Suggestions please. Bulk or cut?
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misnomer1
Posts: 646 Member
30 yr male. 82 kgs. 5'11" height. been on a deficit for 2 weeks dropped from 84 to 82 kg. Aim is more muscle mass and lower bf% eventually.
Been on stronglifts 5x5 since a week and plan to continue regardless of this bulk/cut decision. Maintenance is 2500 kcal. currently on 2000 kcal a day. If i decide to bulk ill be on 2700 kcal a day.
So, looking at the pics, should i bulk or cut more before bulking again? what would you do in my position?
(edit: sorry for the piss poor images. need to clean my mirror too)
Been on stronglifts 5x5 since a week and plan to continue regardless of this bulk/cut decision. Maintenance is 2500 kcal. currently on 2000 kcal a day. If i decide to bulk ill be on 2700 kcal a day.
So, looking at the pics, should i bulk or cut more before bulking again? what would you do in my position?
(edit: sorry for the piss poor images. need to clean my mirror too)
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Replies
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I would continue cutting personally...4
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Cut for at least another 12 weeks and reassess4
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Cut2
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I'd say cut. Work on losing a little weight then you can bulk. For now, focus on eating healthy, exercising and doing cardio to tone. Then you'd be ready to do a clean bulk if you want2
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Cut it is then. Thanks all0
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Cut but not to fast or you will lose muscle mass like I have.1
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Get in a caloric deficit and keep your protein around 1g/lbs body weight. If you are doing the Stronglifts 5x5 program I assume you are a novice lifter. You should be able to loose fat and gain muscle at the same time pretty easily.0
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Cut but not to fast or you will lose muscle mass like I have.
How much deficit did you maintain and how many gms of protein daily?Get in a caloric deficit and keep your protein around 1g/lbs body weight. If you are doing the Stronglifts 5x5 program I assume you are a novice lifter. You should be able to loose fat and gain muscle at the same time pretty easily.
Maintaining 170gm protein daily. 300 to 500 kcal deficit as of now daily depending on which site gives the tdee. What bf% should be good to stop cut and bulk? Is 15 good? Im Currently around 18-19 i reckon.0 -
There was a study at McMaster University that put people on a 40% calorie deficit from their maintenance calories but kept their protein high. They had them resistance train and do HIIT. I forget the period of time they went but they lost a decent amount of fat and gained a nice amount of muscle. IMO you should find your maintenance calories and go somewhere between a 10% deficit to a 40% deficit while keeping your protein high and you seem to be doing that now. Just go for as long as you want and then when you like what you see in the mirror go up to maintenance calories.
You cannot go to low on calories really. Just keep your protein high. If you go extremely low, like a 40% reduction from your maintenance calories you will hit your goal faster but it will affect your metabolism more. Once you go back up to maintenance calories your metabolism will go back to normal though.2 -
I would cut for a short time(2-3 months depending how agressive) and do a better program then SL for a cut/bulk.1
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Cut but not to fast or you will lose muscle mass like I have.
How much deficit did you maintain and how many gms of protein daily?Get in a caloric deficit and keep your protein around 1g/lbs body weight. If you are doing the Stronglifts 5x5 program I assume you are a novice lifter. You should be able to loose fat and gain muscle at the same time pretty easily.
Maintaining 170gm protein daily. 300 to 500 kcal deficit as of now daily depending on which site gives the tdee. What bf% should be good to stop cut and bulk? Is 15 good? Im Currently around 18-19 i reckon.
I couldn't tell you my deficit to be honest when I started. I was too focused on my weight loss and not the calorie intake. I only started lifting about 6 months ago and by then I'd lost just under 40lb and some muscle mass to go with it. What I should of done is started lifting from the beginning so as not to lose the mass. I'm now bulking at .5 to .75lb per week and doing SL5X5 and can already see the progress.
If you are cutting get down to around 10/12% bf then start your bulk, I'm aiming to bulk to 17% then will cut back to 10% whilst continuing with the lifting, Then repeat.1 -
I would cut for a short time(2-3 months depending how agressive) and do a better program then SL for a cut/bulk.
I like SL5x5 because i have barbell, weights, bench and squat rack at home and SL exercises are easy to execute there. Ive decided to cut at 1kg a week for 6 weeks, reach 76 kg and clean bulk from there.0 -
Cut but not to fast or you will lose muscle mass like I have.
How much deficit did you maintain and how many gms of protein daily?Get in a caloric deficit and keep your protein around 1g/lbs body weight. If you are doing the Stronglifts 5x5 program I assume you are a novice lifter. You should be able to loose fat and gain muscle at the same time pretty easily.
Maintaining 170gm protein daily. 300 to 500 kcal deficit as of now daily depending on which site gives the tdee. What bf% should be good to stop cut and bulk? Is 15 good? Im Currently around 18-19 i reckon.
I couldn't tell you my deficit to be honest when I started. I was too focused on my weight loss and not the calorie intake. I only started lifting about 6 months ago and by then I'd lost just under 40lb and some muscle mass to go with it. What I should of done is started lifting from the beginning so as not to lose the mass. I'm now bulking at .5 to .75lb per week and doing SL5X5 and can already see the progress.
If you are cutting get down to around 10/12% bf then start your bulk, I'm aiming to bulk to 17% then will cut back to 10% whilst continuing with the lifting, Then repeat.
This is like reading what I did, lol. 42 lbs lost over 13-14 months, didn't lift until 10 months in (oops) got to 12% BF, now bulking to 15%.
A deficit of approx. 25% below TDEE should be ok, more isn't that great, less is just fine 15% while lifting might be nice, but of course it will take longer. Cut to below 15%. 15% is about the "cut off"
point. A happy place is cut to somewhere below 15%, say 12 or so, then bulk to 15, then cut back down. Mileage varies, but above 15% and the body tends to favour fat storage over muscle when bulking. 2 -
Cut0
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[/quote]but above 15% and the body tends to favour fat storage over muscle when bulking.[/quote]
I have not heard of this before. Where did you find this information?
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I would cut for a short time(2-3 months depending how agressive) and do a better program then SL for a cut/bulk.
I like SL5x5 because i have barbell, weights, bench and squat rack at home and SL exercises are easy to execute there. Ive decided to cut at 1kg a week for 6 weeks, reach 76 kg and clean bulk from there.
Same as me bud. I've got all I need at home to continue with SL, and to be honest I'm enjoying it at the minute. Good luck.1 -
but above 15% and the body tends to favour fat storage over muscle when bulking.[/quote]
I have not heard of this before. Where did you find this information?
[/quote]
@PPumpItUp Here's the most thorough explanation for when to cut and when to bulk, including references at the bottom. If you don't like the reading, just skip down to "Practical Recommendations". It's from Lyle McDonald's page. It's good stuff.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/initial-body-fat-and-body-composition-changes.html/0
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