Scared of Bulking

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*

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.