Should I cut?

[eddCurio]

Just got finished squeezing out last of Starting Strength LP gains.

Age: 20
Height: 5'10 1/2

Lifts:

Squat: 185 x 5 -> 405 x 3
Deadlift: 275 -> 450 x 1
OHP: 85 -> 175 x 1 or 160 5 x 3
Bench: 155 x 5 -> 210 3x5 or 225 x 2 (Always struggled with bench for some reason.)

Waist measurement: 34' -> 43'

Did the program for about a year +. Gained ~60 lbs 160 -> 226 lbs. (GOMAD diet) All lifts have stopped moving up as before (except OHP). Went from loose mediums to tight XL. But now I got myself a little belly that shows in XL. Not cool. Should I cut? Also, how fast should it be? I do not want to lose what I worked hard for. Thanks!

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Waist measurement: 34' -> 43'

Yep. I'd cut.

[Bolson32]

Side note, looks like you DTFP which most people don't. Good work there, how do you feel about the end result? Belly included.

Jordan, this is probably a pretty vague question, but is a 43" waist to be expected or is that a little egregious at finishing LP for the OPs height.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Side note, looks like you DTFP which most people don't. Good work there, how do you feel about the end result? Belly included.

Jordan, this is probably a pretty vague question, but is a 43" waist to be expected or is that a little egregious at finishing LP for the OPs height.

I would not expect that much waist increase and the upper body lifts suggest to me there's a likely genetic component here.

[eddCurio]

I inconsistently did the program TBH.

Summary to long story.

I would do a mini cut (unintentionally) and workout inconsistently during school time and follow the program correctly during vacations which would make up lost strength. However, starting each bulk cycle I was a heavier weaker version of myself because of bad diet and workout schedule during school. I eventually got over it and did GOMAD during school + Summer and that's how I reached those numbers.

Was it worth the belly?
Yeah, but cutting is not fun. I would recommend following Rip's advice. If you are fat don't do GOMAD. If you are skinny do GOMAD for the time they recommend. Go past the time time they recommend and you risk looking like a relative of Jaba the Hutt. I was already borderline "fat don't do GOMAD" and took that risk anyway.