Clarifying My Cut and Bulk Phases

Yesterday I had a conversation with a friend and he expressed concern over my bulk and cut phases. He didn't like the idea of yo-yoing and said that it had to be bad for me. I wasn't clear in my explanation with him, so I want to write this stuff down clearly now. This blog can also serve as a reminder to myself if I ever get off track.

My goal in weight lifting was to lose body fat. That's how I started. I tried unsuccessfully to lose my gut. Year after year I berated myself for getting fatter. Gale was also getting heavier. She really did yo-yo. Her weight went from 62-75 kg regularly. She'd starve herself until she got down to the weight she wanted, then she'd binge and gain it all back plus half a kilo for good measure. I wanted her off of that roller coaster. When my research turned up that many nutritionists were then recommending strength training to build up the metabolism, it made sense to me. There was a method I could follow: lift heavy, get big, increase metabolism, lose fat. What they said rang true in my ears. I was losing muscle mass every year. It was getting harder and harder to keep the weight off, even when restricting my calories, which I wasn't very good at.

Tracking my nutrition for a few months opened my eyes. I had been aiming for a 35-35-30 breakdown of protein, carbs, and fat, but I found that even trying to increase my protein over historical levels left me with way too much fat and sugar. I had had no idea that my diet had been so bad.

Anyway, back to the main point of cut and bulk. Many people eat like pigs during bulk phases. I don't. Many people starve themselves and do hours of cardio a day. I don't do that, either. For me, the phases are merely a time to concentrate on one aspect of my diet and exercise.

I almost always lose fat, even when I'm bulking. Last bulk phase, my fat went down 2%. The one before that, I went down 4%. Compare that to my cut phases where I lot 4% and 5%. In short, my fat continues to go down because I always do a reasonable amount of cardio. My muscle mass doesn't go down because I don't starve myself and I lift heavy all the time.

I'm at 18% body fat right now, down from 33%. My metabolism is up, probably by a couple thousand calories a day ( my 36 pound increase suggests 2160 calories). By next year, I'll have most of my gut whittled away. I'm in no hurry: this is a lifestyle choice and not a fad diet. I do what I know is right and avoid dangerous activities, exercises, and foods. I don't need to do the kind of insane bulk/cut cycles bodybuilders use because I am not nor do I ever intend to be one. Bulk is merely a period where I eat a little more of the right foods and lift a little heavier. Cutting just means that I watch my diet a little more closely, increase my cardio, and lift lighter with more reps to burn extra calories.

I am not yo-yoing. Look at the fat chart here and see.