I just need to hear this from other lifters. (Big lifters)

I think the rule of thumb for guys is to lose until they get to the 10-15% BF level before trying to bulk...I think that corresponds to 17-22% for women. For me, I got down to the high end of that and then tried to bulk, and was back up to a weight that I was uncomfortable with in no time. I'd aim for the lower level before trying to do it again.

CardiLuxe wrote: »

Hey, so I'm currently eating at a deficit to lose weight. I still have around 20lbs to go,
But I also want all of the gains in the world.
I've seen people with alot of body fat, just start eating to gain and they're STILL losing weight.
So my question is, eat at a deficit to lose weight? Or weight train more and eat to gain muscle?
What did you do? And how did it work for you?
I need to get rid of a flabby belly but don't know if just training muscles can still help me lose it.

Thanks!

if these people are "eating to gain" but still losing weight then they aren't truly in a surplus. when you do a bulk cycle (eating to gain), you put on weight...ideally equal parts muscle to fat then you have to do a cut to remove that fat.

if you eat close to maintenance and lift you can re-comp which means you will slowly cut away some fat while slowly adding some muscle mass...the key word here being slowly. personally re-comping works just fine for me and i don't look at it as necessarily this deliberate thing like bulking or cutting, but rather a bi-product of eating well and hitting the weight room and cycling...basically a fitness body derived from good livin' over time.

I did a bulk cycle last winter mostly out of curiosity...it went well, but i hated cutting. If you're going to do a bulk cycle, you want to start out pretty stinkin' lean to allow yourself enough time to bulk on some mass and not looking too fat in the process...though by the end I felt like a big fat cow again.