Is This a Good Bulking Diet?

Nutrition
1

This summer I am going to gain some weight, and I’m wondering if the following plan is an effective way to keep my calorie/protein intake at high enough levels to gain muscle.

My diet will be broken down into two groups:

  1. Specific amounts of certain predetermined foods that I’ll eat every day no matter what.
  2. Random, unreliable filler (I’m still young and living at home, so I don’t have control over what’s for dinner, etc.)

Group no. 1 will consist of something like the following:

Every day:
One 172g can of tuna (220 cal, 41g protein)
One 144g bag mixed nuts (885 cal, 22g protein)
One 140g chicken breast (231 cal, 43g protein)
One 336g tub of cottage cheese (203 cal, 31g protein)
Three scoops (87g) Metabolic Drive (300 cal, 60g protein)
One quart 2% milk (488 cal, 32g protein)

The above, if eaten every day, gives me 2327 calories and 229g protein. I’m 165 pounds currently, so my protein intake is covered by the above foods. Therefore the “filler” would comprise the couple thousand more calories I need to take in (I’ll need over 4000 cal a day).

What sort of filler would be recommended here? My intake of vegetables/fruits is high, but are they worth counting in terms of calories? Since I’m getting enough protein/fruits/veggies, can the caloric filler be anything (within healthy reason) I want it to be? I thankfully look forward to some advice on this issue.

2

Maybe I missed it, but where are your carbs? You’re not planning to bulk without carbs are you?

3

[quote]rsg wrote:
Maybe I missed it, but where are your carbs? You’re not planning to bulk without carbs are you?[/quote]

You’re right. Is there a recommended carb intake per pound of bodyweight as there is with protein?

4

[quote]bransao wrote:
rsg wrote:
Maybe I missed it, but where are your carbs? You’re not planning to bulk without carbs are you?

You’re right. Is there a recommended carb intake per pound of bodyweight as there is with protein?[/quote]

Yes, but I can’t remember the figures. Go for 1-1.5x your protein intake, and see from there.

How much do you weigh now? At ~220g protein a day, you should be around 140lbs. If not, up your protein to at least 1.6g per lb.

Edit: @165lbs, aim for 270g protein.

5

^ So would it be a good idea to include some amount of complex carbs in the daily requirements category? For example, I would eat a certain amount of oatmeal or whole grain wheat bread every day.

6

Yes.

Pasta, wholegrain bread, raw oats, sweet potatoes & potatoes, etc.

7

the carbs are essential i’m afraid.

i’ve been mostly training cv work recently but i was doing 5day split a few months ago - cv in morning and gym in afternoon/evening. if i’d upped my weights and followed this diet for 5day/week i’d have bulked up something chronic. check it out, hope it gives you a few pointers…

(run in morning with nothing but a glass of water before i set off - usually 4-5miles)

brekky:- i like a big bowl museli with a small sprinkle or raisins and coco-pops (yes, the kids cereal) on the top along with a 200ml lo-carb protein drink with a little creatine on the side in the morning.

mid-morning:- 400ml lo-carb protein shake with banana’s (either blended in or on side).

lunch:- tends to be fresh ham or chicken, tinned tuna or mackeral with either a potato and cottage cheese or a salad and a wedge of fresh homemeal bread (v.little oil in a home-made vinegarette).

pre-gym:- 200ml lo-carb protein shake again with banana in or on side.
post-gym:- 400ml lo-carb protein shake again with banana in or on side (withing 15min of finishing exercise).

tea:- something healthy, depends on lunch and day. anything with lots of protein, low-sugars, some good fats. try to keep carbs to a fist-size portion (steak with sweet potato mash always a good idea). lots of veg!!

before bed:- depending on how hungry i am, 200ml lo-carb protein shake (with milk) and possibly a small wedge of wholemeal bread with some ham, no butter or cheese.

that’s about it. most folk reading this may have a few quibbles with a few things but it worked for me. had so much energy and got quite a lot stronger. only supplements were protein and creatine monohydrate.

obviously use a protein shake with lots of carbs if you need them. you can get quality calories by eating protein packed cheese and fatty cuts of meat (nothing too fatty). mackeral is a good fish for everything, you can get it from supermarkets in tins with tomato sauce - great snack for on the go.

hope this has been of help, if not, thanks for reading anyway.

Rokkus

8

rokkus i think its a better idea for ur post workout drink to have something that is a high GI carb instead of a low GI carb like a banana that is slow digesting… you want something that will hit you real quick…

try some instant oatmeal instead of a banana or have some Gatorade or Surge that is quick… the preferred bodybuilder stuff to mix w/ ur post workout shake is dextrose and maldextrose.

Try that out becasue u want to make sure u get a good 2:1 carb balance or if cutting/maintaing 1:1 carb/protein balance in ur PWO shake

use this formula from this site its about 1/3 down the page works great

tells u how much protein/carbs u should get postworkout

9

[quote]bransao wrote:
^ So would it be a good idea to include some amount of complex carbs in the daily requirements category? For example, I would eat a certain amount of oatmeal or whole grain wheat bread every day. [/quote]

Everyone else is pretty much covering it, but yeah.

Any solid REAL bulking diet should have one or two of the following words in pretty much every meal:

Sweet potatoes, oats, brown rice, whole grain bread, fruit, pasta.

10

[quote]LayzieBone085 wrote:
rokkus i think its a better idea for ur post workout drink to have something that is a high GI carb instead of a low GI carb like a banana that is slow digesting… you want something that will hit you real quick… [/quote]

yea, you’re right there. i do usually take a carb/energy drink whilst training but i overlooked that. silly really, i switch between milk and water to mix with my shakes for that same reason. doesn’t milk take longer to digest?

Rok

11

yeah milk does take longer… mix ur shake in water postworkout and let it absorb into ur muscles right away along with a high GI carb to spike so your muscles can recieve the treatment they deserve after you tore them up during your workout and u need that spike to get the glycogen repair going asap after your workout…

12

If you are gaining weight it is good,

Also

Dont be afraid of steak

13

guys, we cant ignore veggies with every meal. you gotta be getting in those veggies bro. how can you expect to gain wait if you cant meet antioxidant and micronutrient needs?

14

[quote]glenmowen wrote:
guys, we cant ignore veggies with every meal. you gotta be getting in those veggies bro. how can you expect to gain wait if you cant meet antioxidant and micronutrient needs?[/quote]

Two words.
Dave Tate.
Hehheh.