Should a beginner cut to 10 bodyfat before bulking?

[jeffersonranada]

I still consider myself as a beginner though I have been lifting for a while because my lifts weren't that impressive and I still use a beginner's program. I'm 5'9", 150.5 lbs, male. An internet bodyfat calculator tells I'm 15% bodyfat. I have gyno, btw. I have been cutting for a while now from 190 lbs to 150.5 up to this day. Thanks in advance for the answers.

[Wellington]

I still consider myself as a beginner though I have been lifting for a while because my lifts weren't that impressive and I still use a beginner's program. I'm 5'9", 150.5 lbs, male. An internet bodyfat calculator tells I'm 15% bodyfat. I have gyno, btw. I have been cutting for a while now from 190 lbs to 150.5 up to this day. Thanks in advance for the answers.

Cut until somewhere between 10-14% BF whilst it's not a huge effort to lose it. The lower your BF the harder it is to lose so once you're in the 10-14% range then you can think about bulking.

14% BF for a beginner is fine to start bulking when you've already dropped 40lbs. Just make sure when you do start bulking its a slow bulk and not use it as an excuse to eat excessively under the pretence of bulking.

[juggernaut74ia]

No there's no need to get all the way to 10% - especially as a beginner. It's highly likely you don't have sufficient lean mass to support that low of a BF%

[jeffersonranada]

No there's no need to get all the way to 10% - especially as a beginner. It's highly likely you don't have sufficient lean mass to support that low of a BF%

so what do you suggest Bro? Should I start bulking? It's getting harder to cut because I have to eat 1800 a day. And I feel like I'm losing too much muscle because I'm losing strength

[gomil]

Post a pic. Do you actually have gyno (diagnosed by a doctor)? If not, you probably just need to drop another 5-10 lb. Otherwise, you can take a two week break, eat at maintenance and then get the fat loss over with in another 6-8 weeks before bulking slowly.

[derivxinteg314]

Yeah post a pic. IMHO if anyone is skinny fat, bulk first before cutting. You can drop bodyfat all you want, but without hardly any muscle definition, you will remain the same shape, you will end up a twig, AND you will have a harder time dropping fat. Muscle mass actually helps you burn more calories and fat, so the more lean mass you have, the easier a fat cut will become. Just my experience. Also I'm not saying you are skinny fat, I'm just saying this for people who are.

[juggernaut74ia]

so what do you suggest Bro? Should I start bulking? It's getting harder to cut because I have to eat 1800 a day. And I feel like I'm losing too much muscle because I'm losing strength

At 21 yo 5'9, 150 - yeah probably. But like the others said a pic would be more helpful than just stats

[jeffersonranada]

I can't post a link or photo yet because I only have 17 posts. What a bummer.

[jeffersonranada]

I've posted my current physique at my profile. You can check that out. After seeing that photo in that lighting, I think I should cut. But I also want to hear other comments.

[bf527365]

Unfortunately it does look like you have a pretty bad case of gyno but I am no expert on it in sure people can give you advice. I would cut 15 more pounds and then bulk.

[JohnSmeton]

I still consider myself as a beginner though I have been lifting for a while because my lifts weren't that impressive and I still use a beginner's program. I'm 5'9", 150.5 lbs, male. An internet bodyfat calculator tells I'm 15% bodyfat. I have gyno, btw. I have been cutting for a while now from 190 lbs to 150.5 up to this day. Thanks in advance for the answers.

its a good idea to. Staying lean and gaining muscle is the best way

[unplugged]

I've posted my current physique at my profile. You can check that out. After seeing that photo in that lighting, I think I should cut. But I also want to hear other comments.

Based on the pic on your profile no you shouldn't. I am sorry to say man but you have NOTHING to cut to. and like Deriv said it's just gonna be that much harder getting the fat off now only to see little to no visual benefits. You need a base before you cut. Others may disagree with me and that is fine but the last thing OP needs right now is to cut. It would only be counterproductive and trust me if you keep your training intense and surplus reasonable the results will be 100x better

[jeffersonranada]

Based on the pic on your profile no you shouldn't. I am sorry to say man but you have NOTHING to cut to. and like Deriv said it's just gonna be that much harder getting the fat off now only to see little to no visual benefits. You need a base before you cut. Others may disagree with me and that is fine but the last thing OP needs right now is to cut. It would only be counterproductive and trust me if you keep your training intense and surplus reasonable the results will be 100x better

thanks bro. I think I should just bulk, slowly. I'm going to eat at maintenance calories, to normalize everything and then eat on a surplus, maybe 10% above my TDEE (I've been reading here in the forums and I think this is a good start). I'm using Fierce 5 beginner program and I think my workouts are pretty intense. Thanks guys for the inputs.

[EjnarKolinkar]

thanks bro. I think I should just bulk, slowly. I'm going to eat at maintenance calories, to normalize everything and then eat on a surplus, maybe 10% above my TDEE (I've been reading here in the forums and I think this is a good start). I'm using Fierce 5 beginner program and I think my workouts are pretty intense. Thanks guys for the inputs.

Sounds smart.

At some point you just have to put in the basic work in the gym and not worry so much. It's about 100x more important than the difference between a few BF% points when you are just starting out to get in the gym, build up the ability to train, and develop some generic strength, muscle, and ability.

Good luck with your progress.

[DomSquadd]

At some point you just have to put in the basic work in the gym and not worry so much. It's about 100x more important than the difference between a few BF% points when you are just starting out to get in the gym, build up the ability to train, and develop some generic strength, muscle, and ability.

^ This times 100. It's so much easier to stick to any plan once you've started to see some results, even if they're super minor IMO. I see too many beginners get stuck with analysis paralysis when they should just be in the gym learning how to train and building the foundation.

[peleguy]

I looked at your photo, and I am sorry, but I dont see 15% BF anywhere there.

I would say 22%

BLUK immediately!
Bluk or cut - that's not even the right question that should be asked here

Cutting shouldn't even be on your mind for the next 12-18 months (?)

just make sure to DO IT RIGHT, gain as clean as possible, you might not even need a "CUT" after 18 months

get out of your mind BLUK-CUT cycles, because you are not there



in theory -
gain 50lbs muscle in the next 18 months

lets say now you are 150lbs and 22% making it 33lbs of total fat and 117 LBM
add 50lbs clean pounds and at 200lbs you drop down to 16.5% BF
now we put it in theory because the no natural way for you to gain 50lbs of muscle and 0 of fat,
but you have good "margin" to play on becuase if the 50lbs you gain would be 41 muscle 9 fat - you are still in the same 22% but you will look much better with 41 lbs of extra muscle than right now

[nhclone]

I looked at your photo, and I am sorry, but I dont see 15% BF anywhere there.

I would say 22%

BLUK immediately!
Bluk or cut - that's not even the right question that should be asked here

Cutting shouldn't even be on your mind for the next 12-18 months (?)

just make sure to DO IT RIGHT, gain as clean as possible, you might not even need a "CUT" after 18 months

get out of your mind BLUK-CUT cycles, because you are not there



in theory -
gain 50lbs muscle in the next 18 months

lets say now you are 150lbs and 22% making it 33lbs of total fat and 117 LBM
add 50lbs clean pounds and at 200lbs you drop down to 16.5% BF
now we put it in theory because the no natural way for you to gain 50lbs of muscle and 0 of fat,
but you have good "margin" to play on becuase if the 50lbs you gain would be 41 muscle 9 fat - you are still in the same 22% but you will look much better with 41 lbs of extra muscle than right now

...BLUKing for the win.

[jeffersonranada]

Thanks everyone. Will rep all helpful posts.

[SteveFromNY]

definitely bulk like others have said. we're similar height and at 150 I was fairly defined. good job on the massive cut so far, I know you busted your ass to do it, so don't let the scale creeping back up deter you from gaining muscle!

Good luck OP!