Cut/Bulk and macros

lianne268 wrote: »

Hey guys ! So I'm in need of a little help right now as I'm so confused on what to do .. I'm currently eating maintanence or maybe sometimes a little over, I have some fair bit of muscle I've gained but I guess you could say I have some fat around my lower abdomen and my waist, I'm not happy with it but I don't want to cut and lose the muscle I've gained as I want to keep gaining muscle too!

If the 18% body fat measure is accurate, I vote maintenance calories. (One of the few times I've disagreed with psuLemon although only partially.) You are right at the low end of healthy body fat for women. A few links on why that it is along with unhealthy body changes you can expect if you try to cut to and then maintain at a lower body fat %:

http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/qa-fat-loss-fat-loss/low-body-fat-in-women-stubborn-low-back-fat-and-skinny-fat-training.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html


That said, I agree with psuLemon, that the 18% seems dubious given your description. I didn't see the method of calculation posted, but if that's all you have, then I stand by the above.

edickson76 wrote: »

lianne268 wrote: »

Hey guys ! So I'm in need of a little help right now as I'm so confused on what to do .. I'm currently eating maintanence or maybe sometimes a little over, I have some fair bit of muscle I've gained but I guess you could say I have some fat around my lower abdomen and my waist, I'm not happy with it but I don't want to cut and lose the muscle I've gained as I want to keep gaining muscle too!

If the 18% body fat measure is accurate, I vote maintenance calories. (One of the few times I've disagreed with psuLemon although only partially.) You are right at the low end of healthy body fat for women. A few links on why that it is along with unhealthy body changes you can expect if you try to cut to and then maintain at a lower body fat %:

http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/qa-fat-loss-fat-loss/low-body-fat-in-women-stubborn-low-back-fat-and-skinny-fat-training.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html


That said, I agree with psuLemon, that the 18% seems dubious given your description. I didn't see the method of calculation posted, but if that's all you have, then I stand by the above.

I just don't think it's 18%, which is why i am suggesting cut.