Diet Question on Cycle

[DadStrength]

Okay so I am about 11 weeks into a Test/EQ cycle - goal was to grow, and not get fat in the process.
Prior to the cycle I was eating 3000 calories per day (maintenance) and was holding right at 12% - my tool has been a scale that checks body fat and weight and I hop on first thing in the morning after a piss. Not the most accurate way to track body fat but the instrument of measurement hasn't changed.

As the cycle progressed, I've slowly increased calories and got to 4100 (25% protein, 25% fat, 50% carbs).
My body fat has increased to 15%, and the number appears to be moving upwards.
Training a 4 day split Back/Biceps, Chest/Triceps, Shoulders, Legs - one day off per week. 20 minutes cardio EOD keeping heart rate 140+.

How would you approach the body fat change? My plan was to go for 16 weeks, and then back to maintenance for a couple months, and cut for summer.
Would it be better to dial the calories back slightly, keep the same and just ride it out, or would you cut at this point?

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Whisky]

Okay so I am about 11 weeks into a Test/EQ cycle - goal was to grow, and not get fat in the process.
Prior to the cycle I was eating 3000 calories per day (maintenance) and was holding right at 12% - my tool has been a scale that checks body fat and weight and I hop on first thing in the morning after a piss. Not the most accurate way to track body fat but the instrument of measurement hasn't changed.

As the cycle progressed, I've slowly increased calories and got to 4100 (25% protein, 25% fat, 50% carbs).
My body fat has increased to 15%, and the number appears to be moving upwards.
Training a 4 day split Back/Biceps, Chest/Triceps, Shoulders, Legs - one day off per week. 20 minutes cardio EOD keeping heart rate 140+.

How would you approach the body fat change? My plan was to go for 16 weeks, and then back to maintenance for a couple months, and cut for summer.
Would it be better to dial the calories back slightly, keep the same and just ride it out, or would you cut at this point?

Thanks for the feedback!

unless I missed it the main piece of information we need is what the overall weight gain has been?

bare in mind that bio impedance scales are notorious for misreading water as fat etc, just because the instrument of measure hasn’t changed it doesn’t mean that it’s correctly identifying what is contributing to you weight gain (intercellular glycogen and water for example).

photos and measurements are a far better way to know if you are gaining excess fat or not ime.

 

[BBiceps]

I would lower your cals, you’re 1100 cals over what you normally eat and even on anabolics that’s a lot. You also have to plan a new maintance because if you go back down to 3000 you will lose almost everything you gained. I would go by looks/feel and find a cal intake that I can still gain weight but still look good.

 

[Whisky]

I would lower your cals, you’re 1100 cals over what you normally eat and even on anabolics that’s a lot. You also have to plan a new maintance because if you go back down to 3000 you will lose almost everything you gained. I would go by looks/feel and find a cal intake that I can still gain weight but still look good.

that’s why I’m wondering what the total weight gain has been. If he’s added 20lbs (accepting a lot will be water) then his maintenance will be significantly higher for sure (especially maintaining that level of cardio at the higher weight).

I wouldn’t make a call just based on the scale bf % tbh

 

[Zvch]

Both of these guys made good points. Personally, I think numbers and exact calculation can overcomplicate things when the goal for everybody is really just to achieve the particular look they want. My mentality has always been that since I’m not competing, I’m not going to drive myself crazy trying to figure out exact calories or bodyfat percentages. I have a good idea of my caloric intake and my macros. A good amount of cardio and intense training tends to make up for my estimation in calories and if it doesn’t and I realize two weeks later that I’ve put on a bit more than I wanted to, I just up the cardio and drop the calories a couple hundred until I start to look the way I want in the mirror again. There’s no harm in adjusting your cycle plan and adapting in the middle of it. That’s what I would recommend doing if you’re not liking what you’re seeing. But pay attention to the mirror, not the scale.