# Can i start to bulk now or not yet? Dilemma!



## MKattenberg (Jul 21, 2013)

Hi all..

I have been cutting for like, 14 months now. in total i have lost around, 24 LBS i weighed 94 Kilo last year, and now, i weigh around, 82.9 Kilo. however. even though i was not really fat i was also not very lean. at this moment i like that i lost that weight. but i'm worried that if i cut another 6 more months there is nothing left of me. (i will add a picture).

I have been losing alot of weight with the warrior diet where i eat all my calories in a 4 hour window. I have tons more energy and it really works for me!. Been eating aruond 2200 Calories per day. and trying to get atleast 220 grams of protein ed.

In weekend i do go out and drink but still lost the weight.

NOW!.... I am wondering if i could try to start increasing my caloric intake 100 Kcal every week and see if i can slowly do a clean bulk (or at least not create cheat days where i consume 4000 calories) but i can take a cheat meal like mcdonalds, once or twice per week. (yes i know i can do or cannot do this) but since i've only been cutting. and i have no experience on actually bulking or when to bulk i'm here with my dilemma...

Should i try to cut down more untill i have a 6 pack. or can i start bulking, without actually gaining alot of fat. but maybe increase my Lean mass slowly?

Any tips will be taken seriously..

Thanks..


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

What you need to do is build some muscle mass,you need to have a good base.Cutting is about losing bf to show muscle ,not just losing weight.Work out a just above maintenance diet and work your socks off in the gym.


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## MKattenberg (Jul 21, 2013)

here are my before and after picture....

On the after picture (today) i look a bit puffy becuase i went out last night. and i am holding like 4 lbs of water at this moment. atleast thats how i feel in my head...

Before Photo

View attachment 161139


After Photo

View attachment 161140


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## MKattenberg (Jul 21, 2013)

Thanks for your reply gearchange . I have been so obsessed by losing weight i even stopped and just went back to old habits and gained a few pounds in my bad months. now i finally pushed through. but wanting to bulk, but it almost feels like guilt, wanting to bulk becuase i worked so hard to get the pounds off.


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## Bensif (Aug 28, 2011)

If you aren't happy with current composition then diet further. You have done it slowly and right.

Personally I would cut further until you look in the mirror and grin from ear to ear. Then slowly reverse out of your diet and look to add lean mass.


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## youngcal (Dec 5, 2012)

Lean bulk mate. You look loads better on that second pic starting to get a bit of shape to ya


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## MKattenberg (Jul 21, 2013)

Thanks... Bensif, Youngcal.

If i decide to bulk i will do a regular bulk and stop the warrior diet, as i am havnig a hard time right now to eat my 2200 calories in a 4 hour window. so i'll need more time.

And yes i work out now 4 or 5 times per week. atleast, 3 days 1 off. in the weekends i do nothign..

I have a job 4 days a week and i walk there around 10 miles every day so if i'll eat maintenance (2700 calories). i'll still lose weight becuase of my job.

Should i (incase i decide to bulk). just start at 2700 Kcal per day and then add 100 cals every week untill i show slow gains or? how should i tackle the bulk issues on how many calories to consume?


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## ukviking (Oct 12, 2014)

MKattenberg said:


> Thanks... Bensif, Youngcal.
> 
> If i decide to bulk i will do a regular bulk and stop the warrior diet, as i am havnig a hard time right now to eat my 2200 calories in a 4 hour window. so i'll need more time.
> 
> ...


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## LiftNostalgia (Oct 27, 2014)

MKattenberg said:


> here are my before and after picture....
> 
> On the after picture (today) i look a bit puffy becuase i went out last night. and i am holding like 4 lbs of water at this moment. atleast thats how i feel in my head...
> 
> ...


If the guy in the second pic came to me as a client asking for my opinion only, I would say he has a great foundation there and it would be a good idea to add more mass rather than aiming for additional fat loss right now. I mean you could increase the cals for a while, see what you body composition is like in 6 weeks and then decide. Guessing with a fairly intense training routine it'd be all lean mass gained anyway, can always cut a bit more at anytime thereafter.


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## MKattenberg (Jul 21, 2013)

Ty for the comments (bit late response). i am currently at 78 Kg in weight. which is 7 less than in the pictures above.

Going to do an 8 week cut on var, just to see what the difference is on Keto or any other carb based diet.

And then take all the advises to heart and start a bulk. ON keto. i'm not sure yet if i will do it natty or get some assist? what would be good? > No fan of injecting.. i hate needles but maybe thats just something i can get used to.


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## ohh_danielson (Oct 16, 2013)

Personally I wouldn't start any gear yet, you have a lot of natural gains to get I feel. Maybe consider that road in a couple of years?!


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## TheScam (Apr 30, 2013)

MKattenberg said:


> Ty for the comments (bit late response). i am currently at 78 Kg in weight. which is 7 less than in the pictures above.
> 
> Going to do an 8 week cut on var, just to see what the difference is on Keto or any other carb based diet.
> 
> And then take all the advises to heart and start a bulk. ON keto. i'm not sure yet if i will do it natty or get some assist? what would be good? > No fan of injecting.. i hate needles but maybe thats just something i can get used to.


I guess its personal preference but why would you bulk without carbs? I don't know of many if any that would recommend that? I could be wrong.

As someone else said I think its up to you. You sound like me in terms of your weight, and how you feel about it, I got so hung up on the need to cut when actually I probably need to do a bit of a bulk to improve the areas that I'm not happy with and then look to cut again after.

As others have said, your progress so far is good - if you are happy with your muscle mass then you can keep cutting and get down to single digit body fat, if you want to be a bit bigger then now is probably a good time to bulk, then cut again once you've put some size on.


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