Is there a middle ground between bulking and cutting?

[bluedaffy]

I'm 6'3" and 235 lbs. I go to the gym regularly and I want to continue getting stronger/bigger, but also cut fat (doesn't have to be rapid as long as it's going away at some rate). Will sticking to a high protein diet with some complex carbs and otherwise clean eating at just above my caloric threshold for maintenance do this? I've been looking around at the forums and it's seems what what I've seen that a lot of people believe that it's pretty black and white, either you're cutting or building muscle, is this what I'm faced with?

[saresky]

Maintenance

[Serpentarius]

I'm 6'3" and 235 lbs. I go to the gym regularly and I want to continue getting stronger/bigger, but also cut fat (doesn't have to be rapid as long as it's going away at some rate). Will sticking to a high protein diet with some complex carbs and otherwise clean eating at just above my caloric threshold for maintenance do this? I've been looking around at the forums and it's seems what what I've seen that a lot of people believe that it's pretty black and white, either you're cutting or building muscle, is this what I'm faced with?

If you want to eat at maintenance, you can expect your results to be just that...maintained. Waste of time if you are actually looking to improve your body composition. There is no such thing as "clean eating" since what you eat doesnt matter. Protein is protein, you dont need that much and its not really special, eating above maintenance will cause fat gain, and if you are working out; muscle and fat. Dont eat out of control and you wont get fat.

[Kevin71]

You can also recomp. Very slow process. Eat above maintenance on workout days and below on non.

[bluedaffy]

That's what I was hoping might work. I've been trying to eat most of my carbs in the morning and middle of the day, and always complex carbs. I've been staying away from too many carbs after my nightly workout so it's not being converted to sugar overnight while I'm sleeping. Logically it seems like it should work. Feel free to post if you have any tips please.

[Kevin71]

That's what I was hoping might work. I've been trying to eat most of my carbs in the morning and middle of the day, and always complex carbs. I've been staying away from too many carbs after my nightly workout so it's not being converted to sugar overnight while I'm sleeping. Logically it seems like it should work. Feel free to post if you have any tips please.

Logically it does make sense, that is why it is broscience. Meal timing is irrelevant. Plenty of people on this site prove that wrong by eating huge feasts before bed. Also, complex carbs are not necessary. If you're not eating many calories they are helpful to get fiber and some micros but otherwise it is unnecessary if you are otherwise hitting fiber and micros. Unless you're diabetic, then it is a whole different ballgame.

[bluedaffy]

Serpen- Your post must have come in while I was typing my last post. I feel like right now I have one of those bodies that is big and muscular and with my shirt off you can see my top couple rows of abs when I flex but not very defined. My priority right now is still putting on muscle but I would really like to drop a few % bf on the way.

[TacticalTaco]

That's what I was hoping might work. I've been trying to eat most of my carbs in the morning and middle of the day, and always complex carbs. I've been staying away from too many carbs after my nightly workout so it's not being converted to sugar overnight while I'm sleeping. Logically it seems like it should work. Feel free to post if you have any tips please.

That is just dumb. Eat carbs post workout, you can eat them at 2 AM and it doesn't make a difference.

[NaberNuri]

It's smarter to have one goal at one time. So you should either bulk or cut and not try to do both at the same time because the chance that both will be a failure is high

[stingray72]

a slow recomp of 200 calories a day cut would be ideal for your goal.

[TrenBarber]

I agree!

[Nosepull]

With cutting and bulking cycles, one advantage is psychological - your gains are easier to see. Whether you are building muscle out cutting fat, your progress will be faster on a dedicated plan, and this easier to track. This makes it a lot easier to stick with a plan though long months of hard work.

[bluedaffy]

Thanks for the replies! Most everyone that is... There is no need to be rude, this is a learning process like any other and I know that I'm just scratching the surface.

The slow recomp of 200 calories a day you speak of, that is just cutting 200 cals out of my diet on off days and continue maintenance on my lifting days. Do I have that right?

If I chose to go the regular cutting way and I start at 235 lbs and (just using bench for example) a bench press max of 315, if I cut 15-20 lbs what should I expect my bench to decrease to? I know it varies on how I eat, perform the cut, and lift, but just to humor me please. In your experiences how much did your lifts decrease when you cut? Thanks.

[gunabodybuild]

training natty I cant imagine it working that well imo picking 1 goal and sticking with it is the best way to do things.

[Ammex]

If I chose to go the regular cutting way and I start at 235 lbs and (just using bench for example) a bench press max of 315, if I cut 15-20 lbs what should I expect my bench to decrease to? I know it varies on how I eat, perform the cut, and lift, but just to humor me please. In your experiences how much did your lifts decrease when you cut? Thanks.

315.
After you get back to normal calories you shouldn't have much of a loss unless you're cutting hard.

And don't listen to Serp at the top. Eating at maintenance and seeing no change is absolutely ridiculous. If you're truly at the exact amount of calories your body needs, then this would include calories needed to repair muscle. If you're eating your non-exercise maintenance then exercise would create a deficit.

Either way you'll see results, they'll just be much slower.