Continue to Cut or Bulk?

[Cautious1]

I’ve been cutting for ages now and i’m itching to bulk as I feel skinny.

Age: 22
Weight: 74.7KG
Height: 5”11

Neck: 36.8cm
Waist: 80cm
Hip: 87.6cm

I put those measurement in a Body fat calculator and it gave me 14.7% BF which sounds way off.

Here are some old & up to date pics, could you judge my body fat & if you can see If i’ve lost mostly fat or muscle & whether I need to cut longer, if so how much more and longer?

2019 May, 83.6KG
https://ibb.co/CQ3m94y
https://ibb.co/WpgxDJN
https://ibb.co/GPXG0cZ

2020 February 15, 74.7KG
https://ibb.co/jhYYngq
https://ibb.co/nmj6wQd
https://ibb.co/9vvg6qG
https://ibb.co/1QYL6Dn

[Cautious1]

Anyone got any advice

[Grizvok]

From what I see, I would start increasing caloric consumption by 100/day each week from what you are eating now until you are in a surplus and gaining roughly 2 lbs a month. So say you are eating 2000 currently, next week would be 2100 cals a day, then the next week 2200 cals, etc. I’d go into this process with a target number of how many cals are likely to get you into that sweet spot (a surplus of 200-300 cals/day) so you have a tangible number to stop at and eat for a bit as you see what’s happening on the scale and in the mirror.

I don’t think you have enough muscle mass to look good even if you strip off some more fat.

[Cautious1]

From what I see, I would start increasing caloric consumption by 100/day each week from what you are eating now until you are in a surplus and gaining roughly 2 lbs a month. So say you are eating 2000 currently, next week would be 2100 cals a day, then the next week 2200 cals, etc. I’d go into this process with a target number of how many cals are likely to get you into that sweet spot (a surplus of 200-300 cals/day) so you have a tangible number to stop at and eat for a bit as you see what’s happening on the scale and in the mirror.

I don’t think you have enough muscle mass to look good even if you strip off some more fat.

Okay so your suggesting to lean bulk. I have a rough idea of where my maintenance is but I’ll increase 100 to be sure of where the sweet spot is.

I want to gain as little fat as possible & gain as much muscle as possible. What’s the best amount of weight to gain a week?

And what would you say Is my BF %?

[Grizvok]

Okay so your suggesting to lean bulk. I have a rough idea of where my maintenance is but I’ll increase 100 to be sure of where the sweet spot is.

I want to gain as little fat as possible & gain as much muscle as possible. What’s the best amount of weight to gain a week?

And what would you say Is my BF %?

Yep, a lean bulk is my suggestion.

There are other reasons for the +100 cals a week. In general, you don’t want to transition immediately from a cut to a bulk. I’m not sure if Layne Norton coined the term ‘reverse dieting’ but if you want to learn more about the technique you can search for that.

You definitely aren’t 14.7%, but bodyfat can be difficult to estimate in the case of someone with not much muscle mass. I’d say you are like 18-20%.

What is your workout routine like?

[Cautious1]

Yep, a lean bulk is my suggestion.

There are other reasons for the +100 cals a week. In general, you don’t want to transition immediately from a cut to a bulk. I’m not sure if Layne Norton coined the term ‘reverse dieting’ but if you want to learn more about the technique you can search for that.

You definitely aren’t 14.7%, but bodyfat can be difficult to estimate in the case of someone with not much muscle mass. I’d say you are like 18-20%.

What is your workout routine like?

Yeh i’ll have a read on reverse dieting and see what it’s about.

I agree i’m defo not even around 14%.

My workout routine is slacking atm. Was just hitting each muscle once a week staying on the same weight or slight more some weeks.

When I start bulking beginning march I’ll follow the Upper/ Lower routine.

Would you say 5 months of lean bulking improve my physique and be noticeable?

[Grizvok]

Yeh i’ll have a read on reverse dieting and see what it’s about.

I agree i’m defo not even around 14%.

My workout routine is slacking atm. Was just hitting each muscle once a week staying on the same weight or slight more some weeks.

When I start bulking beginning march I’ll follow the Upper/ Lower routine.

Would you say 5 months of lean bulking improve my physique and be noticeable?

Just to make sure there isn’t any confusion, in the future you will want to take your lifting during a cut just as seriously as you do during a bulk. Had you done that, we’d be having a slightly different conversation right now. Hindsight is 20/20, but I just wanted to make that point.

I’d say if you get things very dialed in and gain 10 lbs over those 5 months while crushing it in the gym, you are likely to see a noticeable change. A much more noticeable stage will be after you do a cut following the bulk since it will reveal your gains a bit more.

[Cautious1]

Just to make sure there isn’t any confusion, in the future you will want to take your lifting during a cut just as seriously as you do during a bulk. Had you done that, we’d be having a slightly different conversation right now. Hindsight is 20/20, but I just wanted to make that point.

I’d say if you get things very dialed in and gain 10 lbs over those 5 months while crushing it in the gym, you are likely to see a noticeable change. A much more noticeable stage will be after you do a cut following the bulk since it will reveal your gains a bit more.

Yeh from now I’ll take lifting weights as serious on cuts.

And thanks for the information. Thank you!

Anyone else’s views also helpful.

[Cautious1]

bump

[Ukiyo3k]

Cut down to 70kg.

[Cautious1]

Bump.. Mindset keeps changing from bulking to cutting. Anyone else got opinion?

[SuffolkPunch]

It doesn't matter that much.

But what DOES matter is that if you keep switching, you'll achieve neither.

[Cautious1]

It doesn't matter that much.

But what DOES matter is that if you keep switching, you'll achieve neither.

What would you suggest I stick to? Bulk or Cut

[SuffolkPunch]

Mass gain

[Cautious1]

Mass gain

Okay, im sticking to it. Thanks