I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase “I’m bulking right now” or “I’m trying to cut for the summer” but its not very often that we hear about the maintenance phase. Going on cycles of bulk and cut can be effective but without proper phases of maintenance our body can lead us down the path of overtraining, injury and even a higher chance of fat gain.

So let’s get into each one! As you read this please remember that although this is what each phase is outlined to look like, it is probably going to look very different for you and your factors so don’t forget to TRACK, TRACK, TRACK what you eat and take progress pics.

CUTTING PHASE
This phase is intended for individual wanting to cut weight and lose fat. It’s an intentional, precise and strategic phase where a person adjusts their diet and work out schedule with the purpose of losing fat while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. A proper cut should only be for 6-12 weeks of a constant caloric deficit of ~500kcals of your maintenance calories! It’s important that it is strategic because you should know where to cut your macros and by how much – each body responds so differently to cutting out fat versus cutting out carbs so it is a trial and error in the beginning. It is critical that protein intake stays high to prevent muscle loss and optimize muscle recovery during your workouts. Being in a caloric deficit does not mean starving yourself and depriving yourself of nutrients what it really means is being precise and conscious of what you’re putting in your body and cutting out unnecessary calories. Make sure to start slow with only 150-200 calorie deficit then slowly increasing that as your body adjusts. Cutting phase is a slow process aiming to lose between 0.3%-1% of your body weight per week. Don’t rush yourself because that is unsustainable and you will end up gaining the weight back.

MAINTENANCE PHASE

Maintenance phase is important to allow our body to settle, refuel and prepare for another cycle of muscle building – think of it as a break for the body. Determining your maintenance calories is important not only for your body weight maintenance but for proper cut and bulk phase. Of course during this phase, your weight may fluctuate a bit, but overall you should be ball parking around the same weight. This phase should be implemented after the bulking phase to help retain the muscle built during the bulk to help your body find a new normal.

BULKING PHASE

Bulking phase is termed for someone who is tying to put on weight in the form of muscle mass while trying to maintain current levels of body fat as close as possible. It requires you to be at a surplus of 500kcal from maintenance. Really the only wrong way to bulk is when you’re gaining weight way too fast but eating whatever you want, whenever you want. This is not what we want because we do not want to just gain a ton of excess body fat. The smart way to bulk is referred to as “lean bulking” where a person strategically adjusts their diet and workout for the purpose of MAXIMIZING lean muscle gains while MINIMIZING body fat gain (as much as possible). This requires commitment, precise assessment of diet as well as patience. Again start slow and with being at a 100-150 calorie surplus and increase from there as you see how your body responds. Finally, an effective weight training workout should be implemented to stimulate muscle growth for building muscle and not gaining excess body fat!

If you are looking for more direction and support as you start on these phases as well as a workout plan to supplement your phase, sign up for my online coaching program and receive a free consultation!

I hope this was informative and helpful, follow me on my instagram @fitness_joh for more updates and content.