[smaxh]

Well, here's how the story goes...
I was in high school grade 11 when I took the gym class and checked my bodyweight and bodyfat% for the first time, although I knew I was skinny my whole life.. that's where I really realized how skinny I was. At 5-7 back then, 125 pounds and 7% of bodyfat I was the skinniest kid around. Did two year of wieght lifting, more like damaging joints and never learned much and came out with just 1-2% of improvement in the definition.

Now almost 2 years later, fully prepared to go on a bulking routine that I have created for myself. I have joined the gym and just last week found out that now my bodyfat level has shot upto 17% or 18% somedays. Regrettin eatin pizza throughout the first 2 years of college thinking nothing ever sticks..

Well, I am in a bit of a delimma at the moment thinking wether to cut back down to under 10% or start bulking up from 17%. Current bodywieght is at 141 lbs and height at 5'9.

My plan is to cut back down to under 10%(3 months max since I am an ecto) then start bulking up (3-6 months) and eventually start cuttin back down while keeping the muscle.

So I need some advice since I am short on cash, student life , and I like to dream big. Either way there will be much money spent on supps as I cant buy or cook food and can rely on supps only. So if fat loss ECA stack and cardio and all.. otherwise, 6 meals about 2200 calories to start off and so on...

What do you guys think I should do?

Here's a current pic..

.... seems I have to wait 20 posts before I can post my current pic :S

[smaxh]

[rpen22]

I highly doubt you're in the 17-18% bf range. Based on that picture, it looks like you could actually use some building time, more than cutting. I wouldn't worry soo much about your supposed body fat percentage; I would base progress and goals off of appearance. JMHO.

[BigCasino]

This is easy....... BULK!!!


Before you can sculpt a master piece, you need a big ****ing ball of clay. Eat big, lift heavy, and sleep long

[OCCFan023]

Originally Posted by rpen22

I would base progress and goals off of appearance. JMHO.

totally agree with ya rpen, the mirror is the most reliable source for decisions and measuring progress.

Like stated ealier I would personally start to bulk now and put on some lean mass and then begin the cut when you are at a point where you feel your satisfied with your gains or you just feel that you lost too much definition (which in your case will be hard from your body type.) A lean bulk for a few months followed by a cut would be a solid plan IMO.

[Australian made]

If you are 17% BF then i am in serious trouble!! you got plenty of beef to put on before you want to start cutting.

You can't buy or cook food? why not? Dont just rely on supps my friend but at least get yourself a good whey protein to begin with!

[Vicarious]

Are you a college student? on a meal plan? I remember my first 2 yrs of college i never ate so good in my life! I sat in one of the 4 cafeterias for 3 hours and ate my face off what I couldn't eat i stuffed in a box, or a bag, or my pocket...sure do miss brocolli and cheese soup day......*sigh*

[smaxh]

well, it does seem like I need a lot more mass before i start cutting down, I have been saying the samething but I feel that if I go on a bulking diet and workout routine I am going to gain fat faster then usuall... also, I am planning to use wieght gainers too as a substitute for food (about 24g sugar, 1150 cal, 48 prot, 64 carbs...something like that), so I have heard that weight gainers usualy dont help in putting clean and lean muscle ... and put on too much fat for someone who already stores fat ... maybe the newer ones like Prolab or Cytogainer may be diffrent. I just don't want to let fat get outta' control as it maybe harder later on to tackle it down.

[Australian made]

I've never used a weight gainer as ive always had food at my disposle but you can always split the doses in half so your not taking in so many calories in one sitting. might make you a little bloated sucking that down. There's really no need for you to put on any more fat while trying to bulk. Plenty of info on this site about clean bulking diets etc.

[Vicarious]

Get your protein and your carbs around 300 grams a day (maybe a little less on the carbs at your size) and keep your fats between 50 and 60 gr/day. that should be clean enough for you.

You can easily maje your own shakes with some protein powder, a coffee grinder, oatmeal

[burnstacp]

Here's my .02: You need to eat a lot. Calories are your friend. Learn to cook. If you can't do that or don't have the time, buy easy to prepare meals like frozen pasta and chicken (there's quite a few). They're good and, some are pretty well packed with protein and "cleaner" calories. PBJ, turkey/cheese, and tuna sandwiches are also good source of protein and calories.

You can't survive off supplements. If they were meant to be used that way they wouldn't be called supplements they would be called sustenance. That being said, get yourself a good protein supplement (minimum 1g/lb. bodyweight daily) and a good multivitamin.

Don't worry about putting on fat so much. If it is really bothering you then do 25-30 minutes of cardio 3 mornings/week with nothing but a lowcal protein shake before hand but, don't forget to chow down when you get back.

And the best advice I can give is this. In order to build muscle at your body's full potential, you need a calorie surplus (which also causes your body to store fat). In order to cut fat at your body's full potential you need a calorie deficit (which can reduce muscle mass). Therefore, you should just eat as much clean food as you can until you are heavier than your goal by about 10-15 pounds and then cut. By the time you are done you should be right where you want to be.

One more thing, the more muscle you acquire the less fat your body will store because your muscles will be needing the extra energy. More muscle = more maintenance calories

[neoborn]

I think if you are suicidal / trying to remove yourself from this planet then Cut :P or if you want to have a nice body with decent mass .....bulk....you choose :P

[smaxh]

Originally Posted by neoborn

I think if you are suicidal / trying to remove yourself from this planet then Cut :P or if you want to have a nice body with decent mass .....bulk....you choose :P

LOL! ill take this as a sign from god and start bulking right away!
Good one!

[de1060]

I agree totally with burnstacp: you must learn to cook. Although there is no need for you to be the next wolfgang puck, learning to cook is learning about nutrition. personally, i never got anywhere with my results until i got a grip on my diet. the best example of this was when i was young, and gained almost forty pounds in fifteen weeks...i think about twentyfive of those pounds were from fat gain.

you're gonna need lots of cals, but getting those cals from lean meats, not too much dairy, and especially EFA's and more quality fats is freakin huge for getting huge. you are what you eat-so do you want to be a bull, or a cow? HA-CHA!!!!

[SteelEntity]

Their are is great advice here for nutrition. As far as the working out part goes, based on your pic and what you said about working out with no gains and frequent injuries I think you must be a hard gainer. Remeber hard gainers usually think more is better for lifting, 99% of the time that is false, less is better

You should focus on 1 Day off for every day on.. if your schedule does not allow this then go 2 on 2 off... you get the point. The fact is the dudes at the gym who are their 5 days a week, month after month doing the same **** and never growing are over working to the point where their body is rejecting conforming to the new life style. I was the same way when I started... thought if i go 6 times a week then i will grow that much faster. Well obviously my body said **** you and stayed the same.

Less is more is what i am saying for guys like you and tons of guys out there.

Git'r'dun

[biggerthantex]

I agree man... bulk up get huge then start to cut the layers away.....