Tips for first time bulkers
yogaga1
Posts: 182 Member
Hi Ladies,
Would anyone in the group who has previously completed a bulk cycle be willing to share their experience? From the physical and mental sides to bulking, mistakes you made, tips you have- anything you can share would be great!
Would anyone in the group who has previously completed a bulk cycle be willing to share their experience? From the physical and mental sides to bulking, mistakes you made, tips you have- anything you can share would be great!
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Love this--yes, any tips would be greatly appreciated!0
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Hi,I just found this group
I did 2 bulks, last one 5 months ago, and now I'm stuck at my post bulk weight, looking for inspiration to cut
I think that advice would depend on what you struggle with and where are you coming from.
My first bulk was after 9 months of dieting down from 78 kg to 62 kg. I was tired of dieting and daydreaming about delicious foods I'll eat when I bulk.
My mistakes:
I freaked out when I gained 4 cm on my waist fast, I was prepared to gain water weight, it never occurred to me that it will come with water size :laugh: so account for that extra size, and make sure you are ready to go up more then one size of pants (although everybody is different so you may gain less...)
I was trying to make the best of those extra calories, plan what I will get in the bakery, search for the most delicious foods... the truth is on bulk you get to eat same what you do when you cut, just more of it. Sure, the first month of 2400 cal felt like heaven after 9 months of eating 1600 -1800, but then my stomach adjusted so I was more hungry.
It's more important then ever to train hard, if you don't you will gain fat, so don't bulk if you struggle with going to the gym on regular basis.
Tips: if you were dieting, you probably used to stay under your goal on the days when you were not hungry, so bulk may be a real mind *kitten* at the begging. Remember now you have to hit your goal, if you come under, you will not bulk. If you are so full you can't eat anymore, have juice, or glass of milk and some PB.
probably obvious but will just throw this in: when you cut, you can eat as much fat as you want, as long as you meet your protein minimum, but when you cut it's better to fill this extra cals with carbs. Extra fat is stored as fat, when extra carbs are first stored in muscles to full your workouts and after that stored as fat, so they have longer way to go. Lyle Mcdonald reccomends to keep fat at 25% of total calories.0 -
At first, it will feel like so much food....then you will get really hungry. It is a phenomenon many experience
Second, you will freak out. Believe me, you will. Consider your first bulk as a practice bulk, you might start cutting a lot sooner than what you planned but hopefully you will be able to go all the way. First bulk are a real mind**** because you have no idea what to expect.0 -
At first, it will feel like so much food....then you will get really hungry. It is a phenomenon many experience
Oh that's good to hear! That might explain a bit why I have been eating way above my bulk kcal these last two weeks...
Was feeling I needed more and more...0 -
Here's a really good video I found from Dr. Layne Norton. I'm going to speak to my trainer about this. I've been eating 2000-2100 calories a day since 9/30 which is 200 above me TDEE and have gained 1/2 lb. I think pushing the limits of the number of calories we can consume during out bulking or gaining phase to make cutting easier sounds like fantastic advice. I highly recommend that all you ladies watch this.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EY1DsZMNfNw 0 -
^ I totally agree about this. I started slowly increasing my intake back in the spring, when I was eating around 1800. Sometimes I'd see a gain for a week or two and then things would readjust/settle and I'd lose the gains. I think doing it this way is what's letting me maintain on 2500 now. I can live with a cut of 2000/day - I would die if I had to eat less than 1500/day to cut!
Also, what Yanicka1 said about hunger is so true. Annoying but true. I could eat all freaking day long, and I get hungrier much quicker. I'm pretty sure my partner is getting sick of hearing me say "I'm hungry" and "When do you wanna eat" every five minutes lol.0 -
Hi,I just found this group
I did 2 bulks, last one 5 months ago, and now I'm stuck at my post bulk weight, looking for inspiration to cut
I think that advice would depend on what you struggle with and where are you coming from.
My first bulk was after 9 months of dieting down from 78 kg to 62 kg. I was tired of dieting and daydreaming about delicious foods I'll eat when I bulk.
My mistakes:
I freaked out when I gained 4 cm on my waist fast, I was prepared to gain water weight, it never occurred to me that it will come with water size :laugh: so account for that extra size, and make sure you are ready to go up more then one size of pants (although everybody is different so you may gain less...)
I was trying to make the best of those extra calories, plan what I will get in the bakery, search for the most delicious foods... the truth is on bulk you get to eat same what you do when you cut, just more of it. Sure, the first month of 2400 cal felt like heaven after 9 months of eating 1600 -1800, but then my stomach adjusted so I was more hungry.
It's more important then ever to train hard, if you don't you will gain fat, so don't bulk if you struggle with going to the gym on regular basis.
Tips: if you were dieting, you probably used to stay under your goal on the days when you were not hungry, so bulk may be a real mind *kitten* at the begging. Remember now you have to hit your goal, if you come under, you will not bulk. If you are so full you can't eat anymore, have juice, or glass of milk and some PB.
probably obvious but will just throw this in: when you cut, you can eat as much fat as you want, as long as you meet your protein minimum, but when you cut it's better to fill this extra cals with carbs. Extra fat is stored as fat, when extra carbs are first stored in muscles to full your workouts and after that stored as fat, so they have longer way to go. Lyle Mcdonald reccomends to keep fat at 25% of total calories.
Are you saying on a BULK, you should keep your fat macros at or under 25%??0 -
Sarah, I'd like to know that too. My trainer had me adjust my fat macros down to 25% as well. He alluded to 'fat cycling' for cutting and I'm excited to hear more about that. Of course I plan to 'bulk' for at least six more months but it sounds exciting to lose weight and body fat by eating more fat not less. 0
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yes, unfortunately you should
you want to put all extra kcals into protein and carbs0 -
yes, unfortunately you should
you want to put all extra kcals into protein and carbs
Hopefully my low(er) carbs and high(er) fat will still be okay. I get a crap-ton of protein.0 -
yes, unfortunately you should
you want to put all extra kcals into protein and carbs
Oh my...so happy I read this NOW. Looks like I have a little more reading to do! I was working under the assumption that as long as my minimums were met, I could fill in the rest where I want. For the past few weeks, my fats tend to be around 35% and where I add in the extra cals after protein has been met for the day because...well, I love bacon and avocados as much as I love my firstborn.
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I didn't know this either (the 25% thing). Here's an article on macronutrients by Layne Norton - it affirms the 25% value and explains why carbs are so important. Interesting! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne23.htm My current goal of 70g/day is 25%, so that's good to know, but I do tend to go over on fats.0
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I didn't know this either (the 25% thing). Here's an article on macronutrients by Layne Norton - it affirms the 25% value and explains why carbs are so important. Interesting! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne23.htm My current goal of 70g/day is 25%, so that's good to know, but I do tend to go over on fats.
Yes it does but it also states that adequate fat intake for bulking can range from 20-30%, not a set in stone 25%. I follow Layne pretty closely and he has more recent articles and breakdowns in bulking and cutting macros that support the higher %. Fat is in an integral macro in muscle development and hormone function and shouldn't be kept too low in a bulk.
In reality the difference between 25% and 30% is a matter of 10ish grams depending on your calories. Is extra fat grams going to be stored as fat? That's the equivalent of saying fat makes you fat and is a pretty extreme stance and misleading, to the poster who stated that. The amount of your surplus is going to determine your fat gain.0 -
I didn't know this either (the 25% thing). Here's an article on macronutrients by Layne Norton - it affirms the 25% value and explains why carbs are so important. Interesting! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne23.htm My current goal of 70g/day is 25%, so that's good to know, but I do tend to go over on fats.
Yes it does but it also states that adequate fat intake for bulking can range from 20-30%, not a set in stone 25%. I follow Layne pretty closely and he has more recent articles and breakdowns in bulking and cutting macros that support the higher %. Fat is in an integral macro in muscle development and hormone function and shouldn't be kept too low in a bulk.
In reality the difference between 25% and 30% is a matter of 10ish grams depending on your calories. Is extra fat grams going to be stored as fat? That's the equivalent of saying fat makes you fat and is a pretty extreme stance and misleading, to the poster who stated that. The amount of your surplus is going to determine your fat gain.
^^ Now, see, this is more along the lines that I've been thinking/operating under up to now. I have a minimum fat goal, aim to hit that, if I go over no biggie. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that fat is more easily stored/converted to fat while on a bulk/surplus (pretty sure Layne also said that in the article I linked.) I'll have to snoop his blog for more recent information.0 -
I didn't know this either (the 25% thing). Here's an article on macronutrients by Layne Norton - it affirms the 25% value and explains why carbs are so important. Interesting! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne23.htm My current goal of 70g/day is 25%, so that's good to know, but I do tend to go over on fats.
Yes it does but it also states that adequate fat intake for bulking can range from 20-30%, not a set in stone 25%. I follow Layne pretty closely and he has more recent articles and breakdowns in bulking and cutting macros that support the higher %. Fat is in an integral macro in muscle development and hormone function and shouldn't be kept too low in a bulk.
In reality the difference between 25% and 30% is a matter of 10ish grams depending on your calories. Is extra fat grams going to be stored as fat? That's the equivalent of saying fat makes you fat and is a pretty extreme stance and misleading, to the poster who stated that. The amount of your surplus is going to determine your fat gain.
Great info ^^^.0 -
I didn't know this either (the 25% thing). Here's an article on macronutrients by Layne Norton - it affirms the 25% value and explains why carbs are so important. Interesting! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne23.htm My current goal of 70g/day is 25%, so that's good to know, but I do tend to go over on fats.
Yes it does but it also states that adequate fat intake for bulking can range from 20-30%, not a set in stone 25%. I follow Layne pretty closely and he has more recent articles and breakdowns in bulking and cutting macros that support the higher %. Fat is in an integral macro in muscle development and hormone function and shouldn't be kept too low in a bulk.
In reality the difference between 25% and 30% is a matter of 10ish grams depending on your calories. Is extra fat grams going to be stored as fat? That's the equivalent of saying fat makes you fat and is a pretty extreme stance and misleading, to the poster who stated that. The amount of your surplus is going to determine your fat gain.
^^ Now, see, this is more along the lines that I've been thinking/operating under up to now. I have a minimum fat goal, aim to hit that, if I go over no biggie. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that fat is more easily stored/converted to fat while on a bulk/surplus (pretty sure Layne also said that in the article I linked.) I'll have to snoop his blog for more recent information.
This is kinda where I'm at, except I have a minimum protein goal, a maximum carb goal, and the rest is fat.0
