Bulking Vs. Cutting: What’s The Difference & Which Should You Do First?

Bulking vs. cutting phases are dietary strategies that dominate the world of bodybuilding and fitness. A bulking phase focuses on gaining high-quality muscle mass using resistance training and a calorie surplus. A cutting phase focuses on using a calorie deficit to lose body fat while limiting potential muscle loss. 

When done correctly, these phases can help both bodybuilders and recreational gymgoers achieve a muscular, well-defined look. Understanding how both work is essential to get all of their benefits. We’ve discussed the main differences, when to use each one, and common mistakes to avoid. This is our guide on bulking and cutting, explained clearly to help you get in shape.

What Is Bulking? 

Bulking, or a bulk, is a dietary strategy that involves strategically eating in a calorie surplus and training heavily. This means that you eat more calories than you burn. The primary goal is to minimize fat gain while adding quality muscle mass. 

You can clean bulk, meaning calories and food quality are tightly controlled throughout. Some people choose to do dirty bulk. This means their energy intake is higher, and less focus is placed on food quality. This is the main difference when considering a clean bulk vs. dirty bulk.

If you want to learn more, read our article on how to bulk. It provides a detailed breakdown of correctly implementing one. 

What Is Cutting?

Cutting, or a cutting diet, requires you to eat in a calorie deficit for a sustained period. In this, you consume less than your maintenance energy requirements. The main goal is to lose the excess fat gained in a bulk while limiting lean muscle loss. 

A cut can be done following a bulking phase or when starting with high body fat levels. You may expect some muscle gain during cutting, especially if you’re a beginner. This is a process known as body recomposition.

Our expert guide on how to cut details the main guidelines and things to bear in mind. 

Bulking Vs. Cutting: Key Differences

Whether cutting vs. bulking for bodybuilding or as a recreational gymgoer, these are the key differences. 

Calories

The biggest difference between cutting and bulking is the calorie intake. More specifically, a calorie surplus vs. calorie deficit. A bulking phase requires a calorie surplus, while a cutting phase needs a calorie deficit. 

During a bulk, your calories should be kept around 375–500 above maintenance. This means that you’ll be eating more than your body burns. 

When cutting, you should be eating 500–750 calories below maintenance. In this case, you’ll be eating fewer calories than you burn. Use our handy calorie calculator to work out your maintenance needs.

Goal

The primary goal of a bulking phase is to maximize high-quality muscle gain while limiting excess fat accumulation.

During a cutting phase, the goal is to shred excess body fat while limiting lean muscle loss. Bulking is about building and growing, while cutting is about refining and shaping your gains. 

Macros

Your macronutrient intake is another key difference between a bulking diet vs. cutting diet. The proportions of the main macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) differ. 

During a bulk, your carbohydrate and fat intakes are kept moderate or high to provide fuel for high-intensity workouts. This is possible due to the excess energy intake. In most cases, carbohydrates are higher while fats are kept moderate to support hormone production and health.

When cutting, both carbohydrates and fats are reduced and kept around workouts. Protein is increased above normal levels to 0.64–0.91 grams per pound of body weight. This will support lean mass maintenance. Our article provides a detailed overview of how much protein for muscle growth is needed. 

Micros

The larger energy intake when bulking means that micronutrient needs should be met. However, supplements may be required when eating nutrient-poor foods when dirty bulking. 

The reduced energy intake when cutting puts you at a much higher risk of micronutrient deficiencies. This is the case even when choosing nutrient-dense foods. 

A sensible approach would be to use a multivitamin and omega-3 supplement to cover your main requirements. You can also check out some of the best supplements for muscle growth to support both dietary phases. 

Workouts

Resistance training is needed to ensure a sufficient exercise stimulus for muscle gain and fat loss. The main difference between a cutting vs. bulking workout is the intensity and types of training. 

Different types of training for muscle growth can be used. However, a bulk usually involves higher intensity exercise as you have enough energy needed for performance. The main emphasis is on progressive overload, with high training volumes to stimulate muscle growth.

A cutting workout plan uses a moderate–to–high exercise intensity, but with more cardio exercise to support the calorie deficit. The goal is to burn calories through exercise rather than drastically reducing your food intake. Use our best muscle-building stacks to support your gym performance in both phases. 

How To Decide Whether To Bulk Or Cut First

“Should I bulk or cut first?” is one of the most common questions asked in fitness circles. Deciding the best time to bulk or cut depends on your current body composition, fitness goals, and mental state.

Key questions include “Are you already lean?” and “Do you have a solid amount of muscle mass to work with?”

If you’re already quite lean (around 15%–25% body fat for men and women, respectively), start with a bulk. This approach ensures more efficient muscle gain with a low starting body fat percentage. 

Learn how to switch from bulking to cutting by following the guidelines below. A decent bulking phase should typically last 8–12 weeks, with a consistent, steady approach generally better.

Knowing when to start cutting after bulking depends on your current body composition. You should start a cut once comfortable with your desired muscle gain without too much excess fat accumulation. This can also be done once you’ve followed the suggested timeframe above.

When you’re already carrying more body fat, start with a cut before transitioning to a bulking phase. This provides a solid starting point, allowing higher-quality muscle gain once you’ve got rid of the excess fat. A cutting phase should last for approximately 6–12 weeks, again, depending on your desired health goals and body composition.

The most important consideration is to use a consistent and steady science-backed approach. Listen to your body while regularly tracking your progress. Choose sustainable long-term progress over short-term results.

Can You Do Both At Once? 

Bulking and cutting at the same time is known as body recomposition. This process focuses on gaining lean muscle mass while reducing body fat, with little to no change in body mass. In terms of body recomposition vs. bulking, bulking specifically focuses on adding quality muscle mass. 

Traditional bodybuilding training commonly focuses on distinct phases. Bulking is used for muscle gain before a cutting phase. Following the bulk, a cutting phase reduces the excess fat gain while limiting potential muscle loss. While this is the most common training strategy, using both together is possible under certain conditions:

• If you’re a total beginner with hardly any training experience.
• Recreational gymgoers returning to training after an extended training break.
• Those with a significant amount of body fat.
• If you’re taking anabolic steroids, or you’re not natural.

In each of these situations, these populations tend to respond better to new training and dietary intakes. Therefore, they can gain quality muscle while reducing body fat at the same time.

However, for high-level intermediate and advanced athletes who are regularly training and natural lifters, this process becomes much harder. Building muscle and losing fat require distinct dietary and training phases to optimize progress. This is because their bodies are less responsive to normal training and dietary strategies. 

In these cases, doing both at once may lead to suboptimal progress. Using longer-term, dedicated bulking and cutting phases allows for more efficient muscle gain and fat loss. This better caters to the individual’s starting experience level and physical characteristics. 

Bulking And Cutting Mistakes to Avoid

These are the main bulking and cutting mistakes to avoid. Consider them alongside the most common muscle growth myths to optimize your health and performance.

• Consuming Too Many Calories When Bulking — While it may seem like it will enhance progress, it leads to excessive fat gain rather than enhanced muscle gain. Aim for a smaller calorie surplus of around 5%–20% per day to maximize your results. 
• Cutting Using Too Few Calories — An extreme calorie deficit can increase muscle loss, cause fatigue, increase anxiety levels, and ruin workout performance. Ensure a moderate deficit to preserve lean mass and maintain vital bodily functioning. 
• Switching Between Phases Too Quickly — Knowing how long to bulk before cutting requires knowledge and often patience. Frequent switching between phases doesn’t give your body enough time to sufficiently adapt. Allow longer-term, dedicated phases while ensuring a consistent approach for best results. 
• Not Properly Tracking Your Progress — Not monitoring your weight, gym performance, and body measurements means you have no idea if your approaches are working. You should regularly track your progress during bulking vs. cutting phases, making adjustments as needed. 
• Failing To Adjust Your Macronutrients Correctly — Keeping your macronutrients the same is a common mistake when learning about cutting vs. bulking for beginners. A cutting phase requires a much higher protein intake to maintain lean mass as your energy intake is decreased. More carbohydrates may be used when bulking to maximize your training intensity. 

Conclusion

Cutting and bulking cycles are distinct dietary phases used by bodybuilders and recreational gymgoers to gain muscle and lose fat. A bulking phase includes nutrient-dense foods and high-intensity training. A cutting phase focuses on high-quality, lower-calorie foods while keeping protein high.

To decide which is suitable for you, start by assessing your current body composition and deciding on your exercise goals. Use our cutting vs. bulking transformation guide, and you’ll remodel your physique in no time!

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