advice please?

[total_gym1000]

Hi ppl

I'm currently 173cm (5'8), 80kg and am wondering whether i should go on a bulking diet vs. cutting diet? I am blessed with the genetics of a large gut and small arms

I would really love to lose the gut (and see the abs that i have been working so hard on) and increase arm / chest size - along with back / legs etc.

I have seen a few pics of people my height that are 70kg and are ripped as..my question is should i try and cut down to 70kg-ish or bulk up and then cut afterwards? The sooner i lose my gut the happier i will be, so a cutting diet would make sense...but am just wondering if i am going about things in the right order?

Still learning and this site is a plethora of information

Cheers

[Lamborghinilova]

If you cut, then decide that you want to bulk, you will then gain BF%, and you abs will lose definition. So you should think about whether you want to be all cut for winter, or all cut for summer? Do you have any idea of BF%, as this is likely to affect the advice you recieve.

[total_gym1000]

If you cut, then decide that you want to bulk, you will then gain BF%, and you abs will lose definition. So you should think about whether you want to be all cut for winter, or all cut for summer? Do you have any idea of BF%, as this is likely to affect the advice you recieve.

Not too sure of BF%. Maybe around 20-25%? But most of the fat is situated around my stomach area (thanx to a couple years of red wine n beer!) It would make sense to bulk during winter seeing as i would want to eat more and stay warm with 20+ layers on! Is this what most people do, bulk in winter and cut for summer?

[trainharder]

If you cut, then decide that you want to bulk, you will then gain BF%, and you abs will lose definition. So you should think about whether you want to be all cut for winter, or all cut for summer? Do you have any idea of BF%, as this is likely to affect the advice you recieve.

ummmm of course if you bulk you will gain bf% but why bulk when you already have a big gut and not happy about it

its already halfway through may and depending on how strict you are with your diet you may have those abs for summer only 5 or 6 months away

if you try and bulk now i have a feeling you will end up not reaching any goal you set and be even fatter come xmas and more unhappy.

if being ripped is your plan and it will make you happier go for it now get that 6pak when you get where you want body fat wise try just upping the calories slowly to gain extra muscle and you will gain fat but will look better for it

[Darwinstef]

If you cut, then decide that you want to bulk, you will then gain BF%, and you abs will lose definition. So you should think about whether you want to be all cut for winter, or all cut for summer? Do you have any idea of BF%, as this is likely to affect the advice you recieve.

Not too sure of BF%. Maybe around 20-25%? But most of the fat is situated around my stomach area (thanx to a couple years of red wine n beer!) It would make sense to bulk during winter seeing as i would want to eat more and stay warm with 20+ layers on! Is this what most people do, bulk in winter and cut for summer?

This is what I would prefer to do as like you when its cold I want to eat....but the way the bbing season seems to work cutting starts during winter :? ...on the bright side for a wee bit at the start of summer I look sharp before I start eating again .

I would say it depends on what your long term goals are...if you want to get bigger arms/chest etc then eat to grow. If you have a decent diet and train well the gut should shrink to a certain degree on its own I would hope.

I remember reading on here once "bodybuilding is a marathon, not a sprint" which I quite like. Set some long term goals then aim towards them. Good luck.

[Lamborghinilova]

if your BF% is around 25%, then in order to get really cut for summer, you may have to start now. But how long have you been going to the gym before? because if it isn't long, then you may be able to make beginner gains, where you will lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

[total_gym1000]

Lamborghinilova: I have only started weight training this year (5 months - stuff all cardio - have started doing HIIT last few weeks ). Read following post regarding gains:

I like the idea of bulking for 3 months during winter (June-August) and then cutting for 3 months in Spring (September - November) to be ready for Summer. I prowl through these forums and other bodybuilding forums / articles a lot so i can get my diet down i think. I went from 74-80kg in the first 3 months this year just by eating chicken, rice, veges, tuna and protein shakes..i stopped at 80kg and now im eating f*ck all except for tuna, eggs and of course the protein shakes...but my weight isin't changing even with the decreased calorie intake? Does this mean it was mostly muscle i put on? People have commented saying i look wider with bigger back, legs, arms) and i can see the gains myself. If so, i hope i can keep that up if i decide to start eating to bulk up again

You reckon 3 months is enough for a cutting diet (see six pack)....or am i dreaming lol.

Cheers!

[teamfatboy]

My 10c worth - you say "The sooner i lose my gut the happier i will be" and I think that's the clue right there.... go for the cut, spend the winter leaning-out for a wicked summer and add mass from the leaner base.

What's certain is that if you go for a bulking phase first, a) you'll not achieve that goal you said you wanted, and b) getting lean will be harder.

[orange]

If you want to lose that belly, there is no point in bulking up. That's just gonna make it bigger.

[Grego]

My 10c worth - you say "The sooner i lose my gut the happier i will be" and I think that's the clue right there.... go for the cut, spend the winter leaning-out for a wicked summer and add mass from the leaner base.

What's certain is that if you go for a bulking phase first, a) you'll not achieve that goal you said you wanted, and b) getting lean will be harder.

Yeah, I have tried being bigger and trying to put on more muscle, but I find for me, I put on muscle better when I am lean. Then, everyone is different. Funny though, when you are leaner, some people confuse you with being smaller than you were when you were bigger (no knowledge of leanness) so be prepared for that to!

Ah, the mind games....

Grego

[total_gym1000]

You're right, i really dooo want to lose the spare tire :shifty: I might just stick to wait im doing at the moment. I'm eating less than my maintanence calories and keeping my protein levels pretty steady - will up the cardio and hopefully see some results soon :pray:

Cheers for the suggestions.

[Bobsta]

As a lot of guys mentiond here your 1st goal at this stage is to get in shape, in my opinion there is no point in going on a typical bulking diet if your body fat is more than 16-17% mark (for a male)

seeing as you're only starting out you will make enough gains in muscle mass on a moderate calorie deficit diet( below maintenance) (no room for error in the diet department though)

But remember moderate is the key here, just slightly below maintenance level and given your training is all sussd, you will experience nice slow but steady cut. And you'll be in a whole lot better shape by summer.

once you're in a good athletic shape then you can decide whether you gonna go on a hard out bulking diet or not. Depending on your goals...