Bulking, cutting; changes and challenges---

[BearLovesLuna]

I am putting this in nutrition although it could go a lot of places... but mostly, I would guess the main changes are going to be on nutrition and/or gaining muscle or losing fat- so here goes...

Curious- what challenges do you have when you switch from bulk to cut, and vice versa? What major changes in philosophy or diet or exercise do you make? What changes to exercise, frequency, intensity, types? What changes in cardio? What challenges you concerning the switch- i.e., "I just can't easily switch to the huge caloric intake/reduction" or "I have giving up the cut look- just can't eat" or "I go from heavy lifting to half the lifting volume, keep the intensity, and double/triple my cardio- and I HATE CARDIO!!!"

I think you get the point... I am just very curious.

And, how you overcome those challenges???

Bonus questions-
What is or are some of your "secrets"- whether it be believing in fasted cardio, even if it is just psychological for you, or- say, allowing simple carbs on the bulk but cutting them nearly 100% on the cut; etc...

What you feel is the number one (or top two or so) mistakes people can make when they make this "switch"... i.e., thinking that fat makes you fat so cutting fats too much, trying to drop the weight too fast, using too many meal replacement shakes instead of using food, too many stimulants, using the bulk as an excuse to eat crap, etc...

[chameleonism]

Diet: I see most failures coming from people not properly understanding the basics of nutrition. This leads to people follow fad diets, eat too little, cut out foods, etc.
Training: People using bro splits instead of focusing on the compounds and terrible form. I can only point out 4-5 guys who squat at or below parallel at my gym.

Secrets: IF + ice cream while cutting.

[BWC101]

I am putting this in nutrition although it could go a lot of places... but mostly, I would guess the main changes are going to be on nutrition and/or gaining muscle or losing fat- so here goes...

Curious- what challenges do you have when you switch from bulk to cut, and vice versa? What major changes in philosophy or diet or exercise do you make? What changes to exercise, frequency, intensity, types? What changes in cardio? What challenges you concerning the switch- i.e., "I just can't easily switch to the huge caloric intake/reduction" or "I have giving up the cut look- just can't eat" or "I go from heavy lifting to half the lifting volume, keep the intensity, and double/triple my cardio- and I HATE CARDIO!!!"

I think you get the point... I am just very curious.

And, how you overcome those challenges???

Bonus questions-
What is or are some of your "secrets"- whether it be believing in fasted cardio, even if it is just psychological for you, or- say, allowing simple carbs on the bulk but cutting them nearly 100% on the cut; etc...

What you feel is the number one (or top two or so) mistakes people can make when they make this "switch"... i.e., thinking that fat makes you fat so cutting fats too much, trying to drop the weight too fast, using too many meal replacement shakes instead of using food, too many stimulants, using the bulk as an excuse to eat crap, etc...

From Bulk to cut and vice versa the general feeling is the biggest challenge for me either being too fat or too small. The grass is always greener!

In terms of diet I obviously reduce calories and count my macros fairly religiously on a cut.

I have found Layne Norton's Ultimate Cutting Guide to be an awesome guideline.

If you hate cardio, don't do it. It is not necessary for everyone.

My only real secret is to time all my carbs around my workout for energy and glycogen reasons but most morans on here will be quick to shoot that down as a myth. Whatever- I still like it.

Biggest mistakes- not being able to avoid 'cheat meals' or blowing out on cals.

[weknow24]

haha, cutting and bulking I eat pretty much the same food, but when I'm bulking I have much more room for dessert!!!

I do cardio only when I'm really deep into my cut and I'm at that point where I'd rather run more rather than reduce calories

[Scoper50]

I am putting this in nutrition although it could go a lot of places... but mostly, I would guess the main changes are going to be on nutrition and/or gaining muscle or losing fat- so here goes...

Curious- what challenges do you have when you switch from bulk to cut, and vice versa? What major changes in philosophy or diet or exercise do you make? What changes to exercise, frequency, intensity, types? What changes in cardio? What challenges you concerning the switch- i.e., "I just can't easily switch to the huge caloric intake/reduction" or "I have giving up the cut look- just can't eat" or "I go from heavy lifting to half the lifting volume, keep the intensity, and double/triple my cardio- and I HATE CARDIO!!!"

I think you get the point... I am just very curious.

And, how you overcome those challenges???

Bonus questions-
What is or are some of your "secrets"- whether it be believing in fasted cardio, even if it is just psychological for you, or- say, allowing simple carbs on the bulk but cutting them nearly 100% on the cut; etc...

What you feel is the number one (or top two or so) mistakes people can make when they make this "switch"... i.e., thinking that fat makes you fat so cutting fats too much, trying to drop the weight too fast, using too many meal replacement shakes instead of using food, too many stimulants, using the bulk as an excuse to eat crap, etc...

When switching from a cut to a bulk, I have absolutely no problem. I get really excited about it actually. Generally my cuts last anywhere from 8-14 weeks, and after eating at a deficit for that long, I honestly can't wait to go into a surplus. Switching from a bulk to a cut is a different story however. I usually will eat at maintenance for a week or so, just to ease myself into it, but it's still kind of a mind **** when you go from a surplus to a 500 calorie deficit. I go from almost never feeling the sensation of hunger, to feeling the sensation of hunger very often. I know there are guys out there that claim that they are never hungry on a cut, but I'm not one of them. The first few weeks of the cut are always the hardest. But after those three weeks, the cutting diet almost becomes natural. The body adjusts to the lower volume of calories, and the sensations of hunger are less intense. I'm not an IF'er. I know a lot of people swear by it, but skipping breakfast doesn't appeal to me at all. I absolutely need to eat within 20 minutes of waking up.

As far as training goes, my drive to work out is a lot stronger while cutting. When I'm cutting, I know that if i don't work out, I risk burning off muscle instead of fat, and eating at the calorie deficit for weeks on end will be all for nothing. When I'm cutting, I almost never miss a workout. My entire day revolves around when I'm going to lift. It's that important to me. On the other hand, when I'm bulking, the disipline changes slightly. I'm more likely to skip workouts. I don't make a habit out of it, but it happens a few times a month. Some months I'll make it to the gym 25 times, and other months I'll be as low as 17. But 17 still isn't that bad.

The biggest mistake I see people make is being in a hurry to get results. I constantly see threads with people trying to bulk at a 1000 calorie surplus, or trying to cut at a 1000 calorie deficit. Guys are in so much of a hurry to get results that they forget that this is a marathon, not a sprint. There is no instant gratificaiton in this sport. The results come slow and steady if you are playing your cards correctly. I think the biggest thing that discourages people is not seeing results fast enough. I always tell people to take pictures of themselves. Everybody has a cell phone camera. When I'm bulking, I take pictures of myself in the mirror every 6 weeks. When I'm cutting I take pictures every 3 weeks. Looking at yourself in the mirror every day, it's hard to see the changes wether you are bulking or cutting. But when you take a picture every 3-6 weeks, you can actually see the progress. It's a huge motavational factor.

Another big mistake I see people making all the time is the overuse of supplements. And it's not just on this forum. It's in the gym too. Almost every day I see somebody in the gym drinking a protein shake WHILE they are working out. Why somebody would want to drink a frothy chocolate goo when they're out of breath and thirsty is beyond me. When your working out, you should be drinking water. Something to actually quench your thirst. There are too many people that treat protein powders like they are magical steroid drinks. They think they are necessary for success. I know there are advertisements all over the gym promoting these products, but they are completely unnecessary. I even see the trainers walking around with these magical protein shakes. And by the way, NONE of them look like they lift. It seems as though everybody is brainwashed and they think they absolutely need protein powder otherwise their workouts will be wasted. Personally I don't eat any protein powder. I prefer to get my protein from real food that I can chew. I'm much happier this way.

Lastly, there is one other major mistake I see people making. It's the lack of a leg day. I usually go to the gym at the same time during the week, and I see the same people in there every day. I almost never see anybody working legs except for chicks. Chicks seem to care about their legs. Guys don't. Guys seem to focus on chest, arms, and shoulders. And then they go and do 100 crunches trying to make them abs pop out. I used to be one of the biggest offenders. If I was to skip a day in the gym, the leg workout was the first to go. As a result I have crappy legs. Over the past year things have changed though. I've started working legs religiously. I never EVER skip leg day. I went from actually having trouble squatting 90lbs a few times to squatting 190lbs 10 times. Along with the increased leg strength, my upper body strengh as increased to a similar extent. My point being, if you don't work your legs, your upper body will only grow so much. When I first started working legs consitantly, I hated it. I just felt weak in that area. Because I was. But now it has become one of my favorite workouts. It's my fastest progressing body part right now. Getting stronger every week.

Alright, I've probably already made this post too long. But I saw this thread, and it intrigued me. I had to put in my two cents. Have a good night everyone.

[BearLovesLuna]

When switching from a cut to a bulk, I have absolutely no problem. I get really excited about it actually. Generally my cuts last anywhere from 8-14 weeks, and after eating at a deficit for that long, I honestly can't wait to go into a surplus. Switching from a bulk to a cut is a different story however. I usually will eat at maintenance for a week or so, just to ease myself into it, but it's still kind of a mind **** when you go from a surplus to a 500 calorie deficit. I go from almost never feeling the sensation of hunger, to feeling the sensation of hunger very often. I know there are guys out there that claim that they are never hungry on a cut, but I'm not one of them. The first few weeks of the cut are always the hardest. But after those three weeks, the cutting diet almost becomes natural. The body adjusts to the lower volume of calories, and the sensations of hunger are less intense. I'm not an IF'er. I know a lot of people swear by it, but skipping breakfast doesn't appeal to me at all. I absolutely need to eat within 20 minutes of waking up.

As far as training goes, my drive to work out is a lot stronger while cutting. When I'm cutting, I know that if i don't work out, I risk burning off muscle instead of fat, and eating at the calorie deficit for weeks on end will be all for nothing. When I'm cutting, I almost never miss a workout. My entire day revolves around when I'm going to lift. It's that important to me. On the other hand, when I'm bulking, the disipline changes slightly. I'm more likely to skip workouts. I don't make a habit out of it, but it happens a few times a month. Some months I'll make it to the gym 25 times, and other months I'll be as low as 17. But 17 still isn't that bad.

The biggest mistake I see people make is being in a hurry to get results. I constantly see threads with people trying to bulk at a 1000 calorie surplus, or trying to cut at a 1000 calorie deficit. Guys are in so much of a hurry to get results that they forget that this is a marathon, not a sprint. There is no instant gratificaiton in this sport. The results come slow and steady if you are playing your cards correctly. I think the biggest thing that discourages people is not seeing results fast enough. I always tell people to take pictures of themselves. Everybody has a cell phone camera. When I'm bulking, I take pictures of myself in the mirror every 6 weeks. When I'm cutting I take pictures every 3 weeks. Looking at yourself in the mirror every day, it's hard to see the changes wether you are bulking or cutting. But when you take a picture every 3-6 weeks, you can actually see the progress. It's a huge motavational factor.

Another big mistake I see people making all the time is the overuse of supplements. And it's not just on this forum. It's in the gym too. Almost every day I see somebody in the gym drinking a protein shake WHILE they are working out. Why somebody would want to drink a frothy chocolate goo when they're out of breath and thirsty is beyond me. When your working out, you should be drinking water. Something to actually quench your thirst. There are too many people that treat protein powders like they are magical steroid drinks. They think they are necessary for success. I know there are advertisements all over the gym promoting these products, but they are completely unnecessary. I even see the trainers walking around with these magical protein shakes. And by the way, NONE of them look like they lift. It seems as though everybody is brainwashed and they think they absolutely need protein powder otherwise their workouts will be wasted. Personally I don't eat any protein powder. I prefer to get my protein from real food that I can chew. I'm much happier this way.

Lastly, there is one other major mistake I see people making. It's the lack of a leg day. I usually go to the gym at the same time during the week, and I see the same people in there every day. I almost never see anybody working legs except for chicks. Chicks seem to care about their legs. Guys don't. Guys seem to focus on chest, arms, and shoulders. And then they go and do 100 crunches trying to make them abs pop out. I used to be one of the biggest offenders. If I was to skip a day in the gym, the leg workout was the first to go. As a result I have crappy legs. Over the past year things have changed though. I've started working legs religiously. I never EVER skip leg day. I went from actually having trouble squatting 90lbs a few times to squatting 190lbs 10 times. Along with the increased leg strength, my upper body strengh as increased to a similar extent. My point being, if you don't work your legs, your upper body will only grow so much. When I first started working legs consitantly, I hated it. I just felt weak in that area. Because I was. But now it has become one of my favorite workouts. It's my fastest progressing body part right now. Getting stronger every week.

Alright, I've probably already made this post too long. But I saw this thread, and it intrigued me. I had to put in my two cents. Have a good night everyone.

Awesome... exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping to hear. I think the challenges and differences can be very broad, and different, for so many- it is interesting to hear.

Repped

[BearLovesLuna]

Diet: I see most failures coming from people not properly understanding the basics of nutrition. This leads to people follow fad diets, eat too little, cut out foods, etc.
Training: People using bro splits instead of focusing on the compounds and terrible form. I can only point out 4-5 guys who squat at or below parallel at my gym.

Secrets: IF + ice cream while cutting.

What works best for or challenges YOU though??? Not others...

And, IF and ice cream on a cut? Love to hear how that works- not being sarcastic... the body is an amazingly obtuse and sometimes ironic contrary thing- so how do you use that approach?

[determined4000]

What works best for or challenges YOU though??? Not others...

And, IF and ice cream on a cut? Love to hear how that works- not being sarcastic... the body is an amazingly obtuse and sometimes ironic contrary thing- so how do you use that approach?

no one food cant be eaten when cutting
as long as you fit it into you r daily calories and get enough protein in, you will still lose weight

My advice would be to bulk at a slower rate than you cut (bulk at .5glbs/week and you can cut faster) You are able to lose fat faster than your body ccan build muscle.

Track progress and adjust weekly according to the progress you see.

Dont be afraid to ditch a bulk or cut earlier than expected if you arent liking what you see, or extending them if you think that is the right way to go in terms of overall progress (so dont say you will bulk for X amount of time and then cut for Y, just go with the flow as the days and weeks pass)

[BearLovesLuna]

no one food cant be eaten when cutting
as long as you fit it into you r daily calories and get enough protein in, you will still lose weight

My advice would be to bulk at a slower rate than you cut (bulk at .5glbs/week and you can cut faster) You are able to lose fat faster than your body ccan build muscle.

Track progress and adjust weekly according to the progress you see.

Dont be afraid to ditch a bulk or cut earlier than expected if you arent liking what you see, or extending them if you think that is the right way to go in terms of overall progress (so dont say you will bulk for X amount of time and then cut for Y, just go with the flow as the days and weeks pass)

Thanks- good points... I was not saying ice cream was bad, just asking why the reference to IF an ice cream... I think I actually read that one or two times elsewhere as well... wondering if there is some kind of simple carb "head fake" the body is falling for with the sugar hit after or before a calorie plunge...

[determined4000]

head fake???
no there is no such thing