Optimal calorie excess during a bulk?

[Drayen]

Since the only difference between a "clean bulk" and a "dirty bulk," assuming you hit your macros, is the amount of excess calories consumed, what is the optimal amount to consume over your BMR? Is there any exactness or science to this other than the range wide 500 calorie ranges that are thrown around? Any links to articles?

And on the same subject, if all that matters is how much calories over maintenance you consume, wouldn't junk food all day high in sugars and saturated fats combined with whey protein be exactly equal to a series of healthier meals throughout the day hitting the same calories and macros as the junk binge?

Thanks

[determined4000]

Since the only difference between a "clean bulk" and a "dirty bulk," assuming you hit your macros, is the amount of excess calories consumed, what is the optimal amount to consume over your BMR? Is there any exactness or science to this other than the range wide 500 calorie ranges that are thrown around? Any links to articles?

And on the same subject, if all that matters is how much calories over maintenance you consume, wouldn't junk food all day high in sugars and saturated fats combined with whey protein be exactly equal to a series of healthier meals throughout the day hitting the same calories and macros as the junk binge?

Thanks

I wouldnt put a # on it. Someone 500 over maint. with a maint. of 1800 will gain more quickly than someone with a maint of 4000. Increase calories so that you gain .5-1lb /week if you want fat gain to be minimized.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=117561841

[wobemaster]

have a read of this: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/whats-my-genetic-muscular-potential.html

there's a few formulas in there but aragon's and lyle's both deal with a rate of gain per year/month from which you can backtrack and realise that you don't need, and isnt optimal, to have a large surplus. Depending on how advanced you are the surplus should become smaller otherwise it's just going to be fat gain.

Wrt: junk food vs healthy food, probably not a huge difference in terms of body comp but i don't see any reason to compromise health with eating pure junk all the time.

[RealMenDeadLift]

tinker with it until you find yourself gaining 2-3 lbs a month, maybe a tad more if you are fast gainer