Cutting and Bulking for Dummies 101

i had originally posted this article/thread in the nutrition forum but i soon came to the epiphany that it would be much better suited here.  so i moved it.  enjoy.
 
 
a lot of you people might disagree but i think that bulking cleanly is more difficult than cutting up.  the only exceptions to this rule are people who are small and don't have a lot of mass/muscle to begin with and people who have slower metabolisms. that, however, is just my personal opinion and i feel that both cutting and bulking (correctly) are challenging.  I have outlined some key differences in both diets.



- in order to bulk effectively and cleanly you must take in a large amount of calories and for many that means 3500 to 4000 and in many cases, much more.  Although 4000cal per day may not seem too far of a stride.  I mean hey, you can easily get that in 3 value meals at McDonalds right?  right.  but you'll also get fat and a slew of other complications.

to get 4000cal a day, on a clean bulking diet divided into 6 meals that would mean that you need about 650cal per meal...not so easy is it?

in other words, if you're like me that means you need 2 cups of brown rice (400cal), 4oz chicken breast (150-200cal), 2 cups salad (20cal, if that) and maybe some cashews to make up the cals.  Not only that, but for the sake of your taste buds you have to vary those meals thoughout the day so you don't go crazy.  Not to mention, many of us have lives and don't have time to cook 6 times a day or bring already prepared foods with us and although MRP's are the love of my life, they aren't nearly as good as real foods.

also a personal tip, i feel that while bulking protein is less essential than carbs.  yes protein is muscle building, but carbs are muscle sparing, allowing you to eat less protein if you eat more carbs and still grow.  i find that its much easier to bulk up and gain weight if you make your ratio somethin more like 50/30/20, maybe even higher amounts of carbs.  however, these should be good, grainy, unrefined/unprocessed starchy carbs along with some good veggies.  though you will gain a decent amount of fat on a long term bulking diet, that fat allows you to lift more weight than if you were ripped to shreds, allowing more overload and thus more muscle.  just my theory. 


Cutting on the other hand, requires more mental toughness because you must resist the urge to bust out the Hagen Daz and stick to your steamed broccoli.  And unlike bulking where an occasional cheat meal here and there won't hurt you, cheating on a cutting diet will.  This is because, while cutting you're in a caloric deprevation, slightly lowering your cals by about 500 below your BMR and TDEE.  This means your meals can be much smaller and much easier to bring with you.  Also, you must eat even more frequently while cutting, even as often as every 2 hours because this allows you to keep your metabolism soaring, burning cals, so don't be surprised if you end up eating 8-10 small meals instead of the traditional six meals every 3-4 hours when bulking.

now to the part of cutting we all hate the most...cardio.

cardio is essential (though i'm a hypocrit cuz i don't do it as i should) for strengthening your cardiovascular system along with burning cals.  many people, including myself, feel cardio first thing in morning on an empty stomach is the way to go.  this is preference however, just don't do cardio directly before or after lifting.



IN SUMMARY

Bulking
stuff your face with CLEAN foods every 3-4 hrs
count your cals so you're atleast 500 over your BMR/TDEE
try not to cheat
more carbs = happy bulker
make your meals balanced
atleast 6 meals a day


Cutting
small meals every 2 hours
less carbs, more protein
cardio in the morning before breakfast
count your cals so you're 500 below
don't try to cut weight too fast... slow and efficient is the way to go






i hope this helps some of the new guys.  please post comments, reviews, opinions, suggestions.





-Romeo

Height - 5'9
Weight - 190lbs
Age - 19
BF% - between 13-14%

never satisfied...


Team Natural...

3-4hours? Wouldn't it be less? I have a fast metobolism so I woud prefer to eat every 3hours instead of 2hours but that wouldn't allow me to fit 6 meals, so 2hours most of the time. If you were striving for 3-4hours, we wouldn't be able to fit 6 meals yea?

3 hours x 6 meals = 18 hours. I don't think most ppl wouldn't be awake for that long, well for me that is :D....

this is preference however, just don't do cardio directly before or after lifting.

 
 
 
Why is it bad to do cardio after weights?
 
 

vdk: say you're like me, a college student with class at 9.  this is how you get it in.
 
8am - meal 1 - gainer shake, fruit (i dont have much of an appetite in the morning so i choose to drink a meal)
 
11am - meal 2- turkey/swiss sandwich on whole wheat, vitamin water, cashews
 
2pm - meal 3 - 2 cup brown rice, tuna sandwich on whole wheat, 2 cups lettuce
 
5pm - meal 4, PRE WORKOUT - 1 cup oatmeal, 1/4 cup raisins, 3oz chicken breast
 
6pm - workout
 
7pm - meal 5, PWO shake and banana
 
8pm - meal 6, PWO meal - 4oz chicken breast, 2 cup brown rice, 2 cups lettuce, 1 cup milk
 
11pm - meal 7 - 0.5-1 cup oatmeal, 6 egg whites
 
midnight - meal 8 - bedtime shake
 
 
 
 
i made a mistake and forgot to put in my thread that you take a shake and some carbs immediately PWO and then a full meal 45min-1hr after
 
also, when you do 3hrs x 6 meals, it would be 15 hrs cuz u dont count the first one cuz thats when u start if that makes anysense
 
 
pupette:
 
its bad to do cardio after weights cuz ur body has already been stressed from lifting and protein and muscle are being broken down so doing cardio after lifting will definately be a catabolic event

Height - 5'9
Weight - 190lbs
Age - 19
BF% - between 13-14%

never satisfied...


Team Natural...

You should do cardio after lifting only. not before lifting.  I explain this principle in my article http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Theory_of_doing_cardio_only_after_an_intense_strength_training_session/m_153517/tm.htm

body weight: 250
Bench: 365
Squat: 555 w/ briefs and knee wraps
Deadlift:585

- tps strongman