Do you cut or bulk if skinny/fat?

[Mike123456]

Question, what should you do if you'refat in the gut, butt, and skinny in the legs and arms? Do you cut to lose that fat, or bulk to add those skinny ass arms, legs, and back? Or could you just eat alot of healthy stuff and keep up the protein and improve on both? Thanks alot

[Tim]

It might be good to lose the fat before you really try to bulk up, since you probably don't want to gain any more fat. It might be a good idea to diet, lift hard and intensely, and do cardio at least three times a week. This way you might even be able to lose that fat while increasing, or at least maintaining, your strength.

[Mike123456]

Thanks Tim, Ok thats what I'm gonna do. But exactly how many calories should I have and what should the ratios be? I did a search on foods to eat when cutting and when bulking? When bulking, you recommended to eat foods such as chicken, eggs, oatmeal, whole grain bread, rice...but aren't all these foods what you should be eating when you are cutting. Its just that if someone told me they are on a diet and are eating chicken, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, etc..I would think they are eating the right things. So if these are all foods to be eaten while bulking, are they also to be eaten when cutting but just in smaller portions..or are you supposed to stay away from these foods...if you are supposed to stay away from them, then what should I be eating...all salads and vegetables? How then am I supposed to but on muscle....Do I just make sure to get enough protein each meal?

[Tim]

When bulking you eat the same foods as when cutting, but in larger amounts. Bulking does NOT mean eating pizza, burgers, and fried foods on a daily basis. But you can have cheat meals more often when you are bulking if you want. As far as ratios go, you might want to try getting about 40% of your calories from carbs, 30% from protein, and 30% from fat.

[alanfred]

Before I do my first ever bulk, I'm losing all the fat I can so I am skinny and starving for lb-age

[Tim]

Exactly. And the leaner you are when you start, the better (less fat) you will look when you are done with your cutting phase.

[HeavyLifta]

im in my 2nd bulking phase but im still pretty fat but the more muscle i put on the less hassle cutting will be

[sherlock]

I'm with HeavyLifta on this one - I decided to stop focusing on so much cutting because who wants to cut when they have puny muscles to show for? After talking w/ a lot of ppl, I decided to bulk cleanly and then cut down so I have something to show for it!