Bulk and cut or lean gains?

[IronInsanity]

When I was training natural I always struggled with whether I should do the traditional bulk and cut protocol or attempt to make only lean gains. I eventually settled on the lean gains approach because the net gain after the cut was about the same as I would have made eating only enough to make lean gains... without the hassle of cutting. However, after starting my enhanced training journey, I have settled on the bulk and cut method. Reason being, I want to maximize the muscle building process when on cycle, even if it means adding a little more fat than I want. Generally, I only gain fat in the mid-section so I can pretty accurately gauge how much fat I'm gaining. Of course, now that I have settled on this approach, I am about to hit a cut for the first time in a while. I have gained 23 pounds since the end of September. I guess I'll find out where the net gain is in the near future. No PCT, as I'm doing TRT/ blast-cruise. Heading into a cruise in a couple weeks and I'll be dropping about 1000 cals. In some ways I'm looking forward to it... gets tiring with all the eating. And I'm definitely looking forward to dropping the belly fat.

What is your approach? Bulk and cut or lean gains?

 

[ritch]

been doing calorie cycling lately. It works nicely. Like you I only gain fat in my mid section. But still, hate doing long bulks where your stomach is always so full and bloated looking. I tend to be leaner every time at a set new weight when I go back on the bulks.

Obviously the longer you do each phase, the less extreme you need to go, I prefer 1-2 week phases of each. Strength does not stay up too well when doing long cuts is my main reason.

 

[IronInsanity]

been doing calorie cycling lately. It works nicely. Like you I only gain fat in my mid section. But still, hate doing long bulks where your stomach is always so full and bloated looking. I tend to be leaner every time at a set new weight when I go back on the bulks.

Obviously the longer you do each phase, the less extreme you need to go, I prefer 1-2 week phases of each. Strength does not stay up too well when doing long cuts is my main reason.

Can you give me an example of your calorie cycling?

 

[PillarofBalance]

Can you give me an example of your calorie cycling?

Eat lots, then eat less. Then more.

 

[ritch]

Can you give me an example of your calorie cycling?

The biggest difference is the carb intake from each phase. Protein is pretty much always the same at 300 grams. I've gone higher and can't report much in terms of gains. Just shitting more and I already do that 3 times a day, easily...

So it's a carb/calorie cycle thing I like to do. I'm an ecto, during the bulk, anything goes! Carbs are way up there, 600-1000 grams per day. Fat intake is very high as well. I may eat a few burgers, pizza, peanut butter and jam toasts and a protein shake, sometimes while I'm waitng for my toasts to come up, I will eat a chocolate bar, lol...That meal, has 1500 cals easily! Then, with some more health friendly foods like steak and rice, chicken and rice or sweet potatoes... fat intake is easily 300 grams but I'd guess it's much more. For sure it's more, just being conservative here. I get in my fair share of cookies and snack cakes as well. Last time I ate a 1.1kg bag of jelly belly jelly beans in about 2.5 days, a new PR!

during the cut. Max amount of carbs would be 200 grams, but not for long. I like to ease into it. Then go down a bit each day. But got to spend at least 5 days in the 100 grams or less zone. Lately, (tomorrow is my last day) I'v been doing 40 grams of carbs a day in the form of oatmeal and pre workout only. that's on training days, on non training days, 0 carbs! this would be for a 2 week period.

If the cut period is just 1 week, I go straight into the 100 gram mark of carbs for 2 days, then do the 40 gram mark, and try to spend the last few days with no added fast like the paragraph above.

Rest of the meals are protein+fats. I'm doing my last 2 days, of eating just meat and eggs with the 40 grams of carbs pre workout. So some meals are basically just protein, but the meat meals are still 300 grams per cooked. But I don't add any fats to them, but still have fat from the meat of course... same for the 4 whole eggs I eat as a "meal"

In the month of December especially, it's a great thing to do. I time the cut right before seing family so I can eat all the junk I want and not even think twice about it!

Hope the post was not too long, lol!

 

[IronInsanity]

Thanks for the info.

Last time I ate a 1.1kg bag of jelly belly jelly beans in about 2.5 days, a new PR!

Congrats on the jelly bean PR!

Hope the post was not too long, lol!

It was bordering

 

[ritch]

forgot to add the 24 cup cakes in 24 hours. that with the jelly beans would have me in a coma for 30 minutes, then I'd go back for more, lol!

 

[HisAngriness]

i personally bulk and cut.
well, anything less than 4,000 cals and i cut naturally anyways so i actually bulk and go back to normal i guess you could say

 

[HDH]

I'm going for a lean bulker when I get ready to cycle again. I was checking out a thread AJ pinned at his board in diet and nutrition. It's "The myth of the lean bulker". It's a form of carb cycling but a 5 on 2 off (days) or a 4 on 3 off. Looks promising. Check it out next time you stop by.

HDH

 

[BrotherIron]

I use rotations so for me if I'm bulking I'll drop the low days, up the med and high days. If I'm cutting I'll up the low and med days, and drop the high days. My rotations are not just manipulating carbs, I also adjust fats and proteins depending on what my daily needs are.

 

[IronInsanity]

I'm going for a lean bulker when I get ready to cycle again. I was checking out a thread AJ pinned at his board in diet and nutrition. It's "The myth of the lean bulker". It's a form of carb cycling but a 5 on 2 off (days) or a 4 on 3 off. Looks promising. Check it out next time you stop by.

HDH

Thanks HDH. I'll check that out.

 

[FitnessFreek]

I bulk and cut and have a maintenance phase in between each just to ease my body into whatever is coming next.