Ep 380 - Bulking, Cutting, and Recomping

In this Q&A episode, Eric Trexler and Eric Helms open with a recap of their trip to Norway and announce a new MASS partnership with AFPT International. They then work through a string of listener questions that end up forming a surprisingly cohesive arc: how much total daily energy expenditure actually varies between people, RED-S and low energy availability, what really drives satiety, and a deep dive into building or retaining muscle in a calorie deficit. The back half tackles body recomposition head-on, why the rigid "bulk vs. cut" mindset comes largely from competitive and enhanced bodybuilding, and how natural powerlifters demonstrate that recomp is closer to the default state than most people assume.

Iron Culture is proudly presented by the MASS Research Review. Mostly because Helms and Trex are co-owners.

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Chapters

0:00 - Intro

10:24 - Q&A begins: Is maintaining 2400 cal "above the mean"? (TDEE variance)

17:00 - RED-S, low energy availability & the female athlete triad

23:10 - What actually drives satiety?

33:14 - Building muscle in a deficit: protein needs & why muscle is lost

49:31 - What bulking studies tell us about surplus size

55:40 - Listener case study: bulk first or recomp while cutting? (Natalia)

1:01:15 - Where the "bulk vs. cut" mindset really comes from

1:12:24 - Powerlifting as a case study in recomposition

1:16:44 - Do drugs break the rules? PEDs & nutrient partitioning

1:18:34 - Wrap-up