Frans's First Bulking Attempt in 12 weeks
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Springfield, you are already more awesome than both of us! Let us catch up before you start bulking again
For the record, he is right, you are already quite beastly Springfield
Read on for reasons why aligning your nutrition plan with your exercise routine will help you get the body you want.
Why You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet
1. You’re not a professional athlete.
If you justify frequent fried chicken or pasta dinners with the Flywheel class or CrossFit WOD on your schedule the following morning, you might want to recalculate how many calories you’re actually burning in comparison to the ones you’re taking in. “The majority of people are not serious athletes, meaning they don’t require the same type and amount of fuel as the pros,” says Haas. “Eating a calorically dense, high-carbohydrate meal or snack makes sense for a competitive cyclist about to endure a 100-mile road race, but it doesn’t make sense for someone who is about to take a two-mile jog around the block.”
Instead, opt for a healthier form of chicken such as grilled or poached and save the spaghetti for a post-race meal. Yes, it’s OK to have a cheat here and there, but try not to make it a weekly or even bi-weekly thing. And don’t bother justifying it with an intense sweat session you may have had earlier — it’s called a cheat meal for a reason.
A very restrictive eating plan, paired with hardcore exercise, could leave you leaning on muscle mass for energy.
2. You won’t be able to hit your peak if you’re overdoing it with the wrong foods.
To effectively change your physique and stay toned requires intense exercise. You won’t have the physical endurance to push through tough workouts if your diet isn’t up to snuff. Yes, that unfortunately means that while Reese’s Pieces and soda may give you a sugar high that you mistake as energy, they won’t fuel you to PR on the bench or around the track. Also, if you’re consuming high-fat foods in the evening, they could be disrupting your sleep, according to Brazilian researchers — which will leave you too tired to go all out at the gym.
You’ll need a combination of carbohydrates and protein to recover following a workout, as well as adequate carbs beforehand, too. “They’re the preferred energy for the exercisers’ muscles and mind,” says Jennifer McDaniel, R.D.N., founder of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in St. Louis and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Watch out for taking in too much fat; that often translates to an abundance of calories as well, which quickly packs on as extra pounds. Another diet pitfall to avoid when training is extremely high amounts of carbs or fiber. “These could cause annoying digestive issues and prevent you from performing well,” says McDaniel. In general, aim to get about 30 percent of your diet from protein, 40 percent from carbs and 30 percent from fat.
RELATED: 11 No-Bake Energy Bites Recipes
Photo: Pond5
3. You won’t have the energy to exercise if you’re not eating enough.
Keep in mind that a diet you might think is healthy — one that’s super-low in carbs or calories — is just as harmful to your workout plan as one that’s high in fat. A very restrictive eating plan, paired with hardcore exercise, could leave you leaning on muscle mass for energy, says McDaniel. Not getting enough fat (fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A and D, and essential fatty acids, like omega-3s, in particular), she adds, “leaves you unable to produce energy and grow muscle because it lowers your levels of hormones like insulin and testosterone — which are important for building lean-body mass.”
Additionally, maintaining a very restrictive diet for a prolonged period can lead to a reduction in muscle tissue and can decrease the ability of your skeletal muscles (the ones needed for lifting, walking, and other forms of exercise) to perform well, found a study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition.
“A chronic low-carb diet may lead to micronutrient deficiencies and increased inflammation throughout the body, which both make you more susceptible to injury.”
4. You won’t want to exercise.
Unhealthy food choices — whether you’re eating too much fat, too many calories, or not enough of either—may make you feel slow and less driven to exercise. “Diet and exercise are a feedback loop,” says McDaniel. “When you eat well, you are motivated to move, and when you move, you are more motivated to eat better.” Consider, for instance, a low-carb, high-fat diet; it might not only weaken training adaptations and hinder performance, McDaniel adds, but can also lead to a ‘hangry’ mood. Translation: You’ll be less likely to want to get to the gym.
5. You won’t be able to tone your target areas.
Having a hard time sculpting a better butt or washboard abs? When you consume excess calories and can’t burn them all off solely from your workouts, they head right to these trouble zones. “It’s dependent on your specific body type,” says Haas, “but generally, women tend to gain weight in the hips and thighs, while men pack it on around their midsection.” So even if you’ve gained muscle in these areas, it will be covered by a layer of fat. And abs exercises alone aren’t enough to decrease your body-fat percentage or abdominal fat, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Keeping your diet in check will help because to become truly toned, you’ll need to build muscle and burn more calories than you’re consuming at the same time. It’s easier to do so if you don’t treat yourself to nachos or ice cream in the first place.
6. You could get sick — or hurt.
Low-carb and low-fat diets can be mentally draining and have a negative impact on heart health, says McDaniel. Plus, she says, “Following a chronic low-carb diet may lead to micronutrient deficiencies and increased inflammation throughout the body, which both make you more susceptible to injury.” Studies have found that not taking in an adequate amount of healthy fats may raise your chances for overuse injuries (such as stress fractures and tendonitis) and it doesn’t allow your body to protect itself in order to stay healthy. Furthermore, if you pair a low-fat diet with intense exercise, that can lower your immunity even further.
Regular sweat sessions are, of course, key for staying in shape and maintaining your overall health. However, says McDaniel, “Remember that exercise sustains weight loss — but a healthy diet is what drives it.”
OP, just ignore all that above. Listen to the people in this side of the forum that know their stuff.
Don't worry I actually completed glossed over this post. But yeah people like you, Springfield, Wheelhouse, MityMax, Terry, and others I listen to because you all have a great deal of expertise and knowledge to give me and I appreciate it -1 -
^^ I initially skipped the super-long post just because it is super long and obviously copied from somewhere. Then, I decided to actually read it. While the information isn't "wrong", it isn't completely "right" for someone that is trying to bulk.0
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Read on for reasons why aligning your nutrition plan with your exercise routine will help you get the body you want.
Why You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet
1. You’re not a professional athlete.
If you justify frequent fried chicken or pasta dinners with the Flywheel class or CrossFit WOD on your schedule the following morning, you might want to recalculate how many calories you’re actually burning in comparison to the ones you’re taking in. “The majority of people are not serious athletes, meaning they don’t require the same type and amount of fuel as the pros,” says Haas. “Eating a calorically dense, high-carbohydrate meal or snack makes sense for a competitive cyclist about to endure a 100-mile road race, but it doesn’t make sense for someone who is about to take a two-mile jog around the block.”
Instead, opt for a healthier form of chicken such as grilled or poached and save the spaghetti for a post-race meal. Yes, it’s OK to have a cheat here and there, but try not to make it a weekly or even bi-weekly thing. And don’t bother justifying it with an intense sweat session you may have had earlier — it’s called a cheat meal for a reason.
A very restrictive eating plan, paired with hardcore exercise, could leave you leaning on muscle mass for energy.
2. You won’t be able to hit your peak if you’re overdoing it with the wrong foods.
To effectively change your physique and stay toned requires intense exercise. You won’t have the physical endurance to push through tough workouts if your diet isn’t up to snuff. Yes, that unfortunately means that while Reese’s Pieces and soda may give you a sugar high that you mistake as energy, they won’t fuel you to PR on the bench or around the track. Also, if you’re consuming high-fat foods in the evening, they could be disrupting your sleep, according to Brazilian researchers — which will leave you too tired to go all out at the gym.
You’ll need a combination of carbohydrates and protein to recover following a workout, as well as adequate carbs beforehand, too. “They’re the preferred energy for the exercisers’ muscles and mind,” says Jennifer McDaniel, R.D.N., founder of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in St. Louis and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Watch out for taking in too much fat; that often translates to an abundance of calories as well, which quickly packs on as extra pounds. Another diet pitfall to avoid when training is extremely high amounts of carbs or fiber. “These could cause annoying digestive issues and prevent you from performing well,” says McDaniel. In general, aim to get about 30 percent of your diet from protein, 40 percent from carbs and 30 percent from fat.
RELATED: 11 No-Bake Energy Bites Recipes
Photo: Pond5
3. You won’t have the energy to exercise if you’re not eating enough.
Keep in mind that a diet you might think is healthy — one that’s super-low in carbs or calories — is just as harmful to your workout plan as one that’s high in fat. A very restrictive eating plan, paired with hardcore exercise, could leave you leaning on muscle mass for energy, says McDaniel. Not getting enough fat (fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A and D, and essential fatty acids, like omega-3s, in particular), she adds, “leaves you unable to produce energy and grow muscle because it lowers your levels of hormones like insulin and testosterone — which are important for building lean-body mass.”
Additionally, maintaining a very restrictive diet for a prolonged period can lead to a reduction in muscle tissue and can decrease the ability of your skeletal muscles (the ones needed for lifting, walking, and other forms of exercise) to perform well, found a study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition.
“A chronic low-carb diet may lead to micronutrient deficiencies and increased inflammation throughout the body, which both make you more susceptible to injury.”
4. You won’t want to exercise.
Unhealthy food choices — whether you’re eating too much fat, too many calories, or not enough of either—may make you feel slow and less driven to exercise. “Diet and exercise are a feedback loop,” says McDaniel. “When you eat well, you are motivated to move, and when you move, you are more motivated to eat better.” Consider, for instance, a low-carb, high-fat diet; it might not only weaken training adaptations and hinder performance, McDaniel adds, but can also lead to a ‘hangry’ mood. Translation: You’ll be less likely to want to get to the gym.
5. You won’t be able to tone your target areas.
Having a hard time sculpting a better butt or washboard abs? When you consume excess calories and can’t burn them all off solely from your workouts, they head right to these trouble zones. “It’s dependent on your specific body type,” says Haas, “but generally, women tend to gain weight in the hips and thighs, while men pack it on around their midsection.” So even if you’ve gained muscle in these areas, it will be covered by a layer of fat. And abs exercises alone aren’t enough to decrease your body-fat percentage or abdominal fat, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Keeping your diet in check will help because to become truly toned, you’ll need to build muscle and burn more calories than you’re consuming at the same time. It’s easier to do so if you don’t treat yourself to nachos or ice cream in the first place.
6. You could get sick — or hurt.
Low-carb and low-fat diets can be mentally draining and have a negative impact on heart health, says McDaniel. Plus, she says, “Following a chronic low-carb diet may lead to micronutrient deficiencies and increased inflammation throughout the body, which both make you more susceptible to injury.” Studies have found that not taking in an adequate amount of healthy fats may raise your chances for overuse injuries (such as stress fractures and tendonitis) and it doesn’t allow your body to protect itself in order to stay healthy. Furthermore, if you pair a low-fat diet with intense exercise, that can lower your immunity even further.
Regular sweat sessions are, of course, key for staying in shape and maintaining your overall health. However, says McDaniel, “Remember that exercise sustains weight loss — but a healthy diet is what drives it.”
Have you ever run through a bulk or lean gaining phase? I'm going to assume not.0 -
collegenerd20 wrote: »Hey everyone! Week 10 of my bulk is complete and here are my measurements and a few updated pictures:
Weight: 147.5 pounds (no change)
Chest: 37.875", +.125"
Waist: 32.5", no change
Arms (flexed): 13.25" +.125"
Hips: 37", +.125"
Thighs (both): 22", +.25"
Neck: 15", no change
Kind of bummed about not gaining weight but the gains elsewhere are still really good Definitely surprised that my legs (thighs) had the most growth this week so I guess the heavier weights I used during the squats, lunges, and dumbbell deadlift from my Bulk Leg workout did make an impact 
Nice. Looks good no stomach either.0 -
karrysalexi wrote: »collegenerd20 wrote: »Hey everyone! Week 10 of my bulk is complete and here are my measurements and a few updated pictures:
Weight: 147.5 pounds (no change)
Chest: 37.875", +.125"
Waist: 32.5", no change
Arms (flexed): 13.25" +.125"
Hips: 37", +.125"
Thighs (both): 22", +.25"
Neck: 15", no change
Kind of bummed about not gaining weight but the gains elsewhere are still really good Definitely surprised that my legs (thighs) had the most growth this week so I guess the heavier weights I used during the squats, lunges, and dumbbell deadlift from my Bulk Leg workout did make an impact
Nice. Looks good no stomach either.
Thank you Alexi
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I've been a quiet friend, but good job and keep it up. And if Springfield says eat more, you better listen to the woman; don't want to get on her bad side... 0
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Hey question: I am trying to use some bodyfat calipers (from bodybuilding.com) and I tried looking at the pictures to get as close to the spots as I could: The pictures show the midpoint diagonally between the nipple and the shoulder for chest, about an inch to the right of the belly button for abdomen and like midway between knee and hip for thigh measurement. But I know my measurements are wrong because the readings keep saying 8-9% body fat which I KNOW is wrong lol but any idea what I might be doing wrong here?0
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I got very low readings (but consistent) readings when I did caliper measurements last year, so that may just be a part of it. Anyway, a few recommendations. First, if/when you can, try doing the 7 site measurement - its more accurate, but you will need an extra set of hands to help. I used this site to do my calculations: http://www.free-online-calculator-use.com/skin-fold-test.html It calls for 7 sites, three measurements at each site. The other thing is to make sure you stop squeezing as soon as the little thing clicks. Also, make sure you are squeezing "straight". If you twist it any when squeezing, it will take more force for it to click, resulting in a lower reading. I had to work on my wife with this since she kept twisting it a bit. Hope this helps a bit.0
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Oh, also make sure you are getting a good enough fold of skin. If I remember right, you need at least .5 inch of skin pinched, maybe 1 inch.0
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Oh, also make sure you are getting a good enough fold of skin. If I remember right, you need at least .5 inch of skin pinched, maybe 1 inch.
Hmm.. I mean the readings were consistent just pretty low, I feel like if anything maybe by my pictures I am closer to like 12-13% then 8 or 9 lol. Half an inch? That is a lot of skin, maybe I will try that again tomorrow. According to the Omron device I am still in the 12% range maybe slightly higher but I just wanted the calipers for a more accurate reading to make sure I am not gaining too much fat you know?
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Calipers had me at about 1.5 - 2% lower than Omron last year..0
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P0
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Sorry disregard that random P, my phone spazzed out. Anyway, hey everyone! I just finished week 11 of my bulk and I'm very excited for this final week of month 3!
Weight: 149.5 lbs, +2 lbs.
Chest: 38", +.125"
Waist: 32.625", +.125"
Arms flexed: 13.25", no change
Thighs: 22.25", +.25"
Neck: 15.25", +.25"
Hips: 37.125", +.125"
I think the two pound gain was due all of the food I ate (guessing water weight but I could be wrong?). Regardless, I am still happy my waistline has been growing very slowly during my bulk! And I hit my goal chest size for my first 3 months of 38 inches which is a 2.5 inch increase! Also, surprised by the thigh increase as well! Final week of this experiment is upon us Definitely will continue on after this but just curious to see my final results from this! 0 -
So you're six pounds (probably a little less) up over 11 weeks? Good work, man.
How are your lifts progressing?0 -
Awesome! Nice work.0
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BUMP nice work man focus on getting stronger and that muscle will come! I have never been one for worrying about bodyfat! not important what is important is how I look in a mirror and my waistline. Focus on that and no worrying about bodyfat! KEEP KILLING IT! 0
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Keep going! Well done.0
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@terizius, @Springfield1970, and @FrantaAthletics, thank you for the kind words everyone Can't wait to see how this last week goes!
@keithcw_the_first, thanks man! I am not sure if you have heard of the Body Beast program but that's what I am currently doing so I do several exercises for each day and gave gotten a little stronger in many of them.0
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