hi there!
Sorry for the delay- I tried to reply early but it's been pretty crazy at work!

Usually you'll see 5 pounds or so the first week or two- from water/glycogen refills. Most of the time people add calories- see the gain- and hold steady and then don't gain for another 3 weeks till they bump again.

How much did you increase? 1-200 calories often just gets absorbed into the body as "maintenance" and you won't see gains.

250 is typically a minimum number to start with for surplus- then go up from there if you don't see movement- I like to wait 3-4 weeks- but I'm a firm believer in lots of data points to really solidify the situation. That's just me. I wouldn't go any lower than 2 weeks though.

2.) types of food? food you like!!!! Aim for macros roughly- but you have to hit a surplus. Carbs, proteins, fats are usually how people rate importance for bulking (cutting would be protein first) My go to was milk next to oreo's crumbled into ice cream.
Also all you can sushi and all you can eat brazillian steak houses) just more of what you want. And peanut butter too. don't forget that!! !

3.) Never have- nor will be- so I can't comment on this.


I would honestly aim for at least 10 pounds over though- at 4-5 pounds gain- that's mostly water weight- and minimal muscle gain.

Also I would suggest a min/max time window- so you have a bare minimum to shoot for and hold on to. I wanted 6 months- I was going to bail at 3 (I was miserable) but I have myself 4-6 months- and I made it happily to 5 after I got through month 3.

Wear stretchy pants- lots of them.

Be prepared for "bad" days- when you want to quit.

Brace your hubby/SO- let them know you'll have bad/fat days (you will).

Keep lifting- and feel awesome with the gains of lifting!!!

hopefully that helps a little bit for you!!!

Good luck!

Well- have you figured out what your actual maintenance is?

because it's hard to add a number to that if you haven't figured out what that is.

Re-comping is pretty much great for newbs- and or people who are okay with horribly inefficient ways to put on muscle- it is SO tedious and time consuming- women have a hard enough time putting on muscle- why take the hard route?

Bulk- and go for it- you don't have to dirty bulk and eat 1000 calories over maintenance- but I mean- eat at a solid surplus- you can always back it down if you are gaining to fast.
1/2 pound a week is perfectly realistic- I put on 15 pounds in 5 months- which was pretty solid and consistent- and I've kept a fair bit of size on my cut. (LOL- tried to get into a shirt I purchased in 2012 - I was probably 170- so I'm 10 pounds lighter- and I could barely fit into it- I had to get my BF to help me put it on because it's not stretchy and it wouldn't' get over my lats)


as far as "Clean" bulking.
Clean bulk is a small surplus 100-300 calories over.
Dirty bulking is like 500+ surplus- much more fat gain.

"clean eating bulking" is useless. and really quiet honestly stupid. I mean dont' go out of your way to ONLY eat ice cream- most people who do this TEND to eat "clean" but don't go out of your way- eat what you need to ball park hit your macros and when you can't eat any more chicken breasts and broccoli and quinoa- stuff some ice cream down your pie hole LOL.

pasta is a great bulk food!- I don't eat it so I tend to forget about it- but pasta- oatmeal- bread- ice cream peanut butter- pop tarts- I know a guy who blends cheese cake into his smoothies bc he has such a crazy metabolism. Gotta do what it takes!


(thank you! by the way!)