The terms "bulking" and "cutting" are often paired together, but achieving both simultaneously, or preserving muscle while losing fat, is quite challenging. This article delves into why combining bulking and cutting is difficult and offers tailored advice based on different fitness goals.

Have you been hitting the gym without seeing significant changes in your physique? Setting clear goals is crucial at this stage, whether you prioritize bulking or cutting first.

Is Bulking and Cutting Simultaneously Feasible?

Bulking and cutting are inherently conflicting goals. To reduce fat or body weight, the body needs to be in a "caloric deficit," where daily calorie intake is lower than expenditure. Conversely, building muscle requires a "caloric surplus" to provide the energy necessary for muscle repair and growth. Can fat turn into muscle?

Some mistakenly believe that bulking and cutting involves transforming fat into muscle. However, this is impossible because muscle and fat consist of different types of cells with distinct chemical compositions. Muscle is composed of fibers containing protein blocks, while fat tissue consists of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. As such, fat and muscle cells cannot convert into one another.

Recommended Order for Bulking and Cutting

During bulking phases, fat gain inevitably occurs. Therefore, individuals with higher body fat percentages are advised to prioritize cutting before bulking. Otherwise, excessive body fat can obscure muscle definition, making muscle lines less prominent. How do you determine if cutting should come first? Your body composition analysis, such as InBody's muscle-fat analysis section which includes weight, skeletal muscle weight, and body fat weight, provides insights categorized by the length of these three indicators, resembling the letters C, I, and D. Resistance Training Aids in Fat Loss

Some believe that weight training is necessary for bulking and aerobic exercise for cutting. However, regardless of whether you aim to bulk or cut, adequate intensity resistance training is crucial. Over-reliance on aerobic exercise can lead to muscle loss and a decrease in metabolism. To effectively bulk up, attention must be paid to the following two points.