How To Transition From Cutting To Bulking And Stay Lean

Summary

In this video, Sean Nalewanyj explains the correct way to transition from a cutting phase to bulking. He emphasizes the importance of careful calorie management to avoid excessive fat gain during the switch. After a cutting phase, your body’s metabolism and hormones will be adapted, so it's crucial to gradually increase calories to maintenance levels, avoiding drastic jumps that lead to unwanted fat storage. Nalewanyj recommends using a method based on body weight or weight loss rate to estimate your new calorie maintenance and surplus, ensuring a lean bulk without overdoing it.

Takeaways

• 😀 Properly transitioning from cutting to bulking is essential to avoid gaining excessive body fat.
• 😀 After a successful cutting phase, you need a post-diet plan to control calories and prevent overeating due to heightened hunger and cravings.
• 😀 The body is programmed to store fat after a prolonged calorie deficit, making it easy to gain unwanted fat if you're not careful with your calorie intake.
• 😀 Hormonal changes during a cut, such as drops in leptin, testosterone, and T3, can lead to increased hunger and reduced NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).
• 😀 A small calorie surplus of a few hundred calories is enough for muscle growth, and any excess will likely be stored as fat.
• 😀 Reverse dieting, which involves slowly increasing calories, may not be necessary for most people after a cut and could prolong the process of restoring metabolic health.
• 😀 A better approach is to quickly return to your calorie maintenance level after a cut and gradually move into a surplus for bulking.
• 😀 Post-cut calorie maintenance is lower than it was before the cut due to fat loss and metabolic adaptation.
• 😀 To estimate your new calorie maintenance level after a cut, multiply your body weight in pounds by 14 (or use the rate of weight loss as a guide).
• 😀 After transitioning to maintenance, monitor your body weight. If it stabilizes, proceed with a moderate calorie surplus to begin the bulking phase.
• 😀 Some fat gain is inevitable during bulking, especially if you're very lean after a cut, but the goal is to minimize it by controlling calorie intake and bulking in a gradual, controlled manner.

Q & A

Why is it important to have a post-diet plan after a cutting phase?

Having a concrete post-diet plan is crucial because after a prolonged calorie deficit, your body will be primed for fat storage. Eating based purely on hunger and cravings can easily lead to an excess of calories, which results in unwanted fat gain.

What hormonal changes occur during a calorie deficit that affect fat loss?

During a calorie deficit, hormones like leptin, testosterone, and T3 decrease, and NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) drops. These adjustments are the body’s way of conserving energy, which can increase hunger and cravings, making it more difficult to avoid fat gain when transitioning back to a surplus.

Why do many people gain fat after their cutting phase, and how can this be avoided?

Many people gain fat after their cut because they eat instinctively based on cravings, often consuming far more calories than necessary. To avoid this, it's important to gradually increase calories in a controlled manner, moving back to maintenance and then into a small surplus.

How much of a calorie surplus is necessary for effective muscle building?

A surplus of around 200 to 350 calories per day is optimal for a lean bulk. Beginners can go towards the higher end of this range, while intermediate or advanced trainees should stick to a smaller surplus to minimize fat gain.

What is reverse dieting, and why is it not always necessary after a cut?

Reverse dieting involves gradually increasing calories week by week until reaching maintenance levels. However, it's not always necessary because if you've reached your desired leanness, jumping directly to maintenance is more effective for restoring your metabolism and hormonal balance.

What is the risk of jumping straight back to your original maintenance calories after a cut?

After a cut, your actual maintenance calories may be lower than before due to changes in body weight and metabolism. Jumping straight back to your original maintenance level could lead to unnecessary fat gain because your body isn’t able to burn those extra calories efficiently anymore.

How can you estimate your new calorie maintenance after a cutting phase?

To estimate your new calorie maintenance, you can multiply your body weight in pounds by 14-16. Alternatively, you can add 500 calories to your cutting calories if you were losing weight at a rate of about 1 pound per week, which represents a 500-calorie deficit.

What should you do if your weight doesn't stabilize after transitioning to maintenance calories?

If your weight doesn’t stabilize at your maintenance level, you should gradually increase your calories by around 100 each time, checking every few days to see if your weight starts to stabilize. Continue this process until you find your true maintenance level.

Why might someone gain a small amount of weight when transitioning from cutting to bulking?

A small weight gain when transitioning is normal, as it’s not necessarily fat gain. It’s primarily from increases in glycogen storage, water retention, and more food in the system as you return to maintenance or a slight surplus.

Is it possible to avoid all body fat gain during a bulk, and what is the reality?

It's not realistic to avoid all body fat gain during a bulk. Some fat gain is inevitable as part of the muscle-building process. However, the goal should be to minimize fat gain by controlling your calorie surplus and staying disciplined in your eating habits.