Refeeding Reality: Smart Bulking After Long Cut
You’ll stop the cut when you’ve lost ~5–10% body mass, strength and energy start to tank, or after roughly 3–4 months; then bump calories +200–500 kcal/day and hold that for about 25–50% of your cut length to reset glycogen and recovery. Aim 0.8–1.0 g protein per lb, carbs ~3–5 g/kg, fats ~20–30% of calories, and raise training volume 10–20% weekly. Track twice-weekly weight and adjust 100–200 kcal; more specifics follow.
How to Judge Readiness: When to Stop the Cut and Start Refeeding
If you've been cutting for several months, stop and check a few objective markers before you start refeeding: have you lost roughly 5–10% of your body mass, has the cut lasted about 3–4 months, and are your strength, energy, or sleep noticeably declining?
If those fit, you’re likely ready to refeed and regain freedom from chronic deficit. Prioritize a short maintenance window to stabilize hormones and appetite, watch strength as your main signal, and avoid chasing lower weight at the cost of muscle.
If you’re still energetic and lifting strong, you can extend cautiously; otherwise, start refeeding methodically. A moderate calorie increase and continued focus on heavy resistance training will help preserve muscle as you transition out of a deficit.
Set Your Refeed Plan: Timeline, Calorie Jump, and Maintenance Buffer
Once you decide to stop the cut, plan a gradual refeed that gives your metabolism and training the breathing room they need: increase calories by about 200–500 kcal/day above your end-of-cut intake to start, hold that for a maintenance buffer equal to roughly 25–50% of your cut duration, and use twice-weekly weigh-ins to guide further small adjustments so weight stabilizes before you push into a full bulk.
Start with +200–500 kcal/day
Maintain for 25–50% of cut length
Weigh twice weekly, compare same days
Adjust by 100–200 kcal if drifting
Use this buffer to reset training intensity
This keeps options open and pace controlled. Include sufficient protein to support