What is bulking?

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pielattes1
pielattes1 Posts: 62 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I am new to this site and I would like to bulk/cut. Will someone explain bulking and how to do it? Also, what kinds of food are good for bulking? Do you just go and eat whatever you want whenever you want or do you eat certain types of food with certain macros (fats/carbs)? More fat? More carb?

I am already very lean (13%bf) toned and small - thanks for your help.

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  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Bulking is purposefully eating more calories than you need to maintain weight while following a progressive lifting program with the intention of gaining muscle. During a bulk people gain both muscle and fat, so a gain of only a couple of pounds per month is suggested. After a designated time frame or after reaching a specific body fat percentage a person starts a cut, which is lifting and eating at a slight deficit.

    Typically you want to eat a mix of the macros with the focus being on hitting roughly .8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. You do not have to have specific macros or specific foods. It's a good idea to not eat with abandon or your fat gains could seriously out pace your lean mass gains. The goal is to gain weight though, so eating too little is also not a good idea. Typically 250 calories over maintenance (every day, not 250 for the whole week) for women is a good starting point.
  • pielattes1
    pielattes1 Posts: 62 Member
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    @usmcmp Thank you! I don't tend to consume much fat, and my carbs intake is mostly complex. I typically meet my carb intake req. for +1lb. gain on MFP (I don't go over), and I always seem to double my daily recommended fiber and go over my protein limit. Will I gain weight doing this? Like I said, I really don't consume much in the way of fat...is that going to pose a problem with gaining?
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    pielattes1 wrote: »
    @usmcmp Thank you! I don't tend to consume much fat, and my carbs intake is mostly complex. I typically meet my carb intake req. for +1lb. gain on MFP (I don't go over), and I always seem to double my daily recommended fiber and go over my protein limit. Will I gain weight doing this? Like I said, I really don't consume much in the way of fat...is that going to pose a problem with gaining?

    Gaining is related to calories, not macros or food types. There isnt a specific amount of carbs for gaining/losing , so I'm not sure how you have a carb goal for +1lb gain?

    Fat is good for your health, no need to restrict it.
  • pielattes1
    pielattes1 Posts: 62 Member
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    ok, so how accurate is MFP with estimating required calories for gain? I have been meeting the calorie req. for +1lb on MFP. My carb limit is stated on my food diary on MFP as the # of carbs I should have daily to +1lb/week.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    pielattes1 wrote: »
    ok, so how accurate is MFP with estimating required calories for gain? I have been meeting the calorie req. for +1lb on MFP. My carb limit is stated on my food diary on MFP as the # of carbs I should have daily to +1lb/week.

    The macro amounts are recommendations based on a default macro percentage breakdown of your total calorie intake. Eating that amount of carbs is not really relevant to whether you're going to achieve the goal you have, you need to focus on your calorie intake.

    MFP can only estimate based on the stats you give it. You may over/underestimate activity and exercise which will affect results, as will the accuracy of your logging. Individuals will also be just that - individual! There are many things that affect how your body burns calories. Track your weight daily, using a trending app, and see how your weight changes over 4-6 weeks.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    pielattes1 wrote: »
    usmcmp Thank you! I don't tend to consume much fat, and my carbs intake is mostly complex. I typically meet my carb intake req. for +1lb. gain on MFP (I don't go over), and I always seem to double my daily recommended fiber and go over my protein limit. Will I gain weight doing this? Like I said, I really don't consume much in the way of fat...is that going to pose a problem with gaining?

    Dietary fat is important for hormones, which is important for gaining. I would say with bulking you don't want to be any lower than 25%. Then setting protein at .8-1.0 grams per pound of lean body mass. Whatever is left of your calories can go to carbs and fat, as long as you are getting adequate fat.

    Overall the number of calories you eat are the important part of gaining. If you aren't gaining over the course of several week you need to eat more. Fats are a really easy way to increase calories. Eating fat does not make you fat.
  • pielattes1
    pielattes1 Posts: 62 Member
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    @usmcmp - thank you again, you have a lot of great info.

    My next question- what is the difference between a "clean" bulk versus just bulking. I've read that food shouldn't be looked at as "clean" versus "dirty"? I just wanted to know how to keep my bulking as lean as possible.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    pielattes1 wrote: »
    @usmcmp - thank you again, you have a lot of great info.

    My next question- what is the difference between a "clean" bulk versus just bulking. I've read that food shouldn't be looked at as "clean" versus "dirty"? I just wanted to know how to keep my bulking as lean as possible.

    Clean vs dirty bulk has nothing to do with food. Clean vs dirty in respect to bulking relates to how much fat you put on whilst bulking - this relates to the size of your surplus. To limit fat gains, keep your surplus small.
  • pielattes1
    pielattes1 Posts: 62 Member
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    @livingleanlivingclean - Thank you!
  • hmicheal763
    hmicheal763 Posts: 4 Member
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    If you want to build muscle and not gain fat tell your body that, lift heavy weights. Still making sure to eat more than you burn so your body has something to build muscle from. Your body can change fats into sugar and sugar into muscle so don't worry too much about what you are eating.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,509 Member
    edited August 2017
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    hmicheal763 wrote: »
    If you want to build muscle and not gain fat tell your body that, lift heavy weights. Still making sure to eat more than you burn so your body has something to build muscle from. Your body can change fats into sugar and sugar into muscle so don't worry too much about what you are eating.
    Yeah, no, that's not how it works.

    I fully trust the females above advice here. Just listen to them.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    hmicheal763 wrote: »
    If you want to build muscle and not gain fat tell your body that, lift heavy weights. Still making sure to eat more than you burn so your body has something to build muscle from. Your body can change fats into sugar and sugar into muscle so don't worry too much about what you are eating.
    Yeah, no, that's not how it works.

    I fully trust the females above advice here. Just listen to them.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png


    :D
  • pielattes1
    pielattes1 Posts: 62 Member
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    @mmapags & @ninerbuff - thank you guys. Also do you eat more calories on the days that you workout harder and the maintenance amount on the days that you don't or eat more calories consistently throughout the "bulking period"?

    I read this article: https://www.t-nation.com/training/truth-about-bulking
    what are your thoughts?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    pielattes1 wrote: »
    @mmapags & @ninerbuff - thank you guys. Also do you eat more calories on the days that you workout harder and the maintenance amount on the days that you don't or eat more calories consistently throughout the "bulking period"?

    I read this article: https://www.t-nation.com/training/truth-about-bulking
    what are your thoughts?

    That might be worth considering if you are a competition body builder but i don't. Most of us don't depend on what happens with nutrition substrates in a short time window because it doesn't really matter. So, to answer your question, I eat consistently, bulk, cut, or maintenance. The variance in calorie cycling is minimal.

    To the ladies that gave you some great advice earlier. How would you women as completion body builders answer this? (I have not competed. Both ladies and miner have. )
  • pielattes1
    pielattes1 Posts: 62 Member
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    @mmapags I am definitely not in competition nor do I intend to be at this point. I just want to keep my leanness and "thicken" myself whilst keeping my body fat about the same.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    pielattes1 wrote: »
    @mmapags & @ninerbuff - thank you guys. Also do you eat more calories on the days that you workout harder and the maintenance amount on the days that you don't or eat more calories consistently throughout the "bulking period"?

    I read this article: https://www.t-nation.com/training/truth-about-bulking
    what are your thoughts?

    Calorie cycling isn't really necessary and might get you a 1% advantage. It would also depend on you personally as to how you respond to calorie cycling. I personally have found eating more the day prior to lifting gives me a better lifting session and has fueled growth better than eating more the day of training. You could be different. Initially just worry about eating enough to grow.

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