Bulk me UP Fam!

runbrownie
runbrownie Posts: 11 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hey hardworking Men and Women,

I'm trying to bulk up, well clean bulk up.
So what do you do to bulk up, what do you eat,not eat, how much cardio is involved, days of break from working out, what's dirty bulking,how to keep the weight?
Bulk me UP FAM!

Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Bulking: eating a caloric surplus and lifting weights so you build muscle mass.

    Dirty bulk: KFC fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.

    Clean bulk: baked skinless white meat chicken breast, steamed broccoli, etc. Not easy to be eating a caloric surplus when your nutrition is this clean and eats like mulch or drywall.

    My definition of dirty bulking has always been the high amount of surplus, leading to more fat gain. And Woah what's about mashed potatoes that makes them "dirty"? Unmashed they are clean though? :D Clean bulk I consider a very small surplus, closer to maintenance. I am bulking, gaining a moderate to low amount but eating 70% nutritious with lots of fun foods in between.

    Anyways OP these stickies in the Gaining forum can help:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300326/most-helpful-posts-goal-gaining-weight-must-reads#latest
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Bulking: eating a caloric surplus and lifting weights so you build muscle mass.

    Dirty bulk: KFC fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.

    Clean bulk: baked skinless white meat chicken breast, steamed broccoli, etc. Not easy to be eating a caloric surplus when your nutrition is this clean and eats like mulch or drywall.

    Wrong.

    Dirty bulk - having a calorie surplus that is too large, causing excessive fat gain.

    Clean bulk - keeping the surplus conservative so as fat gain is limited.

    ^ Correct.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Clean bulk for me: Small surplus 250 cals

    I stay away from dirty bulking: Larger surplus because I don't like getting over fat.

    Cardio: Very little while bulking

    Days off: Two

    What do I eat? What ever I want to, focus on protein intake minimum to support my training and building muscle

    How to keep weight: Keep eating, lifting and sleeping, rinse and repeat.
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    Bulking: eating a caloric surplus and lifting weights so you build muscle mass.

    Dirty bulk: KFC fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.

    Clean bulk: baked skinless white meat chicken breast, steamed broccoli, etc. Not easy to be eating a caloric surplus when your nutrition is this clean and eats like mulch or drywall.

    Wrong.

    Dirty bulk - having a calorie surplus that is too large, causing excessive fat gain.

    Clean bulk - keeping the surplus conservative so as fat gain is limited.
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Bulking: eating a caloric surplus and lifting weights so you build muscle mass.

    Dirty bulk: KFC fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.

    Clean bulk: baked skinless white meat chicken breast, steamed broccoli, etc. Not easy to be eating a caloric surplus when your nutrition is this clean and eats like mulch or drywall.

    My definition of dirty bulking has always been the high amount of surplus, leading to more fat gain. And Woah what's about mashed potatoes that makes them "dirty"? Unmashed they are clean though? :D Clean bulk I consider a very small surplus, closer to maintenance. I am bulking, gaining a moderate to low amount but eating 70% nutritious with lots of fun foods in between.

    Anyways OP these stickies in the Gaining forum can help:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300326/most-helpful-posts-goal-gaining-weight-must-reads#latest


    Sorry if I was wrong. My understanding of a dirty bulk was that the person is in a caloric surplus with no regard to the quality of foods consumed. Meaning they can eat fried chicken, pizza, copious amounts of peanut butter, butter in the mashed potatoes, etc, and that clean bulking was also being in a caloric surplus but with quality nutrition such as copious amounts of veggies, baked or boiled chicken breast, some nuts, etc, etc. Either route should make you gain weight.

    In my own defense I don’t think my understanding of that was entirely incorrect.

    It's wrong, you can become extremely fat even if you eat your own version of clean foods. And how the hell do you classify what a clean food is and isn't??? It's impossible, for one person, white rice is dirty and brown rice is clean...it's ridiculous to classify food as good or bad. I agree with the others who says that dirty bulk is going in a large surplus where you gain a high amount of fat vs muscles.
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    edited March 2018
    fb47 wrote: »
    Bulking: eating a caloric surplus and lifting weights so you build muscle mass.

    Dirty bulk: KFC fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.

    Clean bulk: baked skinless white meat chicken breast, steamed broccoli, etc. Not easy to be eating a caloric surplus when your nutrition is this clean and eats like mulch or drywall.

    Wrong.

    Dirty bulk - having a calorie surplus that is too large, causing excessive fat gain.

    Clean bulk - keeping the surplus conservative so as fat gain is limited.
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Bulking: eating a caloric surplus and lifting weights so you build muscle mass.

    Dirty bulk: KFC fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.

    Clean bulk: baked skinless white meat chicken breast, steamed broccoli, etc. Not easy to be eating a caloric surplus when your nutrition is this clean and eats like mulch or drywall.

    My definition of dirty bulking has always been the high amount of surplus, leading to more fat gain. And Woah what's about mashed potatoes that makes them "dirty"? Unmashed they are clean though? :D Clean bulk I consider a very small surplus, closer to maintenance. I am bulking, gaining a moderate to low amount but eating 70% nutritious with lots of fun foods in between.

    Anyways OP these stickies in the Gaining forum can help:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300326/most-helpful-posts-goal-gaining-weight-must-reads#latest


    Sorry if I was wrong. My understanding of a dirty bulk was that the person is in a caloric surplus with no regard to the quality of foods consumed. Meaning they can eat fried chicken, pizza, copious amounts of peanut butter, butter in the mashed potatoes, etc, and that clean bulking was also being in a caloric surplus but with quality nutrition such as copious amounts of veggies, baked or boiled chicken breast, some nuts, etc, etc. Either route should make you gain weight.

    In my own defense I don’t think my understanding of that was entirely incorrect.

    It's wrong, you can become extremely fat even if you eat your own version of clean foods. And how the hell do you classify what a clean food is and isn't??? It's impossible, for one person, white rice is dirty and brown rice is clean...it's ridiculous to classify food as good or bad. I agree with the others who says that dirty bulk is going in a large surplus where you gain a high amount of fat vs muscles.


    Bru I’m just going off what I’ve read online and I agree with it.

    You're right, the internet is known to say facts all the time.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited March 2018
    fb47 wrote: »
    Bulking: eating a caloric surplus and lifting weights so you build muscle mass.

    Dirty bulk: KFC fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.

    Clean bulk: baked skinless white meat chicken breast, steamed broccoli, etc. Not easy to be eating a caloric surplus when your nutrition is this clean and eats like mulch or drywall.

    Wrong.

    Dirty bulk - having a calorie surplus that is too large, causing excessive fat gain.

    Clean bulk - keeping the surplus conservative so as fat gain is limited.
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Bulking: eating a caloric surplus and lifting weights so you build muscle mass.

    Dirty bulk: KFC fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.

    Clean bulk: baked skinless white meat chicken breast, steamed broccoli, etc. Not easy to be eating a caloric surplus when your nutrition is this clean and eats like mulch or drywall.

    My definition of dirty bulking has always been the high amount of surplus, leading to more fat gain. And Woah what's about mashed potatoes that makes them "dirty"? Unmashed they are clean though? :D Clean bulk I consider a very small surplus, closer to maintenance. I am bulking, gaining a moderate to low amount but eating 70% nutritious with lots of fun foods in between.

    Anyways OP these stickies in the Gaining forum can help:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300326/most-helpful-posts-goal-gaining-weight-must-reads#latest


    Sorry if I was wrong. My understanding of a dirty bulk was that the person is in a caloric surplus with no regard to the quality of foods consumed. Meaning they can eat fried chicken, pizza, copious amounts of peanut butter, butter in the mashed potatoes, etc, and that clean bulking was also being in a caloric surplus but with quality nutrition such as copious amounts of veggies, baked or boiled chicken breast, some nuts, etc, etc. Either route should make you gain weight.

    In my own defense I don’t think my understanding of that was entirely incorrect.

    It's wrong, you can become extremely fat even if you eat your own version of clean foods. And how the hell do you classify what a clean food is and isn't??? It's impossible, for one person, white rice is dirty and brown rice is clean...it's ridiculous to classify food as good or bad. I agree with the others who says that dirty bulk is going in a large surplus where you gain a high amount of fat vs muscles.


    Bru I’m just going off what I’ve read online and I agree with it.

    As the saying goes, you're entitled to your own opinions but you're not entitled to your own facts.

    Ask a keto dieter if fruit is a "clean" food. Ask a vegetarian or vegan if baked chicken breast is "clean" food. Ask a paleo dieter if beans, peas or lentils are a "clean" food. Yet all those seem to fit perfectly in your accepted definition of a "clean" diet.

    What one website says is one person's opinion, unless it's backed up by scientific fact. I can link you to a website where people still believe the Earth is flat, but that doesn't mean I'm going to accept that as a fact because I read it on one website. Learning to vet one's sources is an important skill to help sort through all the garbage proliferating the internet.

    As others have stated, the more widely accepted definition of "clean" vs. "dirty" bulk in the fitness/physique community at large is the size of the caloric surplus.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Bulking is bulking. You’re going to gain weight either way. I’m referring to foods generally regarded as junk foods (dirty) vs foods generally regarded as quality foods (clean). I think we can all agree that there are foods that will be regarded by most as dirty (pizza, Oreo cookies, etc)


    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10348650/cico-still-skeptical-come-inside-for-a-meticulous-log-that-proves-it#latest
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    edited March 2018
    Bulking is bulking. You’re going to gain weight either way. I’m referring to foods generally regarded as junk foods (dirty) vs foods generally regarded as quality foods (clean). I think we can all agree that there are foods that will be regarded by most as dirty (pizza, Oreo cookies, etc)

    I disagree, Pizza may not be top quality when it comes to nutrition, but it still has a good amount of protein and believe it or not, they even have fiber. Since I have to eat 300g of carbs per day, the carbs from the pizza help me for that macro ....and if you burn a lot of calories like I do, they don't do any damage in my diet. The problem is when you have 1200 calories to work with like some women do, then the pizza will do a lot of damage especially if you eat an entire pizza like I do.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited March 2018
    Bulking is bulking. You’re going to gain weight either way. I’m referring to foods generally regarded as junk foods (dirty) vs foods generally regarded as quality foods (clean). I think we can all agree that there are foods that will be regarded by most as dirty (pizza, Oreo cookies, etc)

    The fact that you guys differentiate between clean and dirty bulking based in the surplus of calories is also silly. Either way it’s a surplus and you will pack on pounds.

    Once again - My understanding of clean versus dirty was the same as when you fill up gas at a gas station. Do you get regular grade gasoline or premium? Both fuel types will make your car run but the premium will probably make your car run better

    So is it your contention that somebody eating a 250 calorie surplus which includes pizza and Oreos will pack on more pounds than somebody eating a 1000 calorie surplus which includes baked chicken breasts and vegetables?
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    edited March 2018
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Bulking is bulking. You’re going to gain weight either way. I’m referring to foods generally regarded as junk foods (dirty) vs foods generally regarded as quality foods (clean). I think we can all agree that there are foods that will be regarded by most as dirty (pizza, Oreo cookies, etc)

    The fact that you guys differentiate between clean and dirty bulking based in the surplus of calories is also silly. Either way it’s a surplus and you will pack on pounds.

    Once again - My understanding of clean versus dirty was the same as when you fill up gas at a gas station. Do you get regular grade gasoline or premium? Both fuel types will make your car run but the premium will probably make your car run better

    So is it your contention that somebody eating a 250 calorie surplus which includes pizza and Oreos will pack on more pounds than somebody eating a 1000 calorie surplus which includes baked chicken breasts and vegetables?

    You got me all wrong. My contention is that foods such as baked chicken and vegetables are generally regarded as higher quality foods than pizza which is generally regarded as junk.

    It goes back to the premium gasoline vs regular

    So how do you classify a diet that has the two groups? Today, I am eating mussels, oatmeal, raspberries, salad, whey protein and pizza....so is my bulk today clean or dirty??? I mean it has a mixture of both, you can't classify what I eat today as clean or dirty...so how could you say that I am dirty bulking??? Just because I ate a pizza? It makes zero sense. There is no way to identify if someone is clean bulking or dirty bulking, because as a whole, the diet will have a mixture of high nutritional foods along with some non nutritional foods. This is why your version of dirty bulking and clean bulking makes no sense.

    If someone who eats just one oreo, but the rest of the foods that the person eats "clean", would that be considered as dirty bulking?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Bulking is bulking. You’re going to gain weight either way. I’m referring to foods generally regarded as junk foods (dirty) vs foods generally regarded as quality foods (clean). I think we can all agree that there are foods that will be regarded by most as dirty (pizza, Oreo cookies, etc)

    The fact that you guys differentiate between clean and dirty bulking based in the surplus of calories is also silly. Either way it’s a surplus and you will pack on pounds.

    Once again - My understanding of clean versus dirty was the same as when you fill up gas at a gas station. Do you get regular grade gasoline or premium? Both fuel types will make your car run but the premium will probably make your car run better

    Actually I tried bulking on an all "clean" diet.. I felt terrible.. bloated and full all the time, and my workout performance was not great as a result. So I personally "run better" on a mix of foods.
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    fb47 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Bulking is bulking. You’re going to gain weight either way. I’m referring to foods generally regarded as junk foods (dirty) vs foods generally regarded as quality foods (clean). I think we can all agree that there are foods that will be regarded by most as dirty (pizza, Oreo cookies, etc)

    The fact that you guys differentiate between clean and dirty bulking based in the surplus of calories is also silly. Either way it’s a surplus and you will pack on pounds.

    Once again - My understanding of clean versus dirty was the same as when you fill up gas at a gas station. Do you get regular grade gasoline or premium? Both fuel types will make your car run but the premium will probably make your car run better

    So is it your contention that somebody eating a 250 calorie surplus which includes pizza and Oreos will pack on more pounds than somebody eating a 1000 calorie surplus which includes baked chicken breasts and vegetables?

    You got me all wrong. My contention is that foods such as baked chicken and vegetables are generally regarded as higher quality foods than pizza which is generally regarded as junk.

    It goes back to the premium gasoline vs regular

    So how do you classify a diet that has the two groups? Today, I am eating mussels, oatmeal, raspberries, salad, whey protein and pizza....so is my bulk today clean or dirty??? I mean it has a mixture of both, you can't classify what I eat today as clean or dirty...so how could you say that I am dirty bulking??? Just because I ate a pizza? It makes zero sense. There is no way to identify if someone is clean bulking or dirty bulking, because as a whole, the diet will have a mixture of high nutritional foods along with some non nutritional foods. This is why your version of dirty bulking and clean bulking makes no sense.


    A hybrid bulk?? Sheesh I don’t know. Was the bulk of your nutrition for that day “clean?”

    Well if you don't know, it goes to show your theory of a clean and dirty bulk doesn't stand well.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    fb47 wrote: »
    fb47 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Bulking is bulking. You’re going to gain weight either way. I’m referring to foods generally regarded as junk foods (dirty) vs foods generally regarded as quality foods (clean). I think we can all agree that there are foods that will be regarded by most as dirty (pizza, Oreo cookies, etc)

    The fact that you guys differentiate between clean and dirty bulking based in the surplus of calories is also silly. Either way it’s a surplus and you will pack on pounds.

    Once again - My understanding of clean versus dirty was the same as when you fill up gas at a gas station. Do you get regular grade gasoline or premium? Both fuel types will make your car run but the premium will probably make your car run better

    So is it your contention that somebody eating a 250 calorie surplus which includes pizza and Oreos will pack on more pounds than somebody eating a 1000 calorie surplus which includes baked chicken breasts and vegetables?

    You got me all wrong. My contention is that foods such as baked chicken and vegetables are generally regarded as higher quality foods than pizza which is generally regarded as junk.

    It goes back to the premium gasoline vs regular

    So how do you classify a diet that has the two groups? Today, I am eating mussels, oatmeal, raspberries, salad, whey protein and pizza....so is my bulk today clean or dirty??? I mean it has a mixture of both, you can't classify what I eat today as clean or dirty...so how could you say that I am dirty bulking??? Just because I ate a pizza? It makes zero sense. There is no way to identify if someone is clean bulking or dirty bulking, because as a whole, the diet will have a mixture of high nutritional foods along with some non nutritional foods. This is why your version of dirty bulking and clean bulking makes no sense.


    A hybrid bulk?? Sheesh I don’t know. Was the bulk of your nutrition for that day “clean?”

    Well if you don't know, it goes to show your theory of a clean and dirty bulk doesn't stand well.

    And that context and dosage matter.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited March 2018
    Can we agree that pizza, cookies, etc are pretty shiitake foods to be indulging in while on a fitness routine? If not then I suppose cocaine is a decent preworkout sup depending on the dosage
    Not without considering context and dosage within the overall diet, no. Not at all.

    https://bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/excluding-the-middle.html/

    Nice strawman attempt in the second sentence, though.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Can we agree that pizza, cookies, etc are pretty shiitake foods to be indulging in while on a fitness routine? If not then I suppose cocaine is a decent preworkout sup depending on the dosage

    Not at all. I eat those things all the time. What if the pizza makes up only 10% of my calories, what if it's homemade with lots of vegetables and protein on top? What if I'm at a party and that is the only thing on the menu, should I just not eat and wait until I get home? What if I love pizza and it is a big part of my culture.. should I be depriving myself?
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited March 2018
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Can we agree that pizza, cookies, etc are pretty shiitake foods to be indulging in while on a fitness routine? If not then I suppose cocaine is a decent preworkout sup depending on the dosage
    Not without considering context and dosage within the overall diet, no. Not at all.

    https://bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/excluding-the-middle.html/

    Nice strawman attempt in the second sentence, though.


    I would still say that if your daily caloric budget for a bulk is, idk, 4,000 calories and 3,300 of those are coming from potato chips, fried chicken, snickers candy, etc then that’s a dirty bulk. At this point we’re talking nutritional quality.
    Thank you for reinforcing the fact that context and dosage within the overall diet matter in regards to nutritional quality.

    But it's still not a "dirty bulk" by the generally accepted definition, unless 4000 calories constitutes a large surplus for you. In which case, eating 4000 calories of chicken breasts and broccoli would be considered a "dirty bulk" as well. Once again, "clean" vs. "dirty" (when discussing bulking) comes down to the size of the surplus - at least by generally accepted definitions within the fitness/physique community.


    And re-read the link, if you haven't already:
    https://bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/excluding-the-middle.html/
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited March 2018
    One link of many, to start with: http://www.musclemonsters.com/2016/04/clean-bulk-vs-dirty-bulk.html

    Excerpt (emphasis added):
    ...let’s give both Clean Bulking and Dirty Bulking a definition.

    Clean Bulking: a calculated approach to overfeeding that allows for no more than a 500kcal surplus.

    Dirty Bulking: a casual approach to overfeeding that has no caloric limits or restrictions.

    Despite what you may think, the difference between these two diet approaches has very little to do with food choices. Eating cheeseburgers and pizza doesn’t necessarily turn a bulk from clean to dirty – the same way fruits and vegetables don’t clean up a dirty bulk.

    In a world where a bigger surplus means bigger muscles, the dirty bulk would be, hands down, the way to go.

    Unfortunately, there are finite limits to the amount of muscle we can build – eating more than necessary to support those gains will just result in more body fat...
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    edited March 2018
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Can we agree that pizza, cookies, etc are pretty shiitake foods to be indulging in while on a fitness routine? If not then I suppose cocaine is a decent preworkout sup depending on the dosage
    Not without considering context and dosage within the overall diet, no. Not at all.

    https://bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/excluding-the-middle.html/

    Nice strawman attempt in the second sentence, though.


    I would still say that if your daily caloric budget for a bulk is, idk, 4,000 calories and 3,300 of those are coming from potato chips, fried chicken, snickers candy, etc then that’s a dirty bulk. At this point we’re talking nutritional quality.

    Your theory is week at 3000-4000 calories you have enough room for both, so claissifying a diet dirty or clean goes out the window with your definition of it. Are snickers and chips highly nutrionnally??? No and that's not what we are debating here. What were debating is the definition of dirty/clean bulking and your version of it has too many flaws. How can we say this person is doing a dirty bulk based on your definition of dirty bulking??? On a bulk, you have the possibility of putting many types of foods, those with nutritional value and those with none at all which is where it becomes impossible to say if one is dirty or clean bulking with your definition. You can become angry, but there's a reason you're alone on this subject.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited March 2018
    At a hypothetical 4,000 calories, one has plenty....plenty...of room to get in adequate nutrients and still have room for other foods to fill in the rest. And as Eric Helms says, "Once our nutrient needs are met, we don't get extra credit for consuming more nutritious food".

    Even the thought of trying to hit 4000 calories every day on a typical bro diet (e.g., chicken breasts, brown rice and broccoli) makes me not want to live on this planet anymore.
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »

    Even the thought of trying to hit 4000 calories every day on a typical bro diet (e.g., chicken breasts, brown rice and broccoli) makes me not want to live on this planet anymore.

    Definitely True.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Bulking is bulking. You’re going to gain weight either way. I’m referring to foods generally regarded as junk foods (dirty) vs foods generally regarded as quality foods (clean). I think we can all agree that there are foods that will be regarded by most as dirty (pizza, Oreo cookies, etc)

    The fact that you guys differentiate between clean and dirty bulking based in the surplus of calories is also silly. Either way it’s a surplus and you will pack on pounds.

    Once again - My understanding of clean versus dirty was the same as when you fill up gas at a gas station. Do you get regular grade gasoline or premium? Both fuel types will make your car run but the premium will probably make your car run better

    Bulking is not bulking. Just like a brosplit is not going to produce the same results ofs an upper/lower or full body routine.When you approach it with a smaller surplus you gain less fat, thence the clean vs dirty bulk. The reason is the body can only build only build so much muscle per day. So would you rather have a fat/muscle ratio of 50/50 or have greater fat gains.

    Also, why must it be only dirty vs clean foods? If a person is smart, you can do both. Heck, some people continuously fail to bulk because they have your mentality that foods much be clean. We see it every day in the body building section. If i am bulking, i am still eating lean proteins, fruits and veggies but i am also going to eat wings, pizza and ice cream. It certainly can be challenging to hit calorie levels consistently.

This discussion has been closed.