Just started Crossfit, What diet to bulk up?

DevilsFan1

Hi everyone. I just started Crossfit one month ago and am really enjoying it. I am pretty fit as it is but I've never done any strength training before and I'm looking to add a bit of bulk.

A little about me. I'm 43, 5'11, 188 pounds and in good shape from a CV perspective. I run probably 20 miles a week. I also cycle some of the time though not as much recently. My resting heart rate is around 55. I'm not a super athlete but I am pretty fit.

That said, I have very little strength, particularly upper body strength. I still have too much fat and not enough muscle mass. Crossfit has really tested me so far but I can feel it getting easier as my body adjusts to all these new movements and workouts.

I'd like to gain about 20 pounds of muscle mass. I know it's unrealistic to cut fat and gain muscle at the same time. My goal is really to get stronger, not look like a 300-style gladiator. I'm wondering how many calories I should be eating per day to accomplish this goal. I don't have a set time scale in place; I just want to make progress.

Also, I'm not particularly fond of eating. Sure, there are things I enjoy eating, but I find that I usually have to make a concerted effort to eat more than 2000 cal/day. Any advice on making this easier or do I just have to force feed myself for a while?

wilsoje74

At 5'11" 208 lb seems a bit high. I think your current weight is pretty good.

JoRocka

cross fit and bulking are kind of... well not seen often.

Cross fit is as much cardio as it is strength training- you aren't going to build a lot of size doing that unless you are small to begin with.

Just saying- it's only kind of strength training.

That being said- eat all the things. figure out what your maintance numbers are- and then add 3-500 calories on top- and eat that.

Also- putting on 20 lbs of actual muscle mass is going to take some time- like years. several cut bulk- or a very long extended bulk. It's not going to happen in a year.

That being said- you can put on 20 lbs of good gains in a couple of months no problem (I did it and I'm a chick)- but it's just not all muscle.

jwdieter

Given your activity level and size, if you want to gain muscle, you'll have to eat well over 2000 calories/day.

Are you following some sort of food restrictions? Struggling to get over 2000 sounds like it.

JoRocka

Given your activity level and size, if you want to gain muscle, you'll have to eat well over 2000 calories/day.

Are you following some sort of food restrictions? Struggling to get over 2000 sounds like it.

agreed 2000 for a man trying to bulk is really REALLY low.

cwolfman13

I'm 39 (pushing 40 in October) and 5'10"...with my activity which consists of a desk job, chasing my kids, 12- 15 miles cycling 3x weekly (except when I'm training then obviously more) and 3x weekly doing a bastardized version of Wendler's 5/3/1 I maintain right around 2600-2700 or so calories...I need between 3000 - 3200 for a decent bulk...so you're going to need way more than 2,000 calorie per day to bulk on muscle.

I'd also suggest that crossfit may not be the most appropriate form of exercise for your goals. I found crossfit to be great for my overall stamina and muscle endurance, but it's not really conducive to building mass or optimizing strength.

DevilsFan1

Given your activity level and size, if you want to gain muscle, you'll have to eat well over 2000 calories/day.

Are you following some sort of food restrictions? Struggling to get over 2000 sounds like it.

No. I've just never been a big eater. I've always eaten reasonable portions and never really craved food. Maybe I should rephrase my goals in terms of what I want to accomplish rather than a number on a scale. I want to get stronger. What's a reasonable number for daily caloric intake?

Also, the crossfit box I belong to has a dedicated weightlifting program so I'm not just doing traditional crossfit. It's more of a hybrid crossfit/strength training program.

cwolfman13

Given your activity level and size, if you want to gain muscle, you'll have to eat well over 2000 calories/day.

Are you following some sort of food restrictions? Struggling to get over 2000 sounds like it.

No. I've just never been a big eater. I've always eaten reasonable portions and never really craved food. Maybe I should rephrase my goals in terms of what I want to accomplish rather than a number on a scale. I want to get stronger. What's a reasonable number for daily caloric intake?

Also, the crossfit box I belong to has a dedicated weightlifting program so I'm not just doing traditional crossfit. It's more of a hybrid crossfit/strength training program.

You can make pretty good strength gains at maintenance and even in a deficit...but at some point, you hit a wall without more energy and/or mass. I've been eating maintenance for about a year now (around 2600 - 2700 calories) and making good strength gains following Starting Strength and then moving onto Wendler's 5/3/1...both programs or geared towards optimal strength gains

Are you sure you're only eating 2000 calories? Most men of your stats (similar to mine) would lose weight at a pretty steady clip just consuming 2000 calories. I lost weight pretty easily eating around 2100-2200 calories per day gross.

joewtug1

at your height and weight i'd shoot for at least 3500 cals/day for reasonable gains.

No_Finish_Line

I still have too much fat and not enough muscle mass. Crossfit has really tested me so far but I can feel it getting easier as my body adjusts to all these new movements and workouts.

I'd like to gain about 20 pounds of muscle mass. I know it's unrealistic to cut fat and gain muscle at the same time. My goal is really to get stronger, not look like a 300-style gladiator. I'm wondering how many calories I should be eating per day to accomplish this goal. I don't have a set time scale in place; I just want to make progress.

Also, I'm not particularly fond of eating. Sure, there are things I enjoy eating, but I find that I usually have to make a concerted effort to eat more than 2000 cal/day. Any advice on making this easier or do I just have to force feed myself for a while?

if you really feel as though you have too much fat, i'd focus on losing that first.

the good news is that strength is really independent of mass, and while you can't build mass while burning fat, you can most defiently add strength.

i'm supprised that you have crossfit related nutrition question, i thought they always crammed thier paleo philosophy down your throat

waldo56

The combo of Crossfit and the Crossfit official diet (Paleo) is noted for is muscle building ease

#sarcasm