Dirty bulking to Clean(er) Bulking

[TSidds]

I started bodybuilding at the beginning of january, and have only come to notice that I've been dirty bulking through noticing my fat gain scaling up and it not entirely being so viable, so I'm switching to bulking cleaner. Doing this, will I drop (the) fat (around 25% - mainly the fat around waist/stomach) gradually to get down closer to around 15% BF? and conmtinue to maintain that or would I have to temporarily cut to get down to that?

[Vandeman17]

I started bodybuilding at the beginning of january, and have only come to notice that I've been dirty bulking through noticing my fat gain scaling up and it not entirely being so viable, so I'm switching to bulking cleaner. Doing this, will I drop (the) fat (around 25% - mainly the fat around waist/stomach) gradually to get down closer to around 15% BF? and conmtinue to maintain that or would I have to temporarily cut to get down to that?

There are a lot of issues with your statement and question. First is the idea of dirty and clean bulk. While the quality of foods are different, the main reason you are gaining weight and fat is you are eating at a surplus. If you continue to eat the same amount of calories, even with "cleaner" foods, you will still gain weight. Also, you can't target fat loss. It only comes when eating at a deficit and dropping overall bf %. Have you read the stickies? Do you pay attention to and track your macros?

[CommitmentRulz]

You cannot lose weight on an ongoing basis and be "bulking". Similarly, you cannot gain weight on an ongoing basis and be "cutting". Simply put, eating above maintenance = bulk. Below = cut.

[Shadowman82]

You cannot lose weight on an ongoing basis and be "bulking". Similarly, you cannot gain weight on an ongoing basis and be "cutting". Simply put, eating above maintenance = bulk. Below = cut.

True you can not loose scale weight while eating above maintenance but if you let's say had an original maintenance level of 2400 calories a day and you were eating let's say 3200 calories day . You would gain weight for sure , some of it fat . But if you kept lifting heavier and heavier weights but kept your calorie intake at that 3200 wouldn't you start to loose fat as your bigger muscles will use more calories to maintain thereby raising your maintenance level from the original 2400 calories ?

[ErikTheElectric]

I started bodybuilding at the beginning of january, and have only come to notice that I've been dirty bulking through noticing my fat gain scaling up and it not entirely being so viable, so I'm switching to bulking cleaner. Doing this, will I drop (the) fat (around 25% - mainly the fat around waist/stomach) gradually to get down closer to around 15% BF? and conmtinue to maintain that or would I have to temporarily cut to get down to that?

In a perfect world, maybe. However, don't aim to gain mass and lose BF% simultaneously.

[Mrpb]

I started bodybuilding at the beginning of january, and have only come to notice that I've been dirty bulking through noticing my fat gain scaling up and it not entirely being so viable, so I'm switching to bulking cleaner. Doing this, will I drop (the) fat (around 25% - mainly the fat around waist/stomach) gradually to get down closer to around 15% BF? and conmtinue to maintain that or would I have to temporarily cut to get down to that?

If you're really 25% you should cut.

Do you have a picture?

[Jedee]

True you can not loose scale weight while eating above maintenance but if you let's say had an original maintenance level of 2400 calories a day and you were eating let's say 3200 calories day . You would gain weight for sure , some of it fat . But if you kept lifting heavier and heavier weights but kept your calorie intake at that 3200 wouldn't you start to loose fat as your bigger muscles will use more calories to maintain thereby raising your maintenance level from the original 2400 calories ?

If I understand correctly, you would only begin to lose fat once your maintenance level exceeds 3200 calories since in order to lose fat, you have to be in a deficit.

[SubWooferCooker]

True you can not loose scale weight while eating above maintenance but if you let's say had an original maintenance level of 2400 calories a day and you were eating let's say 3200 calories day . You would gain weight for sure , some of it fat . But if you kept lifting heavier and heavier weights but kept your calorie intake at that 3200 wouldn't you start to loose fat as your bigger muscles will use more calories to maintain thereby raising your maintenance level from the original 2400 calories ?

Yes this is possible in theory if you are a noob with lots of room to grow., iirc for every 1lb of muscle you gain you burn around 10kcal at rest, which isn't much so if you gained 20lbs of pure muscle you would only burn an extra 200 calories at rest, however you will be lifting much heavier weights and thus burning more in the gym, however calculating that additional burn is not easy.

[Mrpb]

If I understand correctly, you would only begin to lose fat once your maintenance level exceeds 3200 calories since in order to lose fat, you have to be in a deficit.

Fyi: You can lose fat even when you're bulking. It's just harder. The easiest way to lose fat is to be in deficit.

[Jedee]

Fyi: You can lose fat even when you're bulking. It's just harder. The easiest way to lose fat is to be in deficit.

The only comments I have seen on this is that it's possible for complete novices. Is this true or could someone with a bit more training and who has been through a few cycles of weight gain and loss still do this? I've never really properly bulked except for inadvertently eating in surplus whilst working out and getting somewhat bulkier but also fatter. Before that I went through cycles of weight loss for competitive martial arts then subsequent weight gain through bad control of calories...so I am wondering if I could achieve this and what would be involved? I have been cutting most recently but this time instead of doing it for martial arts where there was less focus on strength work, I did it with a high focus on strength and have been making incremental gains on my lifts for the last 3 months. If I switched to a bulking phase, could I bulk and lose fat at the same time as you mentioned?

[Mrpb]

The only comments I have seen on this is that it's possible for complete novices. Is this true or could someone with a bit more training and who has been through a few cycles of weight gain and loss still do this? I've never really properly bulked except for inadvertently eating in surplus whilst working out and getting somewhat bulkier but also fatter. Before that I went through cycles of weight loss for competitive martial arts then subsequent weight gain through bad control of calories...so I am wondering if I could achieve this and what would be involved? I have been cutting most recently but this time instead of doing it for martial arts where there was less focus on strength work, I did it with a high focus on strength and have been making incremental gains on my lifts for the last 3 months. If I switched to a bulking phase, could I bulk and lose fat at the same time as you mentioned?

It happens even in trained athletes.

But just because it's possible doesn't necessarily mean you should strive for it.

I have no idea about your current level, stats etc. so I can't make recommendations for you.