/20. What do you recommend I do? I've tried 1200 calories but I only lost .25 lbs a week and that is so easy to put back on. How many calories do you recommend? Exercize routine?
  • fabnine
    fabnine Posts: 379 Member
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    for later
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Oh my goodness, this is so interesting. I wonder if I could tag on and ask your advice. I'm a 5' 0", 120 lb woman looking to finally get in shape...possibly for an upcoming wedding 9/20. What do you recommend I do? I've tried 1200 calories but I only lost .25 lbs a week and that is so easy to put back on. How many calories do you recommend? Exercize routine?

    when did you start this diet??

    1200 might be just right for you- and a 1/4 pound a week isn't BAD. it's fine- it's normal to move slowly.

    I would definitely consider starting strength, strong lifts, new rules for lifting or strong curves.

    If the gym isn't your thing, try you are your own gym, convict conditioning, strength unbound or nerdfitness.com on some guidance for body weight workouts.
  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    JoRocka always on the money with her recommendations.
  • Ryderod
    Ryderod Posts: 103 Member
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    Slow bulk yes that's my plan this fall / winter. I hit my summer goal last week. So now I am reverse dieting and adding 100 calories per day each week until I get to my maintenance (i.e my cut was 2000 calories, last week was 2100 calories, this week is 2200 calories....my maint is 2700 calories). So it will take me 7 weeks to get to my maintanance. I may lose a little more weight during this time but not too concerned.

    Once I get to maint I might stick with it for a short while but by mid October I will start my lean bulk. I am going to take it very slow again and stick to my adding 100 calories / day each week thing until I'm about at about 3200 - 3300 calories.

    But once I get to that level I will again be checking the scale closely to make sure I don't gain too much too fast. The heaviest I plan to get this year is about 212 lbs which for me isn't that heavy (usually bulk to 220+ but I'm not going to do that anymore).

    I plan to start cutting again late January / early February and my goal for next year is going to be 190 lbs with the same amount of muscle mass I have at 195 lbs now. So I'll look like my AVI but even more lean. I'm planning to compete in a physique competition next summer.

    Having just kept on dropping my target weight, I am now well under my initial goal, time to move into maintenance and then to carefully increase lean muscle mass.
    This post makes perfect sense and has helped!
  • alpinehealth
    alpinehealth Posts: 85 Member
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    All the information here has been very useful for anyone especially me, who wants to maintain/ build muscle mass while loosing fat. Thank you to all contibutors. I am very new to cutting off fat so don't really have advise to give others other than to explain what I am doing.
    I was skinny fatish (if that's a word) having gone from 85 kgs at 74 kgs with nothing more than my version of low carb eating while strength training, squats, deadlift and pull-ups only. I was told I was too skinny so I started serious weight lifting for about the last 18 months and I went to 90 kgs but don't really look fat, so I am guessing that a lot of my 16 kgs of gainzzzzzzzzz is muscle.

    I am about 18% body fat and am trying to get down to 12-13%. MFP tells me my maintenance is 2700 calories and has suggested that I go with 2160 calories. After 2 weeks at a 500 cal deficit I have not lost once bit of strength I have even added a couple of reps to once previous PR's. I have so far dropped 2ish kgs and am starting to see good definition in my shoulders, bi's and tri's. hell can even see my top 2 abs! I certainly do not want to loose any of my very hard earned muscle but at the same time want to ditch the belly fat.

    I guess my question to those seasoned in bulk/cuts is it possible for me to build muscle (lean bulk) while on a 500 cal deficit or am I pushing poo uphill.
  • jolarocknrolla
    jolarocknrolla Posts: 236 Member
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    .

    I guess my question to those seasoned in bulk/cuts is it possible for me to build muscle (lean bulk) while on a 500 cal deficit or am I pushing poo uphill.

    you can build a little if you are very new to lifting, but in general no. you can however lose enough fat so that your muscles look more defined ... you just won't be bigger.

    "bulk" means eating over maintenance, so you can't eat under maintenance and "bulk" you know?
  • linda4
    linda4 Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks for the response. I started in earnest five weeks ago. I'll go back to 1200 calories. I was trying to stay around 1060 calories (since my goal weight is 106) during the week and around 1200-1500 on the weekend. I tend to lose during the week and gain it back on the weekend. The key must be consistency. Thanks again.
  • riadhdeb
    riadhdeb Posts: 211 Member
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    You meant to say lean mass
  • shmerek
    shmerek Posts: 963 Member
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    Saving for later. Great info
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Wow! this is a great thread! I have been toying with the idea of bulking. I feel silly even sayin it. :laugh:

    I slipped past my goal weight due to a medical diagnosis that had me have change my diet, and also training to be a fitness instructor. I'm now trying to get back to that goal, but I don't want to gain too much fat. I am fine with the definition I have now and would like to add a couple of pounds because I'm older and the recommendation is not to be too thin for longevity.

    I would prefer to put the weight on as muscle. I don't care how long it takes. I am not going anywhere except wanting to live long and prosper (thank you Mr. Spock).

    I'm planning on beginning weight training in late fall, so this has been very useful information.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    JoRocka always on the money with her recommendations.

    aw shucks- thanks really just doing what I can!
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    JoRocka always on the money with her recommendations.

    aw shucks- thanks really just doing what I can!

    Agree with Sculli...

    Always top advice!
  • W31RD0
    W31RD0 Posts: 173 Member
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    Oh my goodness, this is so interesting. I wonder if I could tag on and ask your advice. I'm a 5' 0", 120 lb woman looking to finally get in shape...possibly for an upcoming wedding 9/20. What do you recommend I do? I've tried 1200 calories but I only lost .25 lbs a week and that is so easy to put back on. How many calories do you recommend? Exercize routine?

    What is your current eating and routine?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    JoRocka always on the money with her recommendations.

    aw shucks- thanks really just doing what I can!

    Agree with Sculli...

    Always top advice!

    :flowerforyou:

    yay!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Bump

    Great info, thanks!!
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    This is great. Saving for later
  • willrun4bagels
    willrun4bagels Posts: 838 Member
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    Thanks for the response. I started in earnest five weeks ago. I'll go back to 1200 calories. I was trying to stay around 1060 calories (since my goal weight is 106) during the week and around 1200-1500 on the weekend. I tend to lose during the week and gain it back on the weekend. The key must be consistency. Thanks again.

    Don't eat less than 1200cals. If your goal weight is 106, that has nothing to do with your daily intake being 1060 cals. .25lbs a week is to be expected when you don't have much to lose. You will get more responses/more people viewing your question if you create a new post in the "general weight loss" page - but I would advise using the "search" function before you do that, because these types of things are asked multiple times per day, and good answers are always given by some of the seasoned commenters!).

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