Since when?

Since Internet dorks started usurping terms used by chemically enhanced bodybuilders.

Why wouldn't it apply?

Because of what I just said. If you're not chemically enhanced, then you just eat a consistent, slight surplus while hitting your macro goals. Bulking and cutting makes no sense, you're literally just making things harder for yourself.

> If you're not chemically enhanced, then you just eat a consistent, slight surplus while hitting your macro goals. Bulking and cutting makes no sense, you're literally just making things harder for yourself.

If you eat a consistent slight surplus without ever having a period of deficit, then you will just get fat over time.

The whole point of bulking and cutting is to increase your training volume during a caloric surplus to pack on muscle, followed by a period of lowered training volume (due to poorer recovery while in a deficit) eating at a deficit to cut fat while retaining as much muscle as possible. This has nothing to do with steroids, it's just basic body building.

What even would be your propose for someone who wants to change their physique, especially for reducing body fat?