Lost 20 pounds, should I keep cutting?

[NeasD]

Hey everyone,

Been lifting for about 12 months but on and off inconsistently, while maintaining for a while and then bulking. It was a mess - now I’m consistent and motivated but for a year I wasn’t.

Started at around 65kg/145lbs and bulked till about 80kg/175lbs - over the last couple of months I was feeling too fat and cut down to where I am currently - 70kg/155lb at around 15% bodyfat? (5’9”) I got way too high bodyfat when I was 175lbs haha.

I wanted to do a very lean bulk most of this year so I wanted a low bodyfat starting point - should I keep cutting to 10% bf or just start my lean bulk now? I’ve put on quite a bit of muscle (Get comments regularly and in comparison to old pics I look way different) but I want to get bigger. But it also seems like I’ve been stuck at 155lb for a couple of weeks now and not going down like I was from 175 to 155 - so maybe I need to lower calories? At what weight would I reach 10% bodyfat if I’m 5’9” about 15% at 155lbs right now?

ANY help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks <3

[hardyboysare]

Hey everyone,

Been lifting for about 12 months but on and off inconsistently, while maintaining for a while and then bulking. It was a mess - now I’m consistent and motivated but for a year I wasn’t.

Started at around 65kg/145lbs and bulked till about 80kg/175lbs - over the last couple of months I was feeling too fat and cut down to where I am currently - 70kg/155lb at around 15% bodyfat? (5’9”) I got way too high bodyfat when I was 175lbs haha.

I wanted to do a very lean bulk most of this year so I wanted a low bodyfat starting point - should I keep cutting to 10% bf or just start my lean bulk now? I’ve put on quite a bit of muscle (Get comments regularly and in comparison to old pics I look way different) but I want to get bigger. But it also seems like I’ve been stuck at 155lb for a couple of weeks now and not going down like I was from 175 to 155 - so maybe I need to lower calories? At what weight would I reach 10% bodyfat if I’m 5’9” about 15% at 155lbs right now?

ANY help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks <3

Picture will be required.

[NeasD]

Okay fair enough, here are the photos!

I feel like the photos make me look higher bodyfat than I see in the mirror, but idk. I'd guess 15-16%? Most of the fat is lower abs and love-handles, I can see definition in upper abs.

I just found my pics from 4 months ago and wtfff, I kept telling myself I was just bulking but damn my stomach was fat as ****. I must have been 20-25% bodyfat shieeet.

Also I don't know if it matters, but here are some of my current measurements:

Arms Cold Flexed - 14.5 inches
Forearm Cold Flexed - 12 inches right, 11.5 inches left
Chest - 40 inches
Shoulders - 48 inches
Waist - 32 inches
Neck - 16 inches
Calf Flexed - 14.5 inches
Thigh Flexed - 23 inches

[Tommy W.]

Stop cutting. You have nothing to cut to. Reverse diet and get on a good training program

[hardyboysare]

As Tommy stated you can stop cutting now. There is no real point going down to 10% if you don't have the lean body mass to support the look. Make sure you follow a decent weight training program and consume about 200 calories above your maintenance TDEE and aim to add around 2lbs a month whilst progressively getting stronger and increasing weight volume.

[NeasD]

Repped! But oh wow, didn’t expect that but I’m not complaining since I’m a bit sick of cutting. Can I ask, how can you tell my lean body mass cant support lower bodyfat yet? Just because I’m light yet still not that low of a bodyfat or?

With that said I’m worried about getting too fat again. Even if I lean bulk if my starting point is 15% bodyfat won’t I get to 20% bodyfat and be fat again or can I put it on at such a slow rate with muscle at the same time that I don’t get too high fat again?

[Tommy W.]

Repped! But oh wow, didn’t expect that but I’m not complaining since I’m a bit sick of cutting. Can I ask, how can you tell my lean body mass cant support lower bodyfat yet? Just because I’m light yet still not that low of a bodyfat or?

With that said I’m worried about getting too fat again. Even if I lean bulk if my starting point is 15% bodyfat won’t I get to 20% bodyfat and be fat again or can I put it on at such a slow rate with muscle at the same time that I don’t get too high fat again?

if you keep your surplus low and you’re training correctly the fat gain will be at a minimum. Cutting further is a waste of time. If you gain too much fat your diet and/or training is sub par

[hardyboysare]

Repped! But oh wow, didn’t expect that but I’m not complaining since I’m a bit sick of cutting. Can I ask, how can you tell my lean body mass cant support lower bodyfat yet? Just because I’m light yet still not that low of a bodyfat or?

With that said I’m worried about getting too fat again. Even if I lean bulk if my starting point is 15% bodyfat won’t I get to 20% bodyfat and be fat again or can I put it on at such a slow rate with muscle at the same time that I don’t get too high fat again?

Gain a low enough weight amount and you won't gain fat. Make sure you are doing an effective training program. Generally the idea of getting down to 10% bf is for experienced trained individuals, bulking and cutting cycles between 12%-20% are pretty safe for most average trainers. I wouldn't say you are small as I have seen a lot skinnier (less muscle) individuals but you are built like the average gym goer and they should near enough always focus on muscle building.

You certainly aren't overweight so building more muscle will offer the best results. Take it slow and progress with calories when you stall with your strength and that will ensure muscle is mainly built.

[alewisdvm]

Hey man,
I am in a similar situation. 5'9". Age 42. Starting weight was about 180 at estimated 25% body fat. I am currently at 164 and estimated 17% body fat (digital hand thing at gym). Looking at your pictures and comparing, you really could only cut to about 150 max. I know what you are thinking. You really want to shed some of that subcutaneous ab fat to try and get a little more ab definition. I wouldn't fault you if you wanted to continue to cut, but seriously, for both of us, we shouldn't be going below 152'ish. The others are right. Neither of us has enough lean mass to benefit.

[NeasD]

Right, okay thanks guys! I'll get on that LEAN bulk now then.

Currently doing this program: (I can't post links because under 50 posts)

CWGame's Stronglifts 5x5 -

Monday:
Squat: 5x5
Bench: 5x5
Deadlift: 1x5

Wednesday:
Squat: 5x5
OHP: 5x5
BOR:5x5

Friday:
Squat: 5x5
Bench: 5x5
Deadlift: 1x5

It's a variant of Stronglifts but with more focus on the 'big 3'. Except I'm doing 3x5 now. Although I spoke to a friend today who's a powerlifter about my routine and he went into saying that I shouldn't necessarily add weight each workout, and that I should probably do one light day and one heavy day. He said progressive overload more gradually over a longer period of time, and says that I shouldn't ever be failing a rep/set and that he hasn't failed a rep for a long time. What are your thoughts on this? I could see maybe if he'd completely plateaued since he lifts higher weights than me, but for 3x5 my max bench is 80kg/176lb, deadlift 130kg/286lb and squat 75kg/165lb (working on squat 3x a week, I know it's way lower than it should be) so I thought that adding 2.5kg/5lb every workout and following Stronglifts wouldn't be a bad idea to get quick progression.

Thoughts? Now idk what to do and who to believe lol.

[hardyboysare]

Right, okay thanks guys! I'll get on that LEAN bulk now then.

Currently doing this program: (I can't post links because under 50 posts)

CWGame's Stronglifts 5x5 -

Monday:
Squat: 5x5
Bench: 5x5
Deadlift: 1x5

Wednesday:
Squat: 5x5
OHP: 5x5
BOR:5x5

Friday:
Squat: 5x5
Bench: 5x5
Deadlift: 1x5

It's a variant of Stronglifts but with more focus on the 'big 3'. Except I'm doing 3x5 now. Although I spoke to a friend today who's a powerlifter about my routine and he went into saying that I shouldn't necessarily add weight each workout, and that I should probably do one light day and one heavy day. He said progressive overload more gradually over a longer period of time, and says that I shouldn't ever be failing a rep/set and that he hasn't failed a rep for a long time. What are your thoughts on this? I could see maybe if he'd completely plateaued since he lifts higher weights than me, but for 3x5 my max bench is 80kg/176lb, deadlift 130kg/286lb and squat 75kg/165lb (working on squat 3x a week, I know it's way lower than it should be) so I thought that adding 2.5kg/5lb every workout and following Stronglifts wouldn't be a bad idea to get quick progression.

Thoughts? Now idk what to do and who to believe lol.

I would stick with the program for now as you should make progress with strength and size just by increase the weight load. Once you get to a point where you can't keep increasing the weight then extra stimulus will be best through increasing of overall volume. On a side note once you progress further on in the program it may be best adding some extra supplementary work such as dips and pulls ups to aid with arm development. Mehdi speaks about it in his website.

[NeasD]

Alright sweet, thanks a lot! Yeah I've been doing chin ups - could only do 2 now I can do 10. Going to add weight soon. Also start doing dips or skullcrushers