I'm currently cutting (started at 84kg, am now at 77kg). My plan was to go down to 70kg and then start a long bulk. However, bros in the gym tell me I should stop cutting and do a bulk now. I really can't judge my bodyfat percentage. I wonder whether I'm lean enough to bulk again. I can still pinch a good portion of fat at my arms.
I'm still making progress, even though I'm cutting. It's slow, but I'm still progressing. What do you think?
@neverbeenalone I started at 300 pounds 3 years ago and I currently am at 172 pounds. I am 6’0” cut all the way down to 160 and then clean bulked up to 178 and then cut down to 172. If I were you I would just keep a small calorie deficit for the next year as your body will grab extra calories from your existing body fat and you will still put on muscle as long as you don’t go too extreme. I’d suggest 250 calories deficit a day 1/2 pound a week. Here is what I looked like at my peak cut before and after initial cut and this is what I look like after my current maintenance current look the biggest thing is to do things slowly and a perfect time to build muscle is when you have excess fat. Once you hit the stage you are getting vascular do a small bulk as it’s way easier to gain and lose 5-7 pounds than 20-30. But keep up the good work I struggle a lot with loose skin, but it is what it is. Its a good reminder where we came from
@lean_on_jesus Bro great work. Your 1/2 lbs per week suggestion is more or less what I've been doing for the past two and a half month so I'll just keep doing that. Thanks man
@neverbeenalone Thanks! I think the biggest thing to realize is that it’s a journey and clearly you have gone through it before with your previous weight loss. But for me the way I knew I wanted to start maintaining/ slight bulk was when I noticed my stamina in the gym starting to plummet. During whole weight loss I gained strength and then maintained for a very long time even though I was losing lots of weight. But once I got down to a very lean spot my stats kept going down. That’s when I decided to bulk slightly. I’m pretty sure this came down to not having those extra energy stores from fat to pull from. That can also be a great time to decide you’re lean enough. For me I do care about body fat percentages as well, but I care more about my ability to have energy and also n do activities like biking or hiking. And those can suffer if you take it too extreme. Anyways good luck with your journey!!
@neverbeenalone If you're metabolically healthy, you have a normal waist circumference, and you don't have any specific medium/short term goal of leanness, you can bulk.
But, you could also keep losing weight. There's no reason you have to stop cutting at 77 kg.
@neverbeenalone The most accurate way is probably a Dexascan. They're about 100-200 usd. Measuring my waist was always a 2-3% off because most of my fat was in my torso, weirdly.
@neverbeenalone I am in a similar position to you, I have a lot of loose skin especially in my chest area, myself and started a lean bulk recently. For what it’s worth I’m 5’9” 167lbs and in 31in Waist pants
@neverbeenalone Without any veins showing at all, I’d say, though admittedly not without certainty, that you still have some excess body fat. I’d continue the cut, very slowly, until you start seeing indications of leanness. Excess skin makes it hard to tell, but just glancing at your pic, and your description of fat still around your arms, says you’re not quite lean yet.
