Bulk!?
Samm471
Posts: 432 Member
okay so I'm currently 125lbs 5'1 I'm 23/24% body fat and going to keep cutting till I'm 20% body fat then I plan on bulking. I know it can be a mental challenge gaining weight again but it's all for a good reason to build muscle and I know women don't gain anywhere near as much muscle as guys but I'm just curious if there is any women/girls who have bulked or are bulking just now? How long do you bulk for? Is it hard trying to 'clean bulk' I feel pretty light and slim just now but I know I need to get my body fat down before I bulk .. Most people have told me to forget about the number on scale now and concentrate on body fat % I do 5x5 programme 3x a week and HIIT cardio twice a week and light jogs sometimes after doing 5x5 but just wondered what women are bulking and getting info on it for when the time comes for me to bulk. 
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leolibby233 wrote: »125 is a healthy weight for your height.
It is yeah but I was hoping my body fat would be lower but I'm going to have to lose more weight to get it down because I don't want to go through a recomp/maintenace as It can take so long , someone had mentioned why not keep cutting and then when bodyfat is at 20% do a bulk ( I think 20% is ideal to start bulking) just not sure how much more I will need to lose in order to get there
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leolibby233 wrote: »I listen to a bodybuilding trainer on youtube. perhaps you can ask on his FACEBOOK PAGE?
https://www.facebook.com/PhysiquesOfGreatness?fref=nf
Aw thanks I will go on and ask 0 -
Nah it won't let me message the page For some reason. I'm
Guessing there isn't many girls who bulk on here0 -
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Remove cardio, strong lift is strength based programme which is full effect when only done that. That's what most people do, girls/guys. Set up b.f%, I bulk till 16% b.f and then cut down under 10. 6 months bulk 6 month cut or just divide em according to your preference and goals0
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Remove cardio, strong lift is strength based programme which is full effect when only done that. That's what most people do, girls/guys. Set up b.f%, I bulk till 16% b.f and then cut down under 10. 6 months bulk 6 month cut or just divide em according to your preference and goals
Okay so if I'm 23/24% body fat should I cut till about 20% then try a bulk phase?0 -
I'm in a bulk phase as well and it's REALLY hard for me because 1% body fat can be seen right in my belly and I'm pretty traumatized by what happened when I was fat. From the trainer friends I've talked to about it they say you've got to just make it clean calories and monitor the b.f. close but you can do it. I don't know that much about how it works for women though...
It's pretty universally accepted these days that the BMI charts are crap so I applaud you for seeing past that and going for truly healthy. The charts say my healthy range is 160-200. At 160 I'd just be a sickly looking stick figure. Hell anything under 180 and I'd look that way.
I like 6 on 6 off like Jersey recommends. Personally I'd bulk from Sep to Feb to look your best on the beach. 0 -
I Look okay just now I'm not sure what I will be like once I lose a bit more but it's the only way to go I don't wanna recomp I think women gain a bit more fat than guys though which will be hard to get my head around bit I should be okay 0
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Remove cardio, strong lift is strength based programme which is full effect when only done that. That's what most people do, girls/guys. Set up b.f%, I bulk till 16% b.f and then cut down under 10. 6 months bulk 6 month cut or just divide em according to your preference and goals
Okay so if I'm 23/24% body fat should I cut till about 20% then try a bulk phase?
Well yea if that's your target and next cycle, cut to same b.f with 3 more pounds in0 -
Hi OP, I'm currently undergoing the same process. Trying to lose a bit more fat so I can be lean enough to start a bulk. I'd be really interested in seeing pictures from women DURING their bulk, and hearing about the questions you asked as well.0
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arditarose wrote: »Hi OP, I'm currently undergoing the same process. Trying to lose a bit more fat so I can be lean enough to start a bulk. I'd be really interested in seeing pictures from women DURING their bulk, and hearing about the questions you asked as well.
Hey! We're on the same boat yep it would be interesting to see how the women get on doing it as I haven't seen anything at all on here about women doing it 0 -
Remove cardio, strong lift is strength based programme which is full effect when only done that. That's what most people do, girls/guys. Set up b.f%, I bulk till 16% b.f and then cut down under 10. 6 months bulk 6 month cut or just divide em according to your preference and goals
Okay so if I'm 23/24% body fat should I cut till about 20% then try a bulk phase?
Well yea if that's your target and next cycle, cut to same b.f with 3 more pounds in
Okay thanks 0 -
okay so I'm currently 125lbs 5'1 I'm 23/24% body fat and going to keep cutting till I'm 20% body fat then I plan on bulking. I know it can be a mental challenge gaining weight again but it's all for a good reason to build muscle and I know women don't gain anywhere near as much muscle as guys but I'm just curious if there is any women/girls who have bulked or are bulking just now? How long do you bulk for? Is it hard trying to 'clean bulk' I feel pretty light and slim just now but I know I need to get my body fat down before I bulk .. Most people have told me to forget about the number on scale now and concentrate on body fat % I do 5x5 programme 3x a week and HIIT cardio twice a week and light jogs sometimes after doing 5x5 but just wondered what women are bulking and getting info on it for when the time comes for me to bulk.
Although I've only been through one cycle, I can give you an idea about my experience with bulking. I bulked last fall doing Strong Curves from Sept-Feb (ended up being about 4.5 months). I started the bulk at 121lbs at 5'7". I don't know my starting bf% but I was fairly lean, so maybe 18-19% if I had to guess. I also did one or two days of HIIT cardio a week but eventually cut them out as they were adding too heavily to my calorie load.
If by 'clean' bulk you mean small surplus, then that's what I did, I was about 200-250 cals over maintenance which put me at 0.5lb gain per week. I followed a flexible diet approach, I ate mostly veggies, lean meats, eggs, nuts, legumes, oils etc. I also had ice cream or dessert every night to hit my calorie goal which worked for me (by the end I was up to 3300 cals so ice cream and peanut butter were my best friends).
You will gain some fat during your bulk, it is inevitable but if you do a small surplus (but not too small where you are just spinning your wheels) then the fat will be minimal. If you can come to terms with it and accept some fat gain, focus on how strong you are getting, the areas that are growing in a positive way, you should be fine. I didn't track my bf% so I used the scale, mirror, photos and measurements to track my progress.
I gained about 10lbs total (I wish it would have been more but I was happy with my progress at the time and decided to stop). Mid-Feb I started at maintenance until about April when I decided to cut until May. I did not want to lose too much so my cut was minimal. I was very pleased with my results in the end and while it was mentally challenging most times I would do it all again and hope to do so in the future 0 -
okay so I'm currently 125lbs 5'1 I'm 23/24% body fat and going to keep cutting till I'm 20% body fat then I plan on bulking. I know it can be a mental challenge gaining weight again but it's all for a good reason to build muscle and I know women don't gain anywhere near as much muscle as guys but I'm just curious if there is any women/girls who have bulked or are bulking just now? How long do you bulk for? Is it hard trying to 'clean bulk' I feel pretty light and slim just now but I know I need to get my body fat down before I bulk .. Most people have told me to forget about the number on scale now and concentrate on body fat % I do 5x5 programme 3x a week and HIIT cardio twice a week and light jogs sometimes after doing 5x5 but just wondered what women are bulking and getting info on it for when the time comes for me to bulk.
Although I've only been through one cycle, I can give you an idea about my experience with bulking. I bulked last fall doing Strong Curves from Sept-Feb (ended up being about 4.5 months). I started the bulk at 121lbs at 5'7". I don't know my starting bf% but I was fairly lean, so maybe 18-19% if I had to guess. I also did one or two days of HIIT cardio a week but eventually cut them out as they were adding too heavily to my calorie load.
If by 'clean' bulk you mean small surplus, then that's what I did, I was about 200-250 cals over maintenance which put me at 0.5lb gain per week. I followed a flexible diet approach, I ate mostly veggies, lean meats, eggs, nuts, legumes, oils etc. I also had ice cream or dessert every night to hit my calorie goal which worked for me (by the end I was up to 3300 cals so ice cream and peanut butter were my best friends).
You will gain some fat during your bulk, it is inevitable but if you do a small surplus (but not too small where you are just spinning your wheels) then the fat will be minimal. If you can come to terms with it and accept some fat gain, focus on how strong you are getting, the areas that are growing in a positive way, you should be fine. I didn't track my bf% so I used the scale, mirror, photos and measurements to track my progress.
I gained about 10lbs total (I wish it would have been more but I was happy with my progress at the time and decided to stop). Mid-Feb I started at maintenance until about April when I decided to cut until May. I did not want to lose too much so my cut was minimal. I was very pleased with my results in the end and while it was mentally challenging most times I would do it all again and hope to do so in the future
Wow that's interesting. I think I'm more worried people are gonna look at me and think she looks like she's getting fat because everyone is used to seeing my nice & slim now so that's gonna be tough for me lol I guess mentally it's something hard to get your head around too .. I worry about eating more calories but I think I will enjoy eating more too as I've been on a deficit for a while now0 -
okay so I'm currently 125lbs 5'1 I'm 23/24% body fat and going to keep cutting till I'm 20% body fat then I plan on bulking. I know it can be a mental challenge gaining weight again but it's all for a good reason to build muscle and I know women don't gain anywhere near as much muscle as guys but I'm just curious if there is any women/girls who have bulked or are bulking just now? How long do you bulk for? Is it hard trying to 'clean bulk' I feel pretty light and slim just now but I know I need to get my body fat down before I bulk .. Most people have told me to forget about the number on scale now and concentrate on body fat % I do 5x5 programme 3x a week and HIIT cardio twice a week and light jogs sometimes after doing 5x5 but just wondered what women are bulking and getting info on it for when the time comes for me to bulk.
Although I've only been through one cycle, I can give you an idea about my experience with bulking. I bulked last fall doing Strong Curves from Sept-Feb (ended up being about 4.5 months). I started the bulk at 121lbs at 5'7". I don't know my starting bf% but I was fairly lean, so maybe 18-19% if I had to guess. I also did one or two days of HIIT cardio a week but eventually cut them out as they were adding too heavily to my calorie load.
If by 'clean' bulk you mean small surplus, then that's what I did, I was about 200-250 cals over maintenance which put me at 0.5lb gain per week. I followed a flexible diet approach, I ate mostly veggies, lean meats, eggs, nuts, legumes, oils etc. I also had ice cream or dessert every night to hit my calorie goal which worked for me (by the end I was up to 3300 cals so ice cream and peanut butter were my best friends).
You will gain some fat during your bulk, it is inevitable but if you do a small surplus (but not too small where you are just spinning your wheels) then the fat will be minimal. If you can come to terms with it and accept some fat gain, focus on how strong you are getting, the areas that are growing in a positive way, you should be fine. I didn't track my bf% so I used the scale, mirror, photos and measurements to track my progress.
I gained about 10lbs total (I wish it would have been more but I was happy with my progress at the time and decided to stop). Mid-Feb I started at maintenance until about April when I decided to cut until May. I did not want to lose too much so my cut was minimal. I was very pleased with my results in the end and while it was mentally challenging most times I would do it all again and hope to do so in the future
Wow that's interesting. I think I'm more worried people are gonna look at me and think she looks like she's getting fat because everyone is used to seeing my nice & slim now so that's gonna be tough for me lol I guess mentally it's something hard to get your head around too .. I worry about eating more calories but I think I will enjoy eating more too as I've been on a deficit for a while now
Ya you can't worry about what others think. I didn't even tell many people in real life what I was doing because last thing I need is random opinions, judgement and confusion. It definitely helps to bulk in fall/winter (not sure about the weather where you live) - all those loose sweaters, leggings and coats really help to 'hide' all the uncomfortable bits. It is a mental challenge for sure, but take it one step at a time. Good luck 0 -
I'm in a bulk phase as well and it's REALLY hard for me because 1% body fat can be seen right in my belly and I'm pretty traumatized by what happened when I was fat. From the trainer friends I've talked to about it they say you've got to just make it clean calories and monitor the b.f. close but you can do it. I don't know that much about how it works for women though...
It's pretty universally accepted these days that the BMI charts are crap so I applaud you for seeing past that and going for truly healthy. The charts say my healthy range is 160-200. At 160 I'd just be a sickly looking stick figure. Hell anything under 180 and I'd look that way.
I like 6 on 6 off like Jersey recommends. Personally I'd bulk from Sep to Feb to look your best on the beach.
eating clean calories has nothing to do with minimizing fat gain in a surplus..the only way to do that is to keep your bulk at around 250 surplus….0 -
okay so I'm currently 125lbs 5'1 I'm 23/24% body fat and going to keep cutting till I'm 20% body fat then I plan on bulking. I know it can be a mental challenge gaining weight again but it's all for a good reason to build muscle and I know women don't gain anywhere near as much muscle as guys but I'm just curious if there is any women/girls who have bulked or are bulking just now? How long do you bulk for? Is it hard trying to 'clean bulk' I feel pretty light and slim just now but I know I need to get my body fat down before I bulk .. Most people have told me to forget about the number on scale now and concentrate on body fat % I do 5x5 programme 3x a week and HIIT cardio twice a week and light jogs sometimes after doing 5x5 but just wondered what women are bulking and getting info on it for when the time comes for me to bulk.
Although I've only been through one cycle, I can give you an idea about my experience with bulking. I bulked last fall doing Strong Curves from Sept-Feb (ended up being about 4.5 months). I started the bulk at 121lbs at 5'7". I don't know my starting bf% but I was fairly lean, so maybe 18-19% if I had to guess. I also did one or two days of HIIT cardio a week but eventually cut them out as they were adding too heavily to my calorie load.
If by 'clean' bulk you mean small surplus, then that's what I did, I was about 200-250 cals over maintenance which put me at 0.5lb gain per week. I followed a flexible diet approach, I ate mostly veggies, lean meats, eggs, nuts, legumes, oils etc. I also had ice cream or dessert every night to hit my calorie goal which worked for me (by the end I was up to 3300 cals so ice cream and peanut butter were my best friends).
You will gain some fat during your bulk, it is inevitable but if you do a small surplus (but not too small where you are just spinning your wheels) then the fat will be minimal. If you can come to terms with it and accept some fat gain, focus on how strong you are getting, the areas that are growing in a positive way, you should be fine. I didn't track my bf% so I used the scale, mirror, photos and measurements to track my progress.
I gained about 10lbs total (I wish it would have been more but I was happy with my progress at the time and decided to stop). Mid-Feb I started at maintenance until about April when I decided to cut until May. I did not want to lose too much so my cut was minimal. I was very pleased with my results in the end and while it was mentally challenging most times I would do it all again and hope to do so in the future
Wow that's interesting. I think I'm more worried people are gonna look at me and think she looks like she's getting fat because everyone is used to seeing my nice & slim now so that's gonna be tough for me lol I guess mentally it's something hard to get your head around too .. I worry about eating more calories but I think I will enjoy eating more too as I've been on a deficit for a while now
If you do it right and do as @sardelsa suggested by going 200-250 calories over maintenance, the fat gains should be minimal. I went from being in or around 5% body fat to now in or around 15% and went from a weight of 55kg/12lbs to now 70kg/154lbs. To be honest the increase in fat hasn't really come through in the clothes and all my friends/family have said I look a lot better. Plan your day in advance so you know what you are eating and when. Less daunting that way.0 -
I'd also second what Sardelsa has said. I am currently builking from 8.4% bf. A slow and steady approach with a slight excess is the way to go. Fat gain will be minimal and all the crap associated to cut will be too.0
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How do you determine how much weoSteve_Paul wrote: »I'd also second what Sardelsa has said. I am currently builking from 8.4% bf. A slow and steady approach with a slight excess is the way to go. Fat gain will be minimal and all the crap associated to cut will be too.
Awesome thanks guys and yeah I plan my diary ahead of time most days especially with me working and I prep my lunch for work etc0 -
okay so I'm currently 125lbs 5'1 I'm 23/24% body fat and going to keep cutting till I'm 20% body fat then I plan on bulking. I know it can be a mental challenge gaining weight again but it's all for a good reason to build muscle and I know women don't gain anywhere near as much muscle as guys but I'm just curious if there is any women/girls who have bulked or are bulking just now? How long do you bulk for? Is it hard trying to 'clean bulk' I feel pretty light and slim just now but I know I need to get my body fat down before I bulk .. Most people have told me to forget about the number on scale now and concentrate on body fat % I do 5x5 programme 3x a week and HIIT cardio twice a week and light jogs sometimes after doing 5x5 but just wondered what women are bulking and getting info on it for when the time comes for me to bulk.
Just started bulking 2 weeks ago. I'm following IIFYM and started when I got to 20% BF. Bulking is personal preference, but I'm going to go for 6 months. Yes forget the scale number. Make sure you are hitting macros and not just going all out on the diet and do a dreamer bulk.
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okay so I'm currently 125lbs 5'1 I'm 23/24% body fat and going to keep cutting till I'm 20% body fat then I plan on bulking. I know it can be a mental challenge gaining weight again but it's all for a good reason to build muscle and I know women don't gain anywhere near as much muscle as guys but I'm just curious if there is any women/girls who have bulked or are bulking just now? How long do you bulk for? Is it hard trying to 'clean bulk' I feel pretty light and slim just now but I know I need to get my body fat down before I bulk .. Most people have told me to forget about the number on scale now and concentrate on body fat % I do 5x5 programme 3x a week and HIIT cardio twice a week and light jogs sometimes after doing 5x5 but just wondered what women are bulking and getting info on it for when the time comes for me to bulk.
Just started bulking 2 weeks ago. I'm following IIFYM and started when I got to 20% BF. Bulking is personal preference, but I'm going to go for 6 months. Yes forget the scale number. Make sure you are hitting macros and not just going all out on the diet and do a dreamer bulk.
Awesome! Your two weeks in how are you finding it After a cut? Yeah I'm thinking of forgetting the scale but won't I need it to check I'm gaining weight when the time comes ? I didn't realise till mentioned that bulking was for so long so if you do it for 6 months how much weight will you gain with that?0
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