Anonymous #3 17w

To be fair my deficit was only 500 calories so I wouldn’t recommend a huge deficit

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Anonymous #3 17w

you really shouldn’t be operating at much of a calorie deficit at all, you really should be consuming as much as you burn because you still also need calories to just exist as a living organism, and also NOT ALL CALORIES ARE EQUAL!!!

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Anonymous #4 17w

Actually, a deficit of 500 is normal if you want to lose a lb a week

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Anonymous #4 17w

In terms of weight and energy all calories are equal

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Anonymous oranguru 17w

it's not about being at a higher bf% it's about having surplus calories. you start a surplus, you gain the maximum amount of muscle and a little bit of fat, you cut the fat. if you aren't gaining weight during a bulk you're leaving gains on the table

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Anonymous #6 17w

Surplus calories aren’t necessarily required for muscle growth. Your body will use excess fat that’s already there, but I’d agree you can accelerate the process by eating more. It really is a question of how much fat you’re comfortable having in pursuit of the bulk. You are right that if you start out at like 5’9 140 lbs you’re never gonna look big (in clothes) if you stay at that weight

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Anonymous oranguru 17w

Let me rephrase. Building muscle requires calories. If you're bulking (putting on weight due to being in a surplus) you know you're getting maximum muscle growth. If you are eating less you might be right at maintenance, or you might be leaving gains on the table, which is why bodybuilders bulk and cut. If you're comfortable with your body during the bulk i don't think it's that big a deal to gain weight. i think the fear of looking fat keeps a lot of skinny noobs small

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Anonymous #6 17w

You build muscle WAY slower than you put on weight through an average caloric surplus. If you eat in a 500 calorie surplus for 12 weeks you will gain 12 pounds. In 12 weeks you’re lucky if you put on 2 pounds of muscle so that’s 10 more unnecessary pounds of fat

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Anonymous OP 17w

That's why you keep your surplus small. It's very possible; when I was bulking I gained a pound every three weeks. That's also why you cut. I can understand not wanting to bulk and cut, but there's a reason it's so common. It works, and if you want to maximize muscle gain or break through a strength plateau you should do it.

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