Can you bulk and cut at the same time

Autophagy is a natural cleansing process by which the body removes dead cells and other biological garbage. Over time, dead cells can accumulate in the body and cause various problems. Fasting is probably the easiest and simplest way to induce autophagy. The study found that autophagy also had certain mechanisms that inhibited muscle loss. In other words, your body is less likely to consume muscle tissue when it is in a state of autophagy. This study was conducted on rats, and it found that rats in an autophagic state actually had less muscle loss than the control group.

If you really want to do things the hard way, no one is likely to stop you. However, by simply increasing your protein intake and reducing your carbohydrate intake, you can bulk and cut at the same time. Your body will be getting all the protein it needs to build strong muscles. Also, the occasional fast can be a good way to shed some pounds and clean out your system. If this article has helped you to resolve this complicated and sometimes-divisive question, we ask that you follow us on Facebook.

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Various online calculators can help you estimate this number. For example, a pound kg man of average size would add around — calories to their daily intake 1. Meanwhile, a pound kg woman of average size might add about — calories 1. From there, aim for a daily protein intake of 0. The rest of your daily calories are made up of carbs and fats, though this depends on your preference 1. You may find it helpful to track your daily intake using one of several smartphone apps.

Weigh yourself regularly to track your progress, shooting for a weight gain of 0. A bulking phase can last anywhere from 1 month to over 6 months or longer, depending on your goals. To start bulking, add a given number of calories to your typical daily calorie intake.

You can determine how much to add with a quick calculation. The goal is to promote a weight gain of 0. This will help stimulate fat loss. An average active man needs about 2, calories per day to maintain weight, whereas an average active woman needs around 2, calories 2. That said, weight maintenance calorie needs can vary substantially due to body size, genetics, and activity level. To stimulate weight loss, a general rule is to consume calories below maintenance.

While it was traditionally thought this would help you lose approximately 1 pound 0. Research suggests that a gradual weight loss of 0. In addition to a gradual calorie restriction through diet, cutting phases usually include some form of cardio or step counting to provide added calorie burning and fat loss. In general, a cutting phase is shorter than a bulk, usually lasting 2—4 months 3. It may be best to adhere to a cutting program for the minimal amount of time you need to meet your goals.

This may help you preserve muscle mass throughout the process. You can start cutting by subtracting a specific number of calories from your maintenance calorie level to promote a weight loss of 0.

Both bulking and cutting come with several benefits when combined with a proper resistance training program. It's actually pretty simple when you learn about the concept of calorie cycling: modifying your calorie and macronutrient intake to match your goal for the day.

The first thing you need to do is figure out your maintenance calories, or how many calories you burn on a day you don't exercise. You can see a certified personal trainer, dietitian or other health professional to find this number, or you can use an online calorie calculator.

On days that you do cardio exercise, you should consume enough calories to meet your maintenance number. Consuming maintenance calories on a cardio day ensures that you're in a slight deficit to promote fat loss, but not in a deficit so large that your body starts using muscle tissue as fuel.

We want the muscle! Read more: Should you lift weights or do cardio first? On days that you do a strength training workout for 30 minutes or more, eat more calories than your maintenance number with a focus on protein. This number is called your "rest day calories. Think of it this way: Every day, you consume new calories and your body must decide what to do with those calories.

Your body essentially has three basic choices: immediately burn the calories for fuel, use them to repair and build muscle tissue or store them as fat. If you're looking for a body transformation, you don't want to store calories as fat.

But you do want your body to use new calories to repair the muscles you broke down during weightlifting workouts. So, you'll eat more calories and protein on weight-training days so your body uses those calories and nutrients to fuel muscle repair, and thus muscle growth.

And you'll eat fewer calories on cardio days and days that you don't work out because you want your body to use the fat it already has as fuel -- not to use new calories as fuel. Ready to hit the gym?

Make sure you get the best pair of shoes for your workout. The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives. Dieting really is simple. Two of the most effective tools are fasting, as discussed, and altering peri-workout pre-, intra- and post-workout nutrition.

While there are a couple of effective ways to change your peri-workout nutrition, avoiding carbs post-workout may be the most surprising one to gym rats. Now, before you spit out your protein shake in objection, consider the following facts:. Normally, you finish a workout and rush home to slam a shake consisting of protein and fast-acting carbs.

Are these carbs truly necessary post-workout? A recent study found that protein and carbohydrates post-workout did not further increase protein synthesis when compared with consuming only protein post-workout.

Not only that, but the protein-only group showed a higher net-protein balance, which is just as important as the level of protein synthesis, if not more important. For everyone else, post-workout is a perfect time to jump-start fat loss, because stored carbs glycogen at that time are low, so fatty acids are the primary energy source.

Need yet another reason to eat chicken breast? The go-to protein source for athletes everywhere is also high in vitamin B6, which helps increase energy and metabolism. These will be your higher-calorie and higher-carbohydrate days. On these days, you want: 1 your muscles to be full of energy glycogen and ready to dominate a workout, and 2 enough protein intake to allow proper rebuilding of muscle.

These off days will include a short fasting period depending on goals and experience , cardio done in a fasted state, certain supplements, and fewer calories and carbs. However, you still need some proteins and fats. Which do you think is the better way to reshape your physique: 3, calories on training days and 1, on off days, or 2, calories on both days?

This style of eating can be set up many different ways. Before you decide how to put this into practice, take an honest look at your current physique and past dieting history. Do you gain fat relatively easy? If you have a harder time gaining weight, you can be more lenient with carb choices and really push the calories on training days.