More muscle + fat = better than just fat?

ge105

I'm planning on doing a bulk this winter, my ultimate goal is to build more muscle so that I can cut before next summer and look more muscular rather than soft as I have this summer. This will be my first time doing this and my question is for any ladies that have bulked once already:

Did you find you didn't mind putting on some fat (as in the way it looks) when it came with muscle rather than if you just put on fat (like when you go on holiday and just put on a few pounds) or was it still uncomfortable?

I'm going to do it either way and just hoping I can keep he fat gain to a minimum because I'm dead set on my ultimate goal but I'm just curious how the ladies out there felt putting on fat + muscle vs just fat .

montreal_wanderers

Putting on fat during a bulk is inevitable. In order to build muscle, one must eat a caloric surplus. The body has more calories incoming than outgoing, thus the extra is stored as muscle and fat. However, if you keep the surplus "reasonable" (calculated based on your needed energy requirements) then fat gain will be minimal.

I've been on a bulk for about 2 and 1/2 months. Yes I have gained body fat but I also added muscle mass. My advice is not to be scared about adding some fat because the muscle gains are well worth it.

Best wishes and feel free to message me if you have any questions! I would be willing to assist. : - )

3laine75

It feels absolutely fabulous being in control of the gain. When you start to feel uncomfortable you can 'cut'

ETA:0.5 lb gain a week should work well for you as, generally, women can only gain 0.25 lb muscle per week. You want to get optimal gains but not have a tonne of fat to cut afterwards.

Springfield1970

Bulked from 123lb to 132lb last November to February. Thought it would feel terrible at the end, but it was awesome! The weight just went to all the right places. I've since shaved off 4lb very very slowly. Soooo glad I did it.

I added 250 cals per day and lifted heavy 3 x week, cut the cardio down, but any I did, I made sure I ate all the calories back.

Ended up stuffing my face and boozing for 3 weeks in Hawaii and was ok at the end of it. Didn't gain much there as was used to the big calories anyway.

To think I used to eat 1200 a day for so long! Miserable cow I was too! And flabby.

ge105

It feels absolutely fabulous being in control of the gain. When you start to feel uncomfortable you can 'cut'

ETA:0.5 lb gain a week should work well for you as, generally, women can only gain 0.25 lb muscle per week. You want to get optimal gains but not have a tonne of fat to cut afterwards.

Its good to hear you felt so good doing it! Yes- I def. don't want to have to cut my results short or gain too much fat- it sounds so tricky!

Bulked from 123lb to 132lb last November to February. Thought it would feel terrible at the end, but it was awesome! The weight just went to all the right places. I've since shaved off 4lb very very slowly. Soooo glad I did it.

I added 250 cals per day and lifted heavy 3 x week, cut the cardio down, but any I did, I made sure I ate all the calories back.

Ended up stuffing my face and boozing for 3 weeks in Hawaii and was ok at the end of it. Didn't gain much there as was used to the big calories anyway.

To think I used to eat 1200 a day for so long! Miserable cow I was too! And flabby.

Nice! You look great btw! +250 calories seems do-able and not too crazy. I especially like the boozing in Hawaii part of the plan I can really relate to the 1200c thing- is there a woman on this site that didn't start there? I've just now started to try and find my TDEE and I eat ~1800- I feel so much better than the last time I tried this site @1200c!

It sounds like its not as scary as I was thinking so far- thank you gals!