Bulking the Right Way

Nutrition
1

Hey everyone just hoping to find some good advice from some experienced lifters. Before I get started let me get you some background information. I’m 19 years old go to Penn State and started lifting about 9 months ago. Since then I have put on about 40 lbs of mass on my 140 lbs 5’6 frame out of high school. I just feel in love with weighlifting and take it extreamly seriously.

I deadlift 455x1 and was squatting 315x3 (before injuring my meniscus, soccer accident) since then I am unable to really lift legs. I have also changed from deadlifting to rack pulls (much easier on my knee). Never a big fan of Barbell Bench Press cause when I started I had improper form and was more concerned about my ego.

I can DB Incline 95x4 which is a heck of long way from what I started (45x6)chest has always really been my weakest part.

I come here today to talk about lifting while gaining minimal fat, increasing muscle mass, and increasing strength. I currently do a 5 day split (chest, back, arms, shoulders, and stick to light leg work). I’ve always lifted with lots of volume even when I first started, usually in the gym for about 1.5 hours everyday.

Usually work abs after training back and legs. I am hoping to get some advice about bulking correctly. I recently cut to 175 and have been happy with the results but am done cutting in hope to gain more muscle. I know diet is key when building muscle so I was hoping to get some critique on my diet.

Breakfast (12pm Don’t laugh I usually wake up later) : Whole Grain Natural Oats with 2 scoops of whey

Pre-Workout (2-3pm) 2 pieces of baked Chicken Breast

Peri-Workout (3pm-5pm) 2 scoops of whey + creatine

Post-Workout (6pm-7pm) Brown Rice + 2 pieces of baked chicken breast

Dinner (9pm-10pm) Chicken or 3 eggs or some chicken sasuage

Wondering if this is a good diet to keep as lean as possible while making the most gains. I don’t know if I should incorporate brown rice to pre-workout mainly due to me being VERY carb-intolerate (don’t think thats the word, I put on fat easily from carbs). I eat broccoli every day with my dinner and post-workout meals. Thank you for all the advice, and don’t be hesitant to ask me any questions and truly critique.

2

If you aren’t gonna eat any carbs you really should up the fats.
That doesn’t even look like 2000 calories. Can you add them up for us?

And oh yea, you are gonna get SICK of chicken lol.

3

Thats exactly what I thought, been on the diet for about a week and half and I always feel bloated around my mid -section. I doubt its the creatine, I used it all while cutting. Going to calculate calories in the morning and see where I’m at, maybe add some almonds for snacks during the day for protein + fats.

Just curious, do you think I should have carbs at breakfast, pre WO, and post WO or should I only have it during certain periods of time. I know you are most anabolic and glycogen depleted first in the morning and Post WO.

Trying to gain as much of muscle as possible in the next 3 months while losing some body fat. I know it’s not intensity that is the problem, I’m always ramping up the weights and pushing myself. I literally have a puddle follow me around at the gym.

Thanks for the advice and early response, and yeah I’m hating chicken already.

4

How the hell is this considered a “bulk”? Bulking up implies that the whole fucking goal is to gain as much muscle as humanly possible in a given amount of time. What you are doing sure as hell ain’t that.

I doubt you will gain much at all that way…and it isn’t like the guys doing slow gain are making more progress overall. You can just look around the site to see that.

You are not bulking up and don’t even seem to want to…so why use the term?

5

Well, if thats the right way, ive been doing things wrong for a good while now =(

6

I get bloated and gassy as hell when trying to eat squeaky-clean… Chicken breasts and oatmeal? Go away…

Find foods which work for you… I.e. you don’t mind eating a lot of them, all the time (sort of as filler/cal dense food), and they don’t give you digestive issues (though digestive enzyme support can help… Bromelain etc).

7

[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
Well, if thats the right way, ive been doing things wrong for a good while now =([/quote]

There’s the right way, the wrong way, and the Akuma way. But isn’t that the wrong way? Yes, but faster.

8

[quote]Rational Gaze wrote:

[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
Well, if thats the right way, ive been doing things wrong for a good while now =([/quote]

There’s the right way, the wrong way, and the Akuma way. But isn’t that the wrong way? Yes, but faster.[/quote]

My diet includes tree stumps, live babies, and the Color blue.

9

I’ve went through probably 5-6 jars of almond butter over the last couple of weeks. I eat a few spoonfuls in between meals. Easy calories, good fiber/fat/protein and doesn’t fill you up, and it’s friggin delicious. Make it your best friend

10

[quote]Akuma01 wrote:

[quote]Rational Gaze wrote:

[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
Well, if thats the right way, ive been doing things wrong for a good while now =([/quote]

There’s the right way, the wrong way, and the Akuma way. But isn’t that the wrong way? Yes, but faster.[/quote]

My diet includes tree stumps, live babies, and the Color blue.[/quote]

Haha, wtf?

11

I think part of the problem is people seeing pictures of guys who weigh under 180lbs with exceptional genetics for muscle shape who always stay lean while thinking they can do the same…despite not having the same genetic makeup or being 5 inches taller or more.

Unless you are very short (like Mad Titan or guys like onemorerep), you need to accept that some extreme amounts of food will likely need to be consumed to make optimal progress. The rest of the approach is based ON YOUR OWN METABOLISM AND GENETICS. I personally do not make gains well at all trying to stay around 10% body fat. Meanwhile, I have grown pretty well by being even 10% more than that…at least making more progress than most outside of guys like lewhitehurst or maybe even waylander.

That means that if I had tried to force my body to make gains outside of the range that actually works best for me…that would have resulted in LESS MUSCLE GAINS over time.

It is fucking great to try to stay lean. NO one anywhere is saying become a fat ass. HOWEVER, if your attempt to stay lean is literally preventing muscle gains, then you need to do what is necessary to make progress or simply accept that you won’t be making much anyway.

12

You can clean bulk. I did. However, I’ve only got 30lbs of muscle to show for 5 years of work. You’re going to have to eat a shit-ton more if you’re eating super clean to gain mass. Depends on your body composition but you’re going to likely need 4000cals at minimum. I was eating around 6000, but I have a batshitcrazy metabolism.

I don’t recommend it though. I wish I could do it over, but I hated the idea of being over 10% BF. I’m on a true bulk plan now, trying to convince myself that getting to 12% wont kill me…

13

[quote]jychulan1990 wrote:

Trying to gain as much of muscle as possible in the next 3 months while losing some body fat. I know it’s not intensity that is the problem, I’m always ramping up the weights and pushing myself. I literally have a puddle follow me around at the gym.
[/quote]

Read the italics again. You have goals that are completely opposite one another.

If you want to gain “as much muscle as possible” in the next 3 months, you certainly can’t lose BF, and will actually need to add some.

If you want to lose BF, you will not gain as much muscle as possible in the next 3 months.

If you want to gain some muscle while losing some bodyfat, i.e. a “recomp”, you will look at your progress in these 2 areas in 3 months and be satisfied with neither.

Pick a goal and go after it, balls-to-the-wall.

14

It took me almost a year to understand this, myself. Bulking is getting bigger EVERYWHERE, well except your man meat, that will likely look smaller. You have to except that to “get big quick” you will also gain fat. Also wanted to suggest you add cottage cheese to your diet. Go find a gym next to a buffet and get busy. Good luck.

15

One other thing, one body part (muscle group) a week, at most every four days and sleep, sleep, sleep!!!

16

I’ve taken everyone in account here and have added much more carbs to my diet, I am only 5’6 and I seem to put on fat easily so I eat ONLY Oatmeal, Brown Rice, A shitload of Talapia, Broccoli, Chicken Sasuage,Whey Protein, Wheat Bread, and Natural Peanut Butter. I am 175lbs right now and am trying to get to 200lbs by December.

I am more concerned about size but I’ve always lifted heavy with a lot of intensity. I just don’t know if I can eat 4000kcals and expect myself not to become a fatass. It’s the summer and all I do is sleep, go to one class, and lift…THATS IT. I’ve added Brown Rice to my post-workout and pre-workout meals, I eat oatmeal every day in the morning with 2 scoops of whey.

I ain’t by any means a weak kid but I am nowhere near some of the PR’s on the site. I am sitting right now at a 235 Bench Press, 445 Deadlift, and 315 Squat. I just follow what everyone does ,lift heavy and increase the weights when you can. I eat about 260g of protein everyday just trying to see how to bulk optimally, I don’t want to be at 215lbs with 25% or more bodyfat I think thats unacceptable.

17

There is no reason why you cant bulk using those foods, it is just going to take much more will power. Ultimately, it all comes down to the macronutrients and the calories in vs calories out. If you get your macronutrients right, I see no reason why you cant bulk using these foods. You may need to eat upwards of 4000 calories, and if you cant get past this barrier that you have, you may not reach your goals.

18

I am just curious how do you guys stay somewhat lean while bulking at such high caloric counts, I always feel sluggish and somewhat fat when eating so much food. I don’t really do any cardio (absolutely despise it), but I want to really see how much muscle my body frame can actually handle (5’6).

19

What do you mean “you guys”. Not everyone stays at the same leanness while bulking. Some people stay completely shredded and others have a soft midsection. Please focus on yourself before you become more confused/delusional.

And if you gain fat easily you are the ideal candidate for cardio during a bulk. It doesnt have to be on a treadmill. Go outside and do some sprints a couple times a week. With your goals carido is essentail.

20

You’re 19, want to get stronger, in college, and not competing. Why not eat more if you want to grow?