Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
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SHOULD I BULK VS CUT (OR
RECOMP)? THE DEFINITIVE
GUIDE
Nutrition Setup Articles • by Andy Morgan
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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This article is part of my broader nutrition setup guide. You’re
welcome to read this across the articles on the site, but I’ve also
made it available as a free download, which you can grab at the
end.
“Should I bulk or cut?” is probably the most commonly fretted
over question people have. This is for a good reason.
The answer to this question depends on more than just your
current body composition.
It’s not as simple as saying: cut if you are high in body fat, gain if
you are not. There is also an interaction with how much training
experience (and muscle mass) you have.
There are three paths you can choose from here:
1. A cut (fat loss phase)
2. A bulk (muscle gain phase)
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3. A slow body recomposition phase (simultaneous muscle gain
and fat loss)
Before you continue reading, take a moment to think which of
the three paths — bulk, cut, or recomp — would be best for each
of these people right now. Not so easy to say for Steve, right? We’ll
get to that.
BULKING VS CUTTING
WHEN TO CUT — A FAT LOSS
PHASE
‘Cutting’ refers to a fat loss phase. — The goal is to lean out while
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maintaining muscle. It requires a calorie deficit and so you will
lose weight overall.
The typical cut — muscle mass is maintained as fat is
removed.
You may be able to gain some muscle during a cutting phase;
however, your ability to do so decreases the leaner you get, the
more advanced of a trainee you are, and the size of that calorie
deficit. Any muscle gain achieved while cutting may not be
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obvious.
Those with less training experience may be able to gain
muscle mass while cutting.
To put it another way, the fatter you are, and the less training
experience you have, the more likely you are able to achieve a
degree of both. Technically you could call this body
recomposition, but as weight is still lost, I still like to call it a cut to
make explanations easier.
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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The sweet spot for weight loss is around 0.5% of body
weight per week.
» Choose to cut if you are overweight or carry a large amount
of body fat, regardless of your level of training experience.
For those who are reading The Nutrition Setup Guide, Thicc
Thelma and Fat Freddie will choose to cut.
You can use my macro calculator to calculate your calorie needs
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for a cut. For a more nuanced look at the weight loss
recommendations, see my nutrition setup guide.
WHEN TO BULK — A MUSCLE GAIN
PHASE
‘Bulking’ refers to a muscle gain phase. The goal is to gain muscle
at a steady rate while minimizing fat gain.
People typically fuck this up by either gaining weight too fast and
getting fat, or by being overly sensitive to the little fat that they
do regain, never allowing themselves to put on any size.
I used the word “bulk” because that’s probably what you Googled.
But the term implies rapid weight gain likely to put on
unnecessary body fat, leaving you frustrated and forcing you to
cut your gaining phase short. Thus, I prefer the term “gaining”.
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A typical bulking phase where the weight gain is a 50-50
mix of fat and muscle.
Gaining muscle requires the building of new tissue, so bulk
phases take more time and require patience. Fortunately, the less
advanced of a trainee you are, the faster your muscle growth rate.
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» Choose a bulk if you are underweight or are already lean
enough to see your abs and wish to get bigger.
For those who are reading The Nutrition Setup Guide, Shredded
Sam will choose to bulk.
You can use my macro calculator to calculate your calorie needs
for a bulk. The nutrition setup guide covers recommended rates
of appropriate weight gain based on your training level.
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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WHEN TO CHOOSE A BODY
RECOMPOSITION GOAL
Body composition refers to fat loss and muscle gain at the same
time. People often abbreviate this to ‘recomp’ and they typically
mean to hold calories at maintenance level in an attempt to lose
fat and gain muscle at the same rate, so weight remains stable.
Everybody wants simultaneous muscle growth and fat loss.
However, the rate at which we can achieve this diminishes with
training experience, so, I would only recommend this to relatively
newer trainees and those coming back from a relatively long
training layoff.
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Slow body recomposition: an equal amount of fat loss and
muscle gain.
I do not recommend a body recomp to anyone who is
underweight or overweight.
If you are underweight, you should bulk.
If you are overweight, you need to cut; however, the less
training experience you have, the more likely it is that you will
gain muscle at the same time as you lean out (though you’ll
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lose weight overall).
The cutoff for the level of training experience where a recomp is
unlikely to work is impossible to clearly define. If in doubt,
consider giving it a shot for a couple of months. You can decide
based on the outcome.
Further, you are welcome to try a body recomp at any point
during your training career, but when progress is hard to
measure, it is hard to manage and stay motivated, so I suggest
most people build their physiques over time by alternating
between fat loss and muscle gain phases.
» Choose a body recomp if you are relatively new to training or
are coming back after a long layoff.
To hold your weight stable and do a body recomp you do not
need to make any further adjustment to your calorie calculation
after you have estimated your total daily energy expenditure.
For those who are reading The Nutrition Setup Guide, Noobie
Natalie will shoot for a body recomposition goal.
Use my macro calculator to calculate your calorie needs for a
body recomp.
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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ADVICE IF YOU CAN’T DECIDE
WHETHER TO CUT OR BULK
If you are a novice trainee, and not really under or overweight
(which is obviously a subjective judgment), consider the body
recomp.
My definition of a novice trainee has nothing to do with the
length of time you’ve been hitting the gym and everything to do
with how effective your training has been. If you can still make
consistent, linear progress in your training loads session to
session, consider yourself a novice.
For everyone else, I have created the guidelines below, and that
necessitates giving body-fat percentages.
Unfortunately, all the means of estimating body fat have accuracy
issues, so I recommend you assess your body-fat percentage
using a mix of my visual guide to body-fat percentage and the US
Navy method of estimating body-fat percentage.
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You’ll find client photos from 7–30+% in my visual
guide to body fat percentage grouped like this.
ADVICE FOR NON-NOVICE
TRAINEES
» Cut–bulk phases are typically best kept in the 10–20% body fat
range (add 8% for women).
» Bulking phases are best capped at 20% because past this point,
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the risk to health increases and I’d advise not bulking if you
estimate yourself to be 16% body fat or above. — You want
enough uninterrupted time to gain a meaningful amount of
muscle before you need to cut. If this is you, get leaner first.
» You can cut to any point you wish, but lower than 10% body fat
(for visual reference, the majority of the clients on the results
page are all 8–10% body fat) doesn’t really offer any advantage for
a subsequent bulking phase. It may even be pointless to start a
bulking phase at lower levels of body fat than this as the body is
primed for fat regain. — The body doesn’t want to be
exceptionally lean, as it is a threat to survival.
» The majority of dedicated, physique-focussed clients find the
sweet spot to be 10% body fat for the end of their cutting phases
and 15% for the end of their bulk phases. You may find you prefer
a higher range because you feel or perform better, but do not
think you can do it effectively at a lower range. You will not make
progress if you attempt to stay shredded lean all year round.
ADVICE FOR OBESE INDIVIDUALS
If you have obesity and are just starting a weight training
program, I wouldn’t necessarily advise you to purposely start
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tracking and weighing to achieve a targeted amount of energy
restriction.
It’s fine to adopt healthier eating habits (such as consuming
more fruits, vegetables, protein, and water), but know that just
becoming more active alone can give someone who was
previously sedentary more finely tuned hunger signals, and
body-fat percentage will go down even if muscle is gained
without fat mass losses. Also, metabolic health will improve
purely from resistance training without dieting.
Still, if you want some ideas on how to create a calorie deficit
without counting, check out my guide: What to do before you
start counting calories and macros.
ADVICE FOR ‘SKINNY FAT’
INDIVIDUALS
Skinny fat means someone of “healthy” body weight, but who is
muscularly under-developed.
Sometimes you might describe this person as ‘skinny, with a
potbelly.’ But most often, the appearance is not that different
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from someone who is lean, but not muscled to the point where
it’s noticeable that they lift, yet.
The lean and skinny fat person can often look similar from the
outside, but they are very different on the inside.
How do you know the difference?
Well, sometimes you don’t know just by looking. But if you’re
weak and soft to the touch (despite tensing your muscles), you’re
skinny fat. This happens due to inactivity, and it’s not uncommon
for people to be lean down below and skinny-fat up top,
depending on their hobbies (hikers, cyclists, runners, for
example).
I’m not a fan of the term, but I hope it helps you understand what
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I’m referring to.
If this is you, I’d recommend that you shoot for a body recomp
phase. (So, hold your calorie intake at maintenance level.) You’re
in a great position and should be able to make some excellent
changes to your physique, strength, and feeling of wellbeing, over
the course of the coming year.
If you’re on the skinnier side of the skinny-fat spectrum,
consider a slight calorie surplus, where you gain around 1% of
your body weight per month.
If you’re on the fatter side of the skinny-fat spectrum, consider
cutting slowly. (A little slower than 0.5% of your body weight per
week.)
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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Thigh cross-section MRI of someone overweight and also
muscularly under-developed.
Just calculate for a body recomp, then adjust your calorie intake
based on the outcome to do this. Here’s the macro calculator.
You’ll see the instructions for adjusting there.
ADVICE FOR WHEN TO
SWITCH BETWEEN BULKING
AND CUTTING PHASES
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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Everybody reading this aspires to be jacked and lean. The way
you will do that is by building and then carving your physique
over back-to-back bulk and cut phases.
The drive for self-improvement is universal. Training becomes a
habit for life. Even if you don’t realize it now, this is the way it will
be.
So the natural next question is then when we should switch from
bulking to cutting, and vice-versa.
In short, I recommend we keep these phases in the ~10–18% body
fat range. There are a few reasons for this, but first, take a look at
the sketch below, showing what I mean by repeating back-toback bulk and cut phases.
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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WHEN TO STOP CUTTING AND
START BULKING
It’s best to avoid getting ridiculously shredded lean if the goal is
to just switch to a bulking phase. You’ll be so hungry that you’ll
gain weight too quickly, and you’ll be more primed for fat storage.
Stop when you get to the point where you are feeling
exceptionally food-deprived and hungry. This often around 8–10%
for men and 16–18% for women.
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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I recommend you give yourself a minimum of 5 months for each
bulk phase so that you don’t interrupt the anabolic process. You
need to be lean enough when you start bulking that you aren’t
unhappy with your body shortly after starting it.
It was previously thought that if we aren’t reasonably lean when
starting to bulk, we’ll gain a disproportionate amount of fat and
little in the way of muscle. This concept is called your ‘P-ratio,’
which is simply defined as the proportion of fat to muscle you put
on when gaining weight.
Indeed, there is research showing that very lean people—who are
naturally lean, not who dieted—gain more lean body mass during
periods of overfeeding, and people with obesity gain more body
fat during periods of overfeeding.
However, two things that are frequently misunderstood are: 1)
putting on more lean body mass when overfeeding occurs
in naturally lean people who walk around lean. If you dieted to
get really lean, your body if anything, is actually a bit more
primed for fat storage. Also; 2) that this relationship is based on
observations of individuals who aren’t resistance training.
If you start lifting weights this drastically changes the game.
Nutrient partitioning in your now highly active skeletal muscle is
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much more favorable for muscle gain as you are providing a
stimulus for growth and regularly depleting your muscle of
energy and pushing them to become energy efficient and adapt.
If it was true that individuals with a high body fat couldn’t gain
muscle mass effectively, sumo wrestlers wouldn’t have the
highest recorded lean body masses of any athlete…but they do.
Likewise, super heavyweight powerlifters would be weaker than
weight classes below them, but they aren’t.
WHEN TO STOP BULKING AND
START CUTTING
There probably should be some limit to how high your body fat is
before you decide it would be better to cut versus bulk, but it’s for
logistical reasons, not “anabolic resistance”.
I would recommend that don’t go beyond 20% body fat, as past
this point there are increased health risks. Many people will want
to stop sooner than this, but I’d advise you do not make the
mistake of trying to stay lean all the time because this will limit
your ability to grow. This is why I recommend a 5-month
minimum.
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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SUMMARY GUIDELINES ON HOW
TO CHOOSE TO CUT, BULK, OR
RECOMP
CATEGORY OF TRAINEE
RECOMMENDATION
Overweight
Cut
Underweight
Bulk
Inexperienced trainee in the 13–18% body-fat range
Recomp
Experienced trainee over 16% body fat
Cut
Experienced trainee under 16% body fat
Cut or bulk, as per
preference
When bulking, suggested upper body fat limit to
20%
switch to a cut
When cutting, suggested lower body fat limit to
9–10%
switch to a bulk
Women, add ~8% to all these bf% numbers. Men and women
have different ‘essential body fat’ levels—the body fat essential to
life and physiological function (largely not subcutaneous body
fat).
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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BULK VS CUT (OR RECOMP)
FAQ
Should you bulk or cut first?
If you are underweight, you should bulk. If you are overweight,
you need to cut; however, the less training experience you have,
the more likely it is that you will gain muscle simultaneously as
you lean out (though you’ll lose weight overall). I’ve explained the
distinctions so you know what you can expect to achieve in this
guide.
Can you cut and bulk at the same time?
Cutting means to lose weight with a focus on fat loss. Bulking
meals to gain weight with a focus on muscle growth. So, it is not
possible to cut and bulk simultaneously, but it is possible to gain
muscle and lose fat at the same time under certain
circumstances, which I explain in this guide.
Is cutting better than bulking?
If you currently have a lot of fat to lose, cutting is better than
bulking, because it will improve your physique and improve your
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health. Also, as fat loss can happen faster than muscle can be
gained, cutting is easier to stay motivated for. For some people, it
can be tricky to choose between cutting or bulking first. This is
where this guide comes in.
How long should you bulk before you cut?
I recommend that people bulk for a minimum of five months
before cutting so that the muscle-building process isn’t
interrupted before a measurable amount of progress is made.
There is no maximum time frame, but I recommend people don’t
exceed 20% body fat for health reasons. Most physique-focussed
trainees will choose to stop bulking before this.
FINAL WORDS
Lastly, regardless of what I say here if you feel strongly pulled
towards doing something different, do it. Don’t let some guy on
the internet tell you that you’re too fat to bulk or too skinny to cut
if that’s what you really want to do. These are guidelines, not
rules.
Thank you for reading. If you found this useful, you’re sure to get a
lot out of my Nutrition Setup Guide also. Download it by entering
your email address in the box below.
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ANDY MORGAN
Hi, I’m Andy Morgan. I started RippedBody.com. We
do online physique coaching.
⠀
For the majority of my 20s, I fell for the scams of the
fitness industry.
⠀
This site is my revenge.
⠀
For the past 12 years, I’ve written guides explaining
how we get results to help readers avoid the same
path of frustration.
⠀
If you have a question, don't hesitate to comment
below.
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GOT A QUESTION? ASK ME BELOW
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360 COMMENTS
Allie
April 11, 2024 19:58
Hi Andy!
I’m a gal who just started lifting with a trainer for the first time 8
months ago, 3x per week. I’ve been doing recomp for the past 8
months, and have noticed huge gains in my abilities and visible muscle
tone. I’m now 6’1″ 158 lbs, ~21% BF based on the visual aids. My muscle
tone and growth is a lot more evident in the upper half of my body. If I
want to show off the muscles I’ve been developing in my abs and lower
half (especially for summer), do you recommend switching to a cut, or
continuing more slowly with more weeks of recomp? Thanks!
Reply
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Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
April 12, 2024 07:25
Reply to Allie
Hi Allie,
If the speed of change with the recomp is enough for you to
stay motivated, stick with it. If not, cut.
Reply
Zakaria Jr
March 8, 2024 23:51
Hello Andy, got a question please if you can assist.
I have started a weightloss journey 2 and half months ago, started from
almost 30% body fat and I have put a 7 months timeline for me to reach
my target fat percent.
. The issue is I am starting to feel low energy. not very hard right now I
am still doing good performance in my workouts but I have a feeling
my performance will soon start dropping.
SO I wanted to ask you, how can I keep my performance while I am
going on my way in this long cut as I don’t want to lose muscle and end
up skinny fat. Should I have a diet break ? and for how long ? or should I
rely on pre workouts or what would you recommend ?
Reply
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Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
March 11, 2024 09:39
Reply to Zakaria Jr
Hi Zakaria, thank you for the question.
It’s natural for your energy levels to drop; you’re in a calorie
deficit, which is an energy deficit. Some things that may help:
1. Increase your calorie intake. This will slow down your rate of fat
loss. If you’ve been exceeding 0.5% per week, this is the first
thing I would consider.
2. Consider upping your carb intake. This can help with training
performance, which is the most important factor in mitigating
muscle loss (or growing some muscle) when dieting. We
recommend a fat intake of 15–25% of total calories when dieting.
So if you have room, consider swapping out some fats for carbs.
3. Consider a diet break, as you have said.
You’ll see my decision tree for fat loss phase troubleshooting
here: How To Adjust Calories and Macros as you Diet To Keep
Progressing
Reply
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Dusty
15/04/24, 09.32
February 21, 2024 09:46
Hi Andy! Fantastic content. I was wondering if you’d have a general
suggestion for where I’m at. Currently 26, Male, 145 lbs, 6’0, hovering
somewhere around 14% body fat. My primary goal would be to build
strength while my secondary goal is to look lean and muscular visually
(but not too big!)
My training history: was bulking for ~6 months straight, 6-7 days of the
week in the gym. Following that I replaced most of that gym time with
rock climbing gym / cardio for the past year. Dropped weight from 157
peak and now hover in 142-145lb range. Still generally fit but mostly just
maintained muscle, wasn’t building much.
I’m implementing more weight training now. Would you suggest a
recomp?
Reply
Andy Morgan
Author
February 21, 2024 11:46
Reply to Dusty
Hi Dusty, thank you for the question.
Try a recomp. If/when it doesn’t, choose between cutting and
bulking.
Reply
https://rippedbody.com/cut-or-bulk/
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fars
15/04/24, 09.32
February 20, 2024 05:55
Hello Andy, thank you for the sophisticated and professional content…I
have questions that I hope you can answer…I am very confused and
hesitant about my choice…I am a beginner in the field of weightlifting. I
have been training for about one year, and when I started exercising,
my weight was 77 kilograms and my fat was between… 25-26% I cut
slowly for a year and now I have 70 kilos and my fat is about 12-14% and
my muscle mass has increased by 2 kilos. Should I bulk up or continue
cutting???? Or do I take my daily need of calories without cutting or
bulking??? Note that my appearance has become smaller and it is not
very clear that I am lifting weights, what is your advice???
Reply
Andy Morgan
Author
February 20, 2024 07:55
Reply to fars
Hi Fars, congrats on the progress so far.
Try a recomp. If that doesn’t work, ask yourself if you could
regain 10 kg, with half of that being fat, and be ok with it. If not,
cut.
Reply
Carolina
January 31, 2024 01:05
Any thoughts on reverse dieting? I’ve been on a calorie deficit for so
long and I can’t sustain it long term. Always tired and go back to eating
more on some days. I’ve worked with coaches but they put me at 1400 –
1430 calories and it’s just not sustainable. Do you have a post on this
topic? I’m on the skinny fat category and I think I probably need a break
from dieting but would like to increase my metabolism. Thank you
Reply
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Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
January 31, 2024 10:59
Reply to Carolina
Hi Carolina, thank you for the question.
Reverse dieting, unfortunately, seems to be having a resurgence
recently. Here’s both a debunk and what to do: Reverse Dieting
— The Diet Myth That Needs To Die
Reply
H_Shal
January 30, 2024 06:02
Hi Andy
I’m a skinny fat (more on the fat side) 17 year old guy, I’ve tried cutting
and going to the gym and doing a PPL split for the past 4 months, but
I’ve noticed a week ago that I haven’t grown any stronger and I’ve been
stuck lifting the same weight since I’ve started my journey, I’ll try to
bulk for about 6 months to gain muscle and then cut down so I can get
a aesthetic physique but I’m currently stuck on whether to bulk and
gain muscle and how to bulk, what should I do in your opinion?
Reply
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Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
January 31, 2024 11:06
Reply to H_Shal
Hi H_Shal, thank you for the question.
First, here’s my guide: How to Bulk Without Getting Fat.
Second, if it took you four months to realize you haven’t gotten
any stronger, you need to be paying more attention. Either:
1) Your program was inadequate in some way,
2) Your calorie intake was insufficient to drive adaptation (this
probably wasn’t the problem — given that you are 17 and selfdescribe as skinny fat, you should have made progress), or
3) You weren’t pushing hard enough.
I’d bet mostly on the third, possibly the first (you check out the
free training programs), but the calorie surplus will help.
Reply
Aliyah
January 13, 2024 10:34
Hi, i’m an overweight female (77kg & 5’6), but i’m experienced in lifting. I
want to cut, and was wondering if doing just cardio (and eating in a
calorie deficit) would be more effective. Will lifting still be effective even
though i’m experienced and won’t really see muscle growth or
anything as i’ll be in a calorie deficit? I don’t want to waste my time.
Thank you in advance !
Reply
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Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
January 13, 2024 16:53
Reply to Aliyah
Hi Aliyah, thank you for the question.
This depends on how you define efficacy and success. The value
of resistance training while dieting is in muscle retention. If you
don’t, you’ll risk muscle loss. This may leave you feeling weak
and unhappy with how you look. So, if you are looking at this
from a maximal time efficiency perspective (which I do), I’d
strength train (if you can).
Now, regarding cardio for fat loss, my thoughts are here: Cardio
For Cutting — How Much You Should Do For Fat Loss
Basically, diet should be the primary driver of a calorie deficit;
cardio should be used sparingly, if at all. It’s highly timeinefficient so if you have only time for one or the other,
resistance train.
Reply
Daniel
December 17, 2023 14:59
Hi Andy
I have a question about the weight gain. I’ve been in a bulking phase
since the beginning of November (trying to gain about 1% weight a
month). This is working very well.
In the last couple of weeks I have gained a little over 1% due to
Christmas aperos and other celebrations. How do I deal with this?
Should I eat on maintenance calories until a certain time has passed or
how do I deal with it?
Reply
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Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
December 18, 2023 10:42
Reply to Daniel
Hi Daniel, thank you for the question.
Your weight fluctuating at this time is normal. It can be from fat
gain but is more often a mix of water, gut content, and glycogen
(WGG).
1. There is no way to tell how much you’ve gained from each in
such a short time frame.
2. Eating at maintenance calories won’t achieve anything.
3. You could decide to cut calories to a calorie deficit to “clean
up” the perceived fat gain, but you won’t be able to measure
whether you have achieved that or whether the inevitable
decrease in your weight and measurements is from the reverse
effect on WGG. Plus, this will interrupt the bulking process.
I recommend you simply carry on.
The only battle here is in our heads — to not fuck with things.
This is where the dieting and bulking games are won.
Reply
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Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Earin
15/04/24, 09.32
November 29, 2023 13:45
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the information in the guide, I’ve signed up to your
newsletter and have started reading your nutrition setup guide.
Could I get some advice on what ‘phase’ I should start off with? I’m
untrained (last time I worked out consistently was 4-5 years ago) and
according to the US navy body fat calculator I have ~24% body fat. My
BMI is 24.5, which is at the upper border of “normal” (I’m 6’0, 180lbs). I
would say I’m skinny fat but I guess a bit on the upper end of that.
Should I just cut for a little while then, or do a recomp phase? I know
newbie gains are really powerful and I don’t want to miss out on that,
but also want to get my body fat % down.
Reply
Andy Morgan
Author
November 29, 2023 17:50
Reply to Earin
Hi Earin, thank you for the question.
Common misconception. You won’t miss out on newbie gains
from being in a deficit. You’ll gain some muscle as you lean out,
and the rest will be waiting for you when you transition back
into a surplus.
Enjoy!
Reply
Rasmus
November 24, 2023 06:52
Hey Andy
Is it possible have succesfull recomp by counting only a protein intake
and trust hunger on calories? Since my bodyweight has been pretty
constant for years.
Reply
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Andy Morgan
15/04/24, 09.32
November 24, 2023 08:08
Reply to Rasmus
Author
Hi Rasmus,
I’d say most people do exactly that! They start going to the gym
and see some results. They become generally aware that protein
is good, so they start eating more and keep seeing results. At no
point do they think to start counting calories strictly, they use
hunger as a guide.
This works fine until it no longer works, at which point you’ll
want to count.
Reply
Jim
November 12, 2023 13:59
Hi Andy, I started dieting two and a half months ago and have lost 20
pounds. The problem is I lost it all in my legs, arms and shoulders.
Nothing in my waist. I look worse now than before with skinny arms
and legs and a big flabby gut. I’m 6 ft 220 now and considered obese. I
know I need to start lifting weights, which I really never have, but after
looking at your site, I’m not sure if I should continue with calorie deficit
or try the recomp and eat to maintain weight so I can build up arms
and legs while lifting.
Reply
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Page 38 of 49
Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
November 13, 2023 08:27
Reply to Jim
Hi Jim, thank you for the question.
I can appreciate that it might feel like that, but you will have lost
fat in the midsection. Given that you had a lot of fat to lose, the
muscle loss will be minor, even though you weren’t training.
Continue with a less aggressive calorie deficit. Let’s say you lost
5 lbs in that first week (the majority will have been water, gut
content, and glycogen), and then your average has been 1.5 lbs
over 10 weeks; add in 250 kcal. This will get you enough energy
for your training, and you’ll be able to build muscle as you lean
out.
How To Adjust Calories and Macros as you Diet To Keep
Progressing
Make sure you start taking body measurements and bear in
mind that fat will continue to be lost from your arms. This
means they may get smaller overall.
How To Track Body Measurements and Weight for Physique
Progress
Reply
Matteo
November 8, 2023 23:09
Hello Andy, you’re providing precise guidelines about the rate of weight
loss/gain per week (from 0.5% to 2%, depending of the experience and
other factors), but still have mentioned a minimum bulking phase of 5
months.
Do you recommend a minimum-maximum time period for cutting, as
well?
Thank you again!
Reply
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Page 39 of 49
Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
November 9, 2023 10:05
Reply to Matteo
Hi Matteo,
Take diet breaks as appropriate, but no, there’s no maximum (or
minimum) length on a dieting phase. Cut until you’re lean
enough.
Reply
Mehdi
November 4, 2023 07:51
Hi Andy,
I am a 34-year-old man with a height of 177 cm and a weight of 74. At
first, I was 86 kg, and within 5 months, I reached 74 kg. Early on, I did
resistance training 4–5 days per week, with cardio three days per week.
I’m tired of cardio exercises, and I’m continuing resistance exercises. My
goal is to reach the right body fat level, about 67 kg, and then start
bulking and building muscle.
I’m not losing any more weight, and it’s discouraging me. I am very
eager to start the bulking program, but I need to get rid of the excess
fat first. Is it a good idea to first reach 10% fat and then start bulking and
building muscle? I live in Iran, and the coaches around me do not have
much knowledge and give suggestions based on their experience. Can
you guide me?
Reply
Andy Morgan
Author
November 4, 2023 11:05
Reply to Mehdi
Hi Mehdi,
The article covers my thoughts on when to end a cut and
transition into a bulk. But troubleshooting fat loss seems to be
your main concern. I’ve covered that here: How To Adjust
Calories and Macros as you Diet To Keep Progressing
Reply
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Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Meg
15/04/24, 09.32
November 2, 2023 20:37
Hi Andy!
I’m a 41F 27% body fat. I’m going to cut. My cut calories are about 1400.
Recomp calories are about 1900. I just ran a marathon a month ago. I’m
running and/or lifting 4-6 days a week. My youngest is 3 years old. I’d
love to be under 20% BF. What should I do for workouts? Should I eat
maybe 1700 calories?
Thx – Meg
Reply
Andy Morgan
November 4, 2023 11:08
Reply to Meg
Author
Hi Meg,
In the fourth step of the macro calculator you’ll see an option,
“Would you like to cycle your calories and macros to match the
days you train?” — Click that and you’ll see how I’d set calorie
intake for training and non-training days.
This is of course, if you wish to cycle the calories, which is
optional. To learn about that, see here: A Nutrient Timing Guide
To Maximize Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Reply
chris
September 29, 2023 04:34
Hi… I am 130lbs 5ft 4 . Exercise 5 days a week mainly strength with 2
days cardio. I just started carb cycling to get rid of the skinny fat look. Its
hard to find the right way with all this information out there. I assume i
dont want to goto low on calories. My maintenance is about 1600. Doing
3 days 2100calories /280 carbs, sometimes lower / 130-150 protein and
1600 cal on off days / 130-160 carbs / protein is about the same.
Reply
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Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
September 29, 2023 07:54
Reply to chris
Hi Chris, thank you for the comment. I’ll assume the question
you haven’t asked but want to is: does this seem like a good
strategy to break my cycle of frustration?
No, carb cycling is irrelevant to this. It’s the cherry on the cake,
and some people don’t like cherries. If this plan involves the
same total weekly calories and that hasn’t been working, calorie
and macro cycling isn’t going to make a meaningful difference
and you need to choose between cutting and bulking.
Reply
chris
September 29, 2023 22:32
Reply to Andy Morgan
So if I dont see any difference in carb cycling i should cut first
and then bulk once i am fine with my look? I am 130lbs now so I
dont think I want to cut calories , I do lose quickly if I eat 14001500 consistently as I tried that for few days , 2lbs a week. Is that
even safe at my weight?
Reply
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Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
September 30, 2023 11:18
Reply to chris
Hi Chris,
Which direction you go — cut or bulk — is up to you. I’ve given
you the framework for how I think in the article.
“I do lose quickly if I eat 1400-1500 consistently as I tried that for
few days, 2lbs a week. Is that even safe at my weight?”
Weight fluctuates. We can’t determine the rate of weight loss
from just a week of data. Losing 2 lbs the first week isn’t
unusual, and shouldn’t be taken to mean you are in a 1000 kcal
daily deficit and will lose 2 lbs each week from here. You won’t.
When we start dieting, we eat less, and we have a lower gut
residue as a result, and the overall water balance and glycogen
storage drops. That’s what you’ve seen, plus some fat loss mixed
in.
Have a read of my guide on how to track progress as I cover this
there. Also, consider reading my Nutrition Setup Guide.
Reply
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Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Steve M
15/04/24, 09.32
October 9, 2023 10:25
Reply to Andy Morgan
Hi Andy.
I’m a 47M, 5’10”. About 16 weeks ago I was 215 and 25% BF. I’m
now 195 and about 20.5% BF. BF is according to a scale, but the
Navy method agrees with the current BF (initial BF may have
been a drop higher). My TDEE has dropped from about 3150 to
2650 and my strength has stagnated. I’m trying to get to
Thanksgiving with my cut, at which point it will be 20 weeks and
I think I need a break. I lift pretty hard either 4 days
(upper/lower) or 6 days (PPL) per week. I’d like to look my best
come late May like everyone else. Should I go to maintenance in
4 weeks for a while then back to cutting? Or bulk for the winter
and start cutting again around March? To summarize, I feel like:
A. I need a break from cutting for a period, and B. I should be
bulking if I’m not cutting, but C. I’m not lean enough to bulk.
Thoughts?
Reply
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Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
October 9, 2023 11:00
Reply to Steve M
Hi Steve, thank you for the question.
If your goal is to look your best in May, that gives you 7 months.
You’ll need at least four of those months to cut, assuming you
have a target of 10-13% body fat. And while yes, you’re not really
lean enough to bulk, this only gives you ~2 months to do so
anyway, and you won’t achieve any meaningful amount of
muscle gain from a short period of bulking.
So, I’d take a month’s break from dieting. (How to Find
Maintenance Calories After Dieting (or Bulking). I’d then
continue to cut. You’ll then achieve your ideal level of leanness
around March, and you can transition into a bulk then. This will
put you in your best condition come May.
Reply
Dean
August 12, 2023 06:01
Hi Andy,
Appreciate you and this article. Can you have a look at what I'm at
currently in the below link and advise what I should do? This is after 3
months of cutting at 20% deficit and lifting 3-5 times per week.
6 feet tall, 38 years old, 178.8lbs, Fat Free Bodyweight: 146lbs, 19%
bodyfat. I am absolutely skinny-fat Steve. I've had the pec fat since I was
like 12 years old, even when I played sports. I feel like I'm never going to
lose that and perhaps I just need muscle to "displace" it.
[Link removed by Andy]
Reply
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Page 45 of 49
Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Andy Morgan
Author
15/04/24, 09.32
August 12, 2023 11:47
Reply to Dean
Hi Dean, appreciate the question but I can't offer to review
photos. If you're struggling to decide, see the section titled,
"Advice If You Can’t Decide Whether To Cut Or Bulk".
Reply
Chris
August 5, 2023 07:51
Hi Andy what would you say would be underweight for a 6 feet tall male
trainee. Thanks .
Reply
Andy Morgan
Author
August 11, 2023 12:55
Reply to Chris
Hi Chris, thank you for the question and your patience.
Different people have different preferences on what they wish
to look like. Any definition here would be somewhat arbitrary, so
I've purposefully left it open to interpretation.
Reply
Ritaj Mohammad
July 30, 2023 06:52
Should I change my calorie intake as I lose weight while cutting by
putting my new weight in the calculator?
Reply
Andy Morgan
Author
July 31, 2023 10:19
Reply to Ritaj Mohammad
Hi Ritaj,
No, do this: https://rippedbody.com/how-to-adjust-macros/
Reply
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Page 46 of 49
Should I Bulk vs Cut? The Definitive Guide | RippedBody.com
Jonathan
15/04/24, 09.32
July 12, 2023 15:06
I'm 20 y.o, 5' 3.39", 112 lbs, and started hitting the gym. I can't see my abs
and my bmi is around 19.6 according to the bmi calculator so i'm
assuming i'm skinny fat. What i would like is to weigh more as a result
of muscle mass but also be more lean. What do i do 1st: bulk, cut,
recomp, or maingain?
Reply
Andy Morgan
Author
July 13, 2023 13:34
Reply to Jonathan
Hi Jonathan, thank you for the comment.
No idea what "maingain" means, so I'll set that aside. You are
arguably a little underweight, you're young, so you have plenty
of potential to grow, and are relatively new to training. Bulk.
Reply
Frida Montes
June 30, 2023 10:29
Hi Andy!
I'm a Mexican nutritionist and soon to be registered dietitian.
IS there a specific course, book, diploma, anything that you would
recommend to learn more about this topic to help my clients?
Reply
Andy Morgan
Author
July 3, 2023 07:44
Reply to Frida Montes
Hi Frida!
Yes. The Muscle and Strength Pyramid books and The Diet
Adjustments Manual. These will teach you all the practical
elements you may be missing from your course.
https://rippedbody.com/books/
Reply
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