Bulk without getting fat tips

HunterKiller
HunterKiller Posts: 361 Member
edited October 2014 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Im trying to bulk up a bit but without putting on too much fat. Im 6'1, 197lbs & about 20% body fat.
Im eating as close as i can get to about 3000 cals a day and ratios of Carbs 35%, Protien 45% and 20% fat. Currently lifting twice a week with 2 days cardio plus lots of walking.
Anyone reckon this will work or have any tips. Cheers :)

Replies

  • julianpoutram
    julianpoutram Posts: 331 Member
    I'm pretty new to bulking, but from what I understand you're going to gain fat, it's just going to happen. You look really slim anyway, so I wouldn't worry about it. I have a higher body fat than you and I'm eating more carbs than your diet suggests, the protein intake is perhaps a little unnecessarily high. Maybe lift 3 times a week and go for 1-2 cardio sessions depending on how you feel? Purely just suggestion, if what you're doing is working for you, then stick to it!

    Hope this helps :)
  • junlex123
    junlex123 Posts: 81 Member
    If your profile pic is current I really doubt you're 20% fat, looks more like lower-mid teens.

    General rule of thumb for minimal fat gains is maintenance calories + ~250 cal per day, but you might not get maximum muscle gains either. A slightly higher surplus should max your muscle gain without increasing your fat gain too much. If 3000 cal/day lets you put on an average of 1/2 - 3/4 lb a week you're pretty much golden. If you're putting on more than that on that calorie intake, cut a bit; less than that, eat more.

    A third lifting day would probably help as well, at the expense of one of the cardio sessions if necessary.
  • HunterKiller
    HunterKiller Posts: 361 Member
    edited October 2014
    Cheers guys. I think i will continue and see what happens. Is hard to tell at this early stage as my weight fluctuates up and down a fair bit.
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    junlex123 wrote: »
    If your profile pic is current I really doubt you're 20% fat, looks more like lower-mid teens.

    General rule of thumb for minimal fat gains is maintenance calories + ~250 cal per day, but you might not get maximum muscle gains either. A slightly higher surplus should max your muscle gain without increasing your fat gain too much. If 3000 cal/day lets you put on an average of 1/2 - 3/4 lb a week you're pretty much golden. If you're putting on more than that on that calorie intake, cut a bit; less than that, eat more.

    A third lifting day would probably help as well, at the expense of one of the cardio sessions if necessary.

    Totally agree--you're leaner than you think you are.

    Also, more lifting. Keep the cardio if you wish, but know that you'll have to eat more to make up that difference than if you did less cardio. Your protein is really high. If you can eat that much and it works for you, great. If not, lower protein a bit and increase carbs to help you get there.
  • HunterKiller
    HunterKiller Posts: 361 Member
    hmm....maybe lift 4 times a week and 2 days cardio? As you can tell im no expert so it ok to work one set of muscle groups twice a week?
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    HunterKiller wrote: »
    hmm....maybe lift 4 times a week and 2 days cardio? As you can tell im no expert so it ok to work one set of muscle groups twice a week?

    Best thing to do is find a program.

    If you're a beginner lifter, some great resources are StrongLifts 5x5 (I started with this), Starting Strength, New Rules of Lifting, etc.

    If you're an intermediate lifter, I recommend finding a program that works for you from muscleandstrength.com or bodybuilding.com. Both are great, free sites.

    I personally do a 4-day/week upper/lower split program, but I've been lifting for a couple of years.
  • HunterKiller
    HunterKiller Posts: 361 Member
    ok thanks i will check it out. All i have done is P90X so was just going to do that but add 2 extra lifting days
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    edited October 2014
    I have no experience with bulking, so I'll leave the advice to the experts.

    I did find this an interesting read yesterday though:
    http://bretcontreras.com/to-bulk-and-cut-or-not/

    There's a user on here with a webpage with tons of information on bulking, and for the life of me I can't remember who it is. Maybe someone can post the link for you; there was TONS of good info.

    ETA: Just kidding, here's the link: http://strengthunbound.com/bulking-complete-guide-for-beginners/
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    auddii wrote: »
    I have no experience with bulking, so I'll leave the advice to the experts.

    I did find this an interesting read yesterday though:
    http://bretcontreras.com/to-bulk-and-cut-or-not/

    There's a user on here with a webpage with tons of information on bulking, and for the life of me I can't remember who it is. Maybe someone can post the link for you; there was TONS of good info.

    ETA: Just kidding, here's the link: http://strengthunbound.com/bulking-complete-guide-for-beginners/

    Love Bret Contreras! Great read! I'll check out the other one too.

    I don't do bulk/cut cycles, I do bulk/recomp cycles. As a woman, it's so hard to gain muscle in the first place, that I try to reduce the risk of losing anything I've gained.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Yea, definitely not 20%. Mid to lower teens i'd say. Ultimately it's just a matter of controlling calories so you're gaining at a slow pace.
  • FitnessTrainer69
    FitnessTrainer69 Posts: 283 Member
    Up your calories with healthy options 250-500 and I would stop the cardio if its running and do around 20min of incline tread mil at 3-3.3. For me the cardio kills any gains I have and incline walk seems to still burn some calories while saving muscle.
  • DragonShoe_GCole
    DragonShoe_GCole Posts: 137 Member
    edited October 2014
    FitnessTrainer69 wrote: »
    Up your calories with healthy options 250-500 and I would stop the cardio if its running and do around 20min of incline tread mil at 3-3.3. For me the cardio kills any gains I have and incline walk seems to still burn some calories while saving muscle.

    ^^This; also, when I'm on a bulk I always do so for a minimum of 6-12 months, my macro ratio is always 50% on protein but it fluctuate's between 30%/20% carbs/fat depending on if I'm lifting that day or not (i.e. if I'm lifting that day, I take in more carbs, if not I take in more healthy fats and less carbs: this is just what works for me and might not be of any consequence for you); finally, I lift heavy until failure on every set....
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
    I'd suggest dropping p90x and just lift. 3 big barbell lift days a week, and accessory lifts on any other days of the week you feel like it. Cardio is not necessary, especially while bulking. Go for a 1 lb a week for 3 months. Muscle gains will drastically slow after that period for most people. Then aim for a half pound per week if you want to continue bulking and not cut the fat.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    DragonShoe_GCole wrote: »
    FitnessTrainer69 wrote: »
    Up your calories with healthy options 250-500 and I would stop the cardio if its running and do around 20min of incline tread mil at 3-3.3. For me the cardio kills any gains I have and incline walk seems to still burn some calories while saving muscle.

    ^^This; also, when I'm on a bulk I always do so for a minimum of 6-12 months, my macro ratio is always 50% on protein but it fluctuate's between 30%/20% carbs/fat depending on if I'm lifting that day or not (i.e. if I'm lifting that day, I take in more carbs, if not I take in more healthy fats and less carbs: this is just what works for me and might not be of any consequence for you); finally, I lift heavy until failure on every set....

    Why 50% protein?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited October 2014
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  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    OP, you're most definitely nowhere near 20%, much lower. If you were really 20% you'd still need to cut more.

    As its already stated above, get on a proven barbell program with linear progression. Don't make the same mistake so many others do by thinking they can design their own when in fact they end up neglecting so much.

    Shoot for a smaller surplus, around 300. 500 max. If it's your real bulk you can look to add 3 lbs per month and some can even push it to 4 lbs but you might accumulate more fat than you desire. I like to shoot for .5-.75 lb gains per week.

    Protein at .8g per lb of bodyweight and fat at .4g per lb of bodyweight. First the rest with carbs. So many believe you need much more protein when in fact you don't. On a bulk you can take in less protein than on a cut. So many people overlook the importance of carbs and the important role the insulin play in building muscle. Don't be one of those people.


    ETA: Feel free to ignore that user telling you to get 50% protein and lift to failure on every set. That's unnecessary and just dumb.

    Agree with the above.

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited October 2014
    HunterKiller wrote: »
    Im trying to bulk up a bit but without putting on too much fat. Im 6'1, 197lbs & about 20% body fat.
    Im eating as close as i can get to about 3000 cals a day and ratios of Carbs 35%, Protien 45% and 20% fat. Currently lifting twice a week with 2 days cardio plus lots of walking.
    Anyone reckon this will work or have any tips. Cheers :)

    First you're lower than 20% for body fat, probably in the 13-15% depending on the rest of your body.

    Second how much weight are you gaining weekly? What is your TDEE? That will tell more about how much fat you will gain.

    Third your protein is way too high. I could understand if you were cutting and trying to preserve muscle loss, but you really don't need it that high on a bulk. Carbs are far more important and protein is wayyy over-emphasized on a bulk. Dropping your protein down to 30, while upping your carbs to 50 would be more ideal.

    Fourth cardio is not necessary for anything but health of lungs, heart, etc...
    Since you will burn more calories with cardio, you have to eat more since you must be on a surplus for a bulk. If you enjoy the extra food or just want the health benefits... great, but its not necessary for bulking one bit.

  • pknjhh
    pknjhh Posts: 117 Member
    P90x will not help bulk at all. Bulking was always easy for me. Not so clean bulk load up on carbs, fiber and protein. Get a good workout routine and hit the gym. Pretty simple really.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • paultucker1007
    paultucker1007 Posts: 37 Member
    At 20% fat, cut for a few months then bulk I'd say.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    Yea, definitely not 20%. Mid to lower teens i'd say. Ultimately it's just a matter of controlling calories so you're gaining at a slow pace.

    ^^ I agree with this dude ^^
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Get a lifting program
    Drop P90X
    Eat more food- I was gaining slowly on 3000 calories.
    - enjoy your carbs
    - Don't sweat adding on some meat.
    - Do it for the gAIIIIIIINNNNNZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

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