2 questions on how to get back in the swing of things

[Fiverz]

Hey guys ... I've been lurking these forums for the last couple years (when I could ... see below). I need some advice/opinions on how to go about what I want to achieve.

I have worked out since the age of 15 (currently to be 24 in Feb). For the last year-year and a half I haven't at all. I've had numerous personal problems that have prevented me from doing what I want to and need to with my body and my life in general. In fact it got to the point where I was eating 10,000 calories a day one month and a few months later not eating at all for 3 days. Thankfully I can say I am over that and ready to get back in the swing of things. I would imagine that I am around 19% body fat at 195 lbs 5'10''. When I was 19 or so I weighed 170 with around 7% fat and major definition. I'd like to get back to that (over time of course).

First question: having come off that, do you guys suggest going right back into training/steady diet, or some kind of ween on or off? I currently was in a phase of eating VERY little over the past 2 weeks. Is it ok to just go head-first into a bulk/cut? Leads to my other question ...

I have two diets/routines ready (one for bulking, the other for cutting) ... any opinions on which to do first? I know that it will likely take me 3-5 cycles over the course of 1-2 years to get exactly where I want. It's just that to me a cut diet/routine is like gorging compared to what I have been eating. Then again I wasn't working out at all. Opinions are welcome ... and I have to say this place is THE best forum for not only bodybuilding, but nutrition and lifting in general.


Oh yea, I'll be starting a journal soon as well.

[Canadian Crippler]

Seems like you have everything in place. At 19%, I'd cut down a bit. Maybe to 12% or so, it depends on you. It'll be a nicer place to start a bulk and you can guage how your diet is working for you in terms of fat vs. muscle better from that stage.

Ween into it slowly. No need to go on/off, use your regular routine but don't expect to be putting up your old numbers in the first week.

[Fiverz]

Yea by ween on I meant start eating again slowly and lifting slowly ... or just try and hit it as hard as I (comfortably) can. Any more opinions?

[Canadian Crippler]

Too lazy to reread your post, but if your layoff was for more than a couple months you will likely just shove on fat if you resume your old bulking diet. Build up to it. Ditto with the lifting/

[Fiverz]

Thanks that's what I was looking to hear. I'm thinking about taking a good 2-3 weeks to slowly get back into a routine. I get really bad DOMS the first week or so after starting a new routine anyways. I think that I will just try to find my maintenance point and stick there for those first couple of weeks diet-wise, then go into a cut.