Should i bulk or cut

[southport2014]

i dont know what i should do bulk or continue cutting.
Im 5 foot 7 141 pounds at 20.3 percent body fat.
Should i cut down more or should i go ahead nad clean bulk .
My mainance is like 2300 or so and i was thinking of eating like 2500 calories so a surplus of 200ish calories a day to gain mass. I want to gain muscle rather then fat but i know fat comes regardless but i was wondering if me gaining more muscle would the fat go away , would i get fat or get leaner...!!!? Im going to attend the gym 3-4 days a week with a 10 min warmup on eleptical and then lift . I was thinking i should gain about 2 pounds a muscle a month right so 7 months i should be at like 155 pounds corect ? member i want to gain as little fat as i can.
So how can i do this thanks everyone

[ccarruthers]

i dont know what i should do bulk or continue cutting.
Im 5 foot 7 141 pounds at 20.3 percent body fat.
Should i cut down more or should i go ahead nad clean bulk .
My mainance is like 2300 or so and i was thinking of eating like 2500 calories so a surplus of 200ish calories a day to gain mass. I want to gain muscle rather then fat but i know fat comes regardless but i was wondering if me gaining more muscle would the fat go away , would i get fat or get leaner...!!!? Im going to attend the gym 3-4 days a week with a 10 min warmup on eleptical and then lift . I was thinking i should gain about 2 pounds a muscle a month right so 7 months i should be at like 155 pounds corect ? member i want to gain as little fat as i can.
So how can i do this thanks everyone

Obviously you need to lose some bf.... 20% is actually in the unhealthy range.

[southport2014]

Obviously you need to lose some bf.... 20% is actually in the unhealthy range.

well i was 32 percent in november of 2011 will my body fat go down if i gain muscle and i already only weigh 141

[Jonny2012]

well i was 32 percent in november of 2011 will my body fat go down if i gain muscle and i already only weigh 141

if your only 141 and 20% you need to just start lifting. lift hard and just eat right for about 3 months then look into cutting and bulking.
You need to get a base to work from first. In this 3 months peroid of lifting proberly and eat good foods dosnt have to be surplus or deficent yous eat normaly but healthy plenty of protein you will gain muscle lose fat. After this you should proberly do a small bulk and then cut so you look dicent and a low BF% from here then you can do a proper bulk ad see results

[southport2014]

if your only 141 and 20% you need to just start lifting. lift hard and just eat right for about 3 months then look into cutting and bulking.
You need to get a base to work from first. In this 3 months peroid of lifting proberly and eat good foods dosnt have to be surplus or deficent yous eat normaly but healthy plenty of protein you will gain muscle lose fat. After this you should proberly do a small bulk and then cut so you look dicent and a low BF% from here then you can do a proper bulk ad see results

ive been lifting for 4 months but have only been eating 1800 calories but anyways but thanks for the info

[DukeX2]

hey southport, dont listen to that other guy that's telling you 20% bf is unhealthy. It's a bit over the optimum, but far from significantly unhealthy.

If you want to clean bulk, then do so, you are in a decent spot to start adding muscle to your frame.

I feel that although your clean-bulking plan looks good, your expectations are a little flawed. I'm pretty certain that muscle gains are always accompanied by fat gains. I think I remember reading that around 40% of the weight you gain clean bulking will still be fat.

The point of clean bulking is to just make sure that your fat gains aren't out of proportion to your muscle gains. You cannot completely eliminate fat gain while bulking.

[southport2014]

hey southport, dont listen to that other guy that's telling you 20% bf is unhealthy. It's a bit over the optimum, but far from significantly unhealthy.

If you want to clean bulk, then do so, you are in a decent spot to start adding muscle to your frame.

I feel that although your clean-bulking plan looks good, your expectations are a little flawed. I'm pretty certain that muscle gains are always accompanied by fat gains. I think I remember reading that around 40% of the weight you gain clean bulking will still be fat.

The point of clean bulking is to just make sure that your fat gains aren't out of proportion to your muscle gains. You cannot completely eliminate fat gain while bulking.

Thanks man , is there a forum post that i can read up on clan bullking .

[Jonny2012]

hey southport, dont listen to that other guy that's telling you 20% bf is unhealthy. It's a bit over the optimum, but far from significantly unhealthy.

If you want to clean bulk, then do so, you are in a decent spot to start adding muscle to your frame.

I feel that although your clean-bulking plan looks good, your expectations are a little flawed. I'm pretty certain that muscle gains are always accompanied by fat gains. I think I remember reading that around 40% of the weight you gain clean bulking will still be fat.

The point of clean bulking is to just make sure that your fat gains aren't out of proportion to your muscle gains. You cannot completely eliminate fat gain while bulking.

If diet is done proberly no significant fat gains will occur. IF is an example of how a bulk can keep you lean as lean can be while gaining weight. Also proper calculations of calories will reduce fat gains. a surplus of 200 cals will gain you much more muscle with less fat than 500 surplus.

A little read to give you guys a different approch to all this bulk cut stuff that gets thrown around, remeber your nor pros.

""
I notice a lot of the members here, are still focused on, and asking the question, "should I bulk or cut?" Well I'm here to tell you neither! Bulking up, followed by a cut is so 70s-90s. Most of the members here have very modest goals. To be in "better" shape, to gain a few lbs of muscle, and lose a few lbs of fat. Well you don't need a bulk/cut strategy for that. when you bulk/cut its very hard to remain honest with yourself, i.e (I gained 20lbs on my bulk!) 20lbs of what? How much of that is muscle, and what % of that muscle you gained will you lose when you cut?

First, when you "bulk up" using one of the many bulking diets out there, you will:

-gain un-wanted fat
-potentially get permanent stretch marks from too much growth over a short period of time
-depending on your type of bulk you can sacrifice your health and cardio, especially on a diet with too much fat/cholesterol.
-It's also my theory that bulking can lead to "over eating", and over eating leads to the Giant waist/guts we see in Bodybuilding (over eating does not mean gaining too much body fat)

Many people who are "almost done with their bulk" look like crap, and are not in shape!

The 2nd problem is after you have got yourself into this shape, the only thing you can do about it is "cut" right? When you cut, you will indefinitely lose some of the hard earned muscle you just gained from your bulk. Seems a bit counterproductive? Now cutting I cannot bash in the same sense as a bulk, because there is a time and a place for it.

Unless you're a professional bodybuilder, you don't need to try and gain as much muscle as possible, then follow up with a hardcore (10, 16, 20) week cutting diet. Many of the pros that use a bulk/cut strategy "bulk" the entire time they are not dieting for their next show, trying get as huge as possible "off season" many are AAS the whole time. 20, 16, 10 weeks prior to the show, they will "cut" or diet for the show, changing diet/training/gear. They do this purely for those couple of minutes they step on stage and that's it. In short if you're a pro you're going to always try to gain as much muscle as possible, until it's time to step on stage for 1 day, which in that event, you need to diet/cut. Most professional bodybuilders body fat goals on show time are < 3%, All of you who don't plan to step on stage should NOT have such an extreme fat loss goal, <3% is not only near impossible to maintain, but its extremely unhealthy.

For the regular Joe, bulking and cutting is just not practical. As a certified trainer, sport nutritionist, and bodybuilder off/on for the last decade. I have never used a bulk/cut diet, I have never used one with any of my clients, they have all reached the goals we put forth, all of the ones who put the time in any way. There are so many more effective diets for a person trying to gain muscle and lose some fat. I don't want to get too off track with all the better alternative diets. But as a rule of thumb eating clean and consistently, with your training and cardio in check (if cardio is needed) then you can reach your goals to lose fat, and gain muscle. It may take time, results are not as dramatic, but they are more realistic, there is no guess work, it?s completely honest. If your body fat is maintained (low body fat) and you are gaining weight on the scale, then you are gaining muscle! The #'s do not lie.

I can elaborate on some routine examples if someone who is bulking/cutting now gives me there goals/stats. The bottom line is bulking followed by a cut for the Avg Joe is just easy to follow on paper, too old school, not practical, counterproductive, and comes with a lot of baggage. I know I won't change every one?s mind, and will probably bunt heads with a few of you but it is what it is. ""