How do I get rid of this lower back fat?

[beq1991]

I am 6’2 and weigh 195 lb and would love to bulk, but would like to get rid of the fat around my lower back first.

Picture for reference:
https://imgur.com/a/fogc0Xk

My profile picture is an accurate representation of how I look from the front.

[spradish]

Eat in a calorie deficit while continuing to lift. In general, cutting 10-20% off your maintenance calories (TDEE) is the route to follow

[beq1991]

Eat in a calorie deficit while continuing to lift. In general, cutting 10-20% off your maintenance calories (TDEE) is the route to follow

Good deal. How long do you think it would be advisable to eat at a deficit? My concern with cutting is I don’t want to dip much below 190 lb in weight unless I have to. I used to weigh around 180-185 lb and I felt like I was too skinny. Some people have suggested a recomp to me, but that seems like a very slow way to achieve what I want to. I’m ultimately looking to weigh around 210, but carry less fat around my midsection than I currently do. I figure cutting/bulking cycles are probably the way to go

[xsquid99]

Good deal. How long do you think it would be advisable to eat at a deficit? My concern with cutting is I don’t want to dip much below 190 lb in weight unless I have to. I used to weigh around 180-185 lb and I felt like I was too skinny. Some people have suggested a recomp to me, but that seems like a very slow way to achieve what I want to. I’m ultimately looking to weigh around 210, but carry less fat around my midsection than I currently do. I figure cutting/bulking cycles are probably the way to go

Yeah with the amount of fat you're carrying 190 isn't going to do it for you. You're going to need to get "skinny" for a while and then bulk again later - then repeat (trust the process). It will take you several bulk/cut cycles over a few years (at least) to get there. You may see some degree of recomp, but keep in mind that only really works in a small deficit and can be extremely time consuming.

[SuffolkPunch]

Trying to recomp can result in no progress because it's harder to objectively measure if it's working or not - and a lower calorie intake can mean that muscle gain goes from slow to nothing without your realising.

People often want to recomp because they think it will be quicker than bulk cut. That's not necessarily the case at all, especially if you stagnate without realising it.

Use training progress as a marker for if you are gaining muscle or not. If your lifts haven't improved in the last month, chances are your lean mass hasn't either.

[hardyboysare]

Same as all the other times you have asked:-

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=177449301

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=177141501

[beq1991]

Yeah with the amount of fat you're carrying 190 isn't going to do it for you. You're going to need to get "skinny" for a while and then bulk again later - then repeat (trust the process). It will take you several bulk/cut cycles over a few years (at least) to get there. You may see some degree of recomp, but keep in mind that only really works in a small deficit and can be extremely time consuming.

So how long would you suggest cutting? A couple months? If I go beyond a couple of months with eating at a deficit, my concern is that will negate any muscle I’ve gained in the last few years.

[SuffolkPunch]

How long? Until you don't have back fat.

Muscle loss is often conflated with loss of size due to losing fat off the limbs/chest. If you are not losing strength, there is no reason to be concerned.

[TheInnerOh]

You have a lot of fat both front and back to lose. I don’t think bulking should be a concern of yours. Lifting heavy, something I don’t think you are currently doing, combined with a proper diet and cardio. I think you need 6 months of dedicated training to look good.

[RapidFail]

So how long would you suggest cutting? A couple months? If I go beyond a couple of months with eating at a deficit, my concern is that will negate any muscle I’ve gained in the last few years.

Eat enough protein and continue to lift and you're unlikely to lose any muscle - you may even build some. If you cut to 180lb that could take as little as 2 to 3 months.

[beq1991]

You have a lot of fat both front and back to lose. I don’t think bulking should be a concern of yours. Lifting heavy, something I don’t think you are currently doing, combined with a proper diet and cardio. I think you need 6 months of dedicated training to look good.

By proper diet, do you just mean eating at a deficit? I follow a well-established lifting routine and have made significant progress using it. I could definitely do better with dieting and I almost totally neglected to do cardio the last time I went through a bulking stage

Also, how much weight do you think would be ideal to cut?

[TheInnerOh]

By proper diet, do you just mean eating at a deficit? I follow a well-established lifting routine and have made significant progress using it. I could definitely do better with dieting and I almost totally neglected to do cardio the last time I went through a bulking stage

Also, how much weight do you think would be ideal to cut?

Proper diet as in plenty of lean protein, low carbs, calorie deficit. Get your macros. I’d say you have 10-15 lbs of fat you can cut. If your T levels are adequate, and you are really pushing yourself in the gym, I still say 6 months. If you do 45 min of cardio in the morning? That will allow you to eat more, but overall be 200-400 below maintenance each day.

It’s hard to give detailed advice without being able to look at you in person and evaluate you in the gym. I’m going off of two photos and making a lot of assumptions.

Also, you will be ripped everywhere else before your body lets go of the lower back fat. Sorry, but you are a man. I still have it myself.

[beq1991]

Proper diet as in plenty of lean protein, low carbs, calorie deficit. Get your macros. I’d say you have 10-15 lbs of fat you can cut. If your T levels are adequate, and you are really pushing yourself in the gym, I still say 6 months. If you do 45 min of cardio in the morning? That will allow you to eat more, but overall be 200-400 below maintenance each day.

It’s hard to give detailed advice without being able to look at you in person and evaluate you in the gym. I’m going off of two photos and making a lot of assumptions.

Also, you will be ripped everywhere else before your body lets go of the lower back fat. Sorry, but you are a man. I still have it myself.

So my only concern is eating at a deficit for 6 months. I have been making sure I eat around 190-200 grams of protein a day since starting to eat at a deficit a week ago, but I’m not sure that will be enough to prevent any gains I’ve made from being eliminated over such a long period of time (6 months). I realize I’m not in Mr. Olympia shape, but I have made gains since I started lifting using a 4 day upper/lower routine a while back. I basically don’t want to lose any base I have over 6 months and then put more fat on when I start bulking again after 6 months. I feel like a lot of people end up in an endless cycle of cutting and bulking and get nowhere

[TheInnerOh]

So my only concern is eating at a deficit for 6 months. I have been making sure I eat around 190-200 grams of protein a day since starting to eat at a deficit a week ago, but I’m not sure that will be enough to prevent any gains I’ve made from being eliminated over such a long period of time (6 months). I realize I’m not in Mr. Olympia shape, but I have made gains since I started lifting using a 4 day upper/lower routine a while back.

You will have to adjust as time goes on. But right now you have fat to use for muscle building. You can build muscle in a deficit if you have fat reserves. As you lean out, you will have to adjust.

If you want to have a conversation, i can give you my number.

[xsquid99]

I feel like a lot of people end up in an endless cycle of cutting and bulking and get nowhere

Cycles of cutting and bulking do in fact lead somewhere provided both your training and nutrition is up to snuff. People don't wake up jacked and lean, it takes YEARS of work to get there.

You have a good 20 lbs to lose, then switch into a small surplus and bulk for 8-10 months, then rinse and repeat...

[beq1991]

Cycles of cutting and bulking do in fact lead somewhere provided both your training and nutrition is up to snuff. People don't wake up jacked and lean, it takes YEARS of work to get there.

You have a good 20 lbs to lose, then switch into a small surplus and bulk for 8-10 months, then rinse and repeat...

This makes sense, but I would hate to dip below 180-185 lb...I feel like a beanpole when I get skinnier than that and that’s a lot of time walking around with lower confidence

[xsquid99]

This makes sense, but I would hate to dip below 180-185 lb...I feel like a beanpole when I get skinnier than that and that’s a lot of time walking around with lower confidence

I'm 6'5" and had to cut down to 190 on my first cut. I've added a good 20-25 lbs of muscle since then, yeah it sucked but its part of the process.

People these days also have a skewed perception of what a "normal" weight is because everyone is so damn fat.

[beq1991]

I'm 6'5" and had to cut down to 190 on my first cut. I've added a good 20-25 lbs of muscle since then, yeah it sucked but its part of the process.

How much cardio would you recommend? I am following a 4 day upper/lower routine, but basically have 3 days where I have nothing scheduled. I've been doing an hour to an hour and a half per week of cardio to start off. I did little to no cardio the last time I went through a bulking phase.

[xsquid99]

How much cardio would you recommend? I am following a 4 day upper/lower routine, but basically have 3 days where I have nothing scheduled. I've been doing an hour to an hour and a half per week of cardio to start off. I did little to no cardio the last time I went through a bulking phase.

Do as much or as little as you want. 2-3 days a week at 30 minutes a session will certainly help increase the caloric deficit a little bit and keep the cardiovascular system healthy.

[RapidFail]

This makes sense, but I would hate to dip below 180-185 lb...I feel like a beanpole when I get skinnier than that and that’s a lot of time walking around with lower confidence

You could always go for the bulk first route then, but then you'd have even more fat to lose. Which would you prefer?

Personally I think cutting to 180lb and then assessing from there makes sense. That could be followed by a bulk to 200lb, cut to 185lb, bulk to 205lb, cut to 190lb etc. As Squid said, it would take years to get to a lean 210lb.

FYI I'm only an inch shorter than you and went as low as 154lb (still without abs!) on my first cut.