Bulk struggles

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  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
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    psulemon wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    I would not add in cardio.. this might make you hungrier, and also keep you from adhering to your surplus.

    Macros is the first place I would look at. What combinations of macro give you satiety? I would not choose low calorie foods in general, but filling up on volume foods around a time of day when you are hungrier and for example pack a salad with tons of things to help meet macros.. also play with meal timing.

    Cardio is an interesting thing. It's never made me hungry. Weight lifting is the polar opposite for me. So it's possible the OP might benefit from some cardio if it doesn't cause her to over eat.

    After I posted that, I did think about what I said, as I actually do cardio during my bulk.. but I eat back mine back .. but was not a huge fan of a recommendation to just go add cardio.. I was thinking making changes in diet/meal timing/finding ways to eat that will help her with satiety/keeping fuller for longer etc..

    The idea is to gain some fat, boy do I get that being female and not ever wanting to abandon the bulk.

    She is cutting calories on days to compensate for hunger/over eating days, so what is the best approach for this situation? I guess balance the surplus at the end of the week however she needs to get there.

    I would imagine that is fine as long as it's not thousands of calories at the end of the week to make up for! I think it was @psulemon that mentioned something about keeping calories more on the consistent side which is better for muscle growth? (vs. really high then really low days like 5:2 or something etc). I don't remember where I read that

    Calorie cycling is a good option for the OP, you eat a slightly bigger surplus on lifting days and more around maintenance on non lifting days. My initial comment was really directed at not trying to catch on at the end of the week since your body has limitations on being able to make muscle. And ideally, you want to stimulate protein synthesis as much as possible.

    OP, also, don't be afraid of some cardio, as long as it doesn't impede recovery. Your calories are rather low, so the increase in calories burned could be beneficial to you. Personally, I will be doing HIIT if I bulk. I have no problem pounding down 3400 calories. I actually don't suggest dropping cardio unless you can't keep up.

    Ok. I'll give all of this a try, including the cardio. If anyone looks at my diary now, it IS lower than usual because I'm recovering from a minor surgery. Eating around maintenance for a few days until I pull myself together....
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
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    Sounds like a reasonable surplus. So if you want to help satisfy your appetite you should make sure you limit the simple sugars (sweet foods) and make sure each meal has a fair amount of proteins and fats. The proteins and fats take longer to digest than carbs so it will keep you full for a longer period of time. Also try to eat every 2-3 hrs, you'll eat smaller meals and won't ever really be super hungry or super full.
  • snyderadam
    snyderadam Posts: 4 Member
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    I hear your main concern is you're HUNGRY. So long as you are getting proper nutrition, I agree with adding more vegetables in your diet like you said, and other carbohydrates higher in fiber. I aim for a 5:1 carb to fiber ratio throughout the day (original goal was to decrease insulin sensitivity), so if I have 100g of carbs, I look for 100/5=20g of fiber. This keeps me full and I am currently maintaining, if anything loosing fat. Cheapest high-fiber sources I found: carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, barley, whole grain pasta, bulgar. For meal prep on the veggies, I cut/cook them up for a full week and then I plan to eat so much every day. Plus you get SO much micronutrients from them. I'm not a big fan of varying my diet too much, I'm much more comfortable with consistency.
  • snyderadam
    snyderadam Posts: 4 Member
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    I forgot the fruits, I like: pears, apples, oranges, and (if you splurge on price) blueberries.

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