Bulking/Dropping BF

[Alann314]

So I tried to do some research on this topic but I really couldn't find anything. I wanted to try this out but want opinions first. In January 2013 I was a scrawny little 5'4 kid weighing 108 and now I'm finally up to 128 and have packed on slabs of muscle and actually look very good from what everyone has told me at least haha. Now obviously bulking I realized I have gained some fat and I'm sitting at about 15-16% BF. I would like to drop my BF to around 11 or 12 but is it possible to do this while bulking. I will keep my workout the same just heavy weight low rep but everyday before I workout I will jog/run a mile and clean up my diet a little so no more burritos . Now I'm not trying to cut and look super lean I just want to drop my BF % to something reasonable while bulking. I would also look a lot better if I did drop some BF. advice?

Edit: just wanted to mention also I do the "so you wants abs" workout every other day. Is any of this conflicting with my main goal of bulking?

[gmantheman]

You don't wan to bulk by adding too much b/f at the expense of adding a little muscle. You are already 16%bf but how did you come up with that number. If you say a scale or hand held bodyfat tester than through that measurement out the window. You will need to find your total energy expenditure (TDEE). Look up Harris Benedict and that will give you your TDEE. To gain muscle you need to be at caloric surplus but since you want to lose fat you are going to have to adjust. I would eat about 100-150 calories over my TDEE. Also track your calories using an online database such as myfitnesspal.

[Alann314]

You don't wan to bulk by adding too much b/f at the expense of adding a little muscle. You are already 16%bf but how did you come up with that number. If you say a scale or hand held bodyfat tester than through that measurement out the window. You will need to find your total energy expenditure (TDEE). Look up Harris Benedict and that will give you your TDEE. To gain muscle you need to be at caloric surplus but since you want to lose fat you are going to have to adjust. I would eat about 100-150 calories over my TDEE. Also track your calories using an online database such as myfitnesspal.

I posted pictures on this website and the majority said I am a solid 15-16%. I dont really know where I can get my BF checked accurately and Im sure as hell not wanting to pay for it lol. Im going to look into this TDEE.

[MakeEveryRepCount]

Invest in some calipers. They're not perfectly accurate for determining your body fat but they are good for precision, if the numbers are consistently going up, you're getting fatter, if they're coming down, you're getting skinnier (assuming the same person is measuring you). Pretty cheap too.

I'd cut the burritos regardless. Most are extremely high in sodium so you'll probably drop some water weight (assuming you don't replace it with other high sodium food) and LOOK leaner within the first couple weeks.

Congrats on your gains! I'll bet you look way different, 20 lbs is a shit ton...ah how I miss the early days.

MERC

[DapperSapper]

I don't buy into the whole "caloric surplus to build muscle" BS. I have gained muscle and lost fat simultaneously using intermittent fasting. Hodgetwins and Yuri Elkaim have some good videos on YouTube you should check out.

If you have body fat to lose you can run a deficit to burn the fat as long as your protein intake is high enough and you are training you can continue gaining muscle. If you're under 12% bf sure your body might not want to burn more fat off but at 16% you have plenty to spare

Look up IF, just saying

[Java Man]

I'm the opposite. I honestly have no idea what my TDEE is but I'm a programmer so I am sitting on a chair most of the time on a daily basis. Its not very high, I'm sure of that. I eat about 4500-5500 clean calories pretty much every day and am losing bf, gaining lbm. I should be at 40% still. I realize I'm the exception rather than the rule but goes to show how.you've got to try different things and get to know your personal diet that works specifically for you. It takes time, and gaining lbm while losing fat is a science.

[Alann314]

I'm the opposite. I honestly have no idea what my TDEE is but I'm a programmer so I am sitting on a chair most of the time on a daily basis. Its not very high, I'm sure of that. I eat about 4500-5500 clean calories pretty much every day and am losing bf, gaining lbm. I should be at 40% still. I realize I'm the exception rather than the rule but goes to show how.you've got to try different things and get to know your personal diet that works specifically for you. It takes time, and gaining lbm while losing fat is a science.

You are absolutely right, I personally believe that bodybuilding is all trial and error so you can find out what works best for you, I mean everyone is different. I've had people tell me what to do and I didn't listen but I still put on mass and muscle. And man o man I was skinny but I trained and read up and ate and met some very wise people who gave good advice and not some BS. Some people also told me keep your workout to 45 min or less I said screw that and sometimes I will workout for 2 hours and I am still seeing results. Funny thing is when the people at the gym see a 125 pound kid doing 4x6 on the bench press with 205 on that bar they double take