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Problems with cutting and bulking

Been lifting for 2 years, didn't take it all that seriously at first so hear me out. As should be expected, when I bulk I put on fat as well as muscle, but I try and keep it at a minimum by eating clean (no fast food, fizzy drink etc and counting macros). This nearly exclusively goes to my belly, and after a couple of months bulking yes I get bigger muscle-wise but several people remark that I look like I've put on a lot of weight - and not in a positive way! I'm only 5'7, currently weigh 155 after a 3-4 month cut, so over the winter months I'll be eating 2800 or so a day to bulk which is what several sources have told me is required to gain weight safely for an individual of my activity level and height. Now when I cut, I eat under my daily calorific allowance with a large proportion of that from protein (shakes, boiled chicken, eggs etc), yet the belly persists (fat drops from anywhere but there, it seems) and I lose some of the hard earned muscle so it feels like I'm not making any progress and it gets demoralising. Oh and I train 3 times a week back/bis, chest/shoulders/tris, legs/abs. I also seem to have lost a lot of strength recently but that's probably down to the cut. Can't see where I'm going wrong? Maybe its my body type / genetics - I'm was very slim before liftng - or maybe I need to mix things up a bit on the training side of things. Anyone else get this?
Reply 1
I had a similar problem, not so much when I bulked but when I stopped lifting as much as I had been due to an injury. I noticed belly fat was becoming problematic. I'm a lot taller than you but even then it was all gathering around my middle.

I usually have one day devoted to cardio/fat loss and no lifting. I do boxing, running and ab work in the same day, whilst the other 2/3 days will be chest, arms, back and legs. At the moment my wrist is still injured so I won't be lifting for a few weeks, but I've noticed how much of a difference cardio/fat loss has helped keep the belly fat down.

Make sure you know how much fat goes into your diet every day - I overlooked that and it was a problem - and don't drink as much, or if you are on a nightout stick to spirits with diet mixer. Common knowledge, I know, but little things like that make a huge difference. Maybe cut back to 2700?
If your calorie count is on point (ie. a few hundred over maintenance) but you're gaining much more fat than muscle, then it's probably your training that is lacking. If you're not stimulating muscle growth then you're not gonna see muscle growth... obviously.

Are you progressively overloading? Hitting each bodypart just once a week is pretty light training tbh.
Reply 3
Original post by Evening
I had a similar problem, not so much when I bulked but when I stopped lifting as much as I had been due to an injury. I noticed belly fat was becoming problematic. I'm a lot taller than you but even then it was all gathering around my middle.

I usually have one day devoted to cardio/fat loss and no lifting. I do boxing, running and ab work in the same day, whilst the other 2/3 days will be chest, arms, back and legs. At the moment my wrist is still injured so I won't be lifting for a few weeks, but I've noticed how much of a difference cardio/fat loss has helped keep the belly fat down.

Make sure you know how much fat goes into your diet every day - I overlooked that and it was a problem - and don't drink as much, or if you are on a nightout stick to spirits with diet mixer. Common knowledge, I know, but little things like that make a huge difference. Maybe cut back to 2700?


I'll try a 'slower' bulk this time round and see where it goes. I have neglected cardio for a while actually - I used to run 10ks a few years back but I ended up getting terrible shin splints after a while and it put me off. Maybe I'll devote a few hours a week to getting back up to speed with it and start hitting the bikes
Reply 4
Original post by vilefor
I'll try a 'slower' bulk this time round and see where it goes. I have neglected cardio for a while actually - I used to run 10ks a few years back but I ended up getting terrible shin splints after a while and it put me off. Maybe I'll devote a few hours a week to getting back up to speed with it and start hitting the bikes


Yeah I used to run a lot as well. I could do a half marathon 3 years ago but I can't now, largely because I have arthritis in my right foot. But cycling/boxing/running are all great ways to burn fat.
Reply 5
Original post by e aí rapaz
If your calorie count is on point (ie. a few hundred over maintenance) but you're gaining much more fat than muscle, then it's probably your training that is lacking. If you're not stimulating muscle growth then you're not gonna see muscle growth... obviously.

Are you progressively overloading? Hitting each bodypart just once a week is pretty light training tbh.


Yeah I guess - the problem right now is that it's a struggle time-wise to go more than 3 times a week and that only just about gives me enough time to cover the main muscle groups. And yes I typically do 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps to failure and up the weight/no of reps as I get stronger. Usually go heavier on the big compound lifts (deads, squats) with less reps. I have hit a bit of a plateau recently so progression has halted, though that was probably cos of my cut and will (hopefully!) improve when I up my calories again
Original post by vilefor
Yeah I guess - the problem right now is that it's a struggle time-wise to go more than 3 times a week and that only just about gives me enough time to cover the main muscle groups. And yes I typically do 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps to failure and up the weight/no of reps as I get stronger. Usually go heavier on the big compound lifts (deads, squats) with less reps. I have hit a bit of a plateau recently so progression has halted, though that was probably cos of my cut and will (hopefully!) improve when I up my calories again


Even with three sessions a well you could Plan it better.

You could do full body workouts.

Or alternating push pull and each each body part 1.5 times a week.

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Reply 7
Original post by vilefor
Yeah I guess - the problem right now is that it's a struggle time-wise to go more than 3 times a week and that only just about gives me enough time to cover the main muscle groups. And yes I typically do 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps to failure and up the weight/no of reps as I get stronger. Usually go heavier on the big compound lifts (deads, squats) with less reps. I have hit a bit of a plateau recently so progression has halted, though that was probably cos of my cut and will (hopefully!) improve when I up my calories again

If that's 3-4 sets per body part that is light training imo. When I bulk I hit 12 sets per body part every 5 days starting heaving with low reps and finish off with higher reps upto 15. Aslong as you are not sore before your next workout you are not overtraining I finish the last couple of sets on machines when tired. I did a bulk with low volume and I put on a lot more fat compared to muscle than when I bulked with higher volume, those extra calories need to be earned bro :smile:
OP - get on a good programme like ICF5x5 cutting version if you've not hit something around 100/140/180 and eat a few hundred calories above your maintenance (use IIFYM.com and Myfitnesspal to count calories)

Original post by rohitbd
If that's 3-4 sets per body part that is light training imo. When I bulk I hit 12 sets per body part every 5 days starting heaving with low reps and finish off with higher reps upto 15. Aslong as you are not sore before your next workout you are not overtraining I finish the last couple of sets on machines when tired. I did a bulk with low volume and I put on a lot more fat compared to muscle than when I bulked with higher volume, those extra calories need to be earned bro :smile:


I'm not convinced 12 sets per body part is anything like necessary, most people get maximum gains out of say 3-5 sets of heavy (3-5 rep) bench press and then some tricep exercise (8-10 rep) and that'll give you 95%+ of what you're getting out of your session. Maybe some flys if your bench is poor for chest development

Hitting everything twice a week on a decent programme or 1.5x a week as OP goes 3x a week and you'll make god gains - source - me, I got 2-3 times a week and hit everything once or twice in that session, I make all kindza gains

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