Increasing calories after a deficit

[Reno7]

Hey guys. I bulked up to 158 16%bf over the Christmas period and cut down to 140 12% over the last 8-10 weeks. I know to most on here that the word bulking at 158 isn't appropriate, but I'm a small guy and a few pounds makes a massive difference. Current stats are:

34 y/o male
140lbs (am dry weight)
12% bf

I wanted to trim for summer and I'm feeling a little jaded with how small I currently am. I'm not looking to get massive by any means. My question is this:

To what extent should I increase my daily kcals to start adding some size back? I feel that im currently losing to much lbm in my attempt to get slim for the season.
My current diet that trimmed me down is 1850 kcals at a 35C 35F 30P macro split
My TDEE is 2300
I'm considering a macro split of 40C 40P 20F for the next 8-10 weeks.

Should I creep my daily cals up 100 per day each week or go right above maintenance? I feel if I add 300 above maintenance the 750 immediate surplus per day will be a shock and stored mostly as fat.... thoughts?

Thank you!

[Nephets]

I would definitely creep it up. add 300 calories and run it for a week or so and see what your body does. if you are still losing...add another 300 or so.do this until your body is moving in the direction you want it to.

[Back In Black]

Agree to slowly add. Your deficit was probably too low, if your figures are correct you lost a fuck load of lbm.

Absolutely do not get caught up in macro % splits. A good rule of thumb to follow is

Protein 1.5g per lb of Lean Body Mass
Fats 0.3 - 0.4g fat per lb LBM

Remainder from carbs. You can up fats a little if you like I just need to keep my fats in that area if I am eating plenty of carbs.

[Reno7]

I would definitely creep it up. add 300 calories and run it for a week or so and see what your body does. if you are still losing...add another 300 or so.do this until your body is moving in the direction you want it to.

Ideal suggestion. I am still trying to figure out what my truest TDEE is. I literally wake up, drive to work, office job, drive to the gym, drive home. Some days I feel like I don't need half the calories I consume with being so sedentary.

[Nephets]

my day is very much the same....office job....lots of time on my ass. I think a lot of people fail with their diet because they make big sweeping changes so often they have no real idea what is working and what is not. they cut 600 calories add cardio and change macros all at once and when they are tired they don't know if its because of the change in macros, food volume or too much exercise. its hard to figure out what your real tdee is as well and they never figure out that the body will start dropping weight with very little changes.

[Reno7]

Agree to slowly add. Your deficit was probably too low, if your figures are correct you lost a fuck load of lbm.

Absolutely do not get caught up in macro % splits. A good rule of thumb to follow is

Protein 1.5g per lb of Lean Body Mass
Fats 0.3 - 0.4g fat per lb LBM

Remainder from carbs. You can up fats a little if you like I just need to keep my fats in that area if I am eating plenty of carbs.

Thank BiB,
I started watching the past 6 weeks and I dropped 5lbs fat to 2 lbs lbm. 28%lbm loss I read was ok, but maybe on the higher side that's he than the lower.

So using my most accurate calculations that puts me at 184 G protein 50G of fats and make the rest up in carbs regardless of how high I want to keep my caloric surplus? Fluctuate carbs to reflect 300kcal surplus 500kcal surplus etc?

[Reno7]

my day is very much the same....office job....lots of time on my ass. I think a lot of people fail with their diet because they make big sweeping changes so often they have no real idea what is working and what is not. they cut 600 calories add cardio and change macros all at once and when they are tired they don't know if its because of the change in macros, food volume or too much exercise. its hard to figure out what your real tdee is as well and they never figure out that the body will start dropping weight with very little changes.

Very true. I'm narrowing the science down slowly to what works with my body best. Been tinkering a long time and looking back 4 years on progress have made some excellent changes. Now it's time to fine tune a few things. Do you consume less total calories on off days, or consume similar to repair the breakdown of your workouts? I only ask because again we are office people and it seems like if I don't work out that day that I don't need to consume as much even to repair muscle tissue.

[Back In Black]

Thank BiB,
I started watching the past 6 weeks and I dropped 5lbs fat to 2 lbs lbm. 28%lbm loss I read was ok, but maybe on the higher side that's he than the lower.

So using my most accurate calculations that puts me at 184 G protein 50G of fats and make the rest up in carbs regardless of how high I want to keep my caloric surplus? Fluctuate carbs to reflect 300kcal surplus 500kcal surplus etc?

You got it. It's been said in another thread that carbs are the easy part and they are. Easy to consume and cheap to buy.