Gaining Fat and Losing Muscle on a bulk

MickyCrispDipper
MickyCrispDipper Posts: 41 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I’m 36, 165 lbs, 13%BF, I’m bulking on 3000 Cals a day (my maintainance is 2700), but I seem to be putting on fat (which I knew is inevitable with a bulk) but losing muscle and losing weight.
Is it a case of upping calories???

I lift a minimum 4 times a week doing PPL, and train for hypertrophy.

My macro splits are P168 F84 C394

Any suggestions???

Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    If you are losing weight.. you are not bulking. Up your calories. How do you know you are putting on fat and losing muscle?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    how are you measuring that you're losing muscle and gaining fat?
  • MickyCrispDipper
    MickyCrispDipper Posts: 41 Member
    I use a machine at the gym called Boditrax, I realise that they are not massively accurate, but it’s the only thing I use to try and keep a record.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    It's not very accurate and water fluctuations can throw it off.

    How long have you been trying to gain?
  • MickyCrispDipper
    MickyCrispDipper Posts: 41 Member
    Since the end of January
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    How much have you gained in that time?
  • ricka1962
    ricka1962 Posts: 84 Member
    Keep an eye out on the overall trend of weight gain/bf over a few months, not just one or two data points. I'm trying to recomp, and some months on a cal deficit I may say increase in BF% only to see it change around after awhile.


    I also tend to measure by looking in the mirror and taking measurements of waist, arms, thighs, chest, etc to also guage if I'm growing or not. Then try to make adjustments to diet if needed.
  • MickyCrispDipper
    MickyCrispDipper Posts: 41 Member
    26th Jan my muscle mass was 60.8kg
    Today it’s 61.4kg that is up, but it’s gone up to 64.7 in early June
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    MickyCrispDipper wrote: »
    26th Jan my muscle mass was 60.8kg
    Today it’s 61.4kg that is up, but it’s gone up to 64.7 in early June

    what about body weight?
  • MickyCrispDipper
    MickyCrispDipper Posts: 41 Member
    Jan 26th body weight was 74.1kg
    Today was 74.9kg
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    MickyCrispDipper wrote: »
    Jan 26th body weight was 74.1kg
    Today was 74.9kg

    That is a really slow gain, almost a recomp. If your goal is to gain weight at a decent rate.. you might want to increase the calories.. I would say at least 1lb per month to make more significant progress.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    I'd go to 3500 calories and see how it goes.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • MickyCrispDipper
    MickyCrispDipper Posts: 41 Member
    Ok thanks for the help guys, as I’ve mentioned before I bike to the gym and back, and I’m constantly running around with my little boy, so maybe I’m burning more calories than I realise. I’m going to up the Cals and see how I get on
  • ricka1962
    ricka1962 Posts: 84 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    MickyCrispDipper wrote: »
    Jan 26th body weight was 74.1kg
    Today was 74.9kg

    That is a really slow gain, almost a recomp. If your goal is to gain weight at a decent rate.. you might want to increase the calories.. I would say at least 1lb per month to make more significant progress.

    Ditto!

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