Should I bulk or cut?

[hellomycognomen]

Thats exactly what I was thinking, 2645 cals seem way too high for maintenance, another thing that throws me off from hoping the bulking wagon is that I read many times that it is best to start a bulk once you've cut down to 10-12% bf.. Currently I'm at 15% bf so wouldn't it be smarter to lose bf% and then start a clean bulk? Has anyone tried this with success? and How long should I expect to go down to 12% bf with diet?

According to Savvas Kyriacou owner of Muscleworks Gym London, there is no such thing as bulk and cut, there is only muscle and fat. Find your TDEE and add 3-500cal per week, that should be plenty.

[brazilian10]

According to Savvas Kyriacou owner of Muscleworks Gym London, there is no such thing as bulk and cut, there is only muscle and fat. Find your TDEE and add 3-500cal per week, that should be plenty.

LOL plenty enough to get me FAT. Jk, but I tend to gain fat/weight very easily (happened to me last time I bulked) so this time I'm trying to be more meticulous about figuring out the amount of calories I should consume. Like I said according to the Katch MacArdle forumula my TDEE is 2645 cals so if I wanted to bulk I should go up to 3145 cals? O.0 that's scary high

[hellomycognomen]

LOL plenty enough to get me FAT. Jk, but I tend to gain fat/weight very easily (happened to me last time I bulked) so this time I'm trying to be more meticulous about figuring out the amount of calories I should consume. Like I said according to the Katch MacArdle forumula my TDEE is 2645 cals so if I wanted to bulk I should go up to 3145 cals? O.0 that's scary high

No that is not what I said, TDEE + 3-500cal PER WEEK, so around 2687-2716 cals daily. Its only a very small increase that is all that is needed naturally.

Just round it out to 2700 cals daily that should be fine.

[brazilian10]

Found a better way to calculate my maintenance calories by multiplying my LBM x 15.

160 lbs x .15 (bf%)= 24
160-24= 136 LBM
136 X 15= 2040 maintenance cals.

Now, 2040 cals sounds A LOT more reasonable ^.^

[Myers]

Found a better way to calculate my maintenance calories by multiplying my LBM x 15.

160 lbs x .15 (bf%)= 24
160-24= 136 LBM
136 X 15= 2040 maintenance cals.

Now, 2040 cals sounds A LOT more reasonable ^.^

That would be a maintenance with no activity right?

[brazilian10]

No, 2040cals with activity... I workout 4-5x a week. Joined a masters swimming program that gets together MWF for 1hr30mins and I also hit the weight room and do full body workouts 2x a week (I try and lift heavy to preserve muscle).

What's worrying me is that since I started swimming a week ago I lost NINE lbs, I'm down to 151 lbs and I'm scared most of the weight lost was muscle mass .....I definitely want to hold on to the little muscle mass I have that's for sure.

Could someone please shed some light? I don't want to keep on losing anymore muscle, my goal is to be as lean as possible for the summer. In other words, want to slowly lose bf% while preserve muscle mass.

[AngryNR3C4]

Would worry me too, if I was on a huge deficit. If you've been eating at 1500, just stop.
Eat more food, so you lose fat slowly and prevent losing muscle. For your goals, I think it's best to eat at maintenance or slowly bulk.