Lean enough to bulk?

lindyyy87
lindyyy87 Posts: 35 Member
edited November 22 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hey guys- I wanted to get your input on whether or not I’m lean enough to bulk. I’m 5’3 and 121 pounds- unsure on body fat, but my calipers put me around 20%. My current plan is to continue at a deficit for three more weeks and then start a bulking cycle for about 3 months. Am I ready?
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Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Based on your bodyfat% and pictures, you do look lean enough to bulk. For females it is recommended 20% and under (generally..)

    That being said, how do you feel? Do you feel ready to bulk now or in 3 weeks? It will be mostly mental at this point if you are ready, some people like to get really lean before they bulk in order to deal with the gain (there is also some arguments for better nutrient partitioning, however, lower than 20% I don't know if it will make that much difference) on the other hand, some people don't want to waste that time cutting they could spend building.

    So if you want continue your deficit, go for it...then reverse into a maintenance then go into a bulk.

    However, I would recommend you bulk longer than 3 months. If you gain 2lbs per month (to keep fat gains at bay), that is only 6lbs gained, at best 3lbs muscle.. to be honest, it won't be that significant of a difference once you cut again. So if you can go longer, I would.

    Good luck!
  • lindyyy87
    lindyyy87 Posts: 35 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Based on your bodyfat% and pictures, you do look lean enough to bulk. For females it is recommended 20% and under (generally..)

    That being said, how do you feel? Do you feel ready to bulk now or in 3 weeks?

    Good luck!

    Thanks for your feedback! I keep going back and forth between feeling ready and not. Winter would obviously be an ideal time to bulk, but I do still have a bit of fat I’d like to shed- that’s why I’m doubting that I’m ready. I don’t really want to get to the spring time and start a bulk. I was thinking I might increase my deficit for the next few weeks and then bulk just so I feel a little better about it.

    And good point about bulking longer- I hasn’t considered that it would only be 6 pounds. I feel like I could do more than that and still feel okay about it.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I think before a bulk, most people will have some problem areas that they kind of just give up on at some point. I know that is always true for me. It does get better with every bulk cycle though. I carry fat under my glutes and would love more glute separation.. but no matter how much I cut it doesn't go away. So it comes a point where I just go for the bulk... keep my eye on the prize and focus on the parts that are growing in a positive way. But... you have to decide if those problem areas getting worse will bother you so much that you will bail on the bulk. It is a mental struggle for sure!

    If you really want to bulk this year, I wouldn't waste the winter... just go for it (it is so amazing once you get momentum and see all the positive results!). Let me know if you have anymore questions :)
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    I think you could move right into a bulk based on your pictures. No reason to waste the winter, it's the ideal season to bulk. I don't normally start thinking of stopping a bulk until either March or April since the weather is hit or miss.
    Or, if you limit how much of a surplus you're on, you can stretch it out a lot further.
  • lindyyy87
    lindyyy87 Posts: 35 Member
    piperdown44 wrote: »
    I think you could move right into a bulk based on your pictures. No reason to waste the winter, it's the ideal season to bulk. I don't normally start thinking of stopping a bulk until either March or April since the weather is hit or miss.
    Or, if you limit how much of a surplus you're on, you can stretch it out a lot further.

    Thanks for your input! I think I will try to go until March or April. I live in Wisconsin and that should leave me enough time to cut before shorts and tank top season.

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