First Cycle in ten years - Dietary Advice

[TheWood1105]

Ok guys just finished a show/prep.. placed 3rd in my class in Men's Physique. Currently I'm sitting at 167lbs, roughly 5.5% bodyfat, and 5'11 (28 years old). I'm going to be running either 500mg or 750mg test-e weekly with Arimidex eod. Pct has been figured out as well with Nolva and Clomid I believe, but anyways that's besides the point of my post.

My caloric maintenance is roughly 2700cals per day. At that level, I don't seem to put on weight or drop weight. Using a 40/45/15 split P/C/F. Now as far as gaining muscle while still maintaining a lean physique (photo shoots coming in summer time), I know I need to be eating more to allow my body to gain muscle. Keeping in mind that my diet is as strict as it can get and has been for the last 2 years. How difficult will it be to stay under 8% bodyfat while still gaining quality muscle before going into a full blown bulk come the fall time? Is this even possible?

[scotty51312]

5.5% is low for a male physique show. I've competed at 8% and told I was almost too lean. 8% is borderline unhealthy, and I'd say almost impossible to maintain while making gains.

If it were possible to make gains at 8% or under you probably wouldn't see half as many questions about cutting cycles on here. and your Macro's add up to 120% by the way so I'm not sure what you're eating.

My advice would be to set something more reasonable like maintaining 10-12% year round since a lot of the final cutting process is shedding water, you will still only have a reasonable amount of work to do

[Docd187123]

5.5% is low for a male physique show. I've competed at 8% and told I was almost too lean. 8% is borderline unhealthy, and I'd say almost impossible to maintain while making gains.

If it were possible to make gains at 8% or under you probably wouldn't see half as many questions about cutting cycles on here. and your Macro's add up to 120% by the way so I'm not sure what you're eating.

My advice would be to set something more reasonable like maintaining 10-12% year round since a lot of the final cutting process is shedding water, you will still only have a reasonable amount of work to do

X2. At 8% or less your body will be fighting you to put on fat instead of muscle bc at that level of leanness, fat is more important to survival than the muscle is. You might be able to add some quality mass but you'd probably need copious amounts of drugs. And even then it would be really an insignificant amount and a great amount of effort for that insignificant result. Much easier and more efficient to do as Scotty the body suggested