Bulking But Hungry

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arditarose
arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I admit my google search was not that deep, but what I did find was bull crap.

Why oh why, if I'm eating at a surplus and gaining weight, do I still feel like I could eat a horse? My fat intake is the highest it's been in over a year (since I started losing weight), my protein is too high, carbs maybe a bit low because of that. While my training has a decent amount of volume, it's a 4 day split and no where near as much as some others.

It makes me wonder about people who use "hunger cues" to maintain or lose weight. If I used my hunger cues right now I'd be gaining more than I want each week.

I'm considering trying to up my activity level a bit to increase TDEE so I can eat a bit more and not gain more than that .5lbs per week. But the amount of cardio I'm willing to do won't change that, and I'm already busy/training when I'm not at work...

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  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Do carbs fill you up ...maybe balance up your meals more
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Do carbs fill you up ...maybe balance up your meals more

    Not really...I mean, veggies fill me up but I already eat a decent amount. I don't usually eat bread or pasta because I prefer high volume, but maybe it's time to experiment with smaller more calorie dense meals.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
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    Between protein and fat, which do you find more filling? Looking at your diary, it looks like your fat ratio is about 25-30% on average. If it keeps you satiated, one idea would be to increase it to 30-35%.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    ForecasterJason wrote: »
    Between protein and fat, which do you find more filling? Looking at your diary, it looks like your fat ratio is about 25-30% on average. If it keeps you satiated, one idea would be to increase it to 30-35%.

    I don't know. I always thought protein kept me fuller. I mean I'm 130 lbs and I'm getting 150+ grams of protein per day quite often. I don't really need that much. My fat is already at .35-.4 grams per pound of body weight.

    I just want to eat more.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    how much weight have you gained and have you adjusted your calories up to account for your new weight? As you add new muscle and mass you calorie needs will increase….i never eat the same amount through an entire bulk.

    On this one I started at about 2900 and as of today am at 3300 a day ….
  • richln
    richln Posts: 809 Member
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    How long were you cutting? How long have you been bulking? After a long cut it usually takes me some time before I ever start to feel truly full and satiated.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    how much weight have you gained and have you adjusted your calories up to account for your new weight? As you add new muscle and mass you calorie needs will increase….i never eat the same amount through an entire bulk.

    On this one I started at about 2900 and as of today am at 3300 a day ….
    richln wrote: »
    How long were you cutting? How long have you been bulking? After a long cut it usually takes me some time before I ever start to feel truly full and satiated.

    I've only gained a couple pounds. I retain a lot of water so it's hard to get a good reading but it looks like 2 pounds in a month. So yeah, it's also only been about 6 weeks in a surplus.

    I was cutting for about 2-3 months prior.
  • richln
    richln Posts: 809 Member
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    6 weeks in, I am typically having at least occasional days when I don't feel like eating everything I am supposed to. You may be underestimating your new TDEE. I would expect more than 2 lbs just of water gain by now. I can gain 4-6 lbs in one day after a good carb refeed, even when I am cutting on moderate carb levels.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,391 MFP Moderator
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    It's quite possible you need to work on your volume foods (egg whites, more veggies, lean proteins, fish, avocado, baked potatoes). This is how I do it on the cut. And even though I do eat like a horse, I tend to be full.

    For example, I do 2 eggs, 4 egg whites, slice of ham, bell peppers, onions, serving of cheese and some salsa. It is enough food that fills half of my oversized plate, lol.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    richln wrote: »
    6 weeks in, I am typically having at least occasional days when I don't feel like eating everything I am supposed to. You may be underestimating your new TDEE. I would expect more than 2 lbs just of water gain by now. I can gain 4-6 lbs in one day after a good carb refeed, even when I am cutting on moderate carb levels.

    this..

    Knowing your history OP I think that you may be shorting on your calorie intake a bit because you are worried about fat gains…

    I would suggest adding 50 calories a day to your goal …if you don't use them you can bank them for days when you are hungry …however, I think you need to be eating more than 2000 for an effective bulk ….just my .02
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    psulemon wrote: »
    It's quite possible you need to work on your volume foods (egg whites, more veggies, lean proteins, fish, avocado, baked potatoes). This is how I do it on the cut. And even though I do eat like a horse, I tend to be full.

    For example, I do 2 eggs, 4 egg whites, slice of ham, bell peppers, onions, serving of cheese and some salsa. It is enough food that fills half of my oversized plate, lol.

    I actually eat in a volumetrics manner. Most of my meals I have to eat out of a mixing bowl :)

    Guys I don't think I have a new TDEE yet lol. I've only been doing this for 6 weeks. I have seen water weight fluctuations. I started around 128 and am 134ish now, even with water weight, I've definitely gained a couple of true pounds.

    Anyway, I just realized I'm ovulating so that is why I'm hungry. Carry on.

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