Bulking & Cutting on the Anabolic Diet

Jul 12th, 2007 by Mehdi

New to StrongLifts.com?
Here are a few posts the other readers recommend you check out.

After your first 4 weeks on the Anabolic Diet, it’s time to choose:

  • You’re happy with your current weight. Maintenance.
  • You want to gain weight. Bulking.
  • You want to lose weight. Cutting.

Key to bulking & cutting is your calorie intake.


Calories. Calories are like fuel to your car: energy. You need them for walking, digestion, strength training, reading this article,… All foods contain calories: meats, oils, veggies, fruits, grains, … You need a certain amount of calories for your daily activities:

  • Calorie intake is more than required => You gain weight
  • Calorie intake is less than required => You lose weight

This is an oversimplification of things, but good enough for the understanding of this article.


Bulking on the Anabolic Diet. Use this formula to calculate your daily calorie intake for bulking:

  • ( goal weight in lbs + (goal weight in lbs x 15%) ) x 25

Example: you weigh 70kg & set a goal weight of 75kg:

  • (154lbs + (154lbs x 15%) ) x 25 = 4400 kcal

Compare with the maintenance phase at 70kg:

  • bodyweight in lbs x 18 = 2800 kcal

Weigh yourself each week the day before loading carbs. Once you have your goal weight, go back to maintenance.


Cutting on the Anabolic Diet. Formula for calculating your daily calorie intake when cutting:

  • Maintenance calories - 500 kcal

Example: you weigh 90kg & want to lose weight:

  • (bodyweight in lbs x 18 ) - 500 kcal = 3000 kcal

Check the balance weekly the day before the carb loading. Aim for 0,5kg - 1kg weight loss a week.

If weight loss is lower:

  • Cut another 500 kcal from your daily calorie intake the next week
  • Repeat until you’re at your goal weight

Get back to maintenance when you’re satisfied with the results.


Tired of the way you look? You want to build muscle & lose fat while getting stronger? Click here to download my 52 pages 100% FREE eBook.


Articles You Might Also Like:


2 Responses to “Bulking & Cutting on the Anabolic Diet”

  1. on 05 May 2008 at 2:12 pm1Viv

    I just started the anabolic diet (Friday). So far so good I guess!! I am a little scared that I will gain weight with all this fat instead of losing. How could I prevent that? (I haven’t weight yet and I started at 130 - F, 5.3). I work out about 3 times a week but is mostly cardio is that a problem?

  2. on 08 May 2008 at 11:32 am2Dokola

    @ Viv

    No need to worry.

    You will not have to worry about dietary fat, after your first 5 days you will notice the change in body fat percentage already, I recommend skin fold callipers also (you did not mention your BF%). Although I noticed the change in the mirror :p

    As for your workouts it is not a problem but it is not ideal, have you tried stronglifts 5×5? I highly recommend it.

    To think eggs and bacon for breakfast could be good for you.

Leave a Reply


  • Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That's how we're gonna be -- cool. If you're not, I'll delete your stuff.
  • Ask your question in the Forum if the post is older than 7 days.