Bulk and Cut: Break the Cycle for More Consistent Gains

In order to put on muscle mass, you have to eat more calories than you expend. In order to lose fat, you have to eat less calories than what your body needs. Pretty simple right? This simple but complex idea is where the terms "bulking" and "cutting" come from. Bulk and cut phases were popularized by body builders. They would "bulk" for a period of time putting on as much mass as possible, then go into a "cut" to lean out and prepare for a show. It works and it works well for bodybuilders preparing for a show or a photoshoot. For "normal" people who are trying to change their body's appearance while getting healthy, there is a better way. Hell, for even bodybuilders, power lifters, and athletes I believe there is a better way once they have reached a certain point. Read on to learn the tactics I use to keep get leaner while adding muscle!

Traditional Bulking Just Got Me "Skinny Fat" About 18% Body Fat Here

Unfortunately I don't have a fancy name or "Protocol Title" for these methods. This is honestly a collection of tactics that I have picked up and tested on myself and others. So lets just go with "Get Jacked, Not Fat". And therein lies the problem with bulking and cutting. When you bulk for a long period of time, you inevitably will put on fat. That is just what happens when eating a caloric surplus. So when you start to cut, most people are going into more of a damage control mode. They cut calories too quick and at a larger deficit than they should. In doing this, they will lose a good amount of hard earned muscle along with fat. These bulk/cut cycles done over and over will wreak havoc on your metabolic rate and make it harder and harder to lose fat after each bulk. So how do you put on muscle AND lose fat? 

This type of program works well for people who are already decently lean. The higher ratio of muscle to fat you have, the easier it will be for you to accomplish fat loss and muscle gain at the same time. So don't try this if you have a ton of weight to lose. Instead, use this once you have reached a nice lean body. I'd say 15% and under for men and 25% and under for women. Not that this strategy won't work to lose weight, but it is designed to be slow and steady. Fitness isn't a sprint, it's a marathon you want to be running (metaphorically that is) for as long as you can.

The first step is basing your daily caloric intake on your energy output. Days you workout, you eat more calories. On your off days you eat less. Pretty simple right? You can get even more in depth and adjust calories on your workout days based on the intensity. For example, deadlifts and squats are much more demanding on your body than bench press and shoulder work. So plan to eat a lot on days you deadlift and days you squat, and a little less on days you bench press or military press. Even though your eating "less" on the less demanding days, you are still eating above your maintenance level. Then on your off days or days you just do cardio and conditioning, eat below your maintenance calories. Cycling your calories like this will help ensure that the food you are eating is being utilized and that you are properly fueled, but not over fed.

The trick here is to calculate how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. Also known as "maintenance calories". Now you have a base to use for the over/under days. In order to keep your metabolism humming along nicely, you don't want to go to extremes on either end. I recommend starting at 200-300 on over days and 300-500 below on off/cardio/conditioning days. Of course these are just starting points, as are all calorie and macro nutrient calculations. None are 100% accurate due to the infinite number of variables in a person's life. 

The next step is to match your macro nutrients (protein, fat, and carbs) to your calories. These numbers will vary wildly based on your activity level, current body fat percentage, training goals, insulin sensitivity, and so on. These macros will even change from time to time in order to fine tune your particular goals. Don't get to caught up on making them 100% match up, as with calories, macro calculating is a rough guess. But to start I would set up your initial numbers like this:

• Workout Days: 35% Protein, 40% Carbs, and 25% Fat
•  Off/Cardio Days: 30% Protein, 25% Carbs, and 45% Fat

On your workout days I would time your carb intake around your workouts. My first meal of the day consists of just protein, fat, and some veggies. I usually only eat in a window of about 8 hours (2pm-10pm), but this is just my preference and seems to work well for me. If fasting isn't your thing, then eat! I will hit the gym in the early evening, around 5-6, followed by a carb heavy meal. I also like to make sure I have a good amount of protein but low in fat with that meal. I preform well with nothing on my stomach, so I typically get all my carbs and the rest of my calories in at night, after my workouts. If you like to eat before you train, plan on a meal with carbs 2-3 hours before you workout. Then have another meal with carbs afterwards. Depending on your schedule this may or may not be an option. Nutrient timing has it's benefits but it will not make or break your progress, it just makes things a little easier for me. The most important thing is to get the calories and macro nutrients you need on the days you need them. Everything else is just icing on the cake, mmmmmm cake, that makes my life easier. 

At the end of the week, preferably on one of my conditioning days, I like to toss in a "cheat day". On my cheat day, I basically eat whatever I want through out the day without stuffing myself at each meal. I also give my brain a break by not keeping track of macros or calories. I just enjoy the day like a "normal" person. While throughout the week I try to get the majority of my nutrition from quality food sources. I hate to use the word "clean" but that generally gets the point across. Notice I said "try". I am the type that doesn't shy away from pizza. While I stay fairly strict, it's important to be flexible and enjoy the foods you eat. It will make staying on plan so much easier if you aren't eating broccoli, rice and chicken breast at every meal. 

Eating this way will net you some great results. With that said, the results are slow and steady. This strategy isn't designed to have you drop weight super quick and get jacked in no time. It's about increasing your metabolic rate, putting on muscle without fat (or very little fat) over a decent amount of time. I normally like to run a phase like this for about 16 weeks or so. If I feel like I am putting on too much fat, I can easily adjust my calories and macros accordingly. Same goes for if my workouts suffer or if I stall out in any of my lifts. Since you're not dipping into extremes, making changes is very easy and you will be able to see the changes after a week or so. Most people will see around 2-3lbs of fat loss a month and about .5 to 1lb of muscle a month. Your results will vary based on your training program, training age, and genetics.

Another thing to keep in mind is scale weight. While tracking your weight is important, it can also be deceiving. A more accurate way to track your progress is with body measurements, body fat calculations and progress pictures (no over sharing Instagram!). Since you're going to achieve fat loss or maintenance and muscle gain at the same time, the scale might not move much. And that's ok as long as your body composition is changing. 

Progress Between 7 Months, Added 5-6lbs of Muscle and Lost 2-3% Body Fat 

So there you have it! Quit bulking and getting fat in an attempt to put on muscle to just turn around and only keep a couple pounds after a cut. Do it right, keep your metabolism moving, and don't sweat the clock. If you want to be able to lose fat quickly, you need to be able to eat as many calories as you can and be able to make on the fly adjustments at anytime. This way you can stay pretty lean year round while making strength and muscle gains for years to come! As always, if you have questions, sound off in the comments!