Relation between caloric intake and cycle goals

[mpwlift]

I am planning to do a cycle shortly and need some help on how to adjust calories daily. I know the basic thing, increase by 300/500 will support a bulk cycle, decrease the same amount for cutting and have the basics about what food is good for that specific moment of the day.

As my goals are to gain lean mass, little weight and increase strenght is that I am thinking how to adjust the calories. Not clear if I need to manage the diet as a cutting cycle or a "small bulking" one. I afraid of putting 300/500 on and overweight too much but at same time don´t know if keeping eating the same (without adding/decreasing cals) will be a waste of time and money. Here is were ur experience becomes appreciated: is it possible that eating the same but on cycle you can keep bodyweight controlled while reducing fat and harden muscles ? Hope u understand what i am meaning...

The other fact is in case of an increase in the intake, do I have to add any specific nutrient (prot,carb,fat) or any in particular to make the difference ?

Have a nice day u all!

[warmouth]

300-500 calories, while it will add weight, that really isn't alot. It would be a slower bulk. If I'm going for a serious bulk, and say my TDEE is 3000 calories, I will aim for a 500 surplus and gradually up to 1000+. With the 300 to 500 surplus, expect lean mass if your training well. You'll add much more.lean mass than fat if training is on point. Once you get to the 1000 or more surplus, then care needs to ba taken to avoid too much fat. As far as the pro/carb/fat, a general rule of thumb to start would be 40/40/20, but since every person is different, you can adjust as you go. I'm a hard gainer and for the last few years I have been using about an even split (33/33/33) roughly and I just don't put much fat on. But that same split could be aweful to others. It's all about getting dialed in. The 40/40/20 is a good place to start, or even a 50/30/20 would possibly be better.

[warmouth]

Put it this way, when I'm doing just a recomp cycle, which is harden up and define the striations better, I go on a 300_500 calorie surplus and might add a few pounds, but it's all lean mass. If I bulk, I add many more.

[mpwlift]

Put it this way, when I'm doing just a recomp cycle, which is harden up and define the striations better, I go on a 300_500 calorie surplus and might add a few pounds, but it's all lean mass. If I bulk, I add many more.

Thanks Warmouth, perfectly understood. Will try 300cal with a 40/40/20 split and see how it goes after a pair of weeks. In case I see it goes slow, will put 400 as I think will be better and easy for me to make the correction going up instead of down during the cycle.

[warmouth]

Always add calories as you add mass on a cycle. It keeps the weight coming without having those little "plateus".

[mpwlift]

Always add calories as you add mass on a cycle. It keeps the weight coming without having those little "plateus".

That supports the gain I think... lot of sense!

[luckyvenkat]

In theory, carb cycling may help you maintain physical performance while providing some of the same benefits as a low-carb diet. As with any diet, the main mechanism behind weight loss is a calorie deficit, as in eating less than your body burns over a prolonged period of time (16)(indianworkouts)