Bulking vs Cutting in Fitness

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No matter what point you are at in your fitness journey, you have probably heard the words bulk and cut flying through the wind. They seem simple enough. Bulking is eating a dumb amount of food, in hopes of gaining muscle. Cutting is starving yourself, in hopes of getting shredded... right? No.

 

Before we compare bulking and cutting, you have to make sure you fully understand both. By the end of this article, you will be 10 steps ahead, and the mystery of bulking and cutting will be no more.
 

What is cutting??

A cut is a period of eating fewer calories than your body needs, trying to maintain as much muscle as possible in the process. (Btw… this is the science behind guaranteed weight loss). Eating fewer calories than your body makes it look for energy stored in fat, helping you shed those extra pounds.

 

During a cut, it's important to focus on nutrient-dense foods to support muscle retention and stay energized. Balancing a cut with proper nutrition and exercise is the key to achieving a leaner and healthier physique.

 

So starving yourself = shredded. Once again… no. Absolutely not. A healthy cut is generally considered to be between a 400-1,000 calorie deficit. So if you normally eat 2,500 calories to maintain your current body, eat between 400-1,000 less than 2,500. There are many myths about cutting in fitness that can lead down a terrible path, let's talk about some.

Common Cutting Myths

Myth 1: “If you want to cut, you need to do a million hours of cardio bro”
Reality: Cardio burns calories fast. So cardio does help when cutting. But just like anything, too much of it can be bad. Leading to a hard time recovering, burnout, and muscle loss.

 

Myth 2: “Don’t eat carbs bro”
Reality: Carbohydrates are essential for energy. Try your best to eat complex carbs like grains, oats, and veggies. Try to stay away from simple carbs like sugar, and white bread.

 

Myth 3: “Cutting means starving”
Reality: Extreme calorie restriction can lead to nutrient deficiencies and negatively impact metabolism. Take a moderate and healthy approach.

 

Myth 4: “Suddenly drop your calories out of nowhere”
Reality: If you can physically and mentally maintain starting a larger cut suddenly, then go for it. But generally taking off calories little by little is a more successful approach.
 

Cutting Tips

- Establish a realistic calorie deficit goal: Try not to turn the volume to the max, especially your first time cutting. 

- Stay hydrated: Drink a good amount of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and support overall health. Thurst can often be mistaken for hunger. Plus, drinking water can be a quick hack to feeling full.


- Choose nutrient-dense foods: During a cut, you are eating less than you are used to, so make sure to choose nutrient-dense foods so you don’t miss out on any essential vitamins and minerals. 


- Eat low-calorie, filling foods: Foods such as rice, eggs, oats, and berries can be a geat way to get full without a ton of calories.


- Don't forget to work out hard: During a cut, you will most likely feel a drop in energy and intensity in the gym… so you will have to work extra hard.

Boom. Just like that you have a good idea of what cutting is. Pretty simple right? Now let's jump into bulking.

What is bulking??

Bulking is a muscle-gaining phase. It is simply eating more calories than your body needs, for a set period of time (usually 3-6 months). These extra calories provide your body with the necessary fuel to boost muscle size and strength while weight-training. Most people bulk when they are naturally underweight and have a hard time putting on muscle.

 

Imagine you are building a house, but you want to make the house bigger and build it faster…  you will need more bricks and more help. In this example, the house is your body, and the (right) foods are the extra bricks and help.

 

But there is a right way to bulk. You don’t want to just start eating everything in sight, and you don’t want to eat just any food either. It's important to focus on nutritious choices like lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables.

 

It is normal to gain some fat when bulking. To make sure you don’t go overboard, most people eat around 300-400 calories above their normal caloric intake. To avoid ruining your bulking journey, avoid the many bulking myths that go around.

Common Bulking Myths

Myth 1: “Dirty bulking is the only way to gain muscle fast bro”
Reality: Dirty bulking is when someone eats anything and everything trying to gain muscle. Fast food, junk food, anything. Bulking is all about a controlled calorie surplus, focusing on nutritious foods to support healthy muscle growth, and not indulging in unhealthy or excessive eating.

 

Myth 2: “You can only eat chicken and rice when bulking”
Reality: Yes, you should shoot for a 100% whole-food diet, but don’t be scared to grab a couple of protein shakes recipes, mass gainers (the right ones), and other higher-calorie supplements.

 

Myth 3: “Bulking always leads to gaining too much fat.”
Reality: Gaining too much fat should not be a problem as long as you do a clean bulk, with a reasonable calorie surplus, and proper exercise.

Bulking Tips

- Calculate properly: There are many free tools online to calculate a rough estimate of your daily caloric needs. Do this properly and you should be fine. Some of our favorite free online tools for this are Calculator.net and freedieting.com.


- Go hard when weight training: Now that you are fueling your body a lot more, you will have more energy to use… use it. Take advantage of the gains. 


- Stay hydrated: Food is not the only thing your muscles need. Make sure you keep your muscles filled with the right amount of water as well.


- Liquid calories: When bulking, getting all the food down is usually the hardest part. Drinking liquid calories such as protein shakes, mass gainers, and smoothies will be your best friend.


- Prioritize protein: Try your best to hit your protein goals. A good rule of thumb is to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. (For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you could try to eat around 150 grams of protein per day).

Bulking vs Cutting

Hopefully, by now, you have a good understanding of the difference between bulking and cutting. Good job.

 

Now when deciding to bulk or cut, don’t think it has to be a dramatic increase or decrease in calories. If you want to gain muscle slowly over time, jump up around 100 calories and you’ll get there. Same thing with cutting. If you want to lose some fat at a slower pace, only cut off a couple hundred calories.

Conclusion

You are now one step closer to your goals. One step closer to becoming the best version of yourself (and the smartest person in your gym). Whether you're bulking or cutting, it's important to understand that these fitness terms aren't about extreme measures. You don't have to eat an enormous amount or starve yourself.

 

Whether you're building muscle or shedding fat, the journey is about balance, consistency, and embracing a healthy lifestyle. If you have trouble making sense of all this, you may consider taking up a spot on our online personal training roster.

 

Keep in mind the myths to avoid pitfalls, and always prioritize nutritious foods, proper hydration, and regular exercise. Good luck friend!

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