Trying to add weight after years of keeping it off.

juicegoose84

Back in 06 I weighed roughly 205 lbs(male 5'9" 22 at the time). Over a years time frame I got down to 155 and super lean and from then on I have kept my weight a much more healthy 165. The problem I have been struggling with over the last year is that I've had the mindset that if I ate to much I would gain back my fat but i've also gotten discouraged that my gained in the gym have been non exsistent and i'm generally looking soft(fluffy!!!!) I say this because even at 165 I still carry extra weight in love handles and some in my chest. My lifting hasn't gotten any stronger in years and again until recently I didn't care because I was thinner.

That's about to change but I'm hoping for some help. I started keeping my diary with the help of MFP(before I used a notebook) and I realized that I was only bringing in 1600-1800 calories a day. Thats not taking the afternoon workouts into account.
Generally my time in the gym is spent with crossfit type exercises or outside circuit routines that take 30min to an hour. I'll usually do mass lifts(squats, deadlifts etc. 2 days a week. With a new baby it's all the time I can give.

Here comes the questions
According to most websites my current bmr(29, male, 5'-9") is roughly 1800 calories
If you add to that the harris equation then I should be pulling in roughly 2400 calories
How many calories are you guys that have bulked pulling in. I'd like to keep it a kinda lean bulk knowing you really can't do both.
I currently pull in typically over 200g of protein a day and my weekly split is almost a perfect third.

Lift heavy I know
Eat I know but how much exactly is what I struggle with.

Thanks for any help.

NRBreit

I bulked from 165 to 180 last year averaging 3,000 cals per day (1 lb. per week over 15 weeks). Over the past few months, I've maintained 172 lbs. on 2,400-2,500 cals. I'm now starting another bulk again at 3,000 cals and will probably increase to 3,250 once I'm above 180 lbs this time. I shoot for 180g protein, 100g fat, 300g carbs on 3,000 cals.

juicegoose84

Where do most of your carbs come from. It seems like MFP wants my carbs up to 300 or so but I'm averaging close to 100.
I know the difference between complex and simple carbs but was curious if during a bulk cycle you increase both or try to get your carbs from complex sources.

NRBreit

I try to get the majority of my carbs from oatmeal, brown rice, fruits, veggies, sweet potatoes, whole grain pasta and bread. I allow myself approx. 100g of simple sugars per day (including fruit). My trainer swears by chocolate milk post-workout. I'll be honest with you, I found it tough to eat really 'clean' at 3,000 calories. It's a ton of food. I found some dried fruit/nut mixes made by 'Second Nature' that are calorically dense. Snacking on that really helped keep the calories up.

juicegoose84

I would agree with trying to eat clean and get the calories up. In keeping track of my meals I've noticed that
A. my carbs aren't high enough
B. I might need to drop my protein intake back
C. I need to work on meal timing

I went out and picked up some natural pb & Jelly for preworkout snack. That aught to get the carbs up for the day.