Muscle Building Diets for Bulking
Posted in: Diet and Nutrition
From the outset, the idea of ‘bulking up’ would seem no more complex than eating everything in sight; the more the merrier, in fact. The error in this is, it’s not how much you eat per se, but how much calories the food contains that you eat – plus, there are other factors which I’ll explore in more detail in this article.
First let’s clarify something: bulking is the phase in which a candidate aims to put on as much muscle mass as possible. It’s a phase during which, calorie excesses, as well as sufficient macronutrients must be taken in, providing the necessary fuel to repair and grow muscles after training.
People bulk for all sorts of periods of time, ranging from months, to years at a time. Usually, a person will then go on a ‘cutting’ diet, to remove excess fat accumulated during the bulk.
There’s that ugly word which nobody wants to hear about – fat. Yes, I’m afraid you’d best get used to the idea, as, unless you are on steroids, you will inevitably put some fat on during a bulking phase, simply because you are feeding your body the excess it needs to grow. Under feed it and, your gains will become static.
So, let’s examine what we need to bulk.
Calories and lots of them. Preferably taken from good, clean, whole foods. Whole milk is a huge favourite, because it’s packed with calories and protein, and so easy to drink pint after pint of it, with no preparation. Hard boiled eggs are another, highly convenient snack which can be prepared and eaten throughout the day, and also packed with calories and protein. Meat such as fish, chicken, and beef. Whatever you decide upon, you should make sure you take care to count calories stringently, ensuring you are getting your quota.
You should also avoid as much as possible processed foods, as many of the calories can actually be fairly hollow in nutritional value.
A typical bulking diet will consist of a daily calorie count of 15 calories per lb of bodyweight (yes, bodyweight, not muscle weight) plus, an additional 500 calories to ensure there is a surplus, and your muscles aren’t left wanting.
Depending on your metabolism, and your level of daily activity, more or even slightly less may be required. It’s very important that you get your rest when bulking, as your muscles simply cannot recover and grow at optimum rate if you are continually working them – and if you are continually burning the calories off doing other activities. Rest is key.
I’ll end this article by saying; once again, expect to put some fat on. It’s an unfortunate side effect of bulking, but don’t worry, it’ll all come off during the cut.
Don’t try to get too caught up in the typical ratio of 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat when bulking, although you must ensure you get sufficient protein at around 1 – 1.5g per lb of bodyweight, and a good healthy amount of complex carbs. Mostly though, it’s the overall calories which count. And, if you find yourself putting too much fat on, you may want to readjust your calorie count a little. Happy bulking!
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