I am going to Cancun for Spring Break in less than 90 days. How long before I should start dieting (I’m bulking now) and what type of training do you suggest? I know different body types respond differently, but all suggeestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
How much longer do you plan on bulking? It is hard to give a definitive answer without really knowing that.
Also, what is your body fat now, and, based on past experience, what do you estimate it will be at the end of your bulking cycle?
For someone who sounds like they’ve never dieted down before, however long you’ve planned for cutting, multiply that by two. (or three, or four, as in my case) It is better to arrive at your goal too early than too late.
Start now! Slow and steady wins the race. Depending on where you are now (bodyfat), you may want to get into a Renegade sort of program so you can get lean and put on some muscle too.
BF is about 11%. I still want to pack on some muscle though before I leave. When dieting now, how often should I do cardio? And I have read the different diets off the site, but has anyone had good experiences with any in particular? Thanks again
With 90 days left, personally I would allow myself about 35 or so days to cut.
As a gneral rule, I never really allow myself to get more than what I know (from past experiences) to be a month away from my beach-ready body. I generally never let my body fat get over 12%, and even that is pushing it.
If you know how long it will take you to get from about 12% to your Cancun goal (I'm guessing around 7-8%?), simply add one week on to that.
I do not know how long that will take you, but in your situation, I would probably bulk for the next 3 weeks (use Mag-10 if you can afford it) then maintain for at least 2 more. I like to use a strength program, such as 5x5, for maintenance.
At that point, you'll be at about 45-50 days away from your trip, which should allow you plenty of time to slowly cut, without losing any LBM.
This is all highly individual, but I think if you allow enough time you should do well. Essentially, stay away from diets that will put you in an extreme caloric deficit just after bulking--doing so would only be asking to lose whatever gains you made.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the insight. Can you recommend any diets? I have read the ones on the website, but I would appreciate personal usage that work well in a short time frame.