Would you bulk or cut if you were in my situation?

[DieselMan]

Hello. I'm currently at a crappy little base in eastern Afghanistan. We have a gym, albeit small. Our dining facility does not make anything that caters to the healthy-minded individual. What they cook is what there is to eat for each given meal. This will range from pizza to buffalo wings to ravioli.

I take protein after workout, and usually before bed too. I do know that I need to up my level of protein intake. I just forget sometimes. I also take creatine monohydrate, and optimen multi.

I go to the gym probably four days a week. I generally lift for hypertrophy, but lately I have enjoyed the burn I get from high reps and supersets. I have also started doing cardio again, and my cardiovascular endurance is pretty atrocious right now. Another reason I am considering a "cut". In the Army, you have to run. That is just how it goes. I don't want to train to get my cardio skills back while I'm trying to put on weight.

I am 6'3 and about 202 lbs. My body fat, given a rough estimate, I would say is around 13%. I have Test E and Dianabol for bulking that I plan to take when I get home in 6 months. I know that I'm prone to put on a little bit of fat during my bulk. I would like to start my bulk with as little fat as possible.

I feel like if I were to try to bulk on the foods that I'm provided, I would intake too many carbs and fats. It would be easier, I think, to cut back on calories and run four days a week, as well as hit the weights. Then I can properly bulk when I get home.

So what I am seeing as my two options, are:
1. Do a real crappy bulk, eating poor food and using limited equipment, OR
2. Do a small cut, which will make me even leaner than I am, but I should be able to improve my cardio easier. I had a two month break once and I put on 20 lbs, and when I ran again, it was horrendous. I don't want to go through that again. I'd like to build my cardio NOW so when I really bulk up, I have to simply maintain instead of start from nothing.

 

[Die$eL~Man]

I would wait till you get home.

 

[tcglow]

yeah i would hit the cut first then all out bulk when you get back home plus you will be able to up your protein intake also that way by waiting

 

[James42]

Your not real heavy for your weight but it sounds like a cut would be good for you. I would save the gear for the bulk later on.
If you cut, don't half ass it. Calculate your maintenance calories and macros. Deduct 500 calories. Adjust calories as needed to loose 1-2 pounds per week. When your done cutting increase calories slowly and maintain weight for a few weeks to avoid rebound fat gain.

 

[BigKevKris]

Do s nice easy cut and youll have a nice lean base to start your bulk when you return.....

 

[D33bo]

13% is not bad. If you're in the army you do a lot of cardio, like you said running. Burn the junk food with cardio. Build muscle with whatever energy you have left and have your daily shakes to grow muscle. Go back home with a good foundation, start your cycle and feel the effects of the gear (Test E & DBOL) in less time. You dont want to get home looking skinny. Atleast you will be fit from running and have a nice foundation/kickstart with the bulking. Good luck!

 

[Epizodiak]

Id say ure pretty lean with a bf percentage of 13 and therefore ready to bulk up. Give ur best and try to progress in the main compound exercises while eating a little bit over ur calorie maintenance level.