Let the Gains Begin!

winonavampire

Now that bulking has started, I thought I would share my first bedtime snack:



What we have here is:

15 grain double protein bread
crunchy peanut butter
banana
crunchy peanut butter
15 grain double protein bread
crunchy peanut butter
strawberry jelly
crunchy peanut butter
15 grain double protein bread

It was glorious.

shmerek

Wow, how many calories in that thing?

winonavampire

770! First day on bulk after cut, so I kinda let loose a bit. This won't be an every day thing, but I did a "cheat" day on day one of bulk.

Seemed fair.

shmerek

and delicious.

hilts1969

Now that bulking has started, I thought I would share my first bedtime snack:



What we have here is:

15 grain double protein bread
crunchy peanut butter
banana
crunchy peanut butter
15 grain double protein bread
crunchy peanut butter
strawberry jelly
crunchy peanut butter
15 grain double protein bread

It was glorious.

Always wondered if bulking was sensible health wise, see lots of big guys in the gym, huge muscles big bellies always seem to be in the bulking phase, as it takes longer to lose weight than put it on doesn't the bulk/cut routine mean you spend most of your life overweight?

mjudd1990

From my experience it is way more difficult to gain weight both in terms of training and diet. Losing weight is fairly quick as all you have to do is expend more calories than you take in. It may take me 6 months to a year to put on 20 lbs but only 6-12 weeks to lose that much.

hilts1969

From my experience it is way more difficult to gain weight both in terms of training and diet. Losing weight is fairly quick as all you have to do is expend more calories than you take in. It may take me 6 months to a year to put on 20 lbs but only 6-12 weeks to lose that much.

You are the exception not the rule

Edmond_Dantes

From my experience it is way more difficult to gain weight both in terms of training and diet. Losing weight is fairly quick as all you have to do is expend more calories than you take in. It may take me 6 months to a year to put on 20 lbs but only 6-12 weeks to lose that much.

You are the exception not the rule

True. The obesity epidemic supports this statement.

waldo56

Gaining fat =/= gaining muscle.

Gaining muscle is way harder than losing weight. Cutting fat is simple after you've been bulking a while.

I bulk for 8 weeks, cut for 2 weeks, rinse-repeat. Never lose my abs, not even close.

hilts1969

Gaining fat =/= gaining muscle.

Gaining muscle is way harder than losing weight. Cutting fat is simple after you've been bulking a while.

I bulk for 8 weeks, cut for 2 weeks, rinse-repeat. Never lose my abs, not even close.

gaining fat doesn't necessarily mean gaining muscle, gaining muscle is harder than losing weight, but gaining fat is way easier than losing it

winonavampire

I am definitely doing a clean bulk. Peanut butter and jelly may not seem clean, but I am not wolfing down poptart ice cream sandwiches on my bulk.

My carbs are all coming from wheat bread, sweet potatoes, quinoa, oatmeal etc. I am trying to maintain a fairly low sugar count in my bulk (~60 grams a day).

LolBroScience

Always wondered if bulking was sensible health wise, see lots of big guys in the gym, huge muscles big bellies always seem to be in the bulking phase, as it takes longer to lose weight than put it on doesn't the bulk/cut routine mean you spend most of your life overweight?

Not if you actually know how to bulk correctly and control the amount of fat gained. Sure, fat gain is inevitable in a bulk, but you don't need to go from single digit to 20%+ body fat, that'd be stupid. Do it in shorter controlled cycles. It is much easier to lose fat, than it is to make lean gains. It becomes even more difficult to gain as you become more seasoned and your natural capacity diminishes as well...

iPlatano

Good stuff. Started clean bulking not too long ago.

JoRocka

Gaining fat =/= gaining muscle.

Gaining muscle is way harder than losing weight. Cutting fat is simple after you've been bulking a while.

I bulk for 8 weeks, cut for 2 weeks, rinse-repeat. Never lose my abs, not even close.

gaining fat doesn't necessarily mean gaining muscle, gaining muscle is harder than losing weight, but gaining fat is way easier than losing it

well- you are in the gaining section- so people here are going WAY out of their way to meticulously put on weight- in terms of fat and muscle.

yes it's hard- that's why it's laughable when people say they don't want to accidentally get houge over night.

But it isn't a free for all in food gains- it's a meticulous surplus- there is a typically a sweet spot that will net you max muscle and minimum fat - but the fat will happen- it's inevetiable.

Accept it- along with most likely you're glorious PR on your squat. because with great gains- come great lifts.

You are the exception not the rule

no he's not.

almost any woman bulking can and will support his estimate that gains are harder than cuts.

shmerek

Gaining fat =/= gaining muscle.

Gaining muscle is way harder than losing weight. Cutting fat is simple after you've been bulking a while.

I bulk for 8 weeks, cut for 2 weeks, rinse-repeat. Never lose my abs, not even close.

I am kinda trying this, at least that was the plan but I don't know if that phase is long enough. How many times have you done this and what kind of gains are you making? I would be beyond thrilled with 10 pounds of muscle in a year, so I don't really mind going slow if it means I don't have to get too fat. I don't want to be blobby again and I like not being ashamed of taking my shirt off.

hilts1969

In fairness i was talking about the general concept of gaining or losing weight, it is much harder to lose weight than put it on, not a guess or a stab in the dark just a fact, the world is full of dieters or overweight people, those who struggle to gain weight in comparison is small, some bro science gym boys maybe the exception but they are hardly representative

usmcmp

Always wondered if bulking was sensible health wise, see lots of big guys in the gym, huge muscles big bellies always seem to be in the bulking phase, as it takes longer to lose weight than put it on doesn't the bulk/cut routine mean you spend most of your life overweight?

I'm "overweight" and I have 20% body fat (as a female, so like 13% if I was a guy). If you do it right the bulking phase should be as long as the cut phase. The goal is to not gain a bunch of body fat.

You can't really judge someone's goals by what you see of them in the gym. Maybe they aren't bulking and are just fatter guys who lift. Maybe they are powerlifters and in that case having a bit of a belly can be helpful. Also, powerlifters have stronger core muscles which leads to a larger looking stomach. From personal experience when you have a strong core any fat gain over that makes you look even fatter.

JoRocka

In fairness i was talking about the general concept of gaining or losing weight, it is much harder to lose weight than put it on, not a guess or a stab in the dark just a fact, the world is full of dieters or overweight people, those who struggle to gain weight in comparison is small, some bro science gym boys maybe the exception but they are hardly representative

We aren't talking about getting fat.

We are talking about putting on muscle.

And the gaining section is typically full of people who are bulking- meaning they are trying to put on weight and muscle- and SIZE.

But that being said even getting extremely fat takes some work- over eating regularly isn't easy to do- as anyone who has actually bulk can attest to. People who consistently over eat significant amounts often are suffering from emotional issues that are blocking the "I'm full feeling" they eat when they aren't hungry- they eat when they are full- it can be miserable for them.

Losing weight is easy- the problem with that is that it takes time and people are impatient- gaining weight- fat or muscle- requires a proactive stance. It's work.

LolBroScience

In fairness i was talking about the general concept of gaining or losing weight, it is much harder to lose weight than put it on, not a guess or a stab in the dark just a fact, the world is full of dieters or overweight people, those who struggle to gain weight in comparison is small, some bro science gym boys maybe the exception but they are hardly representative

You have the wrong audience here me thinks...

usmcmp

In fairness i was talking about the general concept of gaining or losing weight, it is much harder to lose weight than put it on, not a guess or a stab in the dark just a fact, the world is full of dieters or overweight people, those who struggle to gain weight in comparison is small, some bro science gym boys maybe the exception but they are hardly representative

You're talking about a bunch of people who sit at home in front of their TV in the evenings and possibly sit at a desk all day. I'd guess that the majority of people bulking are active (afterall they go to the gym often enough to be trying to add mass), so their bodies need more calories than someone who sits around all day.

winonavampire

My situation is probably unique in that I was 340 pounds of jabba the hut when I I started. I lost 140 pounds down to 200 and was awfully squishy, so I put on 15 pound during a bulk (3 months), then I cut for 3 months and dropped 15 pounds (got down to 17% body fat). Now I am going back on a 20 pound bulk over the next 3-4 months. Once I gain about 20, I'm going to cut back to around 205, and then start over. My goal is to eventually be at about 225-230 at 15% body fat.

I don't want a six pack. I'm going for a meaty bulk. My Bane pictures are not just for fun. I really want the "Bane build" as I call it.

This is the upper body I am working towards: