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  1. #1
    Registered User tblodg15's Avatar
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    6 weeks into my first ever bulk phase - observations & weird stuff

    After being in a deficit for a long time and now being in a surplus there are some weird things going on. First as a reminder for those who don't know - I worked out in a calorie deficit for 18 months to lose 65 lbs and 11 inches off my waist:


    More pics and explanation of weight loss phase in this thread - https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=176369031

    I met my goal and ate near maintenance calories for almost a month before I took the progress pics. I started my first ever bulk after the pics and have now been in a surplus for 6 weeks. The weird stuff:
    - My skinfold measurements have continued to drop slightly even though my average weight has gone up 4 lbs. I didn't expect to add fat right away but I didn't expect to continue to lose fat after I increased 400 calories per day. This is not measurement error, I get pretty consistent readings and document the average of 5 measurements.

    - My resting heart rate was really dropping near the end of the deficit and at first I thought it was just because I was continuing to get in better shape. I was dipping into the 40's but I now realize it was my body slowing down from the long term deficit because as soon as I went into a surplus my resting HR immediately started going back up! I also didn't expect this but the body and it's desire to maintain homeostasis is pretty amazing!

    - In the mirror everything looks better now and I now realize that I was a little depleted when I took the pics. I ate near maintenance for almost a month to try and avoid that but I can see I look slightly fuller now with near the same or lower bodyfat %.

    - My arms are definitely filling out and at the same time are more vascular than ever.

    - The only place I think I can see some fat starting to increase is my love handles on my lower back. I have tried to use the calipers to document those areas but am not able to get a consistent & reliable measurement doing it myself.

    I think some of this stuff is normal when ending a cut but most of it was a surprise to me because I have never cut or bulked before. I am adjusting my calories to target 1.5 to 2 lbs max per month and am looking forward to seeing if I can increase my strength over the winter now that I am finally lifting in a surplus. My plan is to gain 8 to 10 more pounds over the next 6 months and then cut again for next summer.
    Bodybuilding is much more than an hour in the gym a few days a week---it's a lifestyle that changes all your perceptions about how to live, eat, and rest. It feeds the mind as much (and sometimes more so) than the body.
    ~Originally posted by ironwill2008
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    Registered User Plateauplower's Avatar
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    All pretty common things, I always look way leaner when first starting a surplus following a cut. Muscles being full might have had an effect on skin folds as well, since the skin will be a little tighter there is a little less "loose skin" being counted as sub cutaneous fat. Vascularity will usually increase some with more food (carbs). I'm most vascular when I increase carbs, then pull them back down and get more dry. You can hold water around your waist which might be what you are seeing, sometimes even a single high carb day will make my lifting belt fit tighter without any real chance of fat gain, after a few days it goes away. I notice losing leanness first primarily in arm vascularity that's pretty much what I notice first but I don't take waist measurements. I just use scale (weekly running avg), mirror, lifting belt. Sounds like a good plan and good rate of gain 1.5-2lbs/month. With 6 weeks in you should definitely be feeling some strength gains. Usually after about a week of increasing calories my lifts start going up and I feel "supercharged" for a while before I guess it becomes the new normal and I don't notice it anymore.
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    Powerlifting in disguise induced_drag's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by tblodg15 View Post
    .

    - The only place I think I can see some fat starting to increase is my love handles on my lower back. I have tried to use the calipers to document those areas but am not able to get a consistent & reliable measurement doing it myself.
    .

    Sub q fat is slow to deposit (and slow to lose as we all know too well!). You may pick up skinfold thickness from water, but I would not be concerned.

    Your waist will grow as VAT mobilizes so quickly. That in my opinion is the best way to track progress. Monitor waist size while keeping an eye on skinfolds (after you have made your water shift).

    For me eating 250 cal surpluses, my fat gain did not really kick in until after 4 months. Some where between 4 and 5 months I would fall off pretty quickly and need to reset and go with a deficit again.

    After doing it over and over, I could almost predict when it was happening and only one time did I let it get away too far (and chose to never make that mistake again)

    Good luck. VAT gain is OK as long as it is steady and not spilling over into increased skinfold thickenss.
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  4. #4
    Registered User tblodg15's Avatar
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    Thanks for the insight guys.
    Bodybuilding is much more than an hour in the gym a few days a week---it's a lifestyle that changes all your perceptions about how to live, eat, and rest. It feeds the mind as much (and sometimes more so) than the body.
    ~Originally posted by ironwill2008
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