Bulk or cut. Stuck on how to move forward.

[userDMRCTA7YC40]

24YO Male/5ft 5inch/ 144lbs/ 17% bf

Started at 169lbs and have lost 25lbs so far. Gyms are opening back up after over 4 months of closures.

I don't think I have much more weight to lose before I'm pretty skinny and not what I want to look like. Thinking of going on a 2100cls a day plan going forward but I'm also not sure if I should keep cutting to get my body fat down.

Can anyone take a look at these photos and offer an opinion?

[userDMRCTA7YC40]

New account so can't post links

[faithbrah]

add a few spaces to "split" the link, or upload pics to your bodyspace

[userDMRCTA7YC40]

add a few spaces to "split" the link, or upload pics to your bodyspace

Thanks. Pics below

imgur.com/a/eqXNTA4

[MG5]

I would go into a small surplus. Sounds like you're still very new to lifting, so you'll probably be able to pack on muscle and put on very little body fat. Your ratio of muscle gained to fat gained will likely be really good.

[TolerantLactose]

Bulk. BF% isn't just from increased body fat but can also indicate low lean mass. The latter apples to you. Keep hitting the weights.

[snailsrus]

Personally I would maintain. You are new to lifting and your body fat is still on the higher side despite you being a lower weight.

As above said, you are new to lifting and probably have the benefit of newbie gains. I wouldn’t find a bulk helpful though. You will just put more bf on and muscle though. By maintaining you can also still put muscle on because you don’t have much of a base.

How many calories are you on right now? What is your workout routine? I think your lifting routine may need to be changed depending how long you have been on it. Your chest is definitely not being hit optimally for example

[userDMRCTA7YC40]

Personally I would maintain. You are new to lifting and your body fat is still on the higher side despite you being a lower weight.

As above said, you are new to lifting and probably have the benefit of newbie gains. I wouldn’t find a bulk helpful though. You will just put more bf on and muscle though. By maintaining you can also still put muscle on because you don’t have much of a base.

How many calories are you on right now? What is your workout routine? I think your lifting routine may need to be changed depending how long you have been on it. Your chest is definitely not being hit optimally for example

Right now I'm on 1,500cals per day. From the general chat here it seems I should at least maintain when I go back to lifting to take advantage of newbie gains.

So, these photos were taken very recently and I haven't lifted a heavy weight in around 4 months due to lockdwons.

Previously I have been on and off between lifting and Thai Boxing but only lifting when I had spare time nothing serious. I did follow a 3 day full body program between October - December last year and may just follow the same orogram again as I've had so long off. This was my first attempt at doing solely lifting properly regarding diet and program.

[MrCarrot]

1,500 is too low for a 24 year old male, in my opinion.

I would increase to at least 2,000, possibly more, and lift heavy

[userDMRCTA7YC40]

1,500 is too low for a 24 year old male, in my opinion.

I would increase to at least 2,000, possibly more, and lift heavy

Think I will. My maintenance is apparently around 2000 anyway so I think my plan will be to just eat at Maintenance once I get back to the gym in the next two weeks.