For people trying to lose the last bit of fat and tone up...

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  • kopmom
    kopmom Posts: 491 Member
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    What do you mean by a cut/bulk cycle, what is that?

    I'm 5'4" 117 lbs with the same goals. I was also told to do the cut/bulk cycles. So first I decided on a 20% cut while lifting weights to preserve muscle mass. I started a month ago, have been very strict with my diet and exercise, and have gained 3 lbs while losing 2 inches from my waist and hips.

    Obviously you CAN gain mass and lose body fat at the same time, but I suspect this is mostly only true for beginners or people on high protein diets.
  • KarinaPerez87
    KarinaPerez87 Posts: 8
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    bump
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
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    BuMp
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
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    Bump!
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    Bump to read later.
  • nikkiprickett
    nikkiprickett Posts: 412 Member
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    I've actually heard to do both at the same time!! which means a combo of good eating habits, cardio and resistance training...
    that's what a personal trainer told me to do! The more muscle you have the more fat you burn! (something he also told me :)
    and remember that when something gets easy, you're getting stronger-time to increase resistance, decrease mile time...etc...

    hope that helps!
  • paulagj
    paulagj Posts: 72 Member
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    bump
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
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    I am at this stage, I have started new rules of lifting for women today.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    After reading Niner's posts, now I have to know... You mention that if eating in a caloric deficit while strength training you will retain muscle and lose fat making the muscle more visible. You state that you must be in a caloric surplus to gain muscle. My question is- and maybe i've been misinformed... what happens if you eat at maintenance (including calories burned while lifting) and strength train? Does this apply as if you were eating at a deficit? I won't bore you with my personal goals, however, in the past 2-3 months I have stayed around the same weight (give or take a few pounds) and lost almost 1.2% body fat. How is that accounted for if my weight has stayed relatively the same as it was when I had said body fat? Would that be a rare-case where I "gained muscle while losing"?

    Thank you! :)
  • nasja1984
    nasja1984 Posts: 98 Member
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    bump?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    After reading Niner's posts, now I have to know... You mention that if eating in a caloric deficit while strength training you will retain muscle and lose fat making the muscle more visible. You state that you must be in a caloric surplus to gain muscle. My question is- and maybe i've been misinformed... what happens if you eat at maintenance (including calories burned while lifting) and strength train? Does this apply as if you were eating at a deficit? I won't bore you with my personal goals, however, in the past 2-3 months I have stayed around the same weight (give or take a few pounds) and lost almost 1.2% body fat. How is that accounted for if my weight has stayed relatively the same as it was when I had said body fat? Would that be a rare-case where I "gained muscle while losing"?

    Thank you! :)
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Wow, having trouble quoting and adding in.
    You asked Niner but the answer is possibly. You could have experienced newbie gains if you hadn't done weight work in a long while or you could have had muscle tissue that was shrunken down and/or atrophied and now look bigger because they are developed and are filled with water and glycogen. Either way it's a good thing and I'd keep going on the track your on. Great job!

    PS: What you are doing is exactly what I'm doing. I'm eating at close maintenance and lifting. Weight is not changing, body fat is going down. 1 to 1.5 % per month.
  • Stephyshoes
    Stephyshoes Posts: 45 Member
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    Bump
  • Klamber26
    Klamber26 Posts: 212
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    Cutting is reducing your calories while weightlifting heavy to retain muscle and lose body fat. Bulking is increasing your calories above maintenance while lifting in order to make muscular gains.

    Every time you bulk you gain some fat too (but with the right diet you can minimize this) Then, you cut again while retaining the new muscle you built. You can eventually get you bf% incredibly low doing this.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Cutting is reducing your calories while weightlifting heavy to retain muscle and lose body fat. Bulking is increasing your calories above maintenance while lifting in order to make muscular gains.

    Every time you bulk you gain some fat too (but with the right diet you can minimize this) Then, you cut again while retaining the new muscle you built. You can eventually get you bf% incredibly low doing this.

    So a question I would have is what is the right diet to bulk while minimizing fat gain? Maybe that should be it's own thread instead of hijacking this one? If people think so, I'll start one.
  • lilsassymom
    lilsassymom Posts: 407 Member
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    BUMP
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
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    So... IM REALLLY CONFUSED HERE!!! CAN I DO STRENGTH TRAINING AND ALSO LOOSE FAT?? I'm eating 1900 cals aprox... doing lost of cardio, and lots of weight lifting... So?
    Of course you can. In fact the strength training (if intense enough and with a good calorie deficit) can do it all on it's own. I do recommend cardio with strength program because it's good for your heart.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
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    After reading Niner's posts, now I have to know... You mention that if eating in a caloric deficit while strength training you will retain muscle and lose fat making the muscle more visible. You state that you must be in a caloric surplus to gain muscle. My question is- and maybe i've been misinformed... what happens if you eat at maintenance (including calories burned while lifting) and strength train? Does this apply as if you were eating at a deficit? I won't bore you with my personal goals, however, in the past 2-3 months I have stayed around the same weight (give or take a few pounds) and lost almost 1.2% body fat. How is that accounted for if my weight has stayed relatively the same as it was when I had said body fat? Would that be a rare-case where I "gained muscle while losing"?

    Thank you! :)
    It's not totally impossible to gain some muscle while on deficit or even in maintenance, it's just not probable in most cases. The body doesn't work in linear terms. It reacts and adapts to stress. To comp for it, hormones will be regulated differently and this vastly determines the outcome of your physique.
    It sounds like you're going through recomp which is good so keep it up.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
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    So a question I would have is what is the right diet to bulk while minimizing fat gain? Maybe that should be it's own thread instead of hijacking this one? If people think so, I'll start one.
    Higher in protein and don't make the surplus too high. I like a 30/40/30 split. I have a male client who wanted to gain muscle. So we upped his surplus to 250 a day. In 3 months he's gained 15lbs. The last 3 weeks, he's been on deficit to cut up for summer. He's lost 5lbs already. We are starting to see all his hard work now. Looked at a comparison photo of him before and now and can definitely see he's more muscular.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • weglcq
    weglcq Posts: 1
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    This Youtube video may be useful for some: "Gain Muscle AND lose fat!" by Scooby 1961.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi-jnsG0Z7Y

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