HELP? Do I cut or bulk?

jaymie_x0
jaymie_x0 Posts: 265 Member
edited November 16 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
7grr548583iu.jpg
Okay, so I've lost 30 lbs now, I'm currently at 154 and I'm 5'11! My goal is just to look lean, with some muscle definition....so where I'm at with my weight right now, I feel like I'm just a skinny fat....should I bulk and then cut? Recomp? Or keep cutting down lower and then bulk? Idk how this all works, here's a picture right now

Replies

  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    edited February 2017
    I'm 5'10", and started my first bulk at 150. I was however, at 12% when I hit that weight. I was so detrained though, that even at such a relatively low bodyfat, my definition was pretty much nonexistent.

    Really, your call, depending upon your composition, and how you feel about your body.
  • jaymie_x0
    jaymie_x0 Posts: 265 Member
    I feel like my body fat is still like 25% my legs look to fat to me also. Idk what to do. Maybe I'll switch to maintenance for awhile
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    jaymie_x0 wrote: »
    I feel like my body fat is still like 25% my legs look to fat to me also. Idk what to do. Maybe I'll switch to maintenance for awhile

    If you've been dieting hard for a while, you should cruise at maintenance for a little while anyway. Going right from a strong deficit to a surplus is a good way to pack on fat pretty quickly.
  • joneedolla
    joneedolla Posts: 9 Member
    IMO I would cut a bit more if possible, then run maintenance for a few weeks. Keep lifting and don't cut calories too much. Once your body get "used" to your maintenance weight, you can run a bulk session. I just believe you want to cut as much as possible, before bulking. Hope that helps a bit. Stick to one program though and don't bounce around too much. Good luck
  • dlionsmane
    dlionsmane Posts: 674 Member
    IMO I would eat at maintenance and lift all the heavy *kitten*... :) Don't surplus until you know how much you need. How much you want to 'bulk'.
  • jaymie_x0
    jaymie_x0 Posts: 265 Member
    Thanks guys!
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    edited February 2017
    Have you been lifting? I was roughly in the same boat. 6' 157 when I stopped losing. But I had no lifting experience and I went into a slight bulk and I think that was a mistake with the first few months being more about neural adaptation strength gains as opposed to muscle mass gains, so the extra calories really didn't build new mass but went as fat. If I did it again, I would have spent the first few months this at maintenance.
  • Dreamcrusher16
    Dreamcrusher16 Posts: 1,263 Member
    I agree with the people saying eat at maintenance and lift heavy. I lift even at a deficit but I know different people have different goals.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Maintenance.
  • Mindfulness7
    Mindfulness7 Posts: 5 Member
    Interesting. I've never posted before, but I've also lost 30 lbs, and now want more definition. My other problem is my age, which can work against more defined muscle... I'm starting to take in much more protein.
  • malioumba
    malioumba Posts: 132 Member
    I must be so dense as to what is considered a 'good looking bod', as I thought she looked as hot as heck, and muscles would look great, but she got a advice to cut more, which was the complete thought I had in mind.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    dlionsmane wrote: »
    IMO I would eat at maintenance and lift all the heavy *kitten*... :) Don't surplus until you know how much you need. How much you want to 'bulk'.

    Yes, this.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    edited February 2017
    Mindfulness7 wrote: »
    Interesting. I've never posted before, but I've also lost 30 lbs, and now want more definition. My other problem is my age, which can work against more defined muscle... I'm starting to take in much more protein.

    Depending upon age, this is a good strategy. I've seen several sources showing that as people get further beyond their 50s, their protein requirements increase exponentially over time. Protein "pulsing" (large infusions at once) appears to be at least somewhat helpful to them as well.
  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
    malioumba wrote: »
    I must be so dense as to what is considered a 'good looking bod', as I thought she looked as hot as heck, and muscles would look great, but she got a advice to cut more, which was the complete thought I had in mind.

    Me too! I don't see any "fat legs" either.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    malioumba wrote: »
    I must be so dense as to what is considered a 'good looking bod', as I thought she looked as hot as heck, and muscles would look great, but she got a advice to cut more, which was the complete thought I had in mind.

    its different for everyone, no? OP has asked for opinions and has got some... she has said she wants more muscle definition, so people are suggesting how she should do that.
  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    malioumba wrote: »
    I must be so dense as to what is considered a 'good looking bod', as I thought she looked as hot as heck, and muscles would look great, but she got a advice to cut more, which was the complete thought I had in mind.

    its different for everyone, no? OP has asked for opinions and has got some... she has said she wants more muscle definition, so people are suggesting how she should do that.

    Also most are not saying cut,they're saying maintenance?
    It's true it's different for everyone though.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    jaymie_x0 wrote: »
    I feel like my body fat is still like 25% my legs look to fat to me also. Idk what to do. Maybe I'll switch to maintenance for awhile

    You need to get to 18-20% to bulk as a female..I would suggest smaller deficit -250 cal per day- and keep lifting
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    If you want to look lean, I would either consider a small cut (~250 or 10% lower than TDEE) or recomping. But the one that you feel it right would also depend on if you have a time frame. While recomping is beneficial for some, it's a long term investment.

    A major question is, how is your workout program and what are your doing? Nutrition will play a major key for fat loss, but a solid exercise routine will develop or even help improve body composition.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    malioumba wrote: »
    I must be so dense as to what is considered a 'good looking bod', as I thought she looked as hot as heck, and muscles would look great, but she got a advice to cut more, which was the complete thought I had in mind.

    No one is saying she doesn't look great, but others are giving her advice to reach her specific goals. Her options would be to cut more to bring her BF% down in order to start a bulk (since it is optimal to start a bulk at a lower bf% vs what she is now), or recomp.
    OP it depends how ready you are to start a bulk... it is quite a mental battle and not for everyone. However on the other hand, recomping can also be difficult because it can take more time and for some it is hard to measure which can be discouraging.
  • jaymie_x0
    jaymie_x0 Posts: 265 Member
    richardgavel wrote: »
    Have you been lifting? I was roughly in the same boat. 6' 157 when I stopped losing. But I had no lifting experience and I went into a slight bulk and I think that was a mistake with the first few months being more about neural adaptation strength gains as opposed to muscle mass gains, so the extra calories really didn't build new mass but went as fat. If I did it again, I would have spent the first few months this at maintenance.

    Yeah I've been lifting but never followed a program strictly which probably didn't help me any, but I just started simply shredded today & hoping to stick to it unlike before where I just half assed it
  • jaymie_x0
    jaymie_x0 Posts: 265 Member
    edited February 2017
    I think I'm going to take your advices and do maintenance and lift heavy what can it hurt.
  • sirenrose9419
    sirenrose9419 Posts: 3 Member
    I personally think you should only eat maintenance for a month, just to try and figure out where you are at, I've lost 50 lbs and spent 2 years at maitenence tried weight lifting a few times but I actually felt like I had no energy in my workouts so didn't get anywhere , I've now increased cals and started lifting again and my strength is finally increasing you would look even more awesome with more muscle mass and I feel like our body's are pretty similar looking except I'm currently 5'8 151 lbs and I've been bulking for a couple of months and started at 148 lbs I actually have gained ab definition despite increase of food/weight, I am a newbie so this is just an opinion not advice but I say bulk as soon as possible! ;)
  • sirenrose9419
    sirenrose9419 Posts: 3 Member
    You have very slim legs, definitely no more cutting! IMO x
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    jaymie_x0 wrote: »
    I think I'm going to take your advices and do maintenance and lift heavy what can it hurt.

    Good idea. Enjoy the extra food! You can decide in a few weeks if you want to stay at maintenance or not
  • Nicki_101
    Nicki_101 Posts: 73 Member
    It doesnt look like there is much left to cut.... I would focus on maintaining and bulking up a bit. You look great though...keep up the good work
  • slacker80
    slacker80 Posts: 235 Member
    Again as previously stated more than once. IMO I'd go maintenance and really put your heart into lifting. You've probably been in deficit for too long anyway and it's done it's job. However it's likely that your metabolism has adapted to your routine so trick it up and enjoy maintenance.
    As long as you don't cheat yourself on your sets with a good amount of volume in your training, than naturally the aesthetics will come. How well they come within Maintenance depends on your skill/level of consistency in both good nutritional dieting and exercise.
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