Scared of Bulking

RodSuarez

So, I realized I need to gain muscle before I lose any more weight.

The problem is, I am scared of "Bulking" and gaining fat with the muscle, I know it is a part of that, but I am really scared of it.

I train 4 days a week:
- 1 Hour Zumba (700+/- calories)
- 90 Minuttes Weights (Pecs and Arms, Back and Shoulders, Legs, Day off due because I leave the city, and then Arms again (Legs are my strongest / best muscle so I don't work them twice a week + they have their own special workout) (350+/- calories)
- Ballet 90 Minutes (700 +/- calories)

Basically I would be burning about 1750 calories with my exercise.

My current diet is 2900 calories a day which lately has been good as I've kept my weight and gained size in my calves (which always makes me happy) and lost about an inch in my waist (which kind of scared me as my goal was 32 and I have 31 now).

What would be your advice for "Lean Bulking" I am REALLY, REALLY SCARED of gaining Fat.

Cr01502

Cut out the Zumba and the Ballet first of all.

CoachReddy

So, I realized I need to gain muscle before I lose any more weight.

The problem is, I am scared of "Bulking" and gaining fat with the muscle, I know it is a part of that, but I am really scared of it.

I train 4 days a week:
- 1 Hour Zumba (700+/- calories)
- 90 Minuttes Weights (Pecs and Arms, Back and Shoulders, Legs, Day off due because I leave the city, and then Arms again (Legs are my strongest / best muscle so I don't work them twice a week + they have their own special workout) (350+/- calories)
- Ballet 90 Minutes (700 +/- calories)

Basically I would be burning about 1750 calories with my exercise.

My current diet is 2900 calories a day which lately has been good as I've kept my weight and gained size in my calves (which always makes me happy) and lost about an inch in my waist (which kind of scared me as my goal was 32 and I have 31 now).

What would be your advice for "Lean Bulking" I am REALLY, REALLY SCARED of gaining Fat.

well first don't be scared... that's silly.

secondly, if you want to bulk but do it slowly and not have to worry about putting on fat, just eat your TDEE and lift heavy. simple as that.

lithezebra

Are you a dancer? Awesome!

RodSuarez

Cut out the Zumba and the Ballet first of all.

Can cut the Zumba, can't cut the Ballet as it is part of my Profession.

CoachReddy

Cut out the Zumba and the Ballet first of all.

Zumba maybe, but you obviously have never done ballet as it's NOT high-cardio as much as it is strength and core work.

obviously keep the ballet

RodSuarez

What would be your advice for "Lean Bulking" I am REALLY, REALLY SCARED of gaining Fat.

well first don't be scared... that's silly.

secondly, if you want to bulk but do it slowly and not have to worry about putting on fat, just eat your TDEE and lift heavy. simple as that.

Then I guess I just have to keep doing the same and stop worrying?

RodSuarez

Are you a dancer? Awesome!

Musical Theatre

Jersey_Devil

cut down any cardio or do it as HIIT.

Also- it's not like if u bulk that pounds and pounds of fat are going to grow overnight. it takes time...so as soon as you see something u dont like while bulking, change your cals/macros a bit. takes some fooling around with.

RodSuarez

Cut out the Zumba and the Ballet first of all.

Zumba maybe, but you obviously have never done ballet as it's NOT high-cardio as much as it is strength and core work.

obviously keep the ballet

Ballet is doing wonders to my calves.

Cr01502

Cut out the Zumba and the Ballet first of all.

Can cut the Zumba, can't cut the Ballet as it is part of my Profession.

If that's the case you're going to need to eat far more than 2900 calories a day. That's a lot of cardio.

Up your TDEE slowly about 200 calories every couple of weeks.

Strength train and get MINIMUM 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass and .35-.5 grams of fat per pound of lean body mass.

Do this for a couple of months and see where your at. With the right diet and training your muscle growth will far exceed your fat growth.

CoachReddy

What would be your advice for "Lean Bulking" I am REALLY, REALLY SCARED of gaining Fat.

well first don't be scared... that's silly.

secondly, if you want to bulk but do it slowly and not have to worry about putting on fat, just eat your TDEE and lift heavy. simple as that.

Then I guess I just have to keep doing the same and stop worrying?

worrying is the last thing you should be doing. stress messes your body up more than anything else. also dude, you're eating WAY too much protein and WAY too little fat. that'll have a lot to do with your body fat level. you actually need to eat MORE fat to lower your body fat.

think about it this way, if you're eating enough fat, your body doesn't need to STORE fat - but if you're NOT eating enough fat, then it does have to store body fat. make sense?

your fat % shouldn't be lower than 20%. HIT YOUR MACROS


PS I'm an actor/singer in NYC

CoachReddy

Cut out the Zumba and the Ballet first of all.

Can cut the Zumba, can't cut the Ballet as it is part of my Profession.

If that's the case you're going to need to eat far more than 2900 calories a day. That's a lot of cardio.

Up your TDEE slowly about 200 calories every couple of weeks.

Strength train and get MINIMUM 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass and .35-.5 grams of fat per pound of lean body mass.

Do this for a couple of months and see where your at. With the right diet and training your muscle growth will far exceed your fat growth.

you don't need to eat more than your TDEE. you just don't. not in your case because i know the look you're going for as a professional actor. i have many friends in broadway shows and who have done broadway bares, etc.

Shadowknight137

What would be your advice for "Lean Bulking" I am REALLY, REALLY SCARED of gaining Fat.

10-20% over your TDEE and lift heavy.

You will gain a little fat, yes, it is unavoidable, but you will - should you just eat a slight surplus, as has been suggested - gain equal as much or more muscle mass.
You can always diet the fat off later, srsly. It's not that big a deal, bud - I'm bulking too, it's fun.

Cr01502

you obviously have never done ballet

This is true.

Shadowknight137

you don't need to eat more than your TDEE. you just don't. not in your case.

OP asked how to lean bulk.

Not how to recomp/spin his wheels.

CoachReddy

you don't need to eat more than your TDEE. you just don't. not in your case.

OP asked how to lean bulk.

Not how to recomp/spin his wheels.

eating your TDEE and lifting heavy is not spinning your wheels. the only thing i've ever DONE is lean bulk.

RodSuarez

your fat % shouldn't be lower than 20%. HIT YOUR MACROS


PS I'm an actor/singer in NYC

Need to rise my fat intake, got it! I think I'll run to the store and get Peanut Butter

CoachReddy

your fat % shouldn't be lower than 20%. HIT YOUR MACROS


PS I'm an actor/singer in NYC

Need to rise my fat intake, got it! I think I'll run to the store and get Peanut Butter

but make sure you grab peanut butter that isn't made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. you need good fats - and that's a bad one.

Shadowknight137

you don't need to eat more than your TDEE. you just don't. not in your case.

OP asked how to lean bulk.

Not how to recomp/spin his wheels.

eating your TDEE and lifting heavy is not spinning your wheels. the only thing i've ever DONE is lean bulk.

Your before and after pics look more like a recomp.

You don't look bigger.That's not bulking.

RodSuarez

It's not that big a deal, bud - I'm bulking too, it's fun.

It is easy to say when you are skinny, I used to be REALLY fat haha I know I won't become fat overnight but it is still scarry as hell

Shadowknight137

It is easy to say when you are skinny, I used to be REALLY fat haha I know I won't become fat overnight but it is still scarry as hell

I actually used to be bigger when I was younger - wouldn't say fatter, though maybe a little bit, but I know I weighted more. I don't know, never weighed myself. Lost a lot of weight due to lack of nutritional education, stupidity and laziness.

Btw found this, if it helps.
http://www.jcdfitness.com/2009/10/the-former-fat-boy-syndrome/

CoachReddy

you don't need to eat more than your TDEE. you just don't. not in your case.

OP asked how to lean bulk.

Not how to recomp/spin his wheels.

eating your TDEE and lifting heavy is not spinning your wheels. the only thing i've ever DONE is lean bulk.

Your before and after pics look more like a recomp.

You don't look bigger.That's not bulking.

and a recomp, as you say, is what the OP actually wants. just look at his pictures and tell me a recomp wouldn't get him exactly what he's looking for.

and what's the difference between a lean bulk and a recomp? because my goal was simply to add lean muscle mass... and i did... that wasn't a lean bulk?

RodSuarez

It is easy to say when you are skinny, I used to be REALLY fat haha I know I won't become fat overnight but it is still scarry as hell

I actually used to be bigger when I was younger - wouldn't say fatter, though maybe a little bit, but I know I weighted more. I don't know, never weighed myself. Lost a lot of weight due to lack of nutritional education, stupidity and laziness.

Btw found this, if it helps.
http://www.jcdfitness.com/2009/10/the-former-fat-boy-syndrome/

Thanks I am reading it sounds really interesting.

Sarauk2sf

How long have you been lifting for?

RodSuarez

you don't need to eat more than your TDEE. you just don't. not in your case.

OP asked how to lean bulk.

Not how to recomp/spin his wheels.

eating your TDEE and lifting heavy is not spinning your wheels. the only thing i've ever DONE is lean bulk.

Your before and after pics look more like a recomp.

You don't look bigger.That's not bulking.

and a recomp, as you say, is what the OP actually wants. just look at his pictures and tell me a recomp wouldn't get him exactly what he's looking for.

and what's the difference between a lean bulk and a recomp? because my goal was simply to add lean muscle mass... and i did... that wasn't a lean bulk?

I am currently wearing my Goal Size (32 jeans, M shirts) my goal would be to keep wearing those sizes but Fit them better and have the toned muscle to go with it, so I guess a recomp would be (I didn't know that term before).

RodSuarez

How long have you been lifting for?

A year. Gained muscle lost a bit of weight, then got stuck in 96.5 kilos (yet I had lost like 10 and won muscle in the way)

When I was stuck in 96.5 I was losing fat and gaining muscle and strength without losing any weight.

Then I decided to take care of my diet (November 2012) and went down to 84 kilos.

Now I am at 86 but gained some muscle, and am "stuck in 86" but I've seen changes in some sizes (my calves and waist specially).

So it is a year of working out and 5 months of paying attention to what I eat.

Sarauk2sf

How long have you been lifting for?

A year. Gained muscle lost a bit of weight, then got stuck in 96.5 kilos (yet I had lost like 10 and won muscle in the way)

When I was stuck in 96.5 I was losing fat and gaining muscle and strength without losing any weight.

Then I decided to take care of my diet (November 2012) and went down to 84 kilos.

Now I am at 86 but gained some muscle, and am "stuck in 86" but I've seen changes in some sizes (my calves and waist specially).

So it is a year of working out and 5 months of paying attention to what I eat.

Unfortunately you are pretty much outside the 'newbie gain' window.

You can gain mass one of 2 main ways:

- a recomp where you calorie cycle. You eat at a surplus on lifting days and at a deficit on non-lifting days so you average out at maintenance but as you eat more on lifting days you can make some gains. This way is very slow going and inefficient as well as pretty hit and miss due to variable timing of absorption, digestion and utilization of your food as well as TDEE changing every day. However, if you really do not want to gain fat and have time, it may be the best way to go.

- a bulk/cut where you eat at a reasonable surplus every day - 250 - 500 calories a day, depending on how aggressive you go. This is more optimal from an efficiency perspective but you will gain fat that you will then have to diet off.

A key to both is getting sufficient protein, accurate tracking and a good progressive loading strength training routine.

Also, keeping the ballet makes sense, but drop the Zumba.

Edited for typo

BinaryPulsar

That's great that you do ballet and theatre.

RodSuarez

A key to both is getting sufficient protein, accurate tracking and a good progressive loading strength training routine.

Also, keeping the ballet makes sense, but drop the Zumba.

I will drop the Zumba =( it was so much fun and eating a bit more fat as I've been avoiding fat as much as possible and eating really smalls amouns of it.

Thank you all for the help

RodSuarez

That's great that you do ballet and theatre.

*dancer's high5*