Scared of Bulking

Sarauk2sf

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

Welcome. And fats are good for you - a moderate fat diet has positive hormonal impact as well as keeping your body healthy. Just try to get them from a mix of sources (and avoid trans fats as much as possible).

SideSteel

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

^ This, and I'd lean towards the bolded part unless your profession prevents you from gaining weight.

Recomping works very well for beginners and not so well for people who have training experience. If I were in your shoes I would do the bold part above.