Getting discouraged. Lean bulk or cut? What should I do?
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Sounds like you are making some mental progress and that's key. Finish the cut then go to bulk and remember that it's a slow process but after a few months it will be worth it when you start to see some real progress.0
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JeffseekingV wrote: »
Dear Jeff,
What does this even mean?
Thank you,
USMC-MP
P.S. He is on a cut, as he's stated multiple times over the previous 13 pages.
I told him to stay on the program. What is wrong with that? Derailing the thread i see-2 -
JeffseekingV wrote: »JeffseekingV wrote: »
Dear Jeff,
What does this even mean?
Thank you,
USMC-MP
P.S. He is on a cut, as he's stated multiple times over the previous 13 pages.
I told him to stay on the program. What is wrong with that? Derailing the thread i see
She's not derailing... she asked for clarification as there are a few people who don't quite understand what was meant by "Don't let the flames affect you".
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JeffseekingV wrote: »LolBroScience wrote: »JeffseekingV wrote: »JeffseekingV wrote: »
Dear Jeff,
What does this even mean?
Thank you,
USMC-MP
P.S. He is on a cut, as he's stated multiple times over the previous 13 pages.
I told him to stay on the program. What is wrong with that? Derailing the thread i see
She's not derailing... she asked for clarification as there are a few people who don't quite understand what was meant by "Don't let the flames affect you".
Actually, two asked for clarifications on a statement while ignoring the rest of the post. If they think it does not pertain to them, they need not worry about it. It's just flame bait. Let's be real.
I also told him to stay on the program and keep his macros in check.
Sure and that's fine. I still have no clue what you meant by the flame statement though. I interpreted as "ignore others" as fire tends to attract attention, but I could be wrong.0 -
Day 3 of my adjustments:
Pretty OK day. ICF calls for progression every other workout while on cut, so I repeated the same weights as I did the time before. Still focusing on form and breathing, and trying to pay more attention to how the sets FEEL rather than just getting them done. It felt slightly lighter this time, which I assume is a good thing and hopefully next workout I will be able to progress.
Looking forward to finally being as lean as I can, and then beginning to bulk. I hate eating a lot so thats my only problem... I will have to figure out a way to get 4k calories in on my new schedule eventually. Feeling quite small at the moment, but I don't want to stop my cut now and give up.
When you start the bulk make sure you slowly increase. Don't jump up a bunch of calories all at once. 100 calories a week until you start gaining, then only increase when your weight plateaus. LolBroScience has done well with that method and is still very lean after almost a year of bulking. The size gains are obvious in the comparison pictures. Increasing calories slowly will help you figure out how to fit it all in better.0 -
LolBroScience wrote: »JeffseekingV wrote: »LolBroScience wrote: »JeffseekingV wrote: »JeffseekingV wrote: »
Dear Jeff,
What does this even mean?
Thank you,
USMC-MP
P.S. He is on a cut, as he's stated multiple times over the previous 13 pages.
I told him to stay on the program. What is wrong with that? Derailing the thread i see
She's not derailing... she asked for clarification as there are a few people who don't quite understand what was meant by "Don't let the flames affect you".
Actually, two asked for clarifications on a statement while ignoring the rest of the post. If they think it does not pertain to them, they need not worry about it. It's just flame bait. Let's be real.
I also told him to stay on the program and keep his macros in check.
Sure and that's fine. I still have no clue what you meant by the flame statement though. I interpreted as "ignore others" as fire tends to attract attention, but I could be wrong.
There are some that seem to have to interject some good information but add some snarky remark. I just told the OP to concentrate on the information pertinent to his goal and ignore the rest.0 -
Jeez. How skinny does a guy have to get to "start." He looks pretty lean to me. It's no wonder people give up. Everyone has such bonkers advice on when you're supposed to start. The advice always seems to be different for men vs women too. Women get the whole "eat right below your TDEE and lift." Guys get the "cut until you're a skeleton" then eat like a horse.
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In late. Anything relevant before the last 2 pages since the OP has decided to cut a bit more (which I think was the right choice fwiw)?0
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Thanks! Seems like a good decision.
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
Yup. I rarely ever sweat. During front squats and barbell lunges I do but that's pretty much it
Envy. I leave puddles.
Makes hydration a pita.0 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
Yup. I rarely ever sweat. During front squats and barbell lunges I do but that's pretty much it
Envy. I leave puddles.
Makes hydration a pita.
Ha, also annoying when you are attempting touch and go deadlifts and you have sweat in your eyes.
And I definitely get where you are coming from OP. I just started a short program, and it increases reps and incorporates pause reps, so the first bit of the program seems super easy and short (don't need much rest time between sets). It feels odd, but I know by the time I get to 3x12 with pause reps after those sets I'm going to be dying.
Keep your eye on where you are headed and don't dwell on how it feels to easy. It will change.0 -
Took this pic tonight. I'm so disappointed in myself. I feel like I'm so scrawny yet still not defined at all. What's the point of even continuing to cut? Or bulk? I'm either going to get fat again or I'm going to look scrawny. I don't know how I'll ever get out of this situation I'm in.
It's been a long 3 years and I have nothing to show for it. I've been focusing and so nerotic about everything yet no results achieved. I'm just having a bad night. Sorry for venting. It's just frustrating0 -
Like I said, you can continue this path if you wish. It's on you. But I recommended that you up your calories to just over maintenance or at maintenance and go for strength gains. You will improve.
But you've only been on this lifting program for what? 1 week? Keep on that weight training schedule as it seems to work if you're cutting or bulking. As you need a better lifting program and CONSISTENCY. Give it 6-8 weeks. Don't think and just DO.0 -
I think you are ready to bulk since I don't see what you need to cut further for. Objectively I would put you around the 10 to 12% range. If you cut more you will become more defined and vascular but I doubt you will like the way you look if you think you are too thin now.
Time to put on some beef and keep working your weight program for size and strength.
ETA note, I agree with Jeff not to change course on your weight program but I don't think you need to cut any more.0 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »I think you are ready to bulk since I don't see what you need to cut further for. Objectively I would put you around the 10 to 12% range. If you cut more you will become more defined and vascular but I doubt you will like the way you look if you think you are too thin now.
Time to put on some beef and keep working your weight program for size and strength.
ETA note, I agree with Jeff not to change course on your weight program but I don't think you need to cut any more.
OP, I'm with these two. Keep cutting, start bulking, whatever. Just keep doing SOMETHING. It's only been a week. Things don't change in a week.0 -
^ all the above x40
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »I think you are ready to bulk since I don't see what you need to cut further for. Objectively I would put you around the 10 to 12% range. If you cut more you will become more defined and vascular but I doubt you will like the way you look if you think you are too thin now.
Time to put on some beef and keep working your weight program for size and strength.
ETA note, I agree with Jeff not to change course on your weight program but I don't think you need to cut any more.
You'd really peg me as low as 10-12%? I was thinking I was still at least 14%.
I am 100% going to stick with the program- that's not even a question. My main question revolves around how much I should be eating, and what my goal should be involving adding/losing weight. I understand the idea of maintenance, but I worry that if I eat "whatever" I really won't get anywhere since nutrition is a big part of the process0 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »I think you are ready to bulk since I don't see what you need to cut further for. Objectively I would put you around the 10 to 12% range. If you cut more you will become more defined and vascular but I doubt you will like the way you look if you think you are too thin now.
Time to put on some beef and keep working your weight program for size and strength.
ETA note, I agree with Jeff not to change course on your weight program but I don't think you need to cut any more.
OP, I'm with these two. Keep cutting, start bulking, whatever. Just keep doing SOMETHING. It's only been a week. Things don't change in a week.
Yup. If you're going to be unhappy cutting, try bulking. But, you will likely be unhappy with anything you do at this point. You've been stagnating for so long, you just want to see results. Nothing will happen instantly. Pick something and stick with it. For a long period of time. It's winter, and so a lot of people consider it a good time to bulk. But someone (was it BroScience?) has been bulking for over a year. The process of bulking and cutting takes a very long time, so you need to be willing to commit some time to it.
A lot of people are scared of bulking (it's easy for me to say because I've only been eating at a deficit), so they end the bulk early. They end up shooting themselves in the foot because they can't dedicate the time to bulk because their mind messes with them. From what I've heard, people end up in an endless cycle where they bulk for too short a time and don't put on mass and then cut, but get frustrated because they are too small. It seems like where you have been for the past three years.
At some point, you're going to have to accept where you are and realize you need to work. And that work will take time. Commit to it, and mentally get behind what you need to do to obtain your goals. Consistency will be the key.0
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