Advice on bulking vs. cutting?

Hi all,

I'm planning to return to the gym this week. I recently did a poorly-timed move from the UK just as gyms were starting to reopen, to a part of Australia where gyms were just starting to close. I want to gain muscle and get a bit leaner, but I'm having trouble deciding whether to cut initially, or go straight to bulking.

Based on the info below, any advice would be appreciated. Happy to provide additional info. Just ask.

- I'm male, 6'3" 200 lbs, a little above 18% BF, based on averaging two BIA measurements, one for the upper body and one for the lower body. I will be getting a DEXA scan in the near future for a more accurate reading. I'm in my mid-30s.
- I tend to gain muscle easily if I put in the effort, I lose weight pretty easily but not as easy as gaining, and have a medium to large frame. I think this classifies me as a mesomorph or meso-endomorph.
- Despite that, looking in the mirror, I'm borderline "skinny fat". But probably a little more muscular than your average skinny fat person.
- I spent the last 18 months doing a combination of cardio, bodyweight exercises, and dumbbell workouts at home. I lost about 50 lbs, without losing muscle. Even gaining some, but not a lot. This was after about a 5 year layoff from regular exercise.
- I'm not brand new to proper weightlifting, as I lifted from my mid-teens to my late-20s. So, I generally know what good form looks like, but I will have to reteach myself.
- I'm planning to use Arnold's bodybuilding encyclopedia as a guide to drawing up a good workout, but I'm not doing the basic workout he recommends in the book. Mainly because of the potential for overtraining. Also, some of his advice is outdated.
- I have a pretty good diet, currently aimed towards slowly losing weight. Plenty of protein, a decent amount of good carbs, lower in fat but not incredibly so.

Based on being borderline "skinny fat", I should try bulking. Based on my BF% and the potential for newbie gains, I could try cutting. And based on my ability to gain muscle and lose fat relatively easily, I could do either. So I'm not sure which direction to go.


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