Managing the Bulk Diet

dpr73

Hey,
So two weeks ago I started upping my calories to bulk. I am trying to hit 2700 calories a day (21 y/o, 138lbs, male, 5'8). I have been hitting the gym 5 days a week with some light cardio and HIIT thrown in and been walking approximately 5-6 miles a day. So my first question... do you think that this calorie amount is correct? It is too early to say whether I am gaining at all because my numbers seem to be hovering in the day to day fluctuations I usually see.

Now to my second (more important) question... This coming Monday we have company staying until next Saturday. I will still be hitting the gym everyday and overall following the same physical routine. However, my diet is likely to deviate from my usual (pretty clean and no real junk foods...) because we are showing our company around the city and things. So in that light, should I step away from the bulk diet for a week...not track, and just go by feel? And then after the week is up go back to my muscle building diet? I am trying to keep my gains as lean as I can being that I once was very overweight and prefer feeling and looking relatively healthy year round.

pmm3437

Your TDEE is about 1850, and a typical "textbook" bulk of 10% would put you with a target of about 2035 plus your exercise expenditures. That calorie goal is probably a bit aggressive unless you are burning 500+ calories a day average from exercising.

I would recommend you be careful with how much steady state cardio you do, longer durations can be catabolic, and reverse any gains you might get from the lifting component of your exercise program. Also, remember muscle is built during recovery, not exercise. Make sure you get adequate rest for muscle groups between sessions.

How strict/close you want to stay to your nutrition plan goal while entertaining is up to you. I, personally, would treat it like a vacation, and act accordingly. However, I would definitely continue to log ( keep in the habit ), and try to be as accurate as possible. Its actually pretty easy to get nutrition information online these days, from chain restaurants, etc., and if that's not available, guestimate via deconstruction.

There's also no reason you can't remain mindful, and select better nutrition options, when dining out with company... the same as you would without them.

dpr73

pmm3437 wrote: »

Your TDEE is about 1850, and a typical "textbook" bulk of 10% would put you with a target of about 2035 plus your exercise expenditures. That calorie goal is probably a bit aggressive unless you are burning 500+ calories a day average from exercising.

I would recommend you be careful with how much steady state cardio you do, longer durations can be catabolic, and reverse any gains you might get from the lifting component of your exercise program. Also, remember muscle is built during recovery, not exercise. Make sure you get adequate rest for muscle groups between sessions.

How strict/close you want to stay to your nutrition plan goal while entertaining is up to you. I, personally, would treat it like a vacation, and act accordingly. However, I would definitely continue to log ( keep in the habit ), and try to be as accurate as possible. Its actually pretty easy to get nutrition information online these days, from chain restaurants, etc., and if that's not available, guestimate via deconstruction.

There's also no reason you can't remain mindful, and select better nutrition options, when dining out with company... the same as you would without them.

Thanks for the response but I'm certain that my TDEE is nowhere near 1850 (not exactly sure where you pulled that figure from). I have lost weight easily at that amount. Every TDEE calculator I've found puts me at 24-2500 calories a day to maintain. Why do you estimate me so low? I was more asking cause I was thinking I was being too cautious rather than too aggressive...

psuLemon

dpr73 wrote: »

pmm3437 wrote: »

Your TDEE is about 1850, and a typical "textbook" bulk of 10% would put you with a target of about 2035 plus your exercise expenditures. That calorie goal is probably a bit aggressive unless you are burning 500+ calories a day average from exercising.

I would recommend you be careful with how much steady state cardio you do, longer durations can be catabolic, and reverse any gains you might get from the lifting component of your exercise program. Also, remember muscle is built during recovery, not exercise. Make sure you get adequate rest for muscle groups between sessions.

How strict/close you want to stay to your nutrition plan goal while entertaining is up to you. I, personally, would treat it like a vacation, and act accordingly. However, I would definitely continue to log ( keep in the habit ), and try to be as accurate as possible. Its actually pretty easy to get nutrition information online these days, from chain restaurants, etc., and if that's not available, guestimate via deconstruction.

There's also no reason you can't remain mindful, and select better nutrition options, when dining out with company... the same as you would without them.

Thanks for the response but I'm certain that my TDEE is nowhere near 1850 (not exactly sure where you pulled that figure from). I have lost weight easily at that amount. Every TDEE calculator I've found puts me at 24-2500 calories a day to maintain. Why do you estimate me so low? I was more asking cause I was thinking I was being too cautious rather than too aggressive...

I suspect they put you as a female instead of a male.

IRT intake. Stick with that intake for 4 weeks and adjust from there. All calculators are just estimates and will need to be modified at some point.

Just enjoy the weekend. Clean is a bit subjective but even if you deviate it won't matter. Total calories will determine how much you gain. Training, genetics and macro distribution will determine if it's going to be muscle or fat (more specifically, the ratio of the two).

So just train hard, eat big, rest and repeat. And most importantly, one or two days is not going to hurt your results.

dpr73

psulemon wrote: »

dpr73 wrote: »

pmm3437 wrote: »

Your TDEE is about 1850, and a typical "textbook" bulk of 10% would put you with a target of about 2035 plus your exercise expenditures. That calorie goal is probably a bit aggressive unless you are burning 500+ calories a day average from exercising.

I would recommend you be careful with how much steady state cardio you do, longer durations can be catabolic, and reverse any gains you might get from the lifting component of your exercise program. Also, remember muscle is built during recovery, not exercise. Make sure you get adequate rest for muscle groups between sessions.

How strict/close you want to stay to your nutrition plan goal while entertaining is up to you. I, personally, would treat it like a vacation, and act accordingly. However, I would definitely continue to log ( keep in the habit ), and try to be as accurate as possible. Its actually pretty easy to get nutrition information online these days, from chain restaurants, etc., and if that's not available, guestimate via deconstruction.

There's also no reason you can't remain mindful, and select better nutrition options, when dining out with company... the same as you would without them.

Thanks for the response but I'm certain that my TDEE is nowhere near 1850 (not exactly sure where you pulled that figure from). I have lost weight easily at that amount. Every TDEE calculator I've found puts me at 24-2500 calories a day to maintain. Why do you estimate me so low? I was more asking cause I was thinking I was being too cautious rather than too aggressive...

I suspect that put you as a female instead of a male.

IRT intake. Stick with that intake for 4 weeks and adjust from there. All calculators are just estimates and will need to be modified at some point.

Just enjoy the weekend. Clean is a bit subjective but even if you deviate it won't matter. Total calories will determine how much you gain. Training, genetics and macro distribution will determine if it's going to be muscle or fat (more specifically, the ratio of the two).

So just train hard, eat big, rest and repeat. And most importantly, one or two days is not going to hurt your results.

Thanks for the tips. But this is a whole week...should I still not sweat it for the week?

VitaSh

Hit your macros, eat what you like and what makes you feel best and what gives you most energy for the gym and whatever else. I recommend eating healthy 80% of the time, and incorporating what you really like the rest of the time. You don't need to live on chicken and rice, just fyi. Unless eating 100 percent clean (whatever that means) is what you truly enjoy then by all means. As for the week, just estimate what you ate and log it. You don't have to be as anal about it as if you were cutting and each macro is crucial. Also listen to your body, if you train hard you will be hungrier and so eat nourishing foods accordingly Don't sweat the details too much for only one week!!

psuLemon

dpr73 wrote: »

psulemon wrote: »

dpr73 wrote: »

pmm3437 wrote: »

Your TDEE is about 1850, and a typical "textbook" bulk of 10% would put you with a target of about 2035 plus your exercise expenditures. That calorie goal is probably a bit aggressive unless you are burning 500+ calories a day average from exercising.

I would recommend you be careful with how much steady state cardio you do, longer durations can be catabolic, and reverse any gains you might get from the lifting component of your exercise program. Also, remember muscle is built during recovery, not exercise. Make sure you get adequate rest for muscle groups between sessions.

How strict/close you want to stay to your nutrition plan goal while entertaining is up to you. I, personally, would treat it like a vacation, and act accordingly. However, I would definitely continue to log ( keep in the habit ), and try to be as accurate as possible. Its actually pretty easy to get nutrition information online these days, from chain restaurants, etc., and if that's not available, guestimate via deconstruction.

There's also no reason you can't remain mindful, and select better nutrition options, when dining out with company... the same as you would without them.

Thanks for the response but I'm certain that my TDEE is nowhere near 1850 (not exactly sure where you pulled that figure from). I have lost weight easily at that amount. Every TDEE calculator I've found puts me at 24-2500 calories a day to maintain. Why do you estimate me so low? I was more asking cause I was thinking I was being too cautious rather than too aggressive...

I suspect that put you as a female instead of a male.

IRT intake. Stick with that intake for 4 weeks and adjust from there. All calculators are just estimates and will need to be modified at some point.

Just enjoy the weekend. Clean is a bit subjective but even if you deviate it won't matter. Total calories will determine how much you gain. Training, genetics and macro distribution will determine if it's going to be muscle or fat (more specifically, the ratio of the two).

So just train hard, eat big, rest and repeat. And most importantly, one or two days is not going to hurt your results.

Thanks for the tips. But this is a whole week...should I still not sweat it for the week?

I wouldn't sweat it.

dpr73

VitaSh wrote: »

Hit your macros, eat what you like and what makes you feel best and what gives you most energy for the gym and whatever else. I recommend eating healthy 80% of the time, and incorporating what you really like the rest of the time. You don't need to live on chicken and rice, just fyi. Unless eating 100 percent clean (whatever that means) is what you truly enjoy then by all means. As for the week, just estimate what you ate and log it. You don't have to be as anal about it as if you were cutting and each macro is crucial. Also listen to your body, if you train hard you will be hungrier and so eat nourishing foods accordingly Don't sweat the details too much for only one week!!

Yeah I am familiar with the iifym diet, I just feel a lot more satisfied with having "healthy" foods that are nutrient dense. And okay, I think things will mostly be the same for the week spare for like dinners (which will probably be at restaurants for half the week). I guess I just have trouble with lightening up cause I figure this bulking diet must be much harder than it seems!

psuLemon

Keep in mind that we suggest whole nutrient dense foods but you have to understand that life happens and sometimes its ok to go a bit over. If you want, try to make smarter choices while you are out.