Need some REAL pointers

For those wondering, I run a 6 day PPL split and currently on a “bulk” of anywhere between 2,900 calories-3,1500 give or take.

many gave you good suggestions already. But maybe whatever multiplier you’re using to calculate your TDEE isn’t correct. If you’re in the gym 6 days a week at about an hour each session, you’ve hit the highest intensity multiplier to calculate your TDEE And/or might need to bump it higher. You’re probably eating at maintenance and don’t even know it due to your intensity of workouts. Step on a scale everyday, figure out your #s and adjust accordingly off gear. It’s not overly complicated to gain muscle on a deficit either. I’ve been gaining muscle on a 25% deficit and my strength continues going up without any gear... cycle won’t start until end of March.
 
many gave you good suggestions already. But maybe whatever multiplier you’re using to calculate your TDEE isn’t correct. If you’re in the gym 6 days a week at about an hour each session, you’ve hit the highest intensity multiplier to calculate your TDEE And/or might need to bump it higher. You’re probably eating at maintenance and don’t even know it due to your intensity of workouts. Step on a scale everyday, figure out your #s and adjust accordingly off gear. It’s not overly complicated to gain muscle on a deficit either. I’ve been gaining muscle on a 25% deficit and my strength continues going up without any gear... cycle won’t start until end of March.

your in a 25% deficit and gaining?
 
After being dormant for about a year, I should throw in. Of course this will reach a plateau at some point.
 
Why is that hard to comprehend ?

You're eating in a pretty significant deficit and gaining muscle, what's your TDEE?

Unless you're getting pretty regular body scans, I don't even know how you could know that you're gaining muscle because you should be losing weight at the same time.
 
I respectfully disagree and totally think you can build muscle with a catabolic process like losing fat. Fat and muscle tissue are separate systems right? Is it possible to lose fat due to the caloric deficit while building muscle due to progressive training and sufficient protein? I think so. I think of them as 2 different bank accounts. If I’m eating properly those nutrients should get distributed. If I deposit 1000$ in the bank, bank 2 will get 50$. At the end of the day it’s a - net of 950$ Despite the monetary gains in bank 2 it’s still a gain IMO.

From my standing: If I’m someone who has concentrated on strength/large compound movements and has never directly trained my calf muscles or forearms. Then I start to directly target those, you don’t think it would grow regardless if you’re in a deficit or not as long as you’re eating properly? That targeting has grown them slightly on me, and it’s translated to bigger lifts, and I’m still losing weight at a controlled 2 pounds/week.

if I’m wrong here I’d love to be corrected and appreciate the input. I’m on a major cut due to a back injury that took about a year to come back from, and had some weight gain.

8 weeks ago I weighed in at 212 pounds and 26%BF and I’m 5”10. I haven't missed a workout since and keep inline with my macros. 8 weeks later I’m currently (last weight in 1/24/20) 198lb, 23.9%BF.

my macro calculations are as follows:
LBM = 151
BMR = 1839 calories
TDEE = 2,207 calories
My deficit is -25% (-552 calories) currently so my total calorie intake = 1655

protein intake = 198g
Fat intake = 40g
Carb intake = 126g
 
8 weeks ago I weighed in at 212 pounds and 26%BF and I’m 5”10. I haven't missed a workout since and keep inline with my macros. 8 weeks later I’m currently (last weight in 1/24/20) 198lb, 23.9%BF.

I can tell you from these values that you're not only losing fat, you're also probably losing muscle. There could be a little variation in the math due to water though.

6% lost of body weight and 3% lost in fat, 3% difference being muscle, water or probably some of both.

We can agree to disagree however, the only research that I'm aware of that supports this is either in untrained individuals in which the muscle gains are short lived or in AAS users, in which it is also not common.
 
Fair enough and good point. Appreciate the input regardless.

I’m interested because this coming March will be my first cycle ever. To get the most out of it, I guess I should wait until my target of 175lb, and then run a surplus. I’m trying to decide to do that or start it while continuing my cut to hopefully offset the muscle loss. What do you guys think?

also when on cycle, if I was eating on a surplus, I was only thinking +10-15%. Should this be higher?
 
I am inclined to believe what you are saying. I am curious though. How many cycles have your run? Obviously in a first or second cycle, you will see some insane gains....subsequent cycles not so much. So one could conclude that the gear is bunk but perhaps it's just that fact your body is becoming accustomed to this. We can't keep growing and gaining forever or else the stage would be filled with 500lb lean muscular guys.

I have no skin in this game. I have not purchased from any sources on this forum yet or used Hilma. But you would have better credibility if you did some blood work right now and post it up. That really tells the whole story. If your bloods come back great, but you aren't making gains...then that's on you. If the bloods come back shit, then the community will be happy you shared the results so others can use that info before they decide to make purchases.
 
Fair enough and good point. Appreciate the input regardless.

I’m interested because this coming March will be my first cycle ever. To get the most out of it, I guess I should wait until my target of 175lb, and then run a surplus. I’m trying to decide to do that or start it while continuing my cut to hopefully offset the muscle loss. What do you guys think?

also when on cycle, if I was eating on a surplus, I was only thinking +10-15%. Should this be higher?

Personally I wouldn't cut on my first cycle. Take advantage of the hormones and eat and grow.
 
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