anybody else ditch bulking/cutting and just try to look good year round?

[BigBuck6]

na bro. like i said, you don't need that many calories, unless you're doing some SERIOUS cardio. the average 200lb male needs anywhere from 2,200 to 2,600 calories (in a day) for maintenance. and if you're only gaining 1lb a week on a 5k diet, you either:

a) aren't counting calories properly, and are not consuming what you think you are

b) need to see a doctor

While your argument does have some merit, most of us are not average males. Your stats say 5'9" @ 165lbs. I'm 6'5" @ 250lbs bro plus I surf almost everyday with lifting and life's other challenges.

Argument aside remembering back to undergrad days ACSM standards are 18-22 calories per day per pound of body weight (check my numbers fellas i'm running off memory) to increase in lean mass. With that equation, your numbers are a bit low and an ACTIVE male looking to gain lean muscle mass should consume somewhere around 3600-4400 calories per day.