Will I look muscular if I cut?

Yes, you can. Cutting reduces body fat, which helps make the underlying muscle mass more visible and makes you look leaner and muscular.

Should I bulk if I’m 25% body fat?

That depends on your goals. According to a meta-analysis published in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, the body fat levels of bodybuilding athletes in the preparation phase (usually the bulking phase) ranged between 15.3 and 25.2% in women and from 9.6 to 16.3% in men. Once the competition got closer, the cutting phase ensued, and their body fat levels had significantly reduced to between 8.1 and 18.3% for female athletes and 5.8 to 10.7% for male athletes ( 5 ). If you’re already at 25% body fat, bulking will likely increase this percentage, which will make cutting harder. However, if you’re not a competitive bodybuilder, it may be reasonable to focus on gaining muscle mass and getting stronger if that is a goal, particularly if you’re a woman. 25% body fat is well within the healthy range for a woman.

How can I bulk up quickly?

A combination of high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods and heavy lifting will help you reach your goals. It should be noted that a clean bulking meal plan is better than dirty bulking. The latter may help with rapid weight gain, but the low nutritional quality foods in dirty bulking may also lead to increased fat gain, which is difficult to lose once you start cutting. It’s always best to stick with a healthy, balanced, nutritious diet, regardless of what your goals are.