Cut or Bulk after 200 Pound Weight Loss

Im 22 i started at 400 pounds now im at 220 pounds 6 foot 3 then had surgery to remove lose skin now this is what i look my goal physique is to looked ripped with good amount muscle but i have been spinning my wheels since i got to 220 pounds my body looks the same my end goal is to look like lazar anglov or similar to that of my potential but im stuck on ether i should cut or bulk im currently on cut but here gyms are closed due to covid 19 i got down 210 but i just look the same. Tips on what you guys or gals would recommend would be great thank you.

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First and foremost, congrats on the amazing transformation.

My advice is that you never, ever bulk. You have billions of shrunken fat cells looking for an excuse to plump back up–don’t give them one.

As for your appearance, you are in that dreaded in-between zone where further fat loss won’t lead to discernible improvements in your physique until you get well below 200#.

Speaking of: You and I are the same height. In my avi I weighed ~183#, and while I’m far from a Lazar Anglov in muscle mass, I probably have more than you do. The point being, at current musculature levels you may need to get below 180 to look ‘ripped.’ Best of luck reaching your goals.

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Congrats on the progress man. I would give you the same advice to not ever bulk like @EyeDentist. You can build with the far stores you have, and if you weight train while losing, you will build muscle if done right.

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That’s an insane weight loss.:slightly_smiling_face:Bulking isn’t recommended unless your body fat percentage is very low. I’ve been overweight myself in the past, and I quickly gain fat if I ever try to do even a clean bulk. Fortunately, my half-shitty metabolism also lets me gain muscle on a low budget.

You could probably gain muscle and lean out more at the same time. You might need surgery on some of the loose skin, though, depending on your age.

Lazar Angelov is juicing, btw. Natural bodybuilding was exposed years ago.

Ok first, amazing progress so far!! Seriously I am relieved to see someone younger saying 'i am not accepting this crap" and then actually doing something about it.

For myself I am 5’11 and really just shy of the 6 foot mark. When I was in highschool (I am late 30s now) I got up to 240-250ish, just a slob. Well I started working out and trying to eat better. I got down to 180ish, still had a sloppy belly. It took years, I would make some progress then back slide a little then get back on it. Every few years I would do some revamp and get results then push and push ending on some great progress. I am now obviously still right under 6 foot and today I was sitting at 237 lbs of LEAN mass. I am that big guy made of muscle in the gym you see everyday, even Saturday and Sunday. I have shoulders that pop enough that guys half my age come up and ask in very subdued mannerisms how I do it. I have abs, and veins that pop on my legs. If I wear one of my older tee shirts then they actually end up showing my abs through the shirt. At one point my waist was tight in 38-40 inch pants. I can wear 32s now and they are loose, depending on cut.

I will tell you and the world what the only ACTUAL key to the transformation is…it’s lean mass. A Lean muscle pound burns almost three times the calories at REST vs a pound of fat. So imagine what a pound of lean mass that is active will burn vs a pound of fat. And a pound of fat can not be active and engaged, so.

Now I am NOT saying go bulk. What I am suggesting that you look at is a lean low fat diet full of quality lean protein joined with a weightlifting and conditioning regiment in the gym. When I say quality protein , I mean isolate protein, chicken, egg whites, and that sort of stuff. If you eat right and work out you will gain lean mass while forcing yourself to burn off fat. Everyone says it can’t be done…they are fucking idiots. Now it could possibly be done faster if you do a hard diet then go back and try to gain muscle with a more traditional gain. I don’t think that is a good idea. Just eat clean and keep adding weights and sets in the gym until you are regularly soar and tight. It is so simple. Do that for six months, develope new muscle then stay at that level of activity and weight range for 3-4 months. Then repeat. You will steadily develope new muscle which will in turn help you burn more fat. It will be a slower get going period but once you get over the threshold then all of a sudden your clean diet is just at the point where your lean mass needs more than you eat and then it’s like your on a diet yet you are eating and active and you don’t even realize it. It is important to not always push and increase weight and reps, your muscle will develope faster than the tendons and connective tissue. You are at the age that your natural test is going to let you take off with the development of you want to push it. You don’t have to end up like me and 230 plus pounds but I promise you lean mass is the key to actual body composition change. Diets don’t do anything except short term change. That lean mass that is engaged is the key. I will say it again and slightly different, LEAN mass that is ENGAGED/ACTIVE is the key to actual change.

Basically just keep eating correctly, sleeping right and go lift some weights and you will get to whatever body type your young heart desires.
And again, seriously and sincerely, amazing progress so far! Just wait until that young body you are romantically interested in notices your upcoming progress…you won’t ever want to leave the gym again! Until they notice, tape yourself, watch for signs of muscular development. I remember the skinny guys I worked out with in college just laughing at me when I was proud that I finally saw some definition in my forearms then the bicep area…those guys don’t even want to see me eye to eye these days. I did not keep at my health improvement to rub it in their faces but they feel bad seeing me and how far they let themselves slip. Truth be told I would gladly encourage them and share any knowledge or experience I have just because I know what it feels like having to find my own encouragement in the face of laughter. I just made myself go and keep at it. There were times I didn’t go for six months or a year, maybe even longer than a year but I went back and made myself get at it again.

I promise you that body you want is out there, and even when you get to it you will want to improve it because of the reaction you got by just going on the journey.

At this point I am preaching and basically bragging on myself and that was not the point. I wanted to congratulate you, encourage you and motivate you. I hope I managed to do that.

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I second whats already been said. Fat cells that have stored alot in the past are really trying to store alot every opportunity they get.

Fat cells that have never been pumped up are more metabolically resistant to a less than perfect diet, until you abuse the shit out of them with binge eating and crash dieting.

I’m not recommending you jump on drugs or TRT. But you should still get a hormonal panel done because obesity does cause a big shift in hormones which then conspire to keep you fat. Like increased aromatase activity.

The idea is. If your test is 150 on a range of 300-900 and your estrogen is 55 on the range of 20-40 (or whatever that range is supposed to be) then we’re going to need an Intervention because your body is still conspiring to screw you. So something like more deadlifts more zinc more sleep less stress more sunlight and vitaminD no smoke. Then you can test again in 3 monthes or 6 and compare.

More simply though. Just do those things. Deadlift and squat heavy 2-3 times a week. Sleep ALOT. Maintain a caloric surplus of 100-200 calories. But keep the ratio of protein and fat a little higher than usual. Because as far as fat loss goes. Your goal still is to improve your resting metabolic rate by increasing your lean mass.

On days your resting go for a bike ride around the neighborhood. Some form of cardio but low intensity. Cycling really helps recovery for me if im doing deads and squats 3 times a week.

Avoid stimulators appetite suppressants. No diet pills or anything. Might work short term. But especially given the metabolic state you just came from. It’ll ultimately crash your testosterone from the cortisol spikes and adrenal gland abuse.

As a natrual, at this point i think altering your lifestyle to maximize your testosterone production and recovery is going to really help the process.

Its a slow process but thats a really amazing transformation dude congrats.