Anyone cutting after a bulk?

Hey all,

I am about to start cutting in a few weeks, just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat.. either currently cutting or about to start. Would love to talk about different techniques (calorie cycling, refeeds, diet breaks), macros, calories, program modifications (if any) that you go with while you lean down.

I am wrapping up a 7 month bulk where I gained13-14lbs. I will probably cut for about 3 months, to lose 6-8lbs

I am going to spend about a week at maintenance tapering the calories down, then go into a fairly slower cut... 0.5lb per week or so. I usually keep my protein at 1-1.2g per lb, and I calorie/carb cycle, so I have two low days, three moderate days and two high days. I don't track very often (the odd meal or just protein sometimes) so it is mostly a guesstimate. I am going to try to implement more diet breaks this time, at least one in the middle to give myself a bit of a break.
My training I keep about the same, maybe do a bit more strength, but I don't touch it too much.

Curious to know what you all do!
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Replies

  • billkansas
    billkansas Posts: 267 Member
    I gained 5 lbs in my first "bulk" from weeks 4 to 12 (Jan 22 to Mar 24). It was enlightening, long story. I've never weighed this much in my life.

    I've been on my cut for two weeks. The first week getting to 2900 calories or below seemed like a chore. I was hungry all evening. I found that eating breakfast later every day made it much more tolerable. I'm actually not hungry for the first few hours after waking.

    Last week I hit my calorie goal for the week with some room to spare. The interesting thing is that in the last two weeks I've hit new PR's on the squat, deadlift, press, and bench press. As a strength trainer- I did NOT expect to hit PR's during my cut.... almost like a "slingshot effect" for lack of a better name- I seemed to benefit from the "bulk" even after the bulk officially ended (lots of other variables at play also... too many to write up).

    To sum up my workout plan is to say I simplified it recently also but not due to my cut. Rather, work stress from promotion and home stress- there's just not enough of my time to go around. I went from three or four workouts per week back down to two workouts per week. Just focusing on my main four lifts above.

    The anticipation of my next bulk is really a great motivator- to cut now.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    Does a diet break that turned into a short bulk count? I went from cutting to eating ~250 over maintenance for 5-6 weeks, gained 4-5 lbs back after losing 5lb in January. Taking this week as a much needed rest/deload week (first since January) and looking to hit the ground running lifting on schedule next week.

    It's a lame excuse but this week on the calendar can be hard to navigate on food; my wife's birthday was 4/21 and mine is 4/29, also have a bachelor party to go to Saturday night. Coming off a pretty heavy food weekend, wanting to keep things buttoned up this week expecting another less-than-ideal weekend eating.

    The scale said 177lbs this morning but I believe that to be artificially high with all I ate over the weekend (particularly dinner and dessert out last night for my wife's birthday). Last week's weekly average was just under 175. If I cut to the end of May at 1% body weight, I'd be down to about 165, which should be around 13% body fat for me. Thinking ahead, from there I should be good to bulk for 8 weeks at ~1 lb/week back up into the mid 170s. Then a week at maintenance, and 6 week cut before an event I'm attending in mid September to be back to that same ~13% body fat. Bulk again from then until after Thanksgiving, cut leading up to Christmas, maintenance during the holidays or start my next bulk early if I'm happy with where that post-Thanksgiving cut lands.

  • Silkysausage
    Silkysausage Posts: 502 Member
    How do I know when to stop bulking and start cutting? I've read 'stop when you've reached your target weight'...how do I know what that would be?

    I'm only just starting, first time ever so I'm a long way off.

    I don't mean to hijack this thread by the lovely Sardelsa but it seems like a good opportunity for others to learn by the answers.

  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    I'm stopping my bulk when I hit 140 (5'5"). I'll still be around 18-19% bf, so won't need to cut, just recomp.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I'm stopping my bulk when I hit 140 (5'5"). I'll still be around 18-19% bf, so won't need to cut, just recomp.

    That is the bodyfat I want AFTER I cut :p . I don't measure my bodyfat though so.. goal is to see more glute, quad and hamstring definition (maybe the stubborn banana rolls will finally go down :s ) , reduce the waist, see some more abs, more defined arms and back would be nice too. Right now my glutes and hamstrings are starting to look like one unit haha
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I'm stopping my bulk when I hit 140 (5'5"). I'll still be around 18-19% bf, so won't need to cut, just recomp.

    That is the bodyfat I want AFTER I cut :p . I don't measure my bodyfat though so.. goal is to see more glute, quad and hamstring definition (maybe the stubborn banana rolls will finally go down :s ) , reduce the waist, see some more abs, more defined arms and back would be nice too. Right now my glutes and hamstrings are starting to look like one unit haha

    I've got a roll of fat between my butt and hammies, but that's the only place I've visibly gained fat.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I'm stopping my bulk when I hit 140 (5'5"). I'll still be around 18-19% bf, so won't need to cut, just recomp.

    That is the bodyfat I want AFTER I cut :p . I don't measure my bodyfat though so.. goal is to see more glute, quad and hamstring definition (maybe the stubborn banana rolls will finally go down :s ) , reduce the waist, see some more abs, more defined arms and back would be nice too. Right now my glutes and hamstrings are starting to look like one unit haha

    I've got a roll of fat between my butt and hammies, but that's the only place I've visibly gained fat.

    The thing is my muscles and body look big and curvy. but I don't look fat or bad. I definitely don't look ripped or fit into my pants, haha. I might actually miss how I look after I cut. I may cut down, then add a few lbs back on after. Basically want to see what I built then go to something sustainable for a while.

    I technically fit into my pants, but my quads have grown 1.5" over the past six months and I went from a thigh gap to 4" of legs that touch (honestly don't care)... but... rubbed a hole in my favorite jeans LOL