Transitioning to Bulking! Need help!

Abram86
Abram86 Posts: 282 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I was gonna wait til I got down to my goal weight of 175 to begin bulking but after my Gym manager advised to start putting on muscles I decided to begin bulking Friday.

My maintenance calories are around 2450 so how much more should I eat above maintenance to gain muscles?

Replies

  • jasonalvear
    jasonalvear Posts: 72 Member
    My recommendation when transitioning to bulking is a more gradual process to minimize fat gains. Instead of just jumping up to 300-500 calories or more right off the bat, try 150-300 for the first week or two and increase in gradual increments. Same thing when transitioning back down to maintenance after the bulk, slow and steady wins the race. Have fun on the bulk!
  • Abram86
    Abram86 Posts: 282 Member
    My recommendation when transitioning to bulking is a more gradual process to minimize fat gains. Instead of just jumping up to 300-500 calories or more right off the bat, try 150-300 for the first week or two and increase in gradual increments. Same thing when transitioning back down to maintenance after the bulk, slow and steady wins the race. Have fun on the bulk!

    Thanks for the advise bro! Can I add you as a friend?
  • jasonalvear
    jasonalvear Posts: 72 Member
    Absolutely!
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    10% or so above, I wouldn't jump straight to that number though. You maintenance tends to be a moving target while bulking, you'll probably have to continue to adjust slightly upward as you go.

    I wouldn't listen to the gym manager if I were you though.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    10% or so above, I wouldn't jump straight to that number though. You maintenance tends to be a moving target while bulking, you'll probably have to continue to adjust slightly upward as you go.

    I wouldn't listen to the gym manager if I were you though.

    ^ All of this and the above.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    10% or so above, I wouldn't jump straight to that number though. You maintenance tends to be a moving target while bulking, you'll probably have to continue to adjust slightly upward as you go.

    I wouldn't listen to the gym manager if I were you though.

    I also wouldn't listen to the gym manager, but if you decide to bulk look into reverse dieting.
  • Abram86
    Abram86 Posts: 282 Member
    Well he attended college for body anatomy and physical education so I trust what he says.
  • Abram86
    Abram86 Posts: 282 Member
    10% or so above, I wouldn't jump straight to that number though. You maintenance tends to be a moving target while bulking, you'll probably have to continue to adjust slightly upward as you go.

    I wouldn't listen to the gym manager if I were you though.

    ^ All of this and the above.

    Ok for one since I started in Jan I've been at a defecit for 7 months so I really didn't build muscles. My lower belly is the only one lagging. So I figured since muscle Burns more fat while at rest.it'd be best to bulk up maybe for 6 weeks just to gain muscle.

    Also why shouldn't I listen to him? He's not training me so its not like he said it for his benefit and we have become buddies.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    Abram -- you and I are in the same boat. Both moving towards maintenance before moving towards bulking. And I've been given the same advice. Move slowly. 100-150 calories a week. Let your body adjust, And as you move closer to maintenance it will rise, so you'll need to go a bit higher to stabilize before you move to bulking. My trainer has told me this. Other members have told me this in private messages. I may have even leaped too far jumping from 1800 to 2100 initially so I'll stay here at 2100 for a couple of weeks to let it settle down before going on. I think my maintenance is a bit beyond yours. There's no rush in doing this. Take your time and do it right. You took your time and did this right. Patience pays off.
  • mud7urtle
    mud7urtle Posts: 500
    The best strategy is to taper calories up slowly.

    I would recommend no more than 100 calories per week, mainly carbs until your fat and protein are lacking and need to be brought up as well.

    This is called reverse dieting, and is best for your metabolism allowing you to minimize fat gain when making the transition. Monitor weight until about 1lb is finally gained a week, and then stay around that calorie level

    edit: couple users beat me to it. But yea, its the best way - ive made the quick transition mistake too many times.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Ok for one since I started in Jan I've been at a defecit for 7 months so I really didn't build muscles. My lower belly is the only one lagging. So I figured since muscle Burns more fat while at rest.it'd be best to bulk up maybe for 6 weeks just to gain muscle.

    Also why shouldn't I listen to him? He's not training me so its not like he said it for his benefit and we have become buddies.

    Aren't bulks usually 12 weeks or more? I don't think you will build much in 6 weeks?
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    Out of curiosity, how are you calculating your maintenance calories?

    In looking at your diaries going back a few weeks, you aren't eating anywhere near even maintenance. To jump from weight loss to bulk immediately I think is asking for fat gain, not muscle gain.
  • kencarpenter792
    kencarpenter792 Posts: 54 Member
    You should strive for 1-2 pounds a month gain. Bulk for a year (gaining about 15-20 pounds) then cut. roughly half the weight you gain will be fat. after you cut, you should have about 10 or so pounds of lean muscle gained over the course of a year. Building muscle is a very very very slow process. You have to be in it for the long haul.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    Well he attended college for body anatomy and physical education so I trust what he says.

    What do you call the person who graduated at the bottom of his class at medical school?

    Doctor.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    You probably shouldn't go from weight loss straight into a bulk phase. You can work up to maintenance and still train using lifting and strength training to build strength. Talk to the trainer about what he means. Let him know you are still at a caloric deficit. He may have just meant that you could be losing muscle and need to work on keeping more muscle, rather than gaining it. I don't know your whole story, so it's hard to guess why he would say that, or whether it applies to you or not...

    But please visit the Eat, Train, Progress group and ask for Sara and SideSteel's advice for your individual goals. Should help you a lot! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress

    Good luck!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    it'd be best to bulk up maybe for 6 weeks just to gain muscle.

    Also why shouldn't I listen to him? He's not training me so its not like he said it for his benefit and we have become buddies.

    6 weeks isn't a bulk. That's barely enough time to reverse diet from a deficit to your TDEE. Anything you will gain in 6 weeks jumping from a deficit to +10% is water, glycogen and some fat.
  • mud7urtle
    mud7urtle Posts: 500
    it'd be best to bulk up maybe for 6 weeks just to gain muscle.

    Also why shouldn't I listen to him? He's not training me so its not like he said it for his benefit and we have become buddies.

    6 weeks isn't a bulk. That's barely enough time to reverse diet from a deficit to your TDEE. Anything you will gain in 6 weeks jumping from a deficit to +10% is water, glycogen and some fat.

    ^^^^^^^^^^
  • jasonalvear
    jasonalvear Posts: 72 Member
    Best bet is to transition up the calories based on body adjustments. Increasing calories week to week, or every few weeks, and checking how your body is adjusting. Ultimately, you mentioned the goal is to start building muscle and increasing the food intake is the way to go. Take your time, and don't limit yourself to the 6 weeks, or even 12 weeks. End the bulk and transition of calories when you feel the time is right, be it over a year, less than 18 weeks, etc. Personally, I am more concerned with the mirror than the scale, so I take progress pictures in HORRIBLE lighting and go by that, it can be hard to notice changes day to day.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    I'll tell you this Abram, because of the advice here and from friends in private messages, I have gone back and double checked all my math in recalculating my maintenance target, what I have actually taken in, and expanded the time frame for that evaluation. Because of that, I've lowered my daily target for this week by 50 calories/day. My maintenance is only about 80 above yours. I'm going to hold here for a couple of weeks just because I know I'm blowing my daily calorie allowance today for my bday, so my body will have a bit more time to adjust. I'm not planning on hitting maintenance until at least 9/21.

    I think you (and I) have gotten some great advice here. I'm listening to it. So thanks to everyone who has responded.
  • jasonalvear
    jasonalvear Posts: 72 Member
    I'll tell you this Abram, because of the advice here and from friends in private messages, I have gone back and double checked all my math in recalculating my maintenance target, what I have actually taken in, and expanded the time frame for that evaluation. Because of that, I've lowered my daily target for this week by 50 calories/day. My maintenance is only about 80 above yours. I'm going to hold here for a couple of weeks just because I know I'm blowing my daily calorie allowance today for my bday, so my body will have a bit more time to adjust. I'm not planning on hitting maintenance until at least 9/21.

    I think you (and I) have gotten some great advice here. I'm listening to it. So thanks to everyone who has responded.

    happy birthday!
  • Fithealthyforlife
    Fithealthyforlife Posts: 866 Member
    I started with 200 cal. over, but I'm young, active, and have a fast metabolism. At the 4 week point or so, I increased to 275. So far, that's been enough. Since you're around the same age, I expect it would be similar. Regardless, I do expect after another pound or two I'm going to have to increase by another 25-50 calories per day.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    I'll tell you this Abram, because of the advice here and from friends in private messages, I have gone back and double checked all my math in recalculating my maintenance target, what I have actually taken in, and expanded the time frame for that evaluation. Because of that, I've lowered my daily target for this week by 50 calories/day. My maintenance is only about 80 above yours. I'm going to hold here for a couple of weeks just because I know I'm blowing my daily calorie allowance today for my bday, so my body will have a bit more time to adjust. I'm not planning on hitting maintenance until at least 9/21.

    I think you (and I) have gotten some great advice here. I'm listening to it. So thanks to everyone who has responded.

    happy birthday!

    Thanks.
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
    op, how long have u been lifting? have u stopped getting stronger at maintenance weight?
  • Abram86
    Abram86 Posts: 282 Member
    I just read through all of the responses and I appreciate everyone taking the time to respond. I've been at 2400 calories or so for about 4 days so I guess ill lower it down some more til my body adjusts.
  • Abram86
    Abram86 Posts: 282 Member
    op, how long have u been lifting? have u stopped getting stronger at maintenance weight?

    I have been strength training since Jan 13 since I first began my weight loss journey

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