bulk/cut... need oppinions and suggestions

[baxx]

Hello guys and girls,

this is my first thread here and i hope you can help me to get on the right way...
im

first some photos: 70inch (178cm) and 156,5lbs (71kg)

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/img4101h.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/839/img4102kq.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/img4103v.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...nanntdwiq.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/707/img4105j.jpg/


i´m not sure what to do now... should i bulk or cut?

the last weeks something like this was my nutrition:
71g fat / 492g carbs / 208g proteine = 3449 kcal
77g fat / 420g carbs / 341g proteine = 3740 kcal
52g fat / 475g carbs / 253g proteine = 3398 kcal ... and so on

should i eat less to reduce my fat? how much bodyfat do i have?

please give me some usefull tipps to continue my training


greets baxx

[Schlangemann]

Looks like you should bulk, if you bulk slowly you shouldn't gain too much fat, add 10-20 percent to your maintenance calories. Your bodyfat looks pretty low, 10-13% maybe, you just need some more muscle.


If you cut more you will end up really skinny, you might have abs but you won't have much else.

[ezra76]

You are fine to bulk. I'm assuming you are just getting started with working out?

You seem to know a little about the nutrition. Read up more on "macronutrients" on here.

I like to try to stay at about 30/40/30 meaning 30% fat, 40% carbs and 30% protein calories. To figure the value for each just divide the calories of each into the total for the day. Protein and carbs multiply by 4 to calories and fats by 9.

So on your 3740 calorie day your actual macro ratio was 19% fat, 45% carbs, 36% protein. This is not bad but I'd try to get the fats up a little. I've always found protein easy to hit but carbs difficult myself.

As far as training I'd recommend some sort of 5x5 program. I've been on one I modified for myself and wish I'd done it from the start. I guess the most important thing starting out is to have some sort of goal oriented routine in my opinion. You are not going to really see huge differences looking in the mirror every day but you will notice when you start out benching say 135lbs. for 5reps and 2 months later you can do it 20 times and bench 175lbs. 5x.

[baxx]

You are fine to bulk. I'm assuming you are just getting started with working out?

You seem to know a little about the nutrition. Read up more on "macronutrients" on here.

I like to try to stay at about 30/40/30 meaning 30% fat, 40% carbs and 30% protein calories. To figure the value for each just divide the calories of each into the total for the day. Protein and carbs multiply by 4 to calories and fats by 9.

So on your 3740 calorie day your actual macro ratio was 19% fat, 45% carbs, 36% protein. This is not bad but I'd try to get the fats up a little. I've always found protein easy to hit but carbs difficult myself.

As far as training I'd recommend some sort of 5x5 program. I've been on one I modified for myself and wish I'd done it from the start. I guess the most important thing starting out is to have some sort of goal oriented routine in my opinion. You are not going to really see huge differences looking in the mirror every day but you will notice when you start out benching say 135lbs. for 5reps and 2 months later you can do it 20 times and bench 175lbs. 5x.

thank you for this great answer that was something i was looking for

you´re absolutely right i just started with my workouts 2 months ago... before this time i lost 10kg fat by just doing cardio and looking on my nutrition

i´ve read about 30/40/30 but i´m a bit afriad of eating too much fat because there is still too much fat on my stomache...
but i´ll try to get some more good fats out of nuts and fish

what are the advantages of a 5x5 programm? at the moment im doing 3-4 reps with about 12-8 "repetitions".. sorry for my bad english
i start with chest/triceps
second day back/bicep
third day legs/shoulders

stomache everey 2nd day


greets baxx

[jbragg10]

I am in the same boat. Not sure whether to cut or bulk.

I would say cut for 2-4 weeks and when you are happy with your weight, then you can start the bulk

[ezra76]

thank you for this great answer that was something i was looking for

you´re absolutely right i just started with my workouts 2 months ago... before this time i lost 10kg fat by just doing cardio and looking on my nutrition

i´ve read about 30/40/30 but i´m a bit afriad of eating too much fat because there is still too much fat on my stomache...
but i´ll try to get some more good fats out of nuts and fish

what are the advantages of a 5x5 programm? at the moment im doing 3-4 reps with about 12-8 "repetitions".. sorry for my bad english
i start with chest/triceps
second day back/bicep
third day legs/shoulders

stomache everey 2nd day


greets baxx

The benefit of a 5x5 program is that you will build size/strength and see results through lift progression and bodyweight. I recommend it because it'll pushes you harder and you have goals which you will meet. It's a lot more fulfilling, in my opinion, to "conquer" 185lbs. for all 5 sets on bench than it is to look in the mirror and see if your chest grew 1/4" from last month.

Don't worry about fat right now. If you workout hard enough, you'll need the calories. Once you have built a good 12-15lbs. of lean mass, losing the fat is easy.

[jcirone]

bulk,bulk and more bulk.

[Kongol]

i´ve read about 30/40/30 but i´m a bit afriad of eating too much fat because there is still too much fat on my stomache...
but i´ll try to get some more good fats out of nuts and fish

Do not be afraid of fat. You do not get fat by eating fat, you gain fat by eating excess calories.

[baxx]

thank you for the tipps guys...

how much % bodyfat do i approximately have and how much kcal should i aim for?

[ReedRothchild]

bulk