Bulk or Cut? [M] 22, 5"6', 130lbs.

Nprimiano
Nprimiano Posts: 2 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been lifting for about a year. I started with 3-4 days per week and for the past month I have been training 6 days per week.  I'm 22, 5"6', and 130 pounds. My weight has remained essentially the same all year. I probably gained a little muscle and lost some fat but I feel like I haven't made significant progress. I have been eating 1700-1900 calories with 130+ grams of protein per day. Is it time for me to start bulking or should I reduce my caloric intake further to cut my last bit of body fat. 

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Replies

  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,916 Member
    cut what??
  • AnabolicMind2011
    AnabolicMind2011 Posts: 211 Member
    Bulk for sure. Your very lean and building some muscle would benefit you.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    Maybe a cut for the hair, everything else needs bulk bro
  • honorthecolors
    honorthecolors Posts: 33 Member
    I think you need to bulk up for sure. Increase your complex carbs, reduce sugar, increase protein and lift your max at the gym. Make sure to get in some cardio to burn those extra carbs. I am almoa 3 inches taller than you and I weight 145lbs I'm in the same boat as you.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Not even close by any reasonable measure. It's time to bulk. Keep it to a mild surplus, make sure your macros are dialled in, put your all into your lifting, and get it done.
  • Nprimiano
    Nprimiano Posts: 2 Member
    I'm pretty new to this so can anyone recommend a reasonable goal weight before I start cutting again and and amount of caloric surplus (I seem to maintain my weight pretty well around 1800 calories).
  • TravisGM92
    TravisGM92 Posts: 143 Member
    I agree with most of the OP's here. Start bulking. But bulk clean. There's no such thing as a "dirty bulk"; if you gain too much fat with your muscle gains, you'll have to waste more time in the future to lose the fat. You'll inevitably gain some fat when you bulk, just keep it to a minimum.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,260 Member
    Nprimiano wrote: »
    I'm pretty new to this so can anyone recommend a reasonable goal weight before I start cutting again and and amount of caloric surplus (I seem to maintain my weight pretty well around 1800 calories).

    Your maintenance should be quite a bit higher than that, considering your sex and age. Either your calorie counting is off or you just need to work out of the adaptive thermogenesis that dieting has caused you. I'd suggest visiting the Gaining Weight section for help.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Add 200 calories a day and record your weight and measurements (waist, arms, shoulders, chest, quads) for 4-6 weeks. When you stop making progress add another 100-200 cals. Slow is the name of the game!
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I am on team bulk. You are lean and look good but at the minimum for your build now.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    edited August 2016
    You're kind of in the same boat I am, though I'm 5'10" at 157. Could we stand to lose a bit more fat? Always. However, there's really not much to cut to, and your lean mass would suffer pretty hard at this point as well. So it's time to increase intake a bit, get the lean mass up, the worry about shedding fat once there's a better muscular base.
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