Posting pics/stats and workout routine in link below! I’ve been cutting for several months now and have dropped about 20-25lbs. So my goal is overall more of a look than anything. Going for ~190lbs 12%bf (big, but lean enough to have visible abs, not shredded) over the course of several years and breaking it down into smaller goals. Anyways! I’m 27yo, ~166lbs and 6ft.
I’m curious as to what body fat I am. I’ve been wanting to go into “maingaining/clean calorie surplus” (100-300cal daily surplus) for awhile now. But I’ve been trying to get leaner. My goal was about 10% bf, then I would start that. I just don’t know how much longer I wanna stay in a deficit. Just looking for some direction and advice to further reach my goals and what my time would be best spent doing.
Training note:I stick pretty close to what’s pictured, sometimes alternating some movements and doing 4 sets. I deadlift on Lower B as well.
How long have you been cutting, and how has it been going lately? Like are you still regularly dropping weight, or has the weight loss stalled?
How have your lifts been? Have you been able to get stronger over the cut? Are you still making progress, lifting wise? Or has that maybe slowed down too?
Mentally, do you just want to eat a little more? Or are you so tired of cutting that your life is suffering?
I have been getting stronger, my workouts have been going well! I’ve been cutting for probably the past 6-7 months. Weight has continually coming off overall through the weeks. I just am eager to get into the muscle building phase by upping my calories! I’ve seemed to level off around 160-167lbs. I do 2 cardio workouts a week, usually a long walk or HIIT. I just thought I might feel better by upping calories but it’s not like I’m dying with cutting. Just seems like a long time to be in a deficit.
Just pick a goal and stay with it. If you are cutting then cut cuz you are nowhere near close to be done, so i dont understand why you said you want to maintain. I dont see much to maintain now - too fat to be lean, too small to be big.
Id always stop the cut when i am too lean, or stop the bulk when no clothes fit anymore.
If you want to be 190lbs lean, you would bulk to at least 210. If you want to be lean now, then just cut until you are done. You are nowhere near done.
Get % out of your head as soon as you can. It’s not a helpful metric.
The mirror is your guide to your goal, which is as you said “visible abs, not shredded”
Thanks for this Andrew, you win the internet today. LOL
OP - forget bodyfat % they are largely unhelpful. You said in your original post that you have lost 25lbs and are currently 166lbs. You also said your long term goal is to be 190 with visible abs. This is a great goal and it was good to see you say it was something you want to work towards over several years. Because that is exactly what it is going to take to get there.
Looking at where you are at right now I think you are in a great position to start training to build some strength and at the same time add some muscle. I don’t think focusing specifically on any more fat loss at this point will contribute to your overall goals.
My response to this is to find a good strength based program that you like and to start training hard with consistency. If it isn’t already sorted, then get your diet sorted and start to eat to gain muscle. Hard to be any more specific that this without a more specific question to answer.
I read these two posts recently from a pair of elite coaches on this site. It was an interesting insight into why i’ve never heard or read a reputable coach use bodyfat percentage as a useful metric
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I think this is what I’ll do! I’m going to up calories into maintenance for about 2 weeks, then go into a lean surplus for as long as I’m comfortable with (6months to a year). I’ll continue to train hard, eat clean, and push for strength. Is there a recommended amount of weight to go for? or just go by the mirror until I’m ready to cut again?
@Genesis1016 - I’m 190 lbs. with (mostly) visible abs in the second set of pictures dated 06 June 2022 in this post (link). I’m only 5 ft. 7 in., so that same weight and rough level of leanness might look drastically different on your 6-ft. frame.
The real point of that post though is to demonstrate what it takes to get there: rock-solid consistency and extremely high effort every damn day—and most often twice a day—for very nearly a year. So, yeah, @simo74 is absolutely correct:
You asked a similar question in another thread back in April, so my advice now: Start a log and get after it!
Thank you for the post! I’m definitely motivated and in it for the long run! I’m gonna move into a muscle gaining season for now! How much weight should I look to gain per week or month? I guess I’m just nervous about gaining a bunch of fat.
