Post cycle diet strategy

[Buster Brown]

I'm just beginning a 12 week bulking cycle. I am 42 yrs. old 182 lbs. 5'9'' tall and 12% bf. I am planning on consuming 500 calories a day over maintenance which will be 3100 calories. My macros will look like this:
310 grams protein, 310 grams carbs, and 68 grams of fat.
I will be doing a four day split with cardio @ 30 to 45 minutes two to three times a week. My big problem is that I typically end up over eating at the end of a cycle to try to keep my weight up. I am planning on analysing the amount of weight I've gained on the cycle (say 10 lbs. just for as a reference point) hopefully I will have drier gains by using l-dex. If I gain say 10 lbs. and my weight is 192 lbs. in the last week of my cycle then I will adjust my calories to try to maintain say 188 lbs. My adjustments will be made prior to Pct. I have read the stickies that say to continue to keep calories high throughout Pct but I end up putting on a little bit of extra bad weight in the end. I am trying to shoot for a leaner bulk, any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[JohnnnyBlazzze]

I'm gathering that your main goals here is lean clean muscle growth. If you're eating around 3100 cals on a bulk cycle that seems a tad low I might raise it a bit, maybe 3500-3600 while on cycle? Or just stick to the 3100 cals and reduce your cardio to 1-2 times a week. Seems like you are pretty serious about your progress so monitor your weight closely and make adjustments as needed.

When you hit PCT I recommend eating at least 500+ cals more then you were eating on cycle. Reason being is that you will no longer have the assistance of the AAS and you will have all that new muscle, you're going to want to eat more to retain as much new muscle as possible. If your primary goal is to bulk then you have to be willing to accept that you will gain some fat, it's just the nature of the beast.

The leanness of your bulk will depend on how clean and strict you keep your diet. Keeping your diet as strict and as clean as possible with your 1-2 cardio sessions a week will render you the best possible results you are looking for IMO.

[Turkish Juicer]

JB gave you some good advice above, don't even think of cutting during PCT, just a bad idea.

You can start cutting once your hormonal restoration is completed, which is why you should do a blood test in about a month after PCT is over. If results demonstrate full recovery, then go for the cut, if not, wait a bit more and take another blood test in another month and see what's up.

[Buster Brown]

Thanks for the advice, Years back I never did a pct (never even heard of it back in the day) and it seemed like I was fighting to stay lean. Would you say at the point of pct, I should keep up my calories and switch the ratio from 40 40 20 to something like 45 30 25 and make extra sure complex carbs are only eaten before, pwo and post pwo? Thanks for the help guys, I need it!

[JohnnnyBlazzze]

Of course you were struggling without a PCT. Your body was naturally trying to recover and restart after you had been cycling, yikes.

I would keep the normal macro split you used through your cycle but just add 500 cals more when going into PCT. With those extra 500 cals try to get them added in healthy fats i.e. red meats, fish oils, shrimp, oils. You're going to want those going through PCT. You're at 12% BF dude, if you're trying to bulk and gain weight just stick to that and keep your food clean. Once you build some quality muscle you can think about cutting after your PCT. I think you are worrying to much about getting fat or something, just choose a path and stick to it. Whatever path you do go with though, go hard.

[stpete]

Solid advice from both. Keep eating and training as usual thru PCT. Everything get a little harder as we get older. I'm 43 and i NEVER do a cutter. I just clean up my diet a bit when not "on."

[Buster Brown]

Thanks guys, I always make it a point to see what you guys have to say on other guys posts and respect your opinions. Yeah Johnny you nailed it, I am a little worried about carrying excess weight in all the "wrong places" (lol). I thought my 30's were rough in terms of body changes, now it's like: "what happened". I will up my calories a bit on the bulk or adjust them upwards as my weight increases. I think I have a problem with trying to figure out if it takes 600 calories to build a pound of muscle and 3500 calories to build a pound of fat, what is the sweet spot that you will gain in terms of muscle per week/cycle. I know it varies from person to person and that is a hard question to answer. Sorry for being so long winded, lot on my mind. Thanks!

[JohnnnyBlazzze]

I think for a healthy lean bulk I would shoot for 2-2.5lbs a week, possibly more. Less then that and you're not taking full advantage of your AAS or get the gains you want, anything more then that and you could be sacrificing adding fat as well, which some people don't mind doing. In your case though, seems like you want to keep the fat to a minimal. Everybody has there own opinions on this though, you're right everybody is different.