Is Cutting and Bulking Really Necessary?
If you've ever talked to anyone about bodybuilding then you've likely at least heard about cutting and bulking. But what about for the rest of us? Are periods of cutting and bulking really necessary for the average person who just wants to be in good shape? The answer might surprise you.
When bodybuilders, physique and figure competitors train for competition, they are in one of two periods or phases: bulking or cutting. When competitors are in a bulking phase they are in a caloric surplus (calories in > calories out). And when competitors are in a cutting phase, they are in a calorie deficit (calories in < calories out).
However, when many people think about bulking, images of high body fat and low definition come to mind. And it is true that anyone in calorie surplus for any period of time will have less definition than say, a bodybuilder on competition day. But that doesn't mean someone on a caloric surplus can't still stay relatively lean (*note: I discuss how to that in Reverse Dieting and Taking Your Reverse Diet to the Next Level).
Similarly, when people think about cutting, images of lean sculpted muscles come to mind. And at the end of a successful cutting phase, that might in fact be the end result. But cutting calories for months on end isn't most people's idea of how they want to live their lives.
You Might Already Be Cutting and Bulking
The terms 'cutting' and 'bulking' are closely associated with bodybuilding. But in reality, you might already be practicing some form of cutting and bulking. Like I mentioned above, if you are gaining weight then you are bulking. And it doesn't have to be a huge weight gain. Conversely, if you are losing weight in the form of fat (hopefully not muscle) then you are cutting. The difference between what the average person does and what a bodybuilder might do really comes down to method, consistency, and duration.
To the average person, what a bodybuilder hopes to achieve might seem extreme. But the principles for fat loss and/or muscle growth are the same. And there are certainly a lot of non-bodybuilders out there who are interested in losing fat and/or gaining muscle. Actually, if your goal is either one of those things then you are interested in cutting and/or bulking.
What Are the Practical Takeaways?
Whether you are an aspiring bodybuilder or just the average Joe, the principles that allow you to effectively change your body and maintain those changes are the same. If your goal is to lose a lot of fat then you likely do want to 'cut' for a period of time (discussed in A Better Way To Cut Fat and Carb Cycling for Fat Loss). However, if you just want to maintain your current condition or perhaps grow a little muscle and/or improve your metabolism over time then you might want to look into something similar to what is described in Taking Your Reverse Diet to the Next Level. Alternatively, if your goal is to build muscle then aside from having a lot of patience, you should be using a well periodized training program on a caloric surplus (i.e. 'bulk').
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