Best way to lean bulk to 190?

kmcclure95

I am a 30 yo male. I currently weigh about 177 lbs. I have lost about 5 lbs in the last 6 months due to an increase in calorie burn. Currently I run about 10-13 miles a week and strength train 3-4 days a week. I plan on running a half marathon next February, so the calorie burn from running will increase in the new few months. What is the best way to lean bulk with burning so many calories? It is hard to eat enough clean food to gain.

AnnPT77

Probably eating more of any healthful food that you personally don't find too filling to reach a moderate calorie surplus?

What food that is will vary individually, but some common ones would be higher-fat foods like nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocados, more fats like olive oil used as dressings and in dips. Some people find calories they drink less filling than calories they chew, so smoothies, even juices, may help. You might even consider some of the higher-calorie whole fruits, like bananas.

If it were me, I wouldn't necessarily even rule out things some people would consider treat foods like baked goods or candy. You know that as a runner you burn off carbs routinely, so eating more of those IMO shouldn't be off the table. Even some low carb endurance athletes time extra carbs around their workouts. I'm sure you know other runners or triathletes - as I do - who use nearly pure sugars during training, including gels, chews, sports drinks, certain candies or things like stroopwafels.

As context: I'm not a runner, I'm an on-water rower, a shorter-endurance cardiovascular sport, and have some coaching education in that sport. Serious athletes in this sport have high calorie needs because of the training volume. I've known coaches/support staffs in some strong university programs who used things like mass-gain type shakes, regular commercial cereals, or chocolate milk to augment athletes' calorie intake.

nossmf

I highly encourage moving past the idea of "clean food" and "dirty food." There's just…food. Some foods provide more nutritional value than others, but unless there's a medical reason to avoid something (allergies, doctor recommendations, etc) then all foods can be on the table, so to speak.

When bulking, a "clean" bulk differs from a "dirty bulk" not from the types of foods eaten, but rather the amount. Somebody desperately trying to gain weight, any weight, can eat tons of everything, sometimes thousands of calories per day over maintenance. Weight will rise, but so many calories so fast will transition into a lot of bodyfat gain. Even somebody eating nothing but chicken and broccoli, if they eat a thousand calories per day over maintenance, will find they are gaining fat in addition to any muscle they my gain.

By comparison, a "clean" bulk provides just a few hundred calories per day over maintenance, often 200-500 per day over. Yes, in addition to calories, we want to give the body the nutritional profile it needs to build muscle instead of fat, so we make sure to get enough protein (at least 0.7g/lb of BW, up to 1g/lb), along with fiber to help the body digest/absorb the protein and a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals (often fruits and vegetables provide both fiber and vitamins/minerals). Combine this with a progressive lifting program to convince the body it needs muscle to cope with the physical demands placed upon it, and you're set up to bulk cleanly.

Within these guidelines, there's a huge range of foods that can meet your needs. Eating nothing but skinless chicken breast and broccoli gets the nutrition, but total calories will be hard to come by. Eating nothing but candy bars will get the calories, but lack the nutrition. Between these two extremes, we can roam. Chicken and broccoli, burgers and fries, pizza and protein shakes and more…oh my! The fact you're burning so many calories running gives even MORE flexibility in what you can eat.

Your plan for a clean bulk with tons of exercise differs very little from the plan for a muscle-sparing weight loss while idle:

• Determine calorie burn (idle existence plus exercise)
• Determine calorie requirement (start with burn +250/day to bulk, burn -250/day to lose)
• Determine minimum protein needs (0.7g-1g/lb BW)

Now select foods which add up to what you need. Even pizza and cookies can have their place, IF you are able to self-regulate and limit yourself in the amount eaten; if one serving turns into twenty, you may need to skip ice cream, for example.

claireychn074

Another vote for ditching the “clean” - if you eat well 90% of the time and get your vitamins and minerals in, then eating higher calorie less nutrient food the other 10% of time should not be an issue. When I’m struggling to hit calories I reach for peanut butter. I can manage a couple of spoonfuls and that’s instant calories. I also eat jelly babies and drink sugary sports drinks for longer sessions (I’m a strength athlete rather than cardio, but I need fuelling for my 2.5 hour conditioning sessions).