I know that I generally use whatever I can find cheap while I’m really throwing down calories.
Has anybody also thought about Poliquin’s HCL supplementation idea when bulking?
Fiber is a must, but thanks for the reminder Ratchet.
DG
I used HCl when I switched back to bulking. All the extra food (especially the carbs) was bloating me and I wasn’t really gaining much at first. I polished off a bottle of generic Betaine HCl and all was well.
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Did you notice anything different after supplementing with it in regaurds to absorption. I’ve been told by some people that it helps your body absorb all of what you are putting in your gut and might be able to make your food go further for progress than what it is right now.
Also you don’t feel like your bloated the entire time. lol
thanks MaddyD, but do you know of any other digestive enzymes…I’ve been told that if consuming mad amounts of cals they are def recommended. I have a yogurt I buy at vons thats loaded with probiotics and the like. It works but I have still been told to look more into a digestive enzyme supplement.
take what you’re eating now, and add a whole fucking pizza too it. That’s at least 1000 calories. I did that last summer, and made great gains. I was in the 5000-6000 calorie range all summer.
[quote]zephead4747 wrote:
take what you’re eating now, and add a whole fucking pizza too it. That’s at least 1000 calories. I did that last summer, and made great gains. I was in the 5000-6000 calorie range all summer.
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I often eat a whole large pizza after leg days.
I’m talking like daily tricks and stuff tho.
If I could afford to eat an entire pizza daily I might just try it. lol
I’ll toss a giant spoon of PB down after every meal, or even play the ‘what can I dissolve into my oatmeal’ game (usually PB, Honey, Wheatgerm, flax seeds, or the ol standby of protein powder).
I actually remember back in my skinnier days when I would just drink a myoplex just as my beverage (usually with 2 Tuna Sandwiches on WHole Wheat and a Banana for lunch)
[quote]ctschneider wrote:
If you’re not afraid of some pretty dirty calories, then you can’t beat eggnog. 400+ kCal / 8 oz. glass. And it doesn’t seem to fill me up very much either.
Also homemade beef jerky tends to have more fat (and therefore more calories) than store bought stuff. (Plus it also tastes better.) I would guess that swapping store bought for homemade would probably bump the calories per serving by about 20%. Granted, it’s somewhat time consuming to make.[/quote]
Holy calories, batman! Awesome call. Plus, who doesnt love gorging themselves with egg nog during the holidays?
DG, try that supershake, but substitute half the whole milk for egg nog and make it a 2000 cal shake. That’s a good way to start the day.
But seriously, if you try this, let us know how it goes.
[quote]Dirty Gerdy wrote:
Anybody recommend any digestive enzyme supplement?
I know that I generally use whatever I can find cheap while I’m really throwing down calories.
Has anybody also thought about Poliquin’s HCL supplementation idea when bulking?
Fiber is a must, but thanks for the reminder Ratchet.
DG[/quote]
Yes,I used to get an upset stomach or would feel bloated when bulking.
I found taking a probiotic/prebiotic really helped me digest all the extra food.
Just yoghurt didn’t do much for me,and I have since found many consumer reports/investigations have shown just because it says there is certain bacteria in there,doesn’t mean they’re ‘live’.
Even if they are ‘live’,many do not state how much bacteria is in a serving,or even if they actually survive the journey through your digestive system.
There is an article on T-Nation about pre/probiotics,which goes into this in detail,if you use the search function.
I take a supplement called Super Acidophilus 3 Billion.
It has a minimum of 3 Billion CFU’s (Colony Forming Units) per capsule,from 8 different strains,all listed on the label.It also has fruit sugars in the pill to give the bacteria something to feed on.
The manufacturer is myprotein.
peanut butter and whole grain crackers gets me over the hump. the cool thing about pb is it doesn’t need refrigeration. I keep about 10 of these in my car and bag at all times.
I personally eat a ton of dairy on cheat days specifically because I can get a ton of calories before I feel full. Of course, they also taste awesome and lots of casein makes me high
Pastas with cream sauces like alfredo or stroganoff, potatoes with lots of sour cream and cheese, protein shakes with heavy whipping cream, etc.
A couple words of caution though: eating lots of dairy might bloat you up pretty bad and cause some gastrointestinal distress.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I’ll toss a giant spoon of PB down after every meal, or even play the ‘what can I dissolve into my oatmeal’ game (usually PB, Honey, Wheatgerm, flax seeds, or the ol standby of protein powder).
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Same on both strategies.
I usually have a jar of natty PB that I try to get through each week. That’s about 3000 extra calories each week without trying terribly hard.
I would certainly recommend supplements to improve gut health.
A quality probiotic, taken last thing at night, along with some digestive enzymes and / or Betaine would be great if you can afford it. Also, try eating a bit of tropcal fruit daily too, pineapple, papaya and mango are good choices.
When I first bulked up many years ago, I had to force feed myself, I distinctly remember - and unfondly remember -having to force down canned tuna, olive oil and instant rice. I literally had to drink the crap down!
Anyway, a few simple strategies to increase the energy density of your foods.
Cooking methods: use coconut oil, peanut oil, or some other oil with a higher smoke point to cook your meals with.
Substitute white meat for red meat. Minced steak is great for this, I find it easy to eat a significant amount one time.
Cheeses. Taste great and is an awesome addition to savoury meals.
Homemade sauces / condiments. This is a great trick I use. Make your own dressings / condiments and use liberal amounts of quality oils.
Strategically timed semi ‘cheat’ meals. Go with post workout and aim for very high energy density, palatable foods. Things like pastas with meat sauces are great for this. Pasta can be very energy dense and easy to eat.
Reduce fibrous foods.
Have a protein shake during the night.
Sip a whey isolate shake inbetween meals. The whey isolate is absorbed very quickly and doesnt tend to bloat too much.
Creams added to your protein shakes.
Waxymaize starch. Having the odd waxymaize + BCAA (look for a 4:1 ratio) and sip throughout the day.
There are loads of things you can do. Although what I found was, at some point, you will likely have to eat ‘dirtier’ foods. Make sure that you have you bases covered:
a) quality protein, b) healthy fats, c) appropriately timed carbs, d) Micronutrients and phyonutrients
Cover these bases first, then add the ‘dirtier’ foods. Initially you should aim to make them as bodydbuiling friendly as possible, so burgers, chinese foods, are great. Monitor your health and you’ll be good to go.
I’m probably gonna get flamed like hell for this… but… I’ve been making a half gallon of lemonade… with a full cup of table sugar mixed in… I think I read somewhere a cup of sugar has 770 calories in it. I got leaner when I started doing this too… sooo… I dunno. I might handle carbs well… lol. But yeah. That’s what I’ve been doing… I feel so much more energetic now too!
I am obsessed with coffee (lived in Seattle for 5 years) and typically drink it black. But, when I am bulking I add in half and half or full cream if they have it (coconut works too) with a tablespoon of honey and some pure cocoa powder…
helps add extra dairy calories to something I would be drinking anyways.
Yes,I used to get an upset stomach or would feel bloated when bulking.
I found taking a probiotic/prebiotic really helped me digest all the extra food.
Just yoghurt didn’t do much for me,and I have since found many consumer reports/investigations have shown just because it says there is certain bacteria in there,doesn’t mean they’re ‘live’.
Even if they are ‘live’,many do not state how much bacteria is in a serving,or even if they actually survive the journey through your digestive system.
Yogurt is horrible stuff. I lose almost all ab definition the day after I eat ONE yogurt. It’s like that slimey goo just wraps right around my abs…
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Yes,I used to get an upset stomach or would feel bloated when bulking.
I found taking a probiotic/prebiotic really helped me digest all the extra food.
Just yoghurt didn’t do much for me,and I have since found many consumer reports/investigations have shown just because it says there is certain bacteria in there,doesn’t mean they’re ‘live’.
Even if they are ‘live’,many do not state how much bacteria is in a serving,or even if they actually survive the journey through your digestive system.
Yogurt is horrible stuff. I lose almost all ab definition the day after I eat ONE yogurt. It’s like that slimey goo just wraps right around my abs…
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If you retain water that fast…maybe its some sort of allergic reaction.
Or is just in your head man. lol
One little yogurt isn’t going to make you gain fat or even retain that much water instantly dood.
[quote]Dirty Gerdy wrote:
Anybody recommend any digestive enzyme supplement?
I know that I generally use whatever I can find cheap while I’m really throwing down calories.
Has anybody also thought about Poliquin’s HCL supplementation idea when bulking?
Fiber is a must, but thanks for the reminder Ratchet.
DG[/quote]
Bromelain to help with protein digestion and absorption. I take one cap with each meal and it helps a lot. Especially eating upwards of 500g of protein a day. Make sure you do not exceed 3000 GDU of bromelain a day though. I believe there can be some adverse sides when exceeding that amount.
