The easiest way to know if to cut or stack

If you are looking to build a leaner, stronger, and more muscular body, you probably have a few questions too Bulging vs. cutting.

In particular, you probably want to know if you should "gain muscle" and focus on gaining muscle as quickly as possible, or if you should "cut" to remove some fat and then gain mass.

Both Filling and cutting have advantages and disadvantages.

Bulking adds both lean mass (yay) and body fat (boo), and cutting reveals your abs (hurray) but inhibits muscle growth (hiss).

And it is this dilemma that leads to a kind of fitness purgatory, where you don't really commit to one strategy or the other and thus stagnate in terms of progress.

If you want to avoid this trap, this is the article for you. You will learn there. .

• How you know if you should loose or cut
• How to cut without losing muscle
• How to make “mass lean” (Build muscle without gaining fat)
• How long are you supposed to cut or bulk
• How to cut and massage when you first start lifting
• When you can stack and cut at the same time
• How to move from cutting to stuffing

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Bulk vs. Cut: What's the Difference?

Bulking refers to maintaining a moderate excess of calories temporarily in order to gain body weight.

Typically, people who gain mass optimize theirs Macronutrient intake (the percentage of their calories that come from protein, carbohydrates and fat) and training to ensure that most of the weight you gain is muscle, not fat (although some fat gain is inevitable during mass building).

Cutting refers to the temporary restriction of calorie intake in order to cause weight loss.

Typically, people who cut optimize their macronutrient intake and exercise to ensure that most of the weight they lose is fat, not muscle (although some muscle breakdown is inevitable while cutting).

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Should I bulk or cut?

This is how you can tell if you should be doing bulk

You should only crowd if you want to Maximize muscle building and you don't mind gaining some fat.

(Yes, some people can Build muscle and lose fat at the same time, but unless you've been lifting weights for less than six months, you probably aren't one of them.)

Assuming you agree, consider using bulk if you have one. . .

• Man with or less than 10% body fat
• Women with or less than 20% body fat

Here is a flow chart to illustrate this:

The reasons I recommend getting down to a pretty low level Body fat percentage before filling are:

1. If you are too fat when you start bulk you will either need to reduce your bulk or end up getting way too fat. However, start getting lean on your mass and you can stay in excess for much longer before you have to cut and that means more time to build muscle.
2. Getting lean before you start building muscle will result in shorter post-bulk cuts as we will have to lose less fat to get back to our ideal "maintenance bodies".

How to tell if you should cut

If you are currently dissatisfied with your body fat percentage and want to get lean before worrying about gaining a significant amount of muscle, then you want to lose weight.

There is no reason to get fat just to gain muscle if that is not your main concern at the time. Do what keep yourself motivated.

Likewise if you are currently very overweight, then you want to cut. This is the healthiest, smartest choice even if your long-term goal is it Muscle building.

However, when you are in the middle – when your body fat is in the normal range and you like the idea, Section but also want to get bigger – then it depends on your body fat percentage whether you should lose weight.

In particular, be sure to cut if you have one. . .

• Man with more than 15% body fat
• Woman with more than 25% body fat

If you prefer a visual representation, refer to the flowchart above.

If you follow this recommendation, you will. . .

How to cut without losing muscle

1. Use an aggressive (but not reckless) calorie deficit.

Studies Show that the only way to lose fat is to eat fewer calories than you burn.

If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you are in a “calorie deficit” because you are adding fewer calories to your body than it needs. And if you maintain a calorie deficit long enough, your body is forced to burn significant amounts of stored body fat to meet its energy needs. (In other words, weight loss is approximate Calories in versus calories out).

Well, the bigger the calorie deficit, the faster the weight loss, but if you make it too big (by eating too little) you can shoot yourself in the foot by preparing for muscle loss and Binge eating.

We want to avoid that, but we also want to hit the needle so you can lose fat quickly.

That's why I recommend you Adjust your calorie deficit at 20-25% (eat 20-25% fewer calories than you burn daily).

2. Eat a high protein diet.

When it comes to body composition, protein is by far the most important macronutrient.

Studies show that getting adequate protein intake is helpful. . .

The bottom line is high protein diet beats low in protein in every way, especially when cutting.

So what is it right amount of protein?

Well, if you want to lose fat, you should be eating around 1 to 1.2 grams per pound of body weight per day.

And if you are very overweight (25% +.) body fat in men and 30% + in women) then this can be reduced to around 40% of your total calories per day.

3. Do a lot of weight lifting with heavy joints.

Heavy compound lifting doesn't just help you maintain Lean muscle mass while you are cutting – it also helps you lose fat.

This is mainly due to the rise in the metabolic rate that occurs between sets and after your workout when your body recovers, also known as the "afterburn effect".

By “a lot” of heavy compound weightlifting, I mean about 10 to 20 sets per muscle group per week, divided into three to five workouts per week.

By “compound” I mean focusing on compound exercises that target several large muscle groups at the same time, such as: Squat, Deadlift, and Bank and Overhead press.

Studies show that these are the types of exercises that produce the greatest increases in metabolic rate, muscle mass, and strength.

And by "heavy" I mean weights that are over 75% of your weight one repetition max. (Weights that allow you to do 12 reps or less before failing). research shows that training with heavy weights not only helps build muscle, but also burns more fat than training with lighter weights.

4. Do a moderate amount of cardio.

The best way to incorporate cardio into any weight loss is to do as little as necessary to achieve the desired rate of weight loss and stay fit and happy, and nothing more.

Here's what usually works best:

• Do mostly low-to-moderate intensity cardio such as walking or the back. This burns lots of calories, requires very little motivation, and interferes with weight lifting less than high intensity cardio.
• Do a small amount of HIIT if you enjoy it. You don't actually have to do HIIT there it's no more effective for weight loss than low-to-moderate intensity cardio, but it provides some fitness benefits that other types of cardio cannot and adds variety to your workout.
• Do at least two simple cardio workouts a week of 20 to 40 minutes each. This is a great starting point for maintaining your health and increasing calorie consumption.
• Do not do more than 3 to 4 hours of cardio a week. This minimizes fatigue so you can put most of your energy into lifting weights.
• Make yours Cardio and weight lifting if possible on separate days. If you need to do them on the same day, try to keep them apart for at least 6 hours. And if you need to do them in the same workout, do your weightlifting before cardio.

5. Take fat loss supplements that actually work.

Unfortunately, no amount of weight loss pills and powders will automatically decrease your body fat percentage.

In fact, most of the diet supplements are for fat loss are completely worthless.

But here's the good news:

If you know how to eat and exercise to drive fat loss, certain supplements can speed up the process.

Here are the best diet supplements for fat loss:

• 3 to 6 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight per day. This will bring up the number of calories burned and also increases strength, Muscular endurance, and anaerobic performance. If you're looking for a clean, delicious source of caffeine that also has five other ingredients that will boost your exercise performance, give it a try pulse.
• 0.1 to 0.2 milligrams of yohimbine per kilogram of body weight before fasting. this increases Fat loss in conjunction with fasting exercise and is especially helpful at to lose"Stubborn" fat. If you want a 100% natural source of yohimbine that also contains two other ingredients that will help you lose fat faster, maintain muscle, and maintain exercise intensity and mental sharpness, give it a try Wrought.
• A portion Phoenix per day. Phoenix is a 100% natural fat burner that speeds up your metabolism, improves fat burning and reduces hunger and cravings. You can get too Phoenix with caffeine, or without.

"Lean Bulk" (build muscle without getting fat)

1. Eat slightly more calories than you burn.

If you want to maximize muscle gain, you need to maintain a slight excess of calories.

That means you need about 110% of your time Total daily energy consumption (TDEE) every day.

The reason for this is an excess of calories optimized the “muscle building machinery” of your body, which greatly improves your body's ability to recover from your exercise and to adapt positively.

Sometimes people make the mistake of thinking that if it is necessary to overeat a little in order to build muscle, then it is even better to overeat.

However, you cannot violence Your muscles grow faster by drowning them in calories because at some point the food stops stimulating muscle growth and only makes you fatter.

For this reason, you should eschew "dirty bulking" – a bodybuilding term for eating whatever is in sight – and use "lean bulk" with this approach instead.

2. Eat a diet high in protein and carbohydrates.

In addition to the correct calorie intake, it is also important that you consume enough proteins and carbohydrates to build muscle and provide your workout with energy.

Here is how.

Protein: Eat 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. This is enough to maximize muscle growth – eating more won't help you grow faster. This is usually around 20 to 40% of the calories for most people.

Carbohydrates: Eat at least 2 to 3 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day. The reason you want to be on a high carb diet while building lean muscle is because this is yours Glycogen Levels populated that improves your performance in the gym and positively influenced Genes related to muscle growth. This is usually about 40 to 60% of the calories for most people.

In general, the best way to gain lean mass is to eat around 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, adjust your fat intake to around 20% of calories, and fill in the rest with carbohydrates.

3. Don't overeat.

Snoozing a few days a week while building muscle is enough to gain weight quickly, but you will gain fat twice or even three times as fast.

Don't do this.

To learn how to instead intelligently "cheat" and control your calories while gaining weight in the same way as cutting.

4. Emphasize compound lifting and progressive overload.

research shows that if you want to build muscle as quickly as possible, nothing beats compound weightlifting.

Exercises that involve only one joint and one major muscle group at a time – also known as Isolation exercises– May still have a place in your program, but if building muscle is your primary goal, then most of your energy should be devoted to compound exercise.

But that's not all. You also need to gradually overload your muscles.

Progressive overload refers to systematically making your workouts more challenging over time, and it is one of the best ways to do it maximize the muscle building effects of weightlifting.

If you are new to weightlifting, the easiest, most effective way to do it is to add weight or repetitions to each exercise with each exercise. If you did 135 bench presses for 5 reps last week, try doing 145 bench presses for 5 reps this week. As simple as that.

this Powers Your muscles to create more and more tension over time, which in turn helps you get bigger and stronger.

5. Take the correct nutritional supplements.

Unfortunately, no amount of pills and powders will make you muscular and lean.

But here's the good news:

If you know how to eat and exercise to build muscle – by following the steps just outlined – certain supplements can speed up the muscle building process.

Here are the best nutritional supplements for building muscle:

• 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. this offers Provide your body with the “building blocks” it needs to build and repair muscle tissue and to help you recover from your workout. If you're looking for a clean, convenient, and delicious source of protein, give it a try Whey + or Casein +.
• 3 to 5 grams of creatine per day. This will thrust Muscle and strength gain, to enhance anaerobic endurance and to reduce Muscle damage and sore muscles from your exercise. If you want a 100% natural source of creatine that also has two other ingredients that help boost muscle growth and improve recovery, give it a try Charge.
• A portion pulse per day. Pulse is a 100% natural pre-workout drink that improves energy, mood, and focus; increases strength and endurance; and reduces fatigue. You can also get pulses with caffeine or without.

FAQ # 1: How long should I spend filling and cutting?

How long are you spending Filling and cutting depends on the following:

• How much weight you want to gain or lose.

If you want to gain a lot of muscle mass, you need to stay in excess for longer than someone who just wants to add a few pounds of muscle to their body.

Likewise, if you have a lot of fat to lose, you must remain in a deficit longer than someone who wants to lose just a percentage point or two of body fat

• How many years have you been training.

The more experienced you are, the longer it will take to build muscle and the longer you will have to spend in excess to gain lean mass.

However, a good rule of thumb for most strength athletes is to spend at least 8 to 12 weeks building and using a 3: 1 mass to cut ratio (unless you are very overweight, in which case you might need significant spend more time cutting than building muscle until you reach a healthier weight).

For example, if you spend 12 weeks building, you should spend the next 4 weeks cutting.

Keep in mind, however, that none of these figures are set in stone and are likely to change as you become more experienced with them Filling and cutting.

For example, if you have good control over your calorie intake and can easily maintain healthy body fat levels, you may prefer to shorten your weight loss and bulking cycles as well Mini cuts and bulks.

FAQ # 2: I've just started exercising. Should I cut or massage first?

Regardless of whether you are new to training or not, the same rules apply:

If you want to build muscle and strength as quickly as possible and are at or below 10% (men) or 20% (women) body fat, you should gain mass.

And if you want to lose fat as quickly as possible and you are at or below 15% (men) or 25% (women) body fat, then you should cut back.

Although the process of gaining muscle and cutting is the same regardless of your training experience, cutting allows you to build more muscle if you are new to weightlifting than after the first six months, and this effect will almost go away after your first year of weightlifting .

This is because your body is overly sensitive to the muscle-building effects of resistance training, which allows you to build muscle even when you are calorie deficient.

This "Rookie profitsThe phase generally lasts six to eight months for most people. After that, you need to switch between the cycles of cutting and filling, depending on whether you want to lose weight or gain weight.

FAQ # 3: Can I cut and massage at the same time?

No.

From a physiological point of view, fat loss and muscle growth show “irreconcilable differences”. Their mutual incompatibility arises from their relationship with the body Energy balance.

Even so, it is possible to gain muscle and lose – or achieve – fat at the same time Body recomposition– if you are new to weightlifting.

In your first year of weightlifting alone, you can expect gaining between 15 and 25 pounds of muscle as a man and about half of it as a woman, a phenomenon known as "novice gains".

And, in most cases, you can achieve this while gaining very little body fat, or even losing fat – and so "recover".

However, after the honeymoon phase, your goal is to lose fat rather than muscle with a calorie deficit, and build muscle with minimal fat when you are in excess.

FAQ # 4: How do I go from a cut to a bulk?

Many people think that you need to gradually "get out" of a cut by gradually increasing your daily calorie intake each week until you reach the maintenance dose – a method known as. is known reverse diet.

I just do it: you don't.

Reverse dieting has no advantage over a simple caloric intake that is immediately (and can even) returned to maintenance be counterproductive).

So when you're done cutting, recalculate your maintenance calories and increase your daily caloric intake accordingly, increasing carbohydrates and fat at will. And when you're ready to start cutting, you can cut back on your calories just as quickly – no transition period required.

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