i want to gain muscle, but im cautious of getting chubby again

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  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    dwolfe1985 wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    Springfield1970 wrote: »
    For my health, bulking has been the best thing I've ever done! Hands down. I was expecting to feel fat but at the top of my bulk 132lb I felt incredible! I only cut to make me run faster. I've been that weight and been flabby, but this was different. Totally different. I cut down to 123lb first, which was under 15% body fat. Too much, but it happened really quick after over cutting. Hence the bulk!

    I completely agree. The extra calories while in a bulk and hitting the weights hard makes you feel so much more energetic. I also found that doing really heavy and long sets has allowed me to improve my 5K time without even running all that much any more. It's amazing how strength training can actually improve cardiovascular performance as well.

    Yeah Squats have great carry over to running that's why most athletes have them in their training :)

    I hear hips thrusts are very popular too. My sprints have improved massively, and my posture and general muscular health. No more hip flexor strains for one.
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
    If that's you in the pic with the camera, I'd say go for the bulk now. It's hard to get a great looking stomach without a little more lean mass.
  • TrailNurse
    TrailNurse Posts: 359 Member
    Caged_Heat wrote: »
    I don't have any advice but I do have empathy for the OP and anyone else going through this. I've lost 54 pounds in 3 years, using DBs and machines for almost two years. I started looking too thin, especially at my age (63) in the shoulders, neck and face. But I really wanted to lose more to get rid of that "pinch-an-inch" around my waist. I was also having trouble lifting heavier in the gym with the calorie deficits and lack of muscle growth. I felt like I HAD to "bulk." So I've been slowly raising my calories over the past 6 weeks and am starting this week at a 10% surplus. I work out every other day. I have not gained weight but I'm already getting that bloated stomach feeling and am nervous about it. It's difficult psychologically as well since bulking at this point just feels like eating too much, especially after deficit eating for so long.

    That's me to a T. It took me 3 years to lose 116 lbs and now I need to gain weight in order to gain muscle :s . It totally messes with your head. I am fighting it tooth and nail. Also there are so many haters out there telling me to "be careful" because I will gain it all back. Can't get them out of my head!

  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    edited January 2015
    Something I have struggled with for a couple years now after losing 50 lbs. I tried "lean" bulking and it does work but man is it slow. Every time I thought I had gained too much too fast I would start cutting again. Ended up spinning my wheels for over a year.

    I am finally at a point where I just accepted some fluffiness and saw much better results.
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