Am I doing it ( Bulking) right?

funfang · October 2014

Here is some information about me, I am 38 years old, mother of 2, 5"7.5 tall and weight 123 lbs

I started weight lifting this June and started bulking this August from 122 lbs, ate 1890 calories but still losing weight. My MFP friend told me I had set my daily activities wrong so I then up to 2030 and was able to gain weight to 125 lbs about 2 weeks ago. My original goal was to do a mini bulk and then a mini cut so I can get an idea how this work. But then I decided to do a slow bulk until next year to do cut ( yea, I just can't cut during this season) I then drop my calories to 1930 hopping for a slower gain.

I have been really hungry ever since I start lifting and bulking and lately I just couldn't stay within my calories, I still eat about 2040/day in average and I have lost 2lbs in the past 2 weeks. I am wondering if I should add 100 to my average intake ( 2140) for a week and see what happen? I am afraid to gain too fast so I will get more fat then muscle ( correct me if I am wrong with this)

I use dumbbells and cable machines for my weight lifting ( I would really LOVE to do compound lifts but my gym just doesn't have the right equipments) 3 times a week and I do some cardio once or twice a week depends on my schedule.

I am kind confused if I am doing it right, how come I lost weight when I am pretty much eating the same as before? Am I really bulking? I can see more muscle tones on my triceps but the definition on my abs are the same or even a bit less.

Also, I have been hungry all the time and craving mostly sweets. I wonder if it's just the seanson??

I would appreciate if anyone can share his/her experience or any suggestion? Thank you for reading this

astronomicals · October 2014

macros look solid for the last week (as far as i looked)... eat more if you wanna gain... not much else to say on the diet front.. its gonna take time to see changes beyond a temporary "pump"

PwrLftr82 · October 2014

MrM27 wrote: »

If you're still losing weight but don't want to increase your calories because you don't want to gain to much fat then no you are not bulking right. How does gaining to much fat really factor in as a concern if you aren't even gaining weight?

True that. To gain anything (muscle or fat), you need to be gaining weight. Up your calories and keep lifting. Right now, you are not bulking.

funfang · October 2014

Thanks for replying.

I guess I was just curious that why was I dropping weight eating the same calories when I was gaining.

For a person who tries to "lose" weight her whole life. Bulking is a new idea that I still have to learn to accept. I understand I have to gain fat when I try to gain muscle. I read somewhere that we can only gain about 1 lb of muscle in a month ( I might be wrong, I can't remember the number exactly) That's why I am trying not to gain too much in a short time. Also, how do I know how much muscles I have gained in the 3 lbs weight gain? or am I over thinking it?

PwrLftr82 · October 2014

funfang wrote: »

Thanks for replying.

I guess I was just curious that why was I dropping weight eating the same calories when I was gaining.

For a person who tries to "lose" weight her whole life. Bulking is a new idea that I still have to learn to accept. I understand I have to gain fat when I try to gain muscle. I read somewhere that we can only gain about 1 lb of muscle in a month ( I might be wrong, I can't remember the number exactly) That's why I am trying not to gain too much in a short time. Also, how do I know how much muscles I have gained in the 3 lbs weight gain? or am I over thinking it?

As your weight increases, so do your bulking and maintenance calories. The more you weight, the more you need to eat to sustain it.

It's true that there's a limited amount of muscle we can gain, even less for women than for men. That said, the muscle isn't going to increase without fat, nor are you going to gain if you don't eat enough.

Best way to know what's muscle vs. fat is to get an accurate body fat % reading. That will tell you how many lbs of fat you carry vs. lbs of LBM. Then have the same body fat test done at the end of your bulk. You should be able to track that way...but for now, you're overthinking it. Just enjoy the process

AliceDark · October 2014

I think you're over-thinking it a little. Bulking, unfortunately, requires a crazy amount of trust in the process, because you just don't know for sure how much of what you're gaining actually is muscle. That part SUCKS. I was really surprised at how much I had to eat in order to start seeing consistent gains, too. Eating more gave me a ton more energy, and really let me start killing it in the gym at a new level (and doing more things in my day-to-day life), but that just meant I was burning more. Stupid vicious cycle. You'll get it figured out, it just takes time

Wheelhouse15 · October 2014

AliceDark wrote: »

I think you're over-thinking it a little. Bulking, unfortunately, requires a crazy amount of trust in the process, because you just don't know for sure how much of what you're gaining actually is muscle. That part SUCKS. I was really surprised at how much I had to eat in order to start seeing consistent gains, too. Eating more gave me a ton more energy, and really let me start killing it in the gym at a new level (and doing more things in my day-to-day life), but that just meant I was burning more. Stupid vicious cycle. You'll get it figured out, it just takes time

The best thing about bulking is that the extra calories and exercise can give a really nice excuse to eat a lot of things you might normally like pizza with an ice cream chaser -- just as long as you don't get too silly and forget proper nutrition you are usually able to have a great time till it comes time to cut again. Now that's something that you need to adjust to all over again!

50sFit · October 2014

astronomicals wrote: »

macros look solid for the last week (as far as i looked)... eat more if you wanna gain... not much else to say on the diet front.. its gonna take time to see changes beyond a temporary "pump"

^^^^^^^^^
THIS - nothing to add.... (*)

Hornsby · October 2014

MrM27 wrote: »

funfang wrote: »

Thanks for replying.

I guess I was just curious that why was I dropping weight eating the same calories when I was gaining.

For a person who tries to "lose" weight her whole life. Bulking is a new idea that I still have to learn to accept. I understand I have to gain fat when I try to gain muscle. I read somewhere that we can only gain about 1 lb of muscle in a month ( I might be wrong, I can't remember the number exactly) That's why I am trying not to gain too much in a short time. Also, how do I know how much muscles I have gained in the 3 lbs weight gain? or am I over thinking it?

That's called fat boy complex. Don't worry you're not the only one that has gone through it. I personally know what it was like to drop 75 lbs and then run a bulk. It's all a mind game and you have to remind yourself that you are in control this time.

Same boat, but I still haven't been able to get myself to do a bulk. I went with the slow *kitten* process of recomping until I can get my head wrapped around the idea of bulking. I don't think I could handle it just yet.

J72FIT · October 2014

MrM27 wrote: »

funfang wrote: »

Thanks for replying.

I guess I was just curious that why was I dropping weight eating the same calories when I was gaining.

For a person who tries to "lose" weight her whole life. Bulking is a new idea that I still have to learn to accept. I understand I have to gain fat when I try to gain muscle. I read somewhere that we can only gain about 1 lb of muscle in a month ( I might be wrong, I can't remember the number exactly) That's why I am trying not to gain too much in a short time. Also, how do I know how much muscles I have gained in the 3 lbs weight gain? or am I over thinking it?

That's called fat boy complex. Don't worry you're not the only one that has gone through it. I personally know what it was like to drop 75 lbs and then run a bulk. It's all a mind game and you have to remind yourself that you are in control this time.

This is exactly what I am going through now. Doing my first ever bulk now and it really is a mind f**k if you have spent your entire training life in a "fat-loss" mindset...

jvracing · October 2014

It doesn't look like you're logging any of your exercise, at least if this week is indicative of your norm. If you don't log those calorie expenditures and then eat back those calories, that would explain not gaining weight, right?

Hornsby · October 2014

Most people doing a bulk (really, most people who lift in general) use the TDEE method and don't log exercise.

funfang · October 2014

Thank you all for the encouragement! Yes, I do have the "fat boy complex" I want to bulk but when I see the scale moves up, I got a little scared. I keep looking for proof that I am gaining muscle... I don't know how many times I stand in front of mirror and wondering why my abs are loosing it's definition....

@jvracing, I don't log in my excise because it's already calculated within my calories. I have been too lazy to even put a note on my excise. I lift 3 times a week and once or twice cardio depends on my schedule. Sometimes a class from gym sometimes just 30 minutes on a stationary bike.

funfang · October 2014

PwrLftr82 wrote: »

funfang wrote: »

Thanks for replying.

As your weight increases, so do your bulking and maintenance calories. The more you weight, the more you need to eat to sustain it.

It's true that there's a limited amount of muscle we can gain, even less for women than for men. That said, the muscle isn't going to increase without fat, nor are you going to gain if you don't eat enough.

Best way to know what's muscle vs. fat is to get an accurate body fat % reading. That will tell you how many lbs of fat you carry vs. lbs of LBM. Then have the same body fat test done at the end of your bulk. You should be able to track that way...but for now, you're overthinking it. Just enjoy the process

mmm... I didn't think about this, the more I weight, I more I need to eat... ha!

yes, I will try my best to just enjoy eating more

Thanks!

tedwade50 · October 2014

You people rule, can I be your friend? I would like to add that weight can fluctuate some 6-10lbs for a male, and I'm sure a bit less for a woman, so that needs to be taken into consideration. In statistics, only two samples do not a graph make, so keep track of your weight, look back and adjust accordingly.

GymTennis · October 2014

It should be really simple... Find your tdee to maintain your current weight.. Add 300-500 calories every day on top of that and lift (fine tune your surplus calories depending on your results).. Compounds are definitely better.. Rest, sleep, drink lots of water.. It's simple.. forget about eating back calories nonsense