Going from cutting to bulking

[Azzazzin]

If I start a bulk cycle, if I do it as cleanly as possible, will my deffinition go away? Will it become better?

[rick martel]

aslong as your eating on a calorie surpluss youll gain fat, not all the food goes to muscle building. cant escape it, but then theres the fact that muscle burns fat, so if you time your cardio right and calculate your calories burned, consumed e.t.c you may be able to stay lean throghout the bulk, but its alot of work, and not worth it.

just eat clean, then shed remaining fat when you spill over to the 12% range.

[xxghostxx]

I think it's completely possible to stay very lean, but yes, it does take much longer to get to the weight you hope for. It all really depends on how much you care about your definition for months to come. Me personally, after I very first cut down, it was the leanest, best I've ever looked in my life, first time ever having visible 6 pack and all, so it was a huge pyschological battle to start adding those calories, but I did it VERY very carefully, I've managed to put on 20lbs, and am only 1% up in body fat, so yes it can be done, and it just takes planning, because believe me, untill last year, I was a typical fat kid, so I know I don't have some god send of a metabolism. But yeah, it comes down to how much you can put into it as far as your diet/timing/training and how much you care about gaining a little fat along with your muscle.

[Cronus]

If I start a bulk cycle, if I do it as cleanly as possible, will my deffinition go away? Will it become better?

your Definition won't be as cut and dry but it very possible to stay lean while bulking and a clean diet is the only way to go IMO. make sure do don't drop cardio keep cardio still in the 3-4 day a week range.

[Max Protein]

make sure do don't drop cardio keep cardio still in the 3-4 day a week range.

I'd say -

Bulking:
Cardio 3 times a week at 25-30 minutes in your target heart rate

Cutting:
Cardio 4-5 times a week at 25 minutes in your target heart rate

But don't sweat losing some definition too much. You have to gain a little fat to gain a lot of muscle. Then you have to lose a little muscle to lose a lot of fat, and then start all over again. That's why it's called a cycle. If we could burn fat and gain muscle at the same time, everyone would be lifting.
Unless you have a competition coming up, don't worry about not looking super-ripped. Pros look a little fatter than you'd expect in the off-season, the pictures you see in the magazines are usually pre-season condition and in a certain light which shows them in the best condition.

[Azzazzin]

The thing is, I am getting cut, but I feel like I have too much loose skin or something for my 6pac to fully come out. The rest of my body is getting very cut, but my abs still arn't out there. They are cut to the point that I can flex them and see a great 6pac, but it goes away when I unflex. The other thing I have noticed during my cutting is that I have lost alot of muscle, especially in my chest, and I am wondering if I am maybe loosing too much muscle?

I eat very carefully, and time everything very well.

My diet/routine currently is:

8:00 AM - wake up and do a fast pace walk for 30 min on an empty stomach.
I finish breakfeast aroun 9:00 - 1/2 cup oatmeal + 6 egg whites
12:00 - 1/2 cup oatmeal/medium sweet potato + salad w/ lots of sliced turkey
3:00 - 1/2 cup oatmeal/sweet potato + 1 can of tuna
6:00 - 11 almonds + turkey salad
9:00 - 11 almonds + can of tuna
12:00 11 almonds + can of tuna (I know I need CC, I'm actually going out today to get that)

I do my weight routine anywhere I can fit it in with my busy school schedual, but I am still lifting 4-5 times a week plus cardio every day I am not. I do 40 min of cardio every day no matter what (with 40 min of cardio after every lift day too, not including walking in the mornings).

So can anyone give me suggestions of what to do? Am I doing my routine wrong? (BTW this routine/diet comes from a 50 year old man I know who started lifting 4 years ago, and he's 100% natural and the best looking/biggest guy in the gym, and I go to one of the most popular gyms in Toronto). Is my diet looking good?

Should I continue to cut until I'm totally shredded? Or bulk? Some advice/suggestions at this point would be awesome.

[newsguy]

[QUOTE=Azzazzin]The thing is, I am getting cut, but I feel like I have too much loose skin or something for my 6pac to fully come out. The rest of my body is getting very cut, but my abs still arn't out there. They are cut to the point that I can flex them and see a great 6pac, but it goes away when I unflex. QUOTE] I have the EXACT same problem.

[IronGuns]

The thing is, I am getting cut, but I feel like I have too much loose skin or something for my 6pac to fully come out. The rest of my body is getting very cut, but my abs still arn't out there. They are cut to the point that I can flex them and see a great 6pac, but it goes away when I unflex. The other thing I have noticed during my cutting is that I have lost alot of muscle, especially in my chest, and I am wondering if I am maybe loosing too much muscle?

I eat very carefully, and time everything very well.

My diet/routine currently is:




anyway I have

8:00 AM - wake up and do a fast pace walk for 30 min on an empty stomach.
I finish breakfeast aroun 9:00 - 1/2 cup oatmeal + 6 egg whites
12:00 - 1/2 cup oatmeal/medium sweet potato + salad w/ lots of sliced turkey
3:00 - 1/2 cup oatmeal/sweet potato + 1 can of tuna
6:00 - 11 almonds + turkey salad
9:00 - 11 almonds + can of tuna
12:00 11 almonds + can of tuna (I know I need CC, I'm actually going out today to get that)

I do my weight routine anywhere I can fit it in with my busy school schedual, but I am still lifting 4-5 times a week plus cardio every day I am not. I do 40 min of cardio every day no matter what (with 40 min of cardio after every lift day too, not including walking in the mornings).

So can anyone give me suggestions of what to do? Am I doing my routine wrong? (BTW this routine/diet comes from a 50 year old man I know who started lifting 4 years ago, and he's 100% natural and the best looking/biggest guy in the gym, and I go to one of the most popular gyms in Toronto). Is my diet looking good?

Should I continue to cut until I'm totally shredded? Or bulk? Some advice/suggestions at this point would be awesome.

Most peeps even those that have competed (i've heard some of the guys here like abdominator and Lane) say that even they dont have unflexed six packs (it sure looked like Lane did in one of his recent contests though)..i just think youde need to be down to an insanely low bodyfat level to have abs unflexed- even then depending on genetics you may not have it..wouldn't stress over it. & ...dont believe the hype when it comes to those pics you see in magazines..its bs.


Also im currently bulking too and i am on a clean bulk as well, but i throw
in pizza and pasta (whole wheat mostly) when I can to ensure that i gain..
so far it looks like i've gained about 4 pounds but i can tell that my midsection has gotten SLIGHTLY bigger and it really sucks but i know this is the only way im going to get bigger...i've lost my abs but ill grin and bear it till i grow lol..i have to update my signature cuz im prolly up a bodyfat percentage lol.

as for you its really up to you if you want to start bulking now or wait....