Bulking at 20% body fat..

[Crazy_Desi]

I know this is pretty unbelievable - but I measured myself with calipers, and my body fat is 20%, and I weigh 157 pounds.

I was already bulking for 2 months - gained a lean 8 pounds. Now, I'm thinking of cutting down to 8% body fat, and then bulking up again.. what do you guys think? I realize if I cut right now, when I reach 8% body fat I will be around 140 lbs.. is this a good idea?

Majority of my fat is on my chest, stomach, and I'm guessing my face.. can I cut?

Current lifts:
Squat - 190
Bench - 135
Deadlift - 210
Standing Press - 105
Pendlay Rows - 135

I'm restarting rippetoes at a lower weight than the above, so I was wondering if I could cut.. losing 2lbs/week.

Pics of me are on the second page of my log near the end.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...3682401&page=2

[Dbag62889]

We need pics

[Crazy_Desi]

^^updated

[Curtiz]

cut

[mattyoc3]

cut were u surprised with 20%?

[Beowolf Agate]

Calipers are wrong unless you're 5 feet tall.

[OoFaP]

Cut. It doesn't have to be to 8%. Maybe 10.

[Vipersg123]

calipers are way off unless you actually know what you are doing and it takes some technique... i got a feeling you measured wrong.

[Cheekz]

definitely cut first. And im sorry but i have a hard time believing that those 8 pounds you put on were lean if youre eating pizza, dairy queen, snickers ice cream bars and m&m's. Cut down to about 10-12% bf then do a CLEAN bulk to whatever goal you may have after that

[Curtiz]

deffo 20% + dont listen to any1 else and cut dude

[iatemeself]

You look less than 20% i'd have to say around 15%. I think of it as eat whatever you want as long as you're willing to work harder in the gym.

[tinyman5000]

You look less than 20% i'd have to say around 15%. I think of it as eat whatever you want as long as you're willing to work harder in the gym.

You are so stupid

[Vipersg123]

you look around 16-17% in some of the pics, hard to tell with the lighting... but i'de say cut for a bit then bulk again

[Curtiz]

On a more serious note, as long as we're discussing judging body fat by eye sight heres a rough guide I got from somewhere or other (probably true) but at the end of the day who cares what number you assign to it what matters is what you look like in the mirror.

1. Full House = No visible muscle definition. Bodyfat level = over 20%.

2. Hard = Some muscle separation appears between delts and upper arm. Abs are still not visible. Approx. bodyfat level = 15-19%

3. Cut = More muscle separation appears particularly in the chest and back, outline of the abs begins to appear slightly. Approx. bodyfat level = 12-14%

4. Defined = Muscle separations get deeper in the arms, chest, legs and back, and abs appear when flexed. Approx. bodyfat level = 10-12%

5. Ripped = Abs are clearly visible all the time, vascularity in arms is prominent, chest and back separation is obvious, and face is starting to appear more angular. Condition can be held indefinitely. Approximate bodyfat level = 7-9%

6. Shredded = Striations appear in large muscle groups when they are flexed. Vascularity appears in lower abdomen and in the legs. Condition can be held for several days with careful dieting. Approximate bodyfat level = 5-7%

7. Sliced = Muscles and tendons begin to appear in the face when chewing, striations appear everywhere and vascularity appears everywhere. Bodyfat levels are close to 3% and subcutaneous water levels are near 0. Condition can only be held for a few hours at a time. Not a healthy condition to stay in due to lower water level.

[Beowolf Agate]

I'm 5'8", 194lbs, 22% body fat. There is NO way you're the same height, 40lbs lighter, and near the same body fat. Just not possible. Post a pic so we can reveal your scrawny ass as being just that, scrawny. Keep bulking.

[Beowolf Agate]

On a more serious note, as long as we're discussing judging body fat by eye sight heres a rough guide I got from somewhere or other (probably true) but at the end of the day who cares what number you assign to it what matters is what you look like in the mirror.

1. Full House = No visible muscle definition. Bodyfat level = over 20%.

2. Hard = Some muscle separation appears between delts and upper arm. Abs are still not visible. Approx. bodyfat level = 15-19%

3. Cut = More muscle separation appears particularly in the chest and back, outline of the abs begins to appear slightly. Approx. bodyfat level = 12-14%

4. Defined = Muscle separations get deeper in the arms, chest, legs and back, and abs appear when flexed. Approx. bodyfat level = 10-12%

5. Ripped = Abs are clearly visible all the time, vascularity in arms is prominent, chest and back separation is obvious, and face is starting to appear more angular. Condition can be held indefinitely. Approximate bodyfat level = 7-9%

6. Shredded = Striations appear in large muscle groups when they are flexed. Vascularity appears in lower abdomen and in the legs. Condition can be held for several days with careful dieting. Approximate bodyfat level = 5-7%

7. Sliced = Muscles and tendons begin to appear in the face when chewing, striations appear everywhere and vascularity appears everywhere. Bodyfat levels are close to 3% and subcutaneous water levels are near 0. Condition can only be held for a few hours at a time. Not a healthy condition to stay in due to lower water level.

These only work if the target has muscle to begin with. Plenty of very, very skinny kids can't see there abs or muscle separation because they have no muscles to show.

[Retardo-pex]

Issue number one: "I measured myself with calipers"
Solution: Get someone else to do it for you as that is one of the least accurate ways to use an already semi inaccurate system.

[tinyman5000]

I guess i'm about 10-11% cause my abs appear when i flex and sort of appear when unflexed and i have arm/chest veins, plus i have good defintion. You look 16-17% bodyfat

[Curtiz]

These only work if the target has muscle to begin with. Plenty of very, very skinny kids can't see there abs or muscle separation because they have no muscles to show.

I know what your getting at but your wording could be different because everybody HAS muscle.

But for the majority what i copied and pasted from another thread was spot on.

[Crazy_Desi]

definitely cut first. And im sorry but i have a hsrd time believing that those 8 pounds you put on were lean if youre eating pizza, dairy queen, snickers ice cream bars and m&m's. Cut down to about 10-12% bf then do a CLEAN bulk to whatever goal you may have after that

Do you not agree with the principle that a ratio of 80% clean to 20% dirty foods on a bulk makes no difference in comparision to a 100% clean bulk diet?

I had pretty good strength gains so I find it hard to believe that most of it was fat. Maybe 2lbs or so, but not the majority.

Thanks for the advice though, I will definitely cut.

Is 2lbs/week healthy? I was thinking to either do that for 2-3 months or just do the v-diet.

[Curtiz]

Do you not agree with the principle that a ratio of 80% clean to 20% dirty foods on a bulk makes no difference in comparision to a 100% clean bulk diet?

I had pretty good strength gains so I find it hard to believe that most of it was fat. Maybe 2lbs or so, but not the majority.

Thanks for the advice though, I will definitely cut.

Is 2lbs/week healthy? I was thinking to either do that for 2-3 months or just do the v-diet.

you gain 2lbs muscle a month ( on a very good diet/routine)
you look fat
2lbs is too much ( i know this because im cutting my calories now because i dont want a high bodyfat%)

[DEVY]

You have at least added muscle and lost fat on the progress pic in your profile. I would say that you should go for clean eating: less carbs, more proteins and fat, consume a big majority of your calories and carbs after workouts. Do heavy-ass lifting 3-5 days a week. Use compound movements and some intensifying additions (supersets, complexes, but not exaggerate). If you are willing to; do HIIT 1-3 days a week. (for example 8-12*20seconds all out sprints)
Good luck

[dyson33]

Do you not agree with the principle that a ratio of 80% clean to 20% dirty foods on a bulk makes no difference in comparision to a 100% clean bulk diet?

I had pretty good strength gains so I find it hard to believe that most of it was fat. Maybe 2lbs or so, but not the majority.

Thanks for the advice though, I will definitely cut.

Is 2lbs/week healthy? I was thinking to either do that for 2-3 months or just do the v-diet.

i would say 1-2lbs a week...you can do it however you want...but i know when i cut im gonna do it really cleanly...eat average(not overeat, but not starve) but do a LOT of cardio.

[Cheekz]

Do you not agree with the principle that a ratio of 80% clean to 20% dirty foods on a bulk makes no difference in comparision to a 100% clean bulk diet?

I had pretty good strength gains so I find it hard to believe that most of it was fat. Maybe 2lbs or so, but not the majority.

Thanks for the advice though, I will definitely cut.

Is 2lbs/week healthy? I was thinking to either do that for 2-3 months or just do the v-diet.

Strength doesn't mean its not fat. And i do not agree with that ratio, because it will make a difference, small as it may be. You can slack on the diet if you want, its your choice, but dont expect to get ripped if you dont try as hard as you could. Diet will make all the difference.

[10TonBrick]

looks like 20 IMO

with the bf% and your lack of muscle (no offence at all) you should cut. if you had more lean mass, then id say go for it. but doing it now, you really have nothing to lose in terms of lean mass

[JiP]

i'm about 18% and i'm bulking. i plan on cutting once i start 5x5 for a month to try and lose 8lb. if i were you i would just get to 14/15% once you gain some more muscle. having a belly doesn't really bother me though, i don't take my shirt off much haha

[10TonBrick]

i'm about 18% and i'm bulking. i plan on cutting once i start 5x5 for a month to try and lose 8lb. if i were you i would just get to 14/15% once you gain some more muscle. having a belly doesn't really bother me though, i don't take my shirt off much haha

x2 lol

[industree]

i'm about 18% and i'm bulking. i plan on cutting once i start 5x5 for a month to try and lose 8lb. if i were you i would just get to 14/15% once you gain some more muscle. having a belly doesn't really bother me though, i don't take my shirt off much haha

x3 rofl.

a dying breed.

[Crazy_Desi]

Having a belly really bothers me.. my waist size is like 34!!!
I wanted to lose most of my body fat so that I could clearly see the type of results that I was getting while I was on rippetoes.

The reason I ate a little dirty was because I was already fat - I really didn't have anything to gain by eating completely clean.. I don't think I really gained that much fat anyways. Besides, this was my first time trying to diet in college. Was pretty rough but I have everything covered now...


So back to my question - is 2lbs a week of fat loss a good goal, or too much? If it's too much, I think I will just do the velocity diet, because I'd like to spend as little time as possible cutting.

My plan while cutting is to do rippetoes 3x a week like I have been.. with all the accessory work. Maybe some HIIT at the end of each workout. Is that good? Probably a 1700 calorie diet. With tons of protein, moderate carbs/fats.

[JiP]

Having a belly really bothers me.. my waist size is like 34!!!
I wanted to lose most of my body fat so that I could clearly see the type of results that I was getting while I was on rippetoes.

The reason I ate a little dirty was because I was already fat - I really didn't have anything to gain by eating completely clean.. I don't think I really gained that much fat anyways. Besides, this was my first time trying to diet in college. Was pretty rough but I have everything covered now...


So back to my question - is 2lbs a week of fat loss a good goal, or too much? If it's too much, I think I will just do the velocity diet, because I'd like to spend as little time as possible cutting.

My plan while cutting is to do rippetoes 3x a week like I have been.. with all the accessory work. Maybe some HIIT at the end of each workout. Is that good? Probably a 1700 calorie diet. With tons of protein, moderate carbs/fats.

well you could cut on rippetoes, but i think it will be hard. heavy lifting takes it out of you. and food puts it right back in