Should I bulk or cut first?

[Anonymous]

Ignore the Batman symbol shaped chest hair

I have never been to the gym and i have heard that you should bulk or cut. I am kind of skinny fat so i have no idea what to do. I am 6’2 190lbs

[-Aeon-]

I see no reason to choose. In stead, you should go for body recomposition.
Cutting may make sense if you are a competitive bodybuilder who needs to get as lean as possible before a competition, but for an everyday athlete, there is no need.
Bulking simply make no sense to me. You want to put on muscle an not too much fat. However, many seem to use bulking as a time for taking in far too many calories. While they do build muscle, they take in more calories than they need for their muscle building processes and store this excess as fat, which they can then struggle to get rid of again.

If you take in a little more calories than your everyday need, make sure to opt for good fats, protein and complex carbohydrates and fibres and stay consistent with your training, your body will have the extra energy needed for muscle building without (or with only a small) excess to store as fat.
If you think you are putting on too much fat, reduce the energy intake. If you feel that nothing happens on the muscle side, try increasing the energy intake.

[Screenwriter]

Get your body toned first. You should have good definition and maintain that. If you grow your muscles with a lean diet, you'll eventually gain a few pounds in muscle. But your height/weight is good. Five or 10 pounds of muscle is very hard work.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you need to cut, you’re not fat/it doesn’t look like there is any fat to really lose. Just start bulking and eating the part and if there is fat it’ll turn to muscle

[Screenwriter]

Fat cannot turn to muscle. They are two different things. The fact that his muscles aren't defined means they're covered by fat. He needs to trim that from his diet until his muscles are defined. If he adds more protein to his diet and keeps at weight lifting he will eventually gain more muscle mass.

[Opinion Owner]

@Screenwriter I mean it will get rid of/dissolve the fat. Muscle will replace it. Wrong. The fact that his muscles aren’t defined is because they’re probably tiny since he isn’t usually lifting. If he starts cutting he’ll literally become a stick

[Opinion Owner]

@Screenwriter any extra fat will burn as he starts exercising/lifting since there isn’t much of it. If he was fatter I’d recommend cutting but he’s already slim

[Screenwriter]

80% of getting leaner is diet. Only 20% exercise. Adding calories is not the best option. It will take awhile before he burns off that fat. Muscles are bulkier than fat, too, so he won't look "skinny" if he lifts and eats lean protein and veggies. If he loses five pounds of fat and maintains his lean muscle mass, he'll look bigger... It will take longer to gain that five pounds of muscle mass. But he'll get there.

[Screenwriter]

Consult a dietition and look at some of the muscle sites on youtube. See what you think about their recommendations. Your body is unique and you might need to try a few different things before you get best results.

[Anonymous]

You have a nice build do not lose weight. If I were you I'd just get cut you'd look great.

[loginfailed]

How about body recomposition

[FlatsRunner]

You’ve little to cut down to. I say bulk first.

[Ripper_E]

Both.