Starting my bulk any tips

ryanwhatley
ryanwhatley Posts: 3
edited November 2024 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I am starting my bulking and if anyone has any tips would be great. I weight 185 pounds and would like to get to 200. I currently need to eat 3200 calories and day which is tough when trying to eat clean espically getting the protein intake. I'm not sure what my body fat % is i think like 15 I'll post a picture and maybe one of yall can help. I started working out harder and eating clean about 10 weeks ago but I think it's time to start putting on some more muscle to get bigger. Also any tips on how to minimize fat gain while I bulk. Thanks. Also the first picture was about 11 weeks ago and the 2nd one is this week

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Replies

  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10049766/bulking-a-complete-guide-for-beginners
  • ricardo510diaz
    ricardo510diaz Posts: 64 Member
    To minimize fat gain while bulking, the only way is to eat a smaller surplus like 2-300 calories over maintenance; basically, the quicker you gain weight, the more fat you will gain with it, but do bare in mind that fat gain is pretty much inevitable.

    Have you considered cutting down lower than you are now and then bulking? When you are leaner, your nutrient partitioning is better so less of your surplus will be stored as fat and more will go where it needs to go; also, if you've been lifting for some time, you may find you look much better after cutting even now. If you bulk now you'll end up very fluffy and will have a lot more fat to cut down. Just my two cents, for what they're worth.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    My best tip would be to not get 100% of your nutrition from 'clean' food while you're bulking. If you're happy and not struggling to eat everything then have at it but there's no harm in having something a bit more calorie dense every now and again. Getting the right balance of macros/micros is much easier at surplus so there's plenty of wiggle room to have things like pizza, icecream etc.

    Is 3200 your maintenance or what you've set yourself to bulk? If it's maintenance, give yourself a surplus of 250-500 calories a day (you'll probably be able to get away with the higher option as you're young). This is where eating 'clean' all the time becomes a chore and if it's a choice between not hitting your calories that day (because you can't face anymore broiled chicken) and having a snicker - well, you have the snicker. Calories are the key to success in your bulk and protein, although still important, can take more of a backseat.

    Unfortunately there's no way to avoid some fat gain. Just hit it hard in the gym to make the most of the extra calories. As Ricardo mentioned above, it is accepted that less fat is stored and more protein synthesised at lower bf% but it can still be done at the higher end (both my bulks, I have been well above the optimal range). Well done on your weightloss btw and have fun bulking :)

    Oh, and click this too, everything you need to know is here,
    auddii wrote: »
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10049766/bulking-a-complete-guide-for-beginners

  • ryanwhatley
    ryanwhatley Posts: 3
    Thanks and yes I have thought about cutting more I am just finding it very difficult to drop any more weight and my strength in the gym has kind of stopped going up so I figured I thought it was a good idea to start putting some of it back on. And 3200 is my surplus but I usually try to get a little above since I am so active during the day
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