Don't know where to progress to

norg
norg Posts: 13 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone.

In 2015 I went from 18 and a half stone to 13 and a half stone by a mixture of extreme dieting, lifting weights, running, cycling, walking etc and went from around 30% to 17% body fat. I am 21 and 6ft 5 inches tall, and am now at a stage where I do not know where to progress.
Ideally in the future I would like to look more muscular and defined with lower body fat %, but I am not sure whether I should bulk up a little bit or continue to cut to be more defined.
The target is to look much more aesthetically appealing for a trip to USA in July.

Any ideas what I should do would be very useful to me

Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I don't remember at what % body fat it is recommended for men to start a bulk. Hopefully someone will chime in. July is not that far off in terms of bulking and cutting. I want to be cut for July and I started a bulk over 2 months ago and I still consider myself cutting it close.

    What is your lifting program? Are you in maintenance now?
  • norg
    norg Posts: 13 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    I don't remember at what % body fat it is recommended for men to start a bulk. Hopefully someone will chime in. July is not that far off in terms of bulking and cutting. I want to be cut for July and I started a bulk over 2 months ago and I still consider myself cutting it close.

    What is your lifting program? Are you in maintenance now?

    I lift 5-7 times per week doing all legs, back and chest twice for compounds and isolation exercises and shoulders once. Also do arms and core when I can. I am hovering over maintenance and had the intention to bulk but now I am not sure
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    norg wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    I don't remember at what % body fat it is recommended for men to start a bulk. Hopefully someone will chime in. July is not that far off in terms of bulking and cutting. I want to be cut for July and I started a bulk over 2 months ago and I still consider myself cutting it close.

    What is your lifting program? Are you in maintenance now?

    I lift 5-7 times per week doing all legs, back and chest twice for compounds and isolation exercises and shoulders once. Also do arms and core when I can. I am hovering over maintenance and had the intention to bulk but now I am not sure

    Want to post a picture? Also..I mean, what IS your program? Is it a structured program or one you made up?
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    First, don't extreme diet, it is going against your goal of gaining strength and having a muscular physique. Keep weight loss under 1% of bodyweight per week.

    As for what to do, probably continue to lose weight while focusing on lifting. You are at the upper end of bf% for effective bulking and you want to look muscular anyways, so just continue to lose at a reasonable rate until around 10-12% and then just recomp in maintenance through the summer. Then do a bulk/cut cycle when you won't mind the extra fat as much.
  • codsterlaing95
    codsterlaing95 Posts: 221 Member
    Ideally males want to start a bulk at 10-12%; females 18-20%.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    i'd say keep cutting until you are atleast 12% if not lower in body fat.

    You can do a small recomp or eat right above maintenance and continue training. I don't recommend bulking as your body fat is still too high, and it will be easier to regulate your body fat levels and keep them still low in time for your trip in july.

    Once you're back from your trip and your body fat is still in that low range, then feel free to bulk.
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