Started bulking soon and would appreciate any advice or recommendations

terar21

Brolympus wrote: »

jdscrubs32 wrote: »

Sounds like you have a good plan. Re your cardio, try the running twice a week and see how you get on. If you aren't gaining, you may have to reduce that to one 30 minute session a week. I had to in order to gain anything. Increase the amount of food you eat slowly as its a lot more comfortable that way. My carbs are like @asflatasapancake and set at 50%. I would recommend pre logging your day so you know what you are eating and when and aren't left at the end of the day with a lot of calories remaining and wondering how you will fill it up.

I agree, sounds like you have already done a decent amount of research already OP. I would limit cardio to just enough to warm-up prior to stretching and to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, maybe 10-15mins at the most. If you are bulking, you are just wasting time doing any more, your goal is a calorie surplus. Definitely do not cut it out altogether though, it is important to have some to keep the heart and lungs healthy

Best advice I can give, and doesn't look like anybody has covered it yet, is be mentally prepared for the mind games. Bulking is a battle of self-esteem (whereas cutting is a battle of self-control). I remember when I started getting a tad fluffier on my first real bulk, my self-confidence went into the toilet for a few weeks. It affected my lifts for sure, on top of everything else. Real bad tunnel vision where I couldn't see the long-term goal, only what was in front of me, and I was tempted to stop. Don't. Best thing you can do is to focus on the lifting numbers going up, up, up. I would even hesitate to give yourself a weight cutoff. Muscle building takes a lot longer than fat loss, so bulk as long as you can possibly stand it. You will be unhappy if you bulk for too short a period, cut the fat, only to find you really didn't add that much muscle to begin with. Draw your feeling of success from accomplishments in your lifts, because the longer you bulk, the less it will appear like you workout. Just remember it really won't be as painfully long to remove the fat as it was to build the muscle.

Thanks! I definitely feel like this will be more mentally difficult than a cut. Especially because I intentionally lost slower. Appreciate the advice. Will try to keep all of that in mind.

JoRocka

terar21 wrote: »

JoRocka wrote: »

So- I have little to add other than- 10 pounds isn't realistic.

Most women start off way to timid and lose out a lot. Plan a 4-6 month window. 3 months will make you want to quit (I can almost guarantee it- but that time frame is different for different people- but it seems universally somewhere in month 3 you hate yourself and why you chose to do this) stick it out.

Why is 10 pounds unrealistic- because- the first week or two the scale is going to jump 5-7 pounds and you're going to stop trying. Then you're going to spend a month assuming your gaining- and your not. So I'd aim for at least 15. and stick more to the time frame and how long you can take it rather than an actual number.

My highest recorded weight was 20 pounds of gain. I looked fluffier than normal but was okay across the board- I looked good- but not fat. I just had enough though- 180 pounds was high for me so I chose to call it quits- which was 5 months.

@JoRocka

I guess I'm worried about trying that much of a weight gain. I know bmi shouldn't be used as a baseline but 15 would put me on the edge and 20 pound put me overweight. Which is probably where body fat percentage test comes in as a need for personal verification. Because I don't really think bmi is very accurate for me considering I'm mid range (5'2" 118) seem to be leaner than that.

15-20 would also be a pretty significant visual gain on me being this short. Time frame doesn't concern me as much as how heavy that amount would sit on me at this size. I guess it would be a different type of gain but 20 pounds ago I was pretty disappointed in my appearance. I know I can deal with what the visual was at 10 additional pounds. Maybe a few more being that the composition would be different. Would you still say at least 15 for someone shorter? I almost feel like I would need a little cut before that.

5 months was my original commitment plan. I think 6 would be reasonable. I was planning on starting beginning of September and carry through end of January. Was going to spend August easing in and finding the right calorie goal since I'd be dropping a cardio day and adding 2 additional strength days.

I'm over weight now according to BMI charts at 165 and 5'8"

when you are putting on the weight it isn't like it's going straight to your legs- or your gut. You carry it more evenly dispersed. And not all of it is fat like as if you were to get fat. I know when I'm bulking I can tell- my mobility goes down- and stretching starts to hurt- my shoulders get REALLY bound up and I have a hard time reaching up or back.

It's not JUST fat. it's over all muscle growth AND fat. its' a totally different representation of weight- but I can promise you- you'll be disappointed with 10 pounds. Stick with the time frame and do the best with the surplus and see how it feels.

terar21

JoRocka wrote: »

terar21 wrote: »

JoRocka wrote: »

So- I have little to add other than- 10 pounds isn't realistic.

Most women start off way to timid and lose out a lot. Plan a 4-6 month window. 3 months will make you want to quit (I can almost guarantee it- but that time frame is different for different people- but it seems universally somewhere in month 3 you hate yourself and why you chose to do this) stick it out.

Why is 10 pounds unrealistic- because- the first week or two the scale is going to jump 5-7 pounds and you're going to stop trying. Then you're going to spend a month assuming your gaining- and your not. So I'd aim for at least 15. and stick more to the time frame and how long you can take it rather than an actual number.

My highest recorded weight was 20 pounds of gain. I looked fluffier than normal but was okay across the board- I looked good- but not fat. I just had enough though- 180 pounds was high for me so I chose to call it quits- which was 5 months.

@JoRocka

I guess I'm worried about trying that much of a weight gain. I know bmi shouldn't be used as a baseline but 15 would put me on the edge and 20 pound put me overweight. Which is probably where body fat percentage test comes in as a need for personal verification. Because I don't really think bmi is very accurate for me considering I'm mid range (5'2" 118) seem to be leaner than that.

15-20 would also be a pretty significant visual gain on me being this short. Time frame doesn't concern me as much as how heavy that amount would sit on me at this size. I guess it would be a different type of gain but 20 pounds ago I was pretty disappointed in my appearance. I know I can deal with what the visual was at 10 additional pounds. Maybe a few more being that the composition would be different. Would you still say at least 15 for someone shorter? I almost feel like I would need a little cut before that.

5 months was my original commitment plan. I think 6 would be reasonable. I was planning on starting beginning of September and carry through end of January. Was going to spend August easing in and finding the right calorie goal since I'd be dropping a cardio day and adding 2 additional strength days.

I'm over weight now according to BMI charts at 165 and 5'8"

when you are putting on the weight it isn't like it's going straight to your legs- or your gut. You carry it more evenly dispersed. And not all of it is fat like as if you were to get fat. I know when I'm bulking I can tell- my mobility goes down- and stretching starts to hurt- my shoulders get REALLY bound up and I have a hard time reaching up or back.

It's not JUST fat. it's over all muscle growth AND fat. its' a totally different representation of weight- but I can promise you- you'll be disappointed with 10 pounds. Stick with the time frame and do the best with the surplus and see how it feels.

Ok, thanks. That makes sense I'll focus on the duration. Think i might push up my start date a little in that case.