I would appreciate a clear explanation on the calories for bulking and cutting cycles. I am a bit confused. My example and how I see it are below. Please correct me wherever needed!
Start-
Maintenance calories=3000
move to bulk
Bulk-
Increase calories by 250-500/ day
Calories=3250-3500
12-16 weeks, move to maintenance
Maintenance-
Reduce increased calories from bulk by 50% per day
Calories=3125-3250
Move to cut.
This is where I get confused. Do you not decrease calories from your original maintenance calories of 3000, or reduce from the 3125-3250 in the maintenance phase?
Secondly, once that cut is over, then what calorie total do you add your bulk calories per day to? -To your cut calories, your original maintenance, or neither?
This is how i do things.
Bulk
I add 250cals/day and keep it there until weight/lifts stall then increase another 250cals/day. Repeat this until you are satisfied with where you are at or you start to get more fluffy than you are comfortable with.
Once I am done bulking I go back toward maintenance the same way i got to where i am at. I will usually do this in 2 week increments of dropping 250cals/day.
Once I reach maintenance which may now be different than before your bulk I will sit there for at least 4 weeks or so. In that 4 weeks you will know if this is your real maintenance or not. Your weight should not move either way much.
Cut
I do the opposite. 250cal/day reduction and let that ride until i stall and then decrease another 250casl/day. You don’t want to do a large cal decrease as this will usually lead to binge eating and won’t be sustainable.
When cutting is done you would reverse diet just like the bulk by adding in 250cals/day or so until you get back to maintenance. Again, this should be a slow process.
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I think you’re overcomplicating it.
If maintenance is 3,000:
Bulk at 3250
Cut at 2500
Unless you’re massively changing your stats, your maintenance wont move all that much.
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That’s makes it easy. But, won’t a 750 decrease per day on the cut be shitty?
It’s not a 750cal cut, it’s 500. Your maintenance stays the same.
You’re not gonna go from bulk right to cut. You need to work back to maintinace and stay there for a few weeks to reach homeostasis and then begin the cut so like @Andrewgen_Receptors said it would be a small decrease.
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Similar to the above, I would raise/ reduce calories from where you are vs a hypothetical. After a couple adjustments, it all takes care of itself.
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If my scale “says” I’m 14% body fat and I’ve found my maintenance calories by consistent maintenance over the last 8 weeks, should I cut first or start a bulk?
Do you want to be bigger or do you want to be smaller?
You’ll make a more dramatic change in your physical appearance over the next 8-12 weeks by cutting. Whether that matches your goals, only you can say.
It would be easier to give real advice if you post a pic, although I understand that can be tough to do for a lot of reasons.
You look fantastic. You’re in good enough shape to decide what you want to do. Personally, just to take advantage of the seasons, I’d probably lean out just a little between now and maybe week 3 of the NFL season (that’s the new mandatory calendar, Julian is obsolete). That would set you up for an awesome growing season this fall/ winter. Either way, you clearly have a grasp on how to eat and can make some methodical adjustments to do whatever you want.
So now it’s straight up @T3hPwnisher’s question: bigger or smaller?
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Id advocate to lean out a bit more, then bulk.
Purpose being to leverage the rebound and lengthen the duration of your bulk.
Really though, you could go either way and do well.
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You look great. You are def under the 14% your scale is saying.
What is your end goal?
If I was in your shoes I would start to add size if being bigger was the goal.
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You’re not getting any younger!
Eat and train for Maximal Manly Mass before its too late!
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Thanks. I know those scales aren’t truthful, I just use it to measure progress. To be honest, I guess my goal is to stay where I’m at, as I am happy with it, but I am scared if I stay where I’m at, there is no end goal as I’ve seen it’s really not possible to change much if I choose to maintain my calories at maintenance levels.
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I’m definitely not 24 any more! lol
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