Transitioning from bulk to cut

[uhit]

Hello all.

Currently 5'8 weighing about 180lbs(give or take 2-3lbs due to water/creatine) and coming off a 5 month bulk in which I went to 165lbs - 180lbs. Body fat % went up from 14% to 17% according to these calipers I have which I have been using every week so the % is relatively accurate.

Was eating at 2,700 - 3,000 calories depending on which body part I would workout (with back and legs being higher).
I understand that I need to cut calories down to 500 under maintenance to drop the fat effectively while hopefully maintaining majority of muscle gained.

I've calculated my TDEE to be 2,500, which means that I should be eating at 2,000 calories.. correct?
And on my rest day where I normally am sedentary I should drop those calories to about 1,800 (according to TDEE @ sedentary being 2,100ish)

Diet-wise, the only thing I'm going to change is rather than eating 5 meals, I will just eat 3 meals which is effectively cutting out 800 calories from my day and whatever more calories need to be reduced will come from cardio.

Advice is appreciated. Thank you in advance

[Khazima]

I'd say eat at 2500 for a week or two and let your body maintain and fluctuate water weight then cut 200 calories to start, add in 100 calories worth of cardio or something, see how that goes then add another day of cardio the next week, then take some calories etc etc but IMO a pound a week (300 calorie deficit roughly) is the best way to maintain muscle, or even better a 500 caloric deficit with a refeed e5d or e7d. Either way taper your way into the cut to find your sweet spot.

Worrying about changing calories on workout and non-workout days is pretty much pointless, if you're worried about it do a bit of cardio on those days.

[Buster Brown]

I'd say eat at 2500 for a week or two and let your body maintain and fluctuate water weight then cut 200 calories to start, add in 100 calories worth of cardio or something, see how that goes then add another day of cardio the next week, then take some calories etc etc but IMO a pound a week (300 calorie deficit roughly) is the best way to maintain muscle, or even better a 500 caloric deficit with a refeed e5d or e7d. Either way taper your way into the cut to find your sweet spot.

Worrying about changing calories on workout and non-workout days is pretty much pointless, if you're worried about it do a bit of cardio on those days.

I agree with this approach. Not wise to make sudden moves when it comes to dropping weight. Eat at maintenance as stated for a few weeks .....while you are doing that write up a meal plan that slowly rolls back the calories and introduce some cardio into your routine. You really don't have much to lose so don't panic plus you don't want to loose what you gained bulking in an effort to meet a number. I myself am bulking and can't wait to get lean again ....all part of the process bro!

[uhit]

I agree with this approach. Not wise to make sudden moves when it comes to dropping weight. Eat at maintenance as stated for a few weeks .....while you are doing that write up a meal plan that slowly rolls back the calories and introduce some cardio into your routine. You really don't have much to lose so don't panic plus you don't want to loose what you gained bulking in an effort to meet a number. I myself am bulking and can't wait to get lean again ....all part of the process bro!

Yeah I'm taking this route now. Eating at maintenance calories at the moment with a 10 minute medium intensity bike ride after workouts to ease myself into the cut which I will start at the start of February.

I just hate being 'round'/'soft' and miss seeing some abs (I say some because the lowest I've ever been in 12-13%, therefore never have experienced a full 6 pack). As tempting as it is to start now I'm gonna go ahead and listen to Marcus' blog/thread and as others have mentioned and cut slowly. Hopefully I get sub 10% by May