Am I eating enough for a slow clean bulk
Replies
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Here's what I are yesterday, I think I hit my macros and cals pretty adequately. Honestly on a day like today I would say that I would have hit close to 3000 but seeing as everyone says I'm overestimating I'll assume closer to 2500:
Breakfast: ~23g protein
1 Cup Nonfat Yogurt
1 Cup PB Cherios
1 Banana
Post WO: ~30g protein
1 scoop whey
1 cup almond milk (I like the taste)
Lunch: ~25g protein
1 Vienna Roll (7g of protein)
3oz approx. roast beef
1 slice American cheese
1tbsp of smokey horseradish sauce
3 slices tomato
Lettuce
Peach
Snack: ~13g protein
Chobani Flip Yogurt
A piece of bell pepper
Dinner: ~50g protein
7oz (weighed raw at supermarket) tuna steak marinated in half tbsp sesame oil and soy sauce
Hamburger Roll with about half a tbsp wasabi mayo and carmelized onions
1 Cup of Cole Slaw (made with a sugar and cider vinegar instead of mayo)
5 sweet potato fries
Before Bed:
Fruit Salad (probably a little more than a cup)
If that works out to 2500-3000 cals, I'll eat my hat.
Try logging it. See what it comes out to.
We'll I know base off of labels that a cup of yogurt, banana, and cup of PB Cherios is close to 400 cals, my post workout shake is 200, my lunch is 170 for the roll, 110 for roast beef, 70 for cheese, 40 for sauce, 30 for lettuce and tomato, 50 for peach. Snack of yogurt is 200. Dinner is probably 300 (7oz of tuna) and 70 for sesame oil, 70 for mayo, 170 for roll, 30 for onions, probably about 150 for slaw, 130 for fries. Then probably 150 for fruit salad.
So breakfast is 400 (adding in three coffees with milk)
Shake is 200
Lunch is 470
Snack is 200
Dinner is 920
Dessert is 150
That's 2340 and I would think some things are a little more because I don't measure anything. So how is tha terribly far off. Also I usually have a protein shake at night on top of this. So usually it's close to 2500-2700.
I am not really not gaining I'm just not see if I am eating too much as of yet or too little because I have gone up about 2lbs in the last month. I don't want to start everything off wrong that's why I'm asking about this stuff.0 -
The real question for you is do you want to waste your time guessing the amount you are eating? If so, you'll probably not be eating enough and consequently not be building any muscle. Weighing food literally takes a few seconds. Logging it takes a few minutes. If you're serious about bulking, just suck it up and do it. Doesn't mean you have to count calories for the rest of your life. But to get the most out of bulking and not waste time it's hands down the best thing to do.0
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I am not really not gaining I'm just not see if I am eating too much as of yet or too little because I have gone up about 2lbs in the last month. I don't want to start everything off wrong that's why I'm asking about this stuff.
Well, if you're gaining 1/2lb/week, then that's almost the definition of a clean bulk. You'll find that as the weeks go by, you'll adapt to it and have to eat more and that's where tracking can come in handy.
You could probably get away with eating at a greater surplus and gaining more due to age/gender, but if you're happy with what you're doing now and it's working, then keep doing it.
I'm off to eat my hat now - hope the macros are good...0 -
So I am 19 years old, 5'7 and 140lbs. I workout between four and five days a week with a very very small amount of cardio but mostly heavy weight training (like bench at 140-160, squat at 200, and other exercises) for approximately 30-45 minutes. I also consider myself lightly-moderately active. Here is how I are today which isn't terribly different from what I usually eat, do I look like I'm eating enough for a clean, slow bulk:
Breakfast:
Banana
Handful of blueberries
Approx a cup of Cherios
Approx a cup of Fat Free Plain Yogurt
~usually this is a fruit (like banana), a carb (like cereal, whole wheat bread or bagel), and a protein (like yogurt or an egg)
Post WO:
A Scoop of Chocolate Whey
A Cup of 1% Milk
Lunch:
1/2 Cup of shrimp salad on ciabatta (about 5 inches)
1/4 cup of coleslaw
~Usually this is a sandwich with coldcuts and cheese, with an occasional side like a peach-this lunch isn't that different.
Snack:
Peach
Dinner:
Approx 6oz roasted pork tenderloin
approx half a cup of roasted potatoes
Approx half a cup of merapoix
Approx half a cup of zucchini with mint
Approx a quarter cup of cole slaw
~think clean plate method (half plate veggie, quarter starch, quarter lean protein) and that's my usual dinner.
Dessert:
Two scoops of soft serve ice cream (this is usually some fruit salad I indulged today)
Before Bed:
Scoop Chocolate Whey
Cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk
I hear a lot of how you have to eat big to get big and when I look at my younger bro who is also trying to gain muscle (about 20 lbs more than myself right now) I definitely don't seem to eat at all (he eats really constantly and bigger portions than me).
Sorry I didn't read it all. But here is what I took from it, and what I think.
You aren't lifting heavy, do MORE cardio. And drink a gallon of water everyday. Yes a gallon.
When I was 19, I was playing college football and eating 4,000 calories a day.
Your 19 years old, you should be able to eat a doughnut truck, tire and all and not gain a pound.
SERIOUSLY, eat what you want and bang the weights about 10 times as hard as you are now. And do cardio EVERYDAY!
:noway:
Squatting 225 isn't a lot? It is definitely heavy given my body weight. Same with maxing out 20lbs above body weight. How is that heavy lifting for me?
And I guess sadly I have a **** metabolism because I weighed 200lbs and seriously didn't eat "an entire doughnut truck tire and all". I actually eat far more consistently now. I used to skip breakfast and often times eat half a sandwich at lunch, then maybe snack on 300 cals of chips or something when I got home and then had my usual dinner, which may have been about 300 calories more tha the dinner I eat now. I wish I could eat what I want but the reality is- no probably not.
I disagree, don`t blame it on bad metabolism. That's a lame excuse. But admit "too yourself" that you have made bad dietary choices and lacked in activity.
Calories in vs calories out, and that`s every case, every time. Unless, you have a medical condition. And then, your answer is at the Dr.s office and not on the internet.
Tip number 2, the amount of weight that you lift is not the important part. More reps and more sets. You need cardio. I guarantee, that when you think that you have worked you little body to a fatigue, what really happened is, you got tired and quit.
All the best, and I stick with my original comment.
p.s. No, I don`t see a 225 squat as a lot. I`m old and squat 225 for 15 reps. and 315 for 6 or 8 all day long. Sorry, my answer wasn't to your liking, but I don`t just give people the answer that they want to hear. And its just my opinion, which you asked for by posting here.
Done...... :laugh:0 -
So I am 19 years old, 5'7 and 140lbs. I workout between four and five days a week with a very very small amount of cardio but mostly heavy weight training (like bench at 140-160, squat at 200, and other exercises) for approximately 30-45 minutes. I also consider myself lightly-moderately active. Here is how I are today which isn't terribly different from what I usually eat, do I look like I'm eating enough for a clean, slow bulk:
Breakfast:
Banana
Handful of blueberries
Approx a cup of Cherios
Approx a cup of Fat Free Plain Yogurt
~usually this is a fruit (like banana), a carb (like cereal, whole wheat bread or bagel), and a protein (like yogurt or an egg)
Post WO:
A Scoop of Chocolate Whey
A Cup of 1% Milk
Lunch:
1/2 Cup of shrimp salad on ciabatta (about 5 inches)
1/4 cup of coleslaw
~Usually this is a sandwich with coldcuts and cheese, with an occasional side like a peach-this lunch isn't that different.
Snack:
Peach
Dinner:
Approx 6oz roasted pork tenderloin
approx half a cup of roasted potatoes
Approx half a cup of merapoix
Approx half a cup of zucchini with mint
Approx a quarter cup of cole slaw
~think clean plate method (half plate veggie, quarter starch, quarter lean protein) and that's my usual dinner.
Dessert:
Two scoops of soft serve ice cream (this is usually some fruit salad I indulged today)
Before Bed:
Scoop Chocolate Whey
Cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk
I hear a lot of how you have to eat big to get big and when I look at my younger bro who is also trying to gain muscle (about 20 lbs more than myself right now) I definitely don't seem to eat at all (he eats really constantly and bigger portions than me).
Sorry I didn't read it all. But here is what I took from it, and what I think.
You aren't lifting heavy, do MORE cardio. And drink a gallon of water everyday. Yes a gallon.
When I was 19, I was playing college football and eating 4,000 calories a day.
Your 19 years old, you should be able to eat a doughnut truck, tire and all and not gain a pound.
SERIOUSLY, eat what you want and bang the weights about 10 times as hard as you are now. And do cardio EVERYDAY!
:noway:
Squatting 225 isn't a lot? It is definitely heavy given my body weight. Same with maxing out 20lbs above body weight. How is that heavy lifting for me?
And I guess sadly I have a **** metabolism because I weighed 200lbs and seriously didn't eat "an entire doughnut truck tire and all". I actually eat far more consistently now. I used to skip breakfast and often times eat half a sandwich at lunch, then maybe snack on 300 cals of chips or something when I got home and then had my usual dinner, which may have been about 300 calories more tha the dinner I eat now. I wish I could eat what I want but the reality is- no probably not.
I disagree, don`t blame it on bad metabolism. That's a lame excuse. But admit "too yourself" that you have made bad dietary choices and lacked in activity.
Calories in vs calories out, and that`s every case, every time. Unless, you have a medical condition. And then, your answer is at the Dr.s office and not on the internet.
Tip number 2, the amount of weight that you lift is not the important part. More reps and more sets. You need cardio. I guarantee, that when you think that you have worked you little body to a fatigue, what really happened is, you got tired and quit.
All the best, and I stick with my original comment.
p.s. No, I don`t see a 225 squat as a lot. I`m old and squat 225 for 15 reps. and 315 for 6 or 8 all day long. Sorry, my answer wasn't to your liking, but I don`t just give people the answer that they want to hear. And its just my opinion, which you asked for by posting here.
Done...... :laugh:
Yes. In my past I was less active. But I honestly wasn't a huge eater either. Point is I eat way more consistently now at a much lower weight but if I ate like my brothers (everything I eat plus like half a bag of chips each day) I would be right back where I was before dieting. Also, you just told me that teenagers can eat the doughnut car plus the tire. I am living proof that this is just not true. Poor diet choices or not, seeing as I was never seriously binging and actually spent time doing exercise on and off throughout high school, I should have NEVER ended up at 200lbs and a nearly 30 BMI. Yet, I did. So you're generalization, to be frank, is WRONG. No offense, but you're slightly condescending for someone who seems to be trying to help. I push myself pretty hard in the gym. My 225 squat is on par with my little brother who is 165 and about to start college level lacrosse (he has also been applauded as the strongest player on his high school team). I think benching 160 is decently heavy for my size, obviously there is always room for improvement and that's what I am seeking to do now. It's all about working toward improvement for yourself, not stacking up against everyone else. I have been lifting a year, so I would hardly expect to be squatting 315. I understand that for you that's a normal amount, but I think "lifting heavy" is all relative. In the very near future the only place I will be going by attempting to squat 315 is the ER. My body is hardly "little" by the way, just by looking at me I am willing to bet you would never guess I am 140lbs. I am well built in the chest and have pretty strong legs, but I am hoping to gain in the abs and also have an even more developed lower body.0 -
I am not really not gaining I'm just not see if I am eating too much as of yet or too little because I have gone up about 2lbs in the last month. I don't want to start everything off wrong that's why I'm asking about this stuff.
Well, if you're gaining 1/2lb/week, then that's almost the definition of a clean bulk. You'll find that as the weeks go by, you'll adapt to it and have to eat more and that's where tracking can come in handy.
You could probably get away with eating at a greater surplus and gaining more due to age/gender, but if you're happy with what you're doing now and it's working, then keep doing it.
I'm off to eat my hat now - hope the macros are good...
Thanks for the advice. I guess the main point I am getting from this (besides LOG) is to just evaluate everything on an ongoing basis. I am definitely making gains in the gym so I must be gaining at least some lean mass.0 -
I am not really not gaining I'm just not see if I am eating too much as of yet or too little because I have gone up about 2lbs in the last month. I don't want to start everything off wrong that's why I'm asking about this stuff.
Well, if you're gaining 1/2lb/week, then that's almost the definition of a clean bulk. You'll find that as the weeks go by, you'll adapt to it and have to eat more and that's where tracking can come in handy.
You could probably get away with eating at a greater surplus and gaining more due to age/gender, but if you're happy with what you're doing now and it's working, then keep doing it.
I'm off to eat my hat now - hope the macros are good...
Thanks for the advice. I guess the main point I am getting from this (besides LOG) is to just evaluate everything on an ongoing basis. I am definitely making gains in the gym so I must be gaining at least some lean mass.
The tape and the scale are your friends when it comes to checking for gains.
Increased strength is often from neuromuscular efficiency rather than getting bigger muscles. Strength is a skill. People often put their lifts up whilst they are cutting without gaining any appreciable muscle mass.
But yeah: logging, along with pics, a tape measure and weekly weigh-ins can give you a way to track trends over time. You can then adjust on the fly as needed. Good luck!0 -
I am not really not gaining I'm just not see if I am eating too much as of yet or too little because I have gone up about 2lbs in the last month. I don't want to start everything off wrong that's why I'm asking about this stuff.
Well, if you're gaining 1/2lb/week, then that's almost the definition of a clean bulk. You'll find that as the weeks go by, you'll adapt to it and have to eat more and that's where tracking can come in handy.
You could probably get away with eating at a greater surplus and gaining more due to age/gender, but if you're happy with what you're doing now and it's working, then keep doing it.
I'm off to eat my hat now - hope the macros are good...
Thanks for the advice. I guess the main point I am getting from this (besides LOG) is to just evaluate everything on an ongoing basis. I am definitely making gains in the gym so I must be gaining at least some lean mass.
The tape and the scale are your friends when it comes to checking for gains.
Increased strength is often from neuromuscular efficiency rather than getting bigger muscles. Strength is a skill. People often put their lifts up whilst they are cutting without gaining any appreciable muscle mass.
But yeah: logging, along with pics, a tape measure and weekly weigh-ins can give you a way to track trends over time. You can then adjust on the fly as needed. Good luck!
With the tape measure, I should say increases on chest, biceps, legs but no change in my waist if I'm doing things correctly right?0 -
I think your waist will go up. Even on the cleanest of clean bulks.
It's something you just have to make peace with on a bulk, I'm afraid. Unless you are super genetically gifted or on the right drugs.0 -
I think your waist will go up. Even on the cleanest of clean bulks.
It's something you just have to make peace with on a bulk, I'm afraid. Unless you are super genetically gifted or on the right drugs.
So will I grow out of my pants in a bulk? After being overweight for nearly 6 years, I have to say id be reserved about growing out of my clothes and looking unhealthy and out of shape again. I don't mind the scale going up but I don't want to grow out of my clothes and look unhealthy. Is that a genuine concern?0 -
how many calories is that?
Not sure. I don't log. If I were guesstimating I would honestly say it were 2500-2700 cals. But is onr measure anything so i don't know.
Stop being "not sure" and "guesstimating". You need to know for sure what you are eating. How else can you know whether your'e in surplus vs. maintenance? :huh:
Log your food. Every bite.0 -
I stayed in all my same clothes when I did - they were a tad tight though, 1" gain in the waist
Just bulk until you don't feel comfortable anymore, then cut0 -
I stayed in all my same clothes when I did - they were a tad tight though, 1" gain in the waist
Just bulk until you don't feel comfortable anymore, then cut
Okay. I'm fine even with that but I just don't want to look out of shape and overweight again, I guess that sounds like a slightly odd fear, but I haven't ever been happy with my appearance until now but I also want strength to go with it and slightly more tone. Also is a cut a very tough procedure (as in, is it as tough as initial weight loss)?0 -
I stayed in all my same clothes when I did - they were a tad tight though, 1" gain in the waist
Just bulk until you don't feel comfortable anymore, then cut
Okay. I'm fine even with that but I just don't want to look out of shape and overweight again, I guess that sounds like a slightly odd fear, but I haven't ever been happy with my appearance until now but I also want strength to go with it and slightly more tone. Also is a cut a very tough procedure (as in, is it as tough as initial weight loss)?
Sigh.
Get over it. Bulking isn't the same as just "getting fat" or out of weight.
If you keep lifting- you're going to gain muscle and just get bigger- not pack on fat in one specific place.
Also- you have complete control.
Bulking is all about confidence and committing to a decision. It's 100% in your control. If you are unsatisfied with your results- you can stop doing what you are doing and go back to where you are.
Pick a goal.
Chose your path.
Move forward.
Good Results? Keep going
Bad results? Stop and go the other way.0 -
I stayed in all my same clothes when I did - they were a tad tight though, 1" gain in the waist
Just bulk until you don't feel comfortable anymore, then cut
Okay. I'm fine even with that but I just don't want to look out of shape and overweight again, I guess that sounds like a slightly odd fear, but I haven't ever been happy with my appearance until now but I also want strength to go with it and slightly more tone. Also is a cut a very tough procedure (as in, is it as tough as initial weight loss)?
Sigh.
Get over it. Bulking isn't the same as just "getting fat" or out of weight.
If you keep lifting- you're going to gain muscle and just get bigger- not pack on fat in one specific place.
Also- you have complete control.
Bulking is all about confidence and committing to a decision. It's 100% in your control. If you are unsatisfied with your results- you can stop doing what you are doing and go back to where you are.
Pick a goal.
Chose your path.
Move forward.
Good Results? Keep going
Bad results? Stop and go the other way.
Well I guess it's that I've been out of shape for so long. I really don't want to get back to that and I really don't know if I have the ability to just control weight gain and get muscle instead of fat0 -
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Hey geezer!Here's what I are yesterday, I think I hit my macros and cals pretty adequately. Honestly on a day like today I would say that I would have hit close to 3000 but seeing as everyone says I'm overestimating I'll assume closer to 2500:
Breakfast: ~23g protein
1 Cup Nonfat Yogurt
1 Cup PB Cherios
1 Banana
Post WO: ~30g protein
1 scoop whey
1 cup almond milk (I like the taste)
Lunch: ~25g protein
1 Vienna Roll (7g of protein)
3oz approx. roast beef
1 slice American cheese
1tbsp of smokey horseradish sauce
3 slices tomato
Lettuce
Peach
Snack: ~13g protein
Chobani Flip Yogurt
A piece of bell pepper
Dinner: ~50g protein
7oz (weighed raw at supermarket) tuna steak marinated in half tbsp sesame oil and soy sauce
Hamburger Roll with about half a tbsp wasabi mayo and carmelized onions
1 Cup of Cole Slaw (made with a sugar and cider vinegar instead of mayo)
5 sweet potato fries
Before Bed:
Fruit Salad (probably a little more than a cup)
START LOGGING!
It gets easier and easier. You'll have your list of foods, weigh it quickly and bang, you'll have it done in a matter of minutes.
Don't waste your (and our) time guesstimating.
Ignore what your family are saying. You wouldn't guesstimate your finances, so why your food when trying to clean bulk.
Also, it sounds like you may have the same genes as your brother so if he can eat all the foods and not gain, what are you worried about.
Start talking calorie and grams. It's the language we all use here.
Good luck!0 -
As already mentioned your "clean bulk" diet looks like what an sedentary office worker would eat. I understand your anxiety about gaining weight back but the most efficient way to put on muscle is to eat until you consistently gain weight. 1/2 lb per week is a nice goal. If you're not gaining weight, you need to eat more. If your waist gets a little big, trim back a few weeks to what your currently eating. Listen to your body- If it says "feed me",it's telling you it needs resources to make repairs. If you're not hungry I would suspect that you're probably not working out as intensely as you think to trigger optimal muscle growth. If your workouts are intense enough you might surprise yourself as to how much you can eat without putting a lot of fat back on.0
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As already mentioned your "clean bulk" diet looks like what an non-exercising office worker would eat. I understand your anxiety about gaining weight back but the most efficient way to put on muscle is to eat until you consistently gain weight. 1/2 lb per week is a nice goal. If you're not gaining weight, you need to eat more. If your waist gets a little big, trim back a few weeks to what your currently eating. Listen to your body- If it says "feed me". It's telling you it needs resources to make repairs. You might surprise yourself as to how much you can eat without putting a lot of fat back on.
Haha! My bulking calories ended up being eerily similar to how much food I ate back in the 'hoover all the foods up' days. I seriously thought I wasnt eating very much!!
I wish I could do this thing instincively, but I'm very bad at reading my appetite. I think perhaps once you've been overweight, it gets hard to listen to the signs. Probably something to do with insulin sensitivity.
It's quite scary to go into bulk if youve been fat before.0 -
As already mentioned your "clean bulk" diet looks like what an sedentary office worker would eat. I understand your anxiety about gaining weight back but the most efficient way to put on muscle is to eat until you consistently gain weight. 1/2 lb per week is a nice goal. If you're not gaining weight, you need to eat more. If your waist gets a little big, trim back a few weeks to what your currently eating. Listen to your body- If it says "feed me",it's telling you it needs resources to make repairs. If you're not hungry I would suspect that you're probably not working out as intensely as you think to trigger optimal muscle growth. If your workouts are intense enough you might surprise yourself as to how much you can eat without putting a lot of fat back on.
I could eat more, but like I said I just don't want to go back to being unhealthy again. I just can't seem to trust my body after being overweight for years.0 -
As already mentioned your "clean bulk" diet looks like what an non-exercising office worker would eat. I understand your anxiety about gaining weight back but the most efficient way to put on muscle is to eat until you consistently gain weight. 1/2 lb per week is a nice goal. If you're not gaining weight, you need to eat more. If your waist gets a little big, trim back a few weeks to what your currently eating. Listen to your body- If it says "feed me". It's telling you it needs resources to make repairs. You might surprise yourself as to how much you can eat without putting a lot of fat back on.
Haha! My bulking calories ended up being eerily similar to how much food I ate back in the 'hoover all the foods up' days. I seriously thought I wasnt eating very much!!
I wish I could do this thing instincively, but I'm very bad at reading my appetite. I think perhaps once you've been overweight, it gets hard to listen to the signs. Probably something to do with insulin sensitivity.
It's quite scary to go into bulk if youve been fat before.
EXACTLY! I don't want to return to my old self. I just don't know how I will ever be able to stop the weight gain when I get to where I should be, and I don't know if I should expect to grow out of clothing or not. It's all very confusing!0 -
it's all about confidence.
Springfield said it's scary to bulk- but guess what- she did it.
She committed to the thing- and moved forward and she's learned so much and come so far. seriously.
talking about it isn't going to get you anywhere- don't second guess yourself- take charge and move forward. NOTHING you do is irreversible.
except maybe chopping off a limb- I hear it's kind of hard to come back from that in terms of re-attachment.
so in terms of diet/bulking/cutting. YOU are in complete control. Make food your bit*h and get to work. Make it work FOR you.0 -
I seem to be slowly gaining on this intake (my guess is that the pils my family cooks with at dinner makes my dinners more calorific than they appear in writing). I very happy with my appearance at the ment and I am really noticing the strength. Do you think a good checkpoint for me to see whether to maintain or keep going is when my weight gain levels off naturally? I am definitely very content with the amount I'm eating. Or do you think that the surplus is probably too great to level off. I don't weigh myself constantly enough to know my exact weight but I would assume I have gained approx. 2.5-3lbs since June 16th.0
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