I am a 28 year old male. I'm 5'6 and weigh around 193 lbs. @ approximately 28% body fat. I'm currently running Stronglifts 5x5 and consistently go to the gym three days a week, every week. I've been lifting since January, with a three month break between March and June due to coronavirus gym closures, followed by a 50% de-load starting when things re-opened in mid-June. My lifts are currently as follows.
My goal is to cut to 174 lbs. @ 13-14% body fat by the end of March, 2021 and then lean bulk back to about 205 lbs. @ 20% body fat, hopefully by the end end of 2021. I'm not currently counting calories or macros. I just know that I'm being very careful about how much I eat. In all honesty, I am likely underfed. But, at least for now, my lifts have continued to increase. I will definitely start to increase my caloric intake if things start to stall.
I've sat down and done all the math. Right now I have about 54 lbs. of fat on me and a total body weight of 192.8 lbs. That's 28% body fat. If I lose 1 lb. of fat per week until the end of March (31 weeks) and gain about 0.5 lbs. of lean muscle every week until March, I should be at...
(54 lbs. Fat - 1 lb. Fat x 31 Weeks) / (192.8 lbs. Total BW - 1 lb. Fat x 31 Weeks + 0.5 lbs. Lean Muscle x 31 Weeks) =
23 lbs. Fat / 177.3 lbs. Total BW = 0.13 = 13% Body Fat
If I then lean bulk, gaining 2 lbs. of fat per month and 1 lb. of lean muscle per month (2:1 ratio), by December 31st, 2021 I should be around the following.
(23 lbs. Fat + 2 lbs. Fat x 9 Months) / (177.3 lbs. Total BW + 2 lbs. Fat x 9 Months + 1 lb. Lean Muscle x 9 Months) =
41 lbs. Fat / 204.3 lbs. Total BW = 0.2 = 20% Body Fat
Are these numbers and this time frame realistic? Is there any way for me to get leaner than 20% after my bulk? I could cut lower than 13-14% to start with, but I'm not sure my genetics would let me get any lower and I don't think it would be realistic or even healthy to try. Once I (hopefully) get to 204.3 lbs. BW @ 20% body fat, do I just cut again?
I would really appreciate any input on this. And I'd be happy to provide any additional information I may have left out above.
- 195 lb. Squat
- 190 lb. Deadlift
- 125 lb. Bench Press
- 85 lb. Overhead Press
- 110 lb. Barbell/Pendlay Row
My goal is to cut to 174 lbs. @ 13-14% body fat by the end of March, 2021 and then lean bulk back to about 205 lbs. @ 20% body fat, hopefully by the end end of 2021. I'm not currently counting calories or macros. I just know that I'm being very careful about how much I eat. In all honesty, I am likely underfed. But, at least for now, my lifts have continued to increase. I will definitely start to increase my caloric intake if things start to stall.
I've sat down and done all the math. Right now I have about 54 lbs. of fat on me and a total body weight of 192.8 lbs. That's 28% body fat. If I lose 1 lb. of fat per week until the end of March (31 weeks) and gain about 0.5 lbs. of lean muscle every week until March, I should be at...
(54 lbs. Fat - 1 lb. Fat x 31 Weeks) / (192.8 lbs. Total BW - 1 lb. Fat x 31 Weeks + 0.5 lbs. Lean Muscle x 31 Weeks) =
23 lbs. Fat / 177.3 lbs. Total BW = 0.13 = 13% Body Fat
If I then lean bulk, gaining 2 lbs. of fat per month and 1 lb. of lean muscle per month (2:1 ratio), by December 31st, 2021 I should be around the following.
(23 lbs. Fat + 2 lbs. Fat x 9 Months) / (177.3 lbs. Total BW + 2 lbs. Fat x 9 Months + 1 lb. Lean Muscle x 9 Months) =
41 lbs. Fat / 204.3 lbs. Total BW = 0.2 = 20% Body Fat
Are these numbers and this time frame realistic? Is there any way for me to get leaner than 20% after my bulk? I could cut lower than 13-14% to start with, but I'm not sure my genetics would let me get any lower and I don't think it would be realistic or even healthy to try. Once I (hopefully) get to 204.3 lbs. BW @ 20% body fat, do I just cut again?
I would really appreciate any input on this. And I'd be happy to provide any additional information I may have left out above.