WEEK FORTY-ONE :: How Can You Minimize Fat Gains When Bulking? [Archive]

Adam444

09-10-2005, 05:44 PM

How can you minimize fat gains when bulking?

Do it slowly. If you rush your bulk and add too many calories, your body will turn the excess food into fat. You should eat about 300-500 above your maintance levels and keep them clean. This is not a free-ticket to eat all the junk food you crave or craved while you were cutting. If you do that, you'll just go back to square one.

How should lifting weights and cardio be arranged?

I believe you should lift 3 times a week, do cardio 2 times a week and rest 1 day. Keep reps low and the workout intense. You don't need to stay in the gym for more than an hour, maximum.

Mon: Legs
Tues: Rest
Wed: Chest/Triceps
Thurs: Cardio
Fri: Back/Biceps/Abs
Sat:Cardio
Sun: Shoulders/Traps + Whatever you're lacking.

I put legs and cardio distant away from each other because, odds are, you will be too sore to even walk. With 3 days of rest, you should be up and ready for the cardio sessions.

I believe cardio should be med-high intensity, 70-85%, for at least 30 mins, but no more than 40. This will boost metabolism, and keep the muscle loss to a minumum.

What diet routine do you follow while bulking?

This varies from person to person. Carb sensitive people should avoid very high-carb bulking diets, because it may lead to fat gain. I would suggest 40% protein/30% carb/30% fat, for the carb-sensetive. If a person is not carb-sensetive, I would suggest a 45% protein/35% carb/20% fat diet. It all varies from person to person, there is no best diet. As long as you keep your meals clean as possible, you should be fine. Don't worry too much about the macro breakdown.

What supplements would help minimize fat gains while gaining lean muscle mass?

Sesathin is very popular these days and people had great results with them. I would suggest Green Bulge/White Blood/Sesathin stack as your base stack while doing a clean bulk.

Your diet/routine has to be near perfect before you look into these supplements.

Does the fat bother you while doing a bulk?

It would be great if you didn't gain any fat, and just gained muscle, got big and ripped at the same time. This will not happen, and like most things in life, you gotta take the bad stuff, with the good stuff. With pounds of fat here and there does not bother me because, at the end your LBM will be greater than when you first started, and it will be easier to shed the unwanted fat.

dawgfan77

09-12-2005, 09:43 AM

Many bodybuilders would tell you that it is a waste of time trying to bulk up and minimize fat gains simultaneously. However, I have a difficult time buying into that particular line of reasoning. As far as I am concerned, your body is willing to put on a certain amount of muscle in a given period of time and any weight gained beyond that will be stored as fat. Now how muscle that is depends on many factors including: nutrition (first and foremost); training; rest/recovery; supplementation; and genetics (which we must never accept as an excuse).
So lets get down to it. Nutrition is the most important factor when trying to bulk up or drop fat. It is KEY to note that our training should always, always, always follow our nutrition. Not to be blunt but if you go to the gym and lift with great inensity, for optimal time, with perfect technique, etc., and neglect to supply your body with the needed fuel, you are wasting your time. So how much food is enough and how much is too much? To optimize the muscle to fat ratio gained, we must give our bodies enough nutrients and rest to build as much muscle as our training/genetics will allow without giving it so much so as to pick up a tremendous amount of non-quality weight (fat). Each individual will have to determine this exact number for himself, but here is a tip...if you arent growing, you arent eating enough. If you dont give yourself AT LEAST (that means at a minimum) 1 gram of protein dont whine about not growing. And protein without adequate carbohydrates is not going to do you any real good. I suggest at least a gram of carbs for every pound of bodyweight as well, but this number could be closer to 2 or 3 times your bodyweight. Generally a 40-50%/30-40%/20-25% (carbs to protein to fat) ratio seems pretty good for lifters. But how do we limit the fat gain if we are eating enough? There are a few techniques that are worth mentioning but remember: if you arent growing, you arent eating enough and that must be addressed first. Start growing, then worry about limiting the fat.
Technique 1: Quality foods.
This should go without saying but your protein should be "clean" (i.e. chicken breast; lean beef; eggs (whites especially); whey; cottage cheese; etc.). Your carbs should generally be complex and low GI (oats; sweet potatoes; whole wheat bread/pasta; legumes (beans-black, pinto, kidney); vegetables). You should knock back about 70-120 (on average) high GI carbs (sugar basically) with your protein (30-50g at least) after your workout. And your fat should be from sources like olive oil, flax seed, almonds, naturally peanut butter. Minimal saturated or trans fats need to be included.
Technique 2: Carb/calorie taper.
I really like the idea of carb tapering more than calorie because I think we need to feed the body all day. But if you ingest all the carbs you need for the day early, and around your workout (one post-workout shake and some more carbs in the meal following) then you wont be sleeping on carbs that can be stored as fat while you sleep and arent using them. Night time is a good time to get your necessary fat in and reduce your carbs. I usually go with meat/veggetables and fats later in the day.
Technique 3: Kill the sugar crap
I know i mentioned this earlier but it needs to be mentioned again. Apart from your post-workout shake I dont see much of a need in ingesting high GI carbs (sugary foods). I would limit fruit to early in the day and apart from that I wouldnt eat foods high in sugar. Your body can use the complex, low GI carbs (listed earlier) to build muscle for a long period of time, without spiking your insulin and storing fat.
Technique 4: Up and Down
This one is not pushed by many but has always made some sense to me. The basic idea is that you bulk for a time then cut for a time, then repeat. If we are using the scales as a judge (not generally the best way), we might gain 10 lbs then drop 5. The idea is to gain muscle and with it a little fat (you cant help it) and then drop the fat without dropping much muscle, giving a net effect of almost completely muscle gained. I cant say I think this is the best way in the long run to get big (and lean) and stay that way, but it might could work if followed closely.
Training:
Now like I said earlier, training must follow your nutrition. Get your eating right immediately and gains will come. Now, Im not going to spend a lot of time spelling out what training to use. There are a million different training routines and all have their plusses and minuses. But there are a few basic concepts that need if we are wanting to grow (and they can be used to minimize fat storage).
First of all, train with basic lifts. That is, those referred to as compound (bench, squat, deadlift, military press, pullups,etc). These lifts are staple, irreplacable, and overlooked. Generally, reps between 6-12 are recommended for adding size. You will not get bigger doing kickbacks, and leg extensions. I heard two people in the gym today going on and on about cable cross overs. Sure there is a place for them, but I wanted to go and tell them that their 100 hours on the pulley machine wasnt worth 5 minutes on a bench or in a squat rack. But as usual, I ignored them and continued my pursuit of excellence. Another important aspect of these lifts is that they definately burn more calories than do pretty boy kickbacks or the aforementioned cross overs, so they will help in keeping off the fat.
Secondly, train with intensity. Today, as almost every day, I had to listen to people carrying on stupid conversations about all sorts of different crap while I was trying to conentrate on getting my swole on. Again, I wanted to commence to yelling, but instead it just made me mad and I was able to up my intensity and leave them even farther behind. If you are investing the time, effort, and money to go to gym or wherever to workout...you might as well give it 100%. I read somewhere that one of the best places for single people to go to meet someone was at a gym. I almost beat myself up it made me so mad. That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever hear. Go the gym to work, you can meet people at your job (maybe a bad idea but you know what Im getting at). Also, by lifting with intensity you will burn off those calories that otherwise might be stored as fat.
I want to wrap this up because I feel it is getting a little long, but I need to mention that rest is key. Do not lift more than 4-5 days a week (I go 9 days every two weeks) and for only about 1 hour per session. Also, you must get sleep. I recommend 8 hours minimum and the more the merrier. Dont limit yourself because you are too lazy to sleep.
I didnt mention cardio, which you can do, but if you burn off the calories you need to rebuild your broken-down muscles, you will not grow. Basically, however much cardio you do, eat that much more. Also, supplementation can be advantageous (especially protein and carbs post-workout). Food is the king though, bar-none. Never forget that.
So there it is, plain and simple. In conclusion, the way I picture proper bulking is by thinking of a cup of water. The cup represents your body and thw water, your food. If you dont fill the cup up to the top you are not maximizing growth and if your cup is overflowing everywhere you are gaining fat. You need to shoot for a full cup that is spilling over just a little to ensure that the maximum muscle is produced with the minimal fat being stored. That little spill-over will not be noticeable due to your swolen arms, chest, and legs if you eat, train, and rest properly.
Bonus: The fat wont bother me because i dont plan on putting too much on. I will bulk for about 3 months or more and a little fat increase is not a problem (not a bad thing).

DaTec

09-12-2005, 11:33 AM

How can you minimize fat gains when bulking?
- I believe the sole way to minimize fat gains while bulking is monitoring caloric intake and body composition. Make slow and gradual steps in eating above maintenance, sure eating more will result in more gains, but there is diminishing returns after a certain point. I'd personally go with eating 200-300 calories above maintenance or roughly 10% and adjust as necessary, but first and foremost find your maintenance intake by tracking your weight and calorie intake for a week or two and use it as a baseline.

How should lifting weights and cardio be arranged?
- Why fix what isn't broke... if what you are doing is working then keep on truckin. There is more then one way to skin a cat. Personally I highly advocate working a bodypart 2x a week or every 5 days at minimum, there is a lot of science backing up the the theory of frequency and muscle growth compared to your average once a week split and how it is not optimal for muscle growth. Cardio can be arranged how you see fit, as long as you are eating more then you expend in theory you will gain, personally while bulking I would strive for at least 2-3 sessions a week at minimum for overall cardiovascular health, besides if you love to eat like I do it will allow you to eat a little bit more, and depending on the intensity increase nutrient partitioning to a certain degree.

What diet routine do you follow while bulking?
- the diet routine I follow while bulking is getting the minimum fat and protein then filling the rest with carbs. As a general guideline I use the following of

1-1.5g/lbm in protein
.4-.6g/lbm of fat

and make the rest of the calorie intake in carbs. Eating more protein would just be an expensive form of glucose and getting in enough fat is often overlooked as it leads to proper hormone production and endocrine function.

What supplements would help minimize fat gains while gaining lean muscle mass?

I tend to stick to the tried and true
- multi vitamin
- fish oil
- creatine

I am a big advocate of diet to control fat whilst bulking, supplements can only do so much. I do hear favorable things though about sesathin/sesamin and or designers new melting point in conjunction with bulking to minimize fat gains gains.

BONUS QUESTION: Does the extra fat bother you when bulking? Is it really a bad thing? Approximately how much fat do you gain when bulking? How long is your usual bulking program?

Extra fat personally doesnt bother me while bulking, it's simply part of the process. It's just the price you pay to make gains in this sport, because everything comes at a price. As long as you are doing it in a so called "healthy" fashion then it isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you are simply stuffing your face and balooning up and down then it can lead to health complications. When bulking I tend to do it in cycles where I set a bodyfat percentage limit of say 15% once I hit 15% I diet back down to about 10% and start the process over. Usually I end up bulking for about 2/3 of the year and cutting/maintaining the other 1/3.

tobyC

09-12-2005, 04:32 PM

Hey guys,

This is all really helpful. Thanks for sharing. I'm currently bulking, and wondering if it's bad to keep fat intake as low as possible, i.e., lower than 10% of calories?

If any of you have time to look at some of my pictures, and give me some constructive criticisms, i'd appreciate it.

Posted under my profile -- also in Photo Gallery section.

Thanks!
Tobes

dawgfan77

09-13-2005, 08:37 AM

i would be concerned with a fat intake that low. overall good health is being put in jeopardy if you do not take in enough quality fat (ground flaxseed/flax oil, olive oil, peanut butter (natural), almonds, fish/fish oil (especially salmon) are all my personal favorites). some animal fat wont kill you (or make you fat) and red meat, etc will help you build muscle. many authorities say that healthy fats will increase your ability to burn fat (im not an expert on this matter, but i do think this is likely the case sometimes)
there was a time i was overweight and without any real knowledge of dieting i just basically eliminated fat from my diet. i would eat cereal with fat free milk; sandwiches with fat free deli meat and fat free cheese; and dinners with grilled chicken and veggies. my total fat grams were generally under 20 or 30 i believe per day (obviously i ate a little more than what was listed above but it wasnt enough). after a while i looked awful. my face was sunken in looking, my energy was down, and i contracted mono. that was about 6-7 years ago and the pictures of me then remind me never to go back to that type of diet.
eat your fat. it will help you add muscle and even more importantly it will help you be healthy. shoot for around 20-25% or maybe up to 30%. but i would make the increase over a couple of weeks (i.e. move from 10% to 12-15% to 18-20%, etc to give your body time to adjust). hope this helps

surfalone4ever

09-13-2005, 08:58 AM

Hell Guys, "You are what you eat"...right?!! You wanna get big and lean....eat big and lean. Im not gonna be very technical here because its not my style, I dont ever count my calories and carbs 90% of the time. Sometimes that itself can cause a lot of stress I dont need. I am an ekto myself, and i am not a professional bodybuilder but i do it everyday. Enouph of me running my suck....heres what worked for me and my suggestion. Eat big, eat quality more than quanity, get plenty of protien, stick to basic nutrition, use and adjust cardio according to the mirror! Thats right use the mirror Bro's. On top of that... set goals first, then achieve them.

sharaabi

09-13-2005, 11:21 AM

-------------------------------------------------------------
Im writing this response for the average shmo who works, has family priorities, friends AND a social life. If i did nothing but compete, my response would be slightly different. I was 273lb standing at 6'00 and currently am 208lb with 17% bodyfat. I HAVE seen fat loss while gaining muscle, but am currently following a routine with my trainer who knows how to achieve this with great accuracy.

How can you minimize fat gains when bulking?

To minimize fat gains, you have to TIME and PLAN your day. If working out in the morning is a preference, then a "lot" of your daily caloric intake should be in the pre and post workout phase.

If you workout after work in the 5-8pm frame, then eating low carb, moderate fat and high protein till pre and post workout makes more sense.

If you think about it, when is the muscle most prone to be rebuilt? Most studies and bodybuilders have said post workout and during rest periods.

To conclude this question in a nutshell, minimizing fat gains while bulking would be to time and feed your body when it needs it most.

How should lifting weights and cardio be arranged?
Lifting weights: High reps in the morning, low reps in the evening is what I would follow. Again, a lot of us different priorities and dont compete hardcore, so I would suggest a variety of exercises and various reps and sets for every body part.
Cardio in my opinion is not a must since you dont want a deficit. Cardio in the form of sports once a week should'nt effect it much.

What diet routine do you follow while bulking?

Eating lean meats, low carbohydrates and low fat all day except pre and post workout. Everyone has a different shape,size,genetics and lifestyle. Starting with a 50p/40c/10f worked for me but after a while (6-8weeks) you gotta switch it up. I feel the name of the game is timing. Give the right foods at the right time, and muscle is made.

What supplements would help minimize fat gains while gaining lean muscle mass?
Supplement. The definition of a supplement is something added to complete a thing, make up for a deficiency, or extend or strengthen the whole. They assist your efforts, not do them. Creatine(no sugar),Whey, Glutamine, multivitamins and something to keep the metabolism high, I prefer green tea....some may say sesathin, fat burner or just plain coffee, its a preference. Anything that would make the heart beat faster will work.

BONUS QUESTION:
Does the extra fat bother you when bulking?
This question is similar to the person who is 6'00, 140lb and can eat a whole large pizza, coke and chocolate cake and not gain an ounce of muscle or fat.
Of course it bothers me! The idea is to balance between a surplus of clean calories and minimize fat gain.

Is it really a bad thing?
Not necessarily. Everyone who bulks runs into this issue. Figuring out your own chemistry and failing at some points throughout the journey is not a bad thing at all.

Approximately how much fat do you gain when bulking?
Before, like 15-20lb. Now that Im trying to do it properly, im HOPING not to go over 5-8.

How long is your usual bulking program?
4-6 of NO life weeks. Sunday-Thursday.
Legs
chest
back
shoulders
arms
5-7 exercises each bodypart.

exercise 1: pyramid 12,10,8,6 , 12
2: 4sets of 8
3. same as 1
4. 3 x 12
5. 3x (4-6) HEAVY
6:you choose....i personally do a pyramid
7. rep-out

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

J Wes

09-13-2005, 03:40 PM

Well, i think i will take a stab at answering this question since i have been training for about 15 years now. And i have been through almost every diet and buling program around. So i will tell you what i have learned and you can run with it from there.

How to minimize fat gains while bulking?
it took me years to realize the answer to this one. And yet the answer is so simple, that it is hard to grasp. Everyone, including myself at one time, has this notion that when you are you bulking up , that you have to eat large masses of food in order to gain weight. I mean, we sit and stuff ourselves under the pretense that we are doing it for the good of our muscles. The honest truth is, the way to minimize the fat gains, is to gain the weight slowly. I know you probably don't want to hear that, but its the truth. when you eat more calories than you expend, you are going to gain weight, and some of it will be fat (there is no way around it). The way to contain it, is to increase you calories slowly, such as 500 calories a day, which is actually a lb a week. That is a good way to start. Think about it. 500 calories is an extra meal, an extra protein shake w/ milk or two protein bars. It doesn't sound like alot, but it is in the long run. And you won't put on huge amounts of fat. the fat gain will be slow, but muscle takes a while to develop anyway. If you are lean, and want to gain weight, why sacrifice a lot of your hard earned cuts just to look a little bigger and much softer. Slow gain is the best way.

Lifiting and Cardio Schedule:

since most people don't have much time to spend in the gym, you should do cardio at most 3 times a week (20-30 mins), after you weight training. the cardio will help keep your metabolism up, so that you can process and digest food properly and also make sure that you don't gain weight too quick.

Diet routine:

Food. Food. Food. Try to eat 4- 6 times a day. I know that it hard to do at times, if not at all, but if you want sometime bad enough, these are the sacrifices that we make, to look like " Greek Gods". I know that this eating schedule is usually used for weight reduction diets, but it also works well for bulking becuase it takes alot of pressure off your stomach from trying to digest 3 huge meals a day. The larger you meal is, the more difficult it will be to break down in your stomach and a lot of it will be held by your stomach to hold onto for fat (insulin response). Small meals through out the day will add the calories up faster than you think. remember,even though you are trying to gain weight, you still want to look like you work out and not look like Stay Puff (Marshmellow monster- Ghost busters).

Make sure to eat a good supply of protein - Chicken , Lean beef, Turkey, eggs whites, Fish (especially Salmon). For Carbs- Sweet Potatoes, Brown Rice, Oatmeal , 100% wheat bread, just to name a few. Fats- EFA's. Always good for diets and also works well for bulking. Remember- the goal we have is lean weight gain- minimizing fat gain.

Supplements- depending on how big you want to get, you can take a variety of things from Creatine, Nitric Oxide, protein shakes, testosterone boosters, etc. The main thing about these things are 1) the are costly, and 2) if you are trying to get big like the pro's, just know that they use stuff that is way more powerful than the list of things i recommended. Best Choice- Just eat. its cheaper and healthier.

Bonus Question:Extra Fat always bothers me and anyone else that is lean or likes the lean look and is trying to gain weight. As you get bigger, some or all of your cuts will go away. They just do, since you are eating more. The difference between some of your cuts going away and all of them going away is the food choices that you make. Hamburgers and French Fries will make all cuts go away. Milk shakes and Ice cream will make all cuts go away. just becareful in the foods that you eat. If you notice that you are getting too fat, then just revise your diet. Clean it up a little and decrease the calorie count. You really don't want to gain more than a pound a week. And in the beginning, most of the weight it water, since carbs are the typical bulk food and carbs hold water. So the more carbs you eat, the water you can hold, thus, sudden weight gain.

There is no exact science to this maddness. Everyone's body is different. you have to play around with different eating schedules and different types of foods to see what works best for you. it might take a week to find out. it might take months to find out. just don't rush and you will be on the road to gaining lean mass. You will always gain fat during the bulking period. but as long as you monitor it and watch what you eat, you should be able to keep it to a minimum. The bulking period can last from 3 months to a year. It is all up to you. I hope these tips help ya.

J Wes

Joel H

09-13-2005, 08:28 PM

I have two words that say it all: Nutrient Partitioning. What this does is decide how the calories you do eat get used. Some people seem to not gain much fat, others do. How do we improve our nutrient paritioning? By doing cardio. By doing HIIT training. By training very hard and intense. Multiple "exertions" a day will help nutrient partitioning. In other words if you can train twice a day or plan on doing cardio, train early, then do cardio later. Each time you exert yourself then eat, your body will be a sponge and not store fat.

Eat leafy green vegetables. They take some energy to digest and typically assist in fat burning. Eat some healthy fats in your diet, they contribute to fat burning. Keep your cardio up, it will make you burn fat 24/7. HIIT is a great nutrient partitioner. Drink tons of water, at least a gallon a day. Supplement with green tea extract and drink some coffee if you like.

Meal division. A lot of people divide their meals up into equal portions to get their 5000 calories in or whatever. This is a mistake. Eat the majority of your food at breakfast, preworkout and post workout. Then at night when you are inactive, cut back on carbs some and eat less. Any time you eat after fasting/training/cardio/ or serious activity, you are far less likely to store fat.

All these things add up to a very potent anti fat stack when bulking. Wish I had known all of them on my last bulk.. but everything I said works great for cutting purposes as well.

Steve_W

09-14-2005, 04:57 AM

Bulking: Hello fatty?

By: Steve_W

One of the largest misconceptions about bulking is that you can eat whatever you want, in the name of muscle gain. This has to be one of the biggest fallacies in the bodybuilding community. The fact of the matter is, unless you want to have a rather large midsection along with your hard-earned muscle, eating like a pig during a bulk is not a smart thing to do. With the exception of those who we all envy with fantastic genetics, there is so only so much muscle you can gain in a given time. Where will the rest of the calories go? You guessed it; adipose tissue. As a dedicated fitness enthusiast, and a fat-fearing bodybuilder, the concept of minimising fat gain whilst bulking is crucial to me.

Minimising fat gains whilst bulking?

Yes, this concept is indeed possible. More commonly known by the term "lean bulking", this method is far more effective than an all out gorge fest resulting in a rather large belly.

The most important factor is controlling your caloric intake. Obviously as muscle gain is the goal, you want to be in a caloric surplus. The key is staying slightly above your maintenance caloric intake by around 300-500 calories/day.

http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/caloriesneed.htm

To workout your maintenance calories, use the calculator above.

Linked in with this proposal is a "clean" diet. I.e. one free of junk food, and processed rubbish.

Plenty of clean carbohydrates are necessary. Examples are:

Oatmeal
Whole grain products; breads, cereals and pastas etc
Brown rice
Legumes
Fruits
Vegetables

Protein, the building blocks of our muscles. Examples are:

Chicken breast
Turkey Breast
Lean cuts of beef and lamb
Fish of all kind, though don't be afraid of fatty fish such as salmon
Milk
Protein powders
Cottage cheese
Eggs

Fats. Necessary for life, testosterone production and muscle gain. Examples of healthy fats are:

Fish
Fish oil
Flaxseed oil
Natural peanut butter
Nuts and seeds
Lecithin granules
Eggs

A good ratio of these macronutrients is 50/30/20 (Carbs/protein/fat). With plenty fruits and vegetables, this ensures your body gets all the nutrients it needs to provide an anabolic environment, along with a slight caloric surplus therefore avoiding most of it going to your midsection!

Cardio; goodbye to muscles?

"Psh, cardio is so catabolic." Ever heard this term before? Another large myth held within the bodybuilding community. Not only does cardio have numerous health benefits, but it also aids in staying lean whilst bulking. Cardio burns alot of calories and leads to increased uptake of nutrients in the muscles for hours after exercise, which leads me onto nutrient partitioning. Moderate intensity, moderate duration cardio results in increases in insulin dependent and insulin independent glucose and amino acid uptake in the muscle and liver cells for several hours after you have finished. So consquently, cardio can be pretty anabolic for your muscles (i.e. nutrient partitioning).

Lifting weights; the ultimate key to size

All this talk about cardio, but how can we neglect weight training! Let's face it, you're not going to get bigger if you don't lift heavy weights. Regular weight-training is imperative. This entails a structured workout program concentrating predominatly on compound lifts. These are lifts that use many muscles, i.e. squats. It has been established that the 8-12 rep range is most fitting for muscular hypertrophy. So putting this together, here is a basic bulking split:

Monday: Heavy Lower body day (4-7 rep range)
Tuesday: Heavy Upper body day (4-7 rep range)
Wed: Mod intensity cardio for 30-45 mins
Thur: Lighter Lower body day (8-12 rep range)
Fri: Lighter upper body rep range (8-12 rep range)
Sat: Mod intensity cardio for 30-35 OR sprint work
Sun: OFF

CONTINUED....

Steve_W

09-14-2005, 05:09 AM

Supplementation; necessary?

The basics:

Protein powder. If you haven't got adequate protein, stop now. You need at least 1g/lb of LBM (Lean body mass), preferably closer to 1.5g/lb. Protein powder is a convenient way of upping your protein intake, especially if you have a busy schedule.

My top 3 protein powders at the moment (in no particular order):

Primaforce Substance WPI (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/wpi.html) - Fantastic tasting in all 4 creative flavours!

Xtreme Formulations Ultra Peptide (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/xf/ultrap.html) - A 1:1 blend of casein to whey, incredible tasting.

Ergopharm GF PRO (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ergo/gf.html) - 6 fruity flavours, all very good tasting.

Creatine Monohydrate: Creatine is an ergogenic aid (increases muscular work capacity.) Over the past few years it has become known as bodybuilding's greatest supplement. Creatine helps to minimise protein breakdown whilst increasing energy levels and increasing the recovery period. A definite must in my book for those serious. 5g pre and post workout, along with 5g on non workout days is sufficient.

My recommendation for a creatine product: Primaforce CreaForm (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/crea.html) - Excellent value for money and quality!

Fish oil: A very overlooked supplement. Omega-3, or more in particular EPA/DHA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid) are very important for general health, and body composition. 1.5-2g of EPA/DHA is the study-established dosage (6g/day in total of Fish oil) where in conjunction with your diet and exercise (weights and cardio, as already established), nutrient partitioning and fat is oxidised more. It's amazing for keeping the fat off as well as all around health benefits. You can buy these online at www.bodybuilding.com/store or at any local health food/most supermarkets.

Sesamin: A relatively new supplement to the market, however the research has been around for a while. Here are two abstracts:

Here are just two abstracts.

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 83, No. 7 2223-2235

Potential Health Benefits of Dietary Phytoestrogens: A Review of the Clinical, Epidemiological, and Mechanistic Evidence1

Doris M. Tham, Christopher D. Gardner and William L. Haskell
Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention and the Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, California 94304

Phytoestrogens represent a family of plant compounds that have been shown to have both estrogenic and antiestrogenic properties. A variety of these plant compounds and their mammalian metabolic products have been identified in various human body fluids and fall under two main categories: isoflavones and lignans. A wide range of commonly consumed foods contain appreciable amounts of these different phytoestrogens. For example, soy and flax products are particularly good sources of isoflavones and lignans, respectively. Accumulating evidence from molecular and cellular biology experiments, animal studies, and, to a limited extent, human clinical trials suggests that phytoestrogens may potentially confer health benefits related to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, and menopausal symptoms. These potential health benefits are consistent with the epidemiological evidence that rates of heart disease, various cancers, osteoporotic fractures, and menopausal symptoms are more favorable among populations that consume plant-based diets, particularly among cultures with diets that are traditionally high in soy products. The evidence reviewed here will facilitate the identification of what is known in this area, the gaps that exist, and the future research that holds the most potential and promise.

The American Society for Nutritional Sciences J. Nutr. 135:1056-1062, May 2005

Human Nutrition and Metabolism
Dietary Sesamin Is Converted to Enterolactone in Humans1
José L. Peñalvo2, Satu-M. Heinonen, Anna-M. Aura* and Herman Adlercreutz

Institute for Preventive Medicine, Nutrition, and Cancer, Folkhälsan Research Center, and Division of Clinical Chemistry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; and * VTT Biotechnology, Espoo, Finland

Sesamin, a major sesame seed lignan, has many biological actions. The specific mechanisms for most of these actions as well as the full metabolic pathway of sesamin in humans are unclear. Two experiments were carried out to determine whether postprandial plasma enterolactone is related to sesamin concentration in sesame seeds and whether enterolactone is the major product of the in vitro fermentation of sesamin. Four subjects (3 women, 1 man) were given a single dose of sesame seeds after they consumed a low-lignan diet for 1 wk. Blood was collected at baseline and at time intervals after intake and plasma was analyzed for plant and mammalian lignan concentrations. Additionally, pure sesamin standard was incubated in vitro with human fecal inoculum to mimic the fermentation process in human gut. We calculated individual pharmacokinetic variables and found high interindividual variation in the plasma plant lignan concentrations. The mammalian lignan appearance rate in plasma shows that sesamin is a major precursor of enterolactone in vivo. In the in vitro experiment, enterolactone was the major metabolite and 3 intermediates were identified, allowing the elucidation of sesamin metabolism in humans. Enterolactone was the major metabolite of sesamin both in vivo and in vitro. The abundance of sesamin in sesame seeds indicates that they are a major food source of enterolactone precursors.

Sesamin:

Increases thermogenesis
Increases fat oxidation
Up-regulates "fat-burning" enzymes
Decreases fat storage
Down-regulates "fat-storage" enzymes
Increases insulin sensitivity
Increases ketone formation
A fuel used when dieting
Spares glucose
Potent antioxidant
Cholesterol reducer
Increases HDL levels
Decreases LDL levels
Decreases blood pressure (antihypertensive)
Improves liver and kidney health
Anti-inflammatory
No stimulant effect

So, what does this mean? Sesamin works in two ways:

1. Increasing fat oxidation

2. Decreasing fat storage

Low dose is a very wise idea for a bulk and Scivation Sesamin Gelcaps (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/sv/ses.html) are a great, value for money sesamin product.

Finally, Green tea extract: A green tea extract product, specifically one with a high ratio of EGCG is a very good idea during a bulk, not to mention for health benefits. If you drink Green Tea, I'd recommend taking an extract on top of your daily consumption for reasons which I will come to. EGCG is epigallocatechin-3-gallate. It is a potent antioxidant found in green tea. It is good for fat loss/stopping formation because it inhibits COMT¹ (catechol-O-methyltransferase) which metabolise neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine which are useful for fat loss, therefore by inhibiting COMT¹, more neurotransmitters such as the ones listed above are available and fat gain can be prevented. Why not just drink green tea? To get the benefits mentioned above, you'd have to drink around 10+ cups! Alot of green tea! A fantastically priced Green Tea Extract with a high ratio of EGCG is Primaforce Lean Green (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/lean.html)

Green Tea extract powder is foul tasting (take it from me), so capsule form is nice and convenient.

---

The basic supplementation listed above is all I believe necessary; in conjunction with a good diet and sound exercise program. A few more factors may also affect the amount of fat that accumulates around your midsection whilst on your quest for mass:

Stress; Stay stress free if you can. When you get agitated, your body releases cortisol. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone (though necessary for human life) however large amounts are detrimental to your physique.

Adequate sleep; Want your muscles to grow? Want to feel relaxed? Aim for around 8 hours sleep a night!

Training; Do not overtain! You will not allow enough time for your muscles to recover, you will overstress your CNS (Central Nervous System) and guess what overtraining equals? Cortisol. That's right.

One last product, if you are a relatively advanced trainee is Designer Supplement's Lean Xtreme (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/design/lean.html) . Low dose, this can be an effective "lean bulking" supplement as it controls cortisol levels which may be unnecessarily high depending on your lifestyle. It contains 7-hydroxy-dehydoepiandrosterone (7-OH) which prevents cortisol levels becoming excessively high.

I feel I have covered the supplemental options whilst trying to stay lean (nutrition and training being the most important thing!). There are many more supplements out there, but remember, we are trying to gain some mass here also! Keep it smart, but simple.

CONTINUED...

Steve_W

09-14-2005, 05:10 AM

Bonus Question: Does extra fat gain bother me? Yes it certainly does. As mentioned earlier, I am a fat-fearing bodybuilder and the sight of fat is horrible to me. I make my best effort to maintain an acceptable bodyfat (12% maximum). Does this hinder my muscle gains? Probably. However, by keeping my bodyfat lower:

a) I don't have as hard a time cutting down, therefore I can bulk for longer.
b) I feel better
c) I don't have to worry about looking out of shape to members of the opposite sex.

So for my personal reasons, yes it is a bad thing. I am prepared to gain some bodyfat, because unless you're genetically gifted, it's damn hard to gain muscle without bodyfat gain of some sort. I gain anywhere from 2-4% whilst bulking, as I am careful with my caloric intake, I exercise and keep to a clean diet. My bulking phases normally last 8-12 weeks. I feel this is sufficient time to put on some mass without much added bodyfat gain, and then assess my situation from thereafter. I may decide to continue bulking, cut down a little or just maintain.

That sums it up. Peace,

Steve

References:

www.pubmed.com
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beast21.htm

¹ Biochem Pharmacol. 2005 May 15;69(10):1523-31.

ravadongon

09-14-2005, 04:38 PM

Nice one Steve

Blap Blaow

09-14-2005, 05:29 PM

Most of those in the bodybuilding community want nothing more than to be able to pack on lean muscle consistently and safely whilst minimizing fat gain. It’s both aesthetically more pleasing and healthier, after all, to make sure your gains are steady with as little excess ‘fatty’ gains as possible. In comes the concept of the clean bulk.

Bulking in the process by which bodybuilders make a conscious effort to put on body mass in an effort to increase muscle size and/or strength. It is most desirable to do this ‘clean’. Clean bulking requires a slow, steady and controlled increase in quality mass over a period of weeks or months. Meals plans are carefully considered and the overall goal is to minimize any fat gains whilst continuing to move towards your goals. At the end of the bulk the bodybuilder also has a minimal amount of fat to shed during their cutting phase in order to reach their desired physique.

On the other hand ‘dirty’ bulking often requires no limits on maximum calorie consumption- all that is required is that protein needs are met and that an excess of calories is always consumed. Dirty bulking can often lead to health problems in the long run as the ‘no holds barred’ approach to this type of diet often means fatty and sugary foods are consumed without remorse. In turn, the diet can lead to cardio-vascular problems, reduction in the body’s insulin sensitivity and feelings of lethargy amongst other things. Coupled with this the bodybuilder has the unenviable task of losing the all of their excess body fat during their cutting phase.

In my opinion, clean bulking is both the safest and most sensible approach to putting on quality mass. In is easier on the body, requires you to learn about the basics of nutrition (which is a good thing in my opinion) and ultimately is the most efficient way of simply getting bigger and reaching your goals.

HOW CAN YOU MINIMIZE FAT GAINS WHEN BULKING?
WHAT DIET ROUTINE DO YOU FOLLOW WHILE BULKING?

-The Basics of a Bulking Diet

The first thing to say is that no matter how carefully you plan your bulk, a small increase in fat is inevitable. The care with which you plan and execute your bulk will determine to what extent these fat gains will be.

The fundamental equation behind bulking;

calories in> calories out

This pretty much speaks for itself. In order to build muscle you must consume more calories than you use up, otherwise the body will not have an excess with which to build you new muscle tissue. The important thing here is monitoring and controlling this calorie surplus so that the gains are steady and mainly muscle, not body fat.

THE FRAMEWORK – calories

The first thing to do is to ascertain a calorie maintenance level. The simplest way to do this is by using a calculator where you just fill in a couple of basic stats;

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutcal.htm

This calculator will give you a basic idea of your daily calorific needs. Using the calculator you should get an idea of how many calories you need to consume in order to maintain your current bodyweight. Please note that this is only a rough idea, but it is a good place to start.

Taking this maintenance level it is now possible to quickly work out what you need to grow.

Take the maintenance calories and add 250 calories. This will be your new target calorific intake. So, for a 180lb person at 13% body fat with a hard training plan;

Daily maintenance calories= 2823
So initial bulking calories= 3073

This will be our starting point for the bulking diet. There are, however, a few important points to note;

- Not all metabolisms are equal and will process foods with different degrees of efficiency. Therefore it is important that you check your bodyweight every week or so in order to check that you are in fact putting on weight. If bodyweight sticks/ drops for 2 consecutive weeks try increasing the daily calorific intake by a further 250 calories the next week. Remember, the calculator is a non-specific guide and should only be used as such.

- Once you put on weight your calorific needs will again change. Think about it- your body requires an even greater amount of nutrient in order to maintain the new size you have reached, and the calorie surplus on top of that. If you reach a plateau in your gains recalculate your basic calorific requirement and add a 250 calorie surplus in order to facilitate growth.

- Some people wish to continually bulk and make continuous lean gains rather than put on any excess fat. In these situations drop your daily calorific surplus from 250 to whatever works best for you. Although growth will be slower, gains will be leaner.

Blap Blaow

09-14-2005, 05:33 PM

SOURCING CALORIES

Ok, now we know how many calories the next question is where do the calories come form?

Well, there are basic food groups; proteins, carbohydrates and fats. It is important that all of these are included in a balanced, healthy diet. Those on a bulking plan must pay particular attention to there macronutrient intake.

Protein

1 gram= 4 calories

This is the glamorous macronutrient of the bodybuilding world. Protein supplements are rife which indicates their importance in the diet of a bodybuilder. Protein is essentially what the body require to build muscle and as such is vital in the diet of anyone trying to pack on lean body mass. Protein is rated in terms of Biological Value (BV) which essentially indicates it’s availability to the body. The standard WAS eggs which were given a maximum biological value of 100. However, with the development the supplement industry whey protein was shown to have a higher BV. It should be noted that a low BV does not indicate a poor source of protein. For bodybuilders it simply provides a useful tool in deciding when and how to utilize different protein sources.

A HIGHER BV indicates a more bio-available source of protein and therefore a higher rate of absorption. Whey has they highest BV of 104- 157, followed by whole eggs at 100. Therefore post-workout the most bio-available source of protein (whey) is most desirable as it is absorbed as fast as possible to feed growing muscles.

A useful article on protein sources and their relative bio-availability is

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/catprot.htm

It is generally recommended that you should be looking to consume at least 1- 2 grams of protein per lb bodyweight.

Carbohydrates

1 gram= 4 calories

Whilst protein is the ‘glamour’ macronutrient the importance of carbohydrates is undeniable. Carbohydrates essentially provide fuel your body if consumed correctly. If not the body will look for other sources, including the muscle you are desperately trying to build.

Carbohydrates are measured in terms of their glycemic index (GI). What this essentially means is that the higher the GI value the faster the carbohydrate sources is broken down and absorbed. GI ratings also indicate how your body will respond in terms of insulin production. Insulin essentially triggers storage in the body and if too many high GI carbohydrates are consumed the excess carbohydrates will be stored as fat.

On the other hand high GI carbohydrates, if consumed correctly, can allow a bodybuilder to manipulate his insulin ‘spikes’ at opportune moments- such as post workout.

Generally it is better to consume low GI carbs for the majority of your meals. This means that the carbohydrate source is more complex and essentially is digested slowly over a longer period of time. This spares your insulin sensitivity (which can reduce if high GI carbs are regularly consumed) and limits fat storage. It also maintains a steady flow or carbohydrates into the body rather than a massive rush followed by a ‘crash’ which is often the case with high GI meals.

As a general rule of thumb;

Low GI = 55 or less
Medium GI = 56 – 69
High GI = 70 or more

Use http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/gi_index.htm to track the GI ratings of the carbs you’re consuming.

For more information on the glycemic index and why it is important in bodybuilding have a look at http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=GlycemicIndex

Fats

1 gram= 9 calories

A bodybuilder’s worst nightmare?! Well no, not really. The fear of fats is understandable but misplaced. Yes, there are unhealthy fats that will do much more harm than good but there are also essential fats which are vital is your body’s metabolism. Fats are required for hormone synthesis and form an important part of cell membranes and the central nervous system not to mention the fact that nearly half of the dry weight of the brain is from fats.

To learn more about the different types of fats and how they affect you read http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/gastelu5.htm

Fats are therefore essential to the bodybuilder’s diet and as such should be selected and incorporated with as much care as proteins and carbohydrates.

Water

Worryingly overlooked, water is vital is achieving goals in the gym and can be particularly useful when on a bulk.

Water is the medium in which all of the body’s chemical reactions take place and as such is vital that you are sufficiently hydrated at al times. If you’re on supplements (for example, creatine or cell volumizers) water is important in achieving their full potential and without it many supplements are rendered useless. Water also helps to flushes out metabolic waste from the body- toxins which are prevalent in and around a workout. In relation to bulking with minimal fat gains, water is also important in fat metabolism.

Never overlook the water intake in your diet.

Macronutrient Ratios

I have found that a ratio of approximately 55:25:20 (carbohydrates: protein: fats) to be the most beneficial whilst on a clean bulk. This way all of my protein requirements are met whilst simultaneously giving me a solid supply of carbohydrates to power me through my workout and the rest of the day, and enough fats to keep my body happy and functioning properly. Ultimately, as with most things in life, experiment and see what works best for you in this regard.

Meal Frequency

This is another important topic to cover. Whilst it may be possible to consume all your calories with three square meals a day, it is not necessarily desirable. By increasing your meal frequency and spreading your calories into 5+ meals a day you achieve three important objectives:

1) You speed up your metabolism. Your body will get used to the higher meal frequency and as such will essentially be ‘running hot’ more consistently. As such excess calories are more likely to be burned off rather than stored as fat.

2) You can eat more. For a lot of people eating 3000+ calories a day is not easy. Three or four large meals may put people off following this route but by dividing your meals up into smaller but more frequent portions you will be able to eat more overall.

3) You maintain an anabolic state. What this essentially means is that your body is provided with a continuous supply of protein with which to build muscle. If your body runs out of protein (as can occur with less frequent eating) it does the reverse and starts breaking down muscle tissue.

Generally I would recommend you split your calories equally between meals. It is also important to plan your meals so that you can also achieve your desired macronutrient levels and calorie intake. By carefully planning your diet you can ensure your gains are as lean as possible, with minimal increase in body fat and ultimately most benefit to your health and physique.

If you’re struggling to get all your meals in you can always opt for meal replacements. These can be bought in the form of meal replacement bars and meal replacement drinks. However, the cheapest and most effective way is by making your own. For example;

-bananas
-natural peanut butter
-your favourite whey powder
-oats

Stick in a blender and blitz until nice and creamy. If you like, add some milk until you achieve a consistency you like. Liquid meals such as this cannot be relied upon to make up your diet however they can be extremely useful in helping you meet your calorific/ macronutrient requirements where needs be.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rotw27.htm

Blap Blaow

09-14-2005, 05:34 PM

HOW SHOULD LIFTING WEIGHTS AND CARDIO BE ARRANGED?

This is an important topic in any workout regime, but particularly so when bulking. Cardio is extremely beneficial in all workout programmes but when combined with weight training care has to be taken over scheduling.

Any physical activity eventually requires that the body’s glycogen stores are depleted to some extent. Glycogen is how the body stores carbohydrates in a readily accessible form. Once there is an excess of glycogen the surplus carbohydrates are stored as fat.

This is important to understand and relevant for a couple of key reasons:

1) excess carbohydrates will be stored as fat once glycogen stores are full. Therefore it is desirable to spread out carbohydrate consumption throughout the day and to limit the majority of this consumption to complex carbs.

2) once blood glucose and glycogen stores have been used for energy the body will opt for protein (including muscle) as well as fats to fuel itself.

This means that if cardio and weight training are arranged together or within a short time of one another it is inevitable that neither glycogen nor blood glucose levels will have become replenished. In turn the body will start using muscle tissue in order to fuel itself- completely defeating the object of bulking.

The emotional demands of performing cardio close to a weight training session can also mean that you will not give either session the 100% commitment it needs for maximum results. Both of these factors mean that intense cardio close to weight training is rarely a good idea (unless maybe light cardio forms part of your warm up in the weights room).

A better plan would be to arrange it so that cardio activities are AT LEAST 6 HOURS APART. With adequate meals in between the body will have enough time to replenish it’s glycogen stores and you will have enough time to recover mentally for another serious workout! Better still would be to do cardio and weight training on separate days. That way you have enough time to recover from one workout before you move onto your next. This also helps with motivation in that you only have to do one training session a week. If you do decide to put your cardio and weight training on separate days it is still important to have at least one day completely off a week in order to fully recover both physically and mentally.

From all of this it may sound like those looking to bulk should avoid cardio altogether. Whilst it is true that incorporating cardio into your workout requires you to up your calorie intake in order to compensate for calories spent, there are far more health benefits associated with it including;

1) Increased metabolic rate which in turn helps reduce bodily fat storage throughout the day.

2) Increased appetite making it easier to eat more later on and increase calorific intake overall.

3) Stronger cardio vascular system which not only improves general health but also allows for more intense weight training sessions.

4) Promotes endorphin release and so helps you enjoy staying in shape.

5) Increases insulin sensitivity. As already stated insulin is an important storage hormone and increasing your sensitivity to it can be extremely useful if taken advantage of.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek34.htm

WHAT SUPPLEMENTS WOULD HELP MINIMIZE FAT GAINS WHILE GAINING LEAN MUSCLE MASS?

I cannot stress this enough;

supplements are useless without correct nutrition, recovery and training

In my opinion there is no point supplementing with anything other than the bare essentials until you have your diet and workout close to perfect. Once you have, there are several supplements which can help you minimize fat gains whilst gaining lean mass.

Whey-

A mainstay of many bodybuilder’s diets. Whey is the ideal post workout supplement as it is rapidly absorbed a utilized by the body (see Biological Values earlier). It also forms a quick and convenient form of protein when solid meals are not so easy. Ultimately you should not look to have any more than half of your protein intake from liquid (whey) meals. If you find you have to you may need to re-plan you entire diet and workout.

Multivitamin-

Provides the essential vitamins and minerals required for a healthy metabolism. Whilst a healthy diet may be rich in nutrients the levels are often insufficient for an athlete expending large amounts of energy on training. Therefore supplementation may prove to be very beneficial.

BCAA’s-

Branch Chain Amino Acids help in recovery and endurance as well as helping to synthesize new muscle growth and development. They should not be used to replace regular dietary protein; however they can be useful for the more experienced bodybuilder.

Creatine Products-

These have now been around for years and their impact is still being felt. Again, not a substitute for a good diet/recover/training plan but can be extremely useful in their own right.

The following list of benefits is taken from the Creatine Super Feature on bodybuilding.com (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/gastelu8.htm);

- Promotes greater gains in increasing FFM (Fat Free Mass, which includes muscle mass).
- Increases muscle fiber size; hypertrophy.
- Increases muscle mass.
- Increases myosin.
- Improves maximal strength.
- Improves maximal power.
- Improves single-effort sprint performance.
- Improves worked performed during repetitive sprint performance.
- Improving performance during exercise of high to maximal intensity

Whilst none of these benefits mean creatine will pack on lean muscle mass for you, they do mean that creatine will improve the quality of your workout which will in turn help you achieve the body you desire.

Cell Volumizers-

Essentially cell volumizers (NO precursors) give you better ‘pumps’ in the gym. What this means for your gains is increased blood flow to muscles. Upon consumption of you post-workout shake your blood will be rich in nutrients and the effect of the cell volumizers will increase the efficiency at which your muscles are fed.

Sesamin-

Sesamin is derived from sesame seeds and is the only fat reducing supplements I would recommend on a bulk. If you plan your bulk careful enough and implement it with similar attention you shouldn’t find the needs for a fat loss supplements. However, if you do, Sesamin may be a good choice. This list of benefits is taken from an article by Derek Charlebois entitled Bye, Bye Fatty (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beast21.htm);

- Increases thermogenesis
- Increases fat oxidation
- Up-regulates "fat-burning" enzymes
- Decreases fat storage
- Down-regulates "fat-storage" enzymes
- Increases insulin sensitivity
- Increases ketone formation
- A fuel used when dieting
- Spares glucose
- Potent antioxidant
- Cholesterol reducer
- Increases HDL levels
- Decreases LDL levels
- Decreases blood pressure (antihypertensive)
- Improves liver and kidney health
- Anti-inflammatory
- No stimulant effect

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beast21.htm

EFA’s-

It may sound odd but Essential Fatty Acids can actually play a role in helping fat loss. As well all of the numerous other benefits outlined earlier, EFA’s may actually have a role in preventing fat storage; perfect for those looking to minimize fat gains whilst on a bulk!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md11.htm

MY TIPS

After writing all of this there are two things which stand out in my mind are vital in achieving a successful bulk;

1) Plan Ahead

Whether it’s your meals, your training schedule or your day in general, a successful bulk requires planning. Always think ahead to how you’re going to get in tomorrows meals. Always make sure to defrost that chicken breast the night before. Check your weight regularly and adjust calorific intake accordingly. PLAN!

2) Realise that Fat Gain is Inevitable

Unless you plan your meal to the last gram and can account for every calorie your body expends, fat gain is inevitable. It is too easy for some people just to give up in the middle of a bulk because their abs are disappearing or they can’t see the striations in their chest anymore. This is unfortunate but inevitable. By realising this and preparing yourself you can work through the short term increase in body fat in order to move further towards your long term goals.

Blap Blaow

09-14-2005, 05:36 PM

BONUS QUESTION: Does the extra fat bother you when bulking? Is it really a bad thing? Approximately how much fat do you gain when bulking? How long is your usual bulking program?

To be honest, no. I bulk clean which means my fats gains are low. Although I carry more ‘excess weight’ than I would like too whilst on a bulk I am by no means fat and as such carrying a little extra weight never bothered me. I’m not the type of person to walk around topless though so there’s no reason why it should!

And no, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing. As long as you are bulking sensibly and making good progress in terms of lean muscle gain a little extra fat will not hurt. I like to time my bulks over autumn/winter so those extra layers of warm clothing hide any ‘baggage’ I may be carrying!

My current bulking programme is 4-5 months. The reasons for the long bulk are that firstly I am doing it as cleanly as possible so gains will be slower. I am also scheduled to run a few long distance races in the next few months which may also slow my gains slightly. As such I plan on a lengthy bulk to be able to maximize leans gains this year. Another reason is that to be honest I really have no need to be ‘cut’ until next spring either so a little extra ‘padding’ will do no harm. For more shallow reasons I enjoy the strength increases at the gym whilst I’m putting on bodyweight.

Ultimately I am secure in my body. For me, there is no need to cut just to show off my six pack. I bulk to put on muscle and increase strength. I cut so I can fit into my 30 inch jeans ok!

Thank you for reading

shannonb

09-14-2005, 05:56 PM

u win :p

ho_124

09-14-2005, 07:57 PM

How Can You Minimize Fat Gains When Bulking?

Minimizing fat gains while bulking takes a lot of effort. It is not easy but to do it because you must be thinking of it constantly 24/7. It requires proper and properly timed diets, sufficient and properly timed cardiovascular activity. Supplements may also help with proper diets, sleep and fat loss. On top of this you must be active and not just sit around playing on the computer or watching too much TV. Adequate amounts of sleep will definitely help you feel better in the mornings and have increased energy levels throughout the day. If you feel better in the morning, you most likely won’t depend on stimulants such as coffee which will leave you with low energy levels and dehydrated when the stimulatory effect is gone. Staying active is key in minimizing fat gains. As long as you are not lazing around the house and actually doing work such as dishes, sports, going out with friends or other house work your body will not be storing as much fat. If you do need to watch your favorite TV show, make sure you are doing something such as light cardio, stretching, or rotator cuff exercises. Staying active is very important in minimizing fat storage while bulking.

Weights Before Cardio

Cardio should always be arranged after weights since your number 1 priority is to bulk. Cardio can be planned in two ways, right after weights or hours after weights. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Cardio during bulking should only be done 2, maximum 3 times a week. Any more than that and it may hinder your bulking gains. Cardio should also be done at low intensity, about 60% – 70% to stimulate your body to burn fat and not carbohydrates. At this heart rate, minimal or no lactic acid is produce and therefore it will most likely not interfere with your bulking gains. If your body begins producing lactic acid, overtraining or decreased bulking results may occur. Here are the two different ways of arranging cardio and weights:

Cardio right after weights:
Performing cardio right after weights is great because glycogen stores are lower than normal and therefore, your body will most likely burn more fat and less carbohydrates. This means that less cardio time is required to achieve the same amount of fat loss that if you were to do it later on in the day. It is also more convenient since you do not have to make two special trips to the gym, especially on a rainy day on in the winter. On the contrary, cardio right after weights would mean that you are starving your muscles, therefore I would recommend that you have a small protein shake (10-20g) and a regular protein shake including maltodextrin, dextrose, creatine and whatever else you put in it. I would recommend doing cardio after working out smaller body parts for example arms or shoulders since you do not burn as many calories on those days. Here is a sample split

Day 1 Chest and back
Day 2 Shoulders and abs / Cardio
Day 3 Rest
Day 4 Legs
Day 5 Arms, lower back / cardio
Day 6 Rest
Day 7 Repeat

Cardio hours after weights or on most rest days:
Separating your cardio from weights is a good idea if you have the time to do it. It can even be interesting and fun like playing a game of basketball, which is sort of like interval training, an effective way of burning fat. If you take a look at most basket ball players, their arms are pretty cut. I would also recommend doing cardio in the morning on some of the rest days since if feel an increase of energy throughout the day. It is also good in the morning since carbohydrate stores are lower, but I would drink a small protein shake or take BCAA before to spare muscle breakdown. Running later in late afternoon or at night is not ideal since your body is full of carbohydrates.

Timing of weight training:
I believe that optimal time for weight training is around lunch or in the afternoon. If it is done too early in the morning, you will not have enough energy to do it since you may have only had one meal. Having two or even three small meals before a workout will definitely help fuel your entire workout. I also believe that doing training late in the day is bad because your body wouldn’t get the amount of energy as it would in the afternoon. If you train too late, it may affect your ability to fall asleep, and sleep as I mentioned is very important.

Diet Routine while Bulking

My diet routine during bulking contains a wide variety of foods and very few junk foods. My meals during breakfast (first two meals) are completely different than supper (last two meals). Post workout meals and lunch are also very different. Usually I consume about 7 meals a day consisting of two breakfast, lunch and supper and one protein shake after a workout. Eating small meals is good because it increases metabolism and maintains a peak nitrogen balance. It is always bad to be hungry because your body will starve and store fat as a protective mechanism. I also like to slowly build up my caloric intake by increasing it by 300-500 calories a week starting at 2500 calories during my bulking phase. There is a great website by John Berardi for counting how many calories you use and should intake, the article is called massive eating. A good protein, carbohydrate and fat ratio to follow is 35:45:20. Many people believe that eating crazy amounts of protein will increase their size, but this is not true, it will simply destroy your liver and your body will store excess protein as fat. Here are what my four different meals look like:

Breakfast: Breakfast should be one of the largest meals of the day. Breakfast replaces the energy, nutrients, and such after without eating for 8-10 hours. I eat the bulk of my essential fats (eg. Natural peanut butter, flax oil) during breakfast as well. The essential fat eaten in the morning is easily burned off through out the day and used to help uptake fat soluble vitamins from my multi-vitamin I take in the morning. I tend to eat moderate GI carbs with out too much fiber since fiber absorbs the fat. I eat a lot of carbohydrates during breakfast (eg. Whole wheat bagel, whole wheat bread, cereal) because it is what gives me energy in my workouts and throughout the day. I also try to eat a fruit or two in the morning to give me some natural vitamins, and simple sugars. I also eat a reasonable amount of protein through eggs, milk, yogurt or low fat cheese in the morning.

Lunch: The carbohydrates I eat during lunch are moderate to low GI. I would usually eat some mixed vegetables, and some whole wheat pasta or bread. I try to eat lean cuts of meat since they are low in saturated fats. I may also add in some olives in my salad, have a bag of mixed nuts (including dried soybeans, almonds, peanuts, walnuts etc.), have avocados in my sushi, or have a fish sandwich to get some essential fats.

Postworkout Shake: After my workout, I usually have some whey protein, grinded minute oats or dextrose and maltodextrin to create an insulin spike, salt, creatine. Those are the basics of creating a protein shake after a workout.

Supper: The fats you eat during supper time are the hardest to burn off because you are usually not as active and go to sleep, therefore not burning as many calories. This is why my evening diet consists of a lot of fiber. I would recommend fibrous vegetables, lentils, or beans, usually I make a stir fry. Fiber is good later on in the day because it keeps you from midnight snacking and being hungry as well as it absorbs fat and prevents your body from absorbing it. I would also have some lean meat which is slow digesting to prevent catabolism while I am sleeping. Beef is good but make sure it is lean. I also have a glass of milk (casein protein) before I go to bed, or some cottage cheese.

Here is a summary of my diet:
1. From breakfast to supper carbohydrates go from moderate to complex and fibrous carbohydrates.
2. From breakfast to supper, the amount of essential fat eaten goes from great amounts to very little
3. Eat lean cuts of meat
4. Eat slow digesting protein before bed
5. A protein shake is very important after a workout, it prevents catabolism

ho_124

09-14-2005, 07:58 PM

Supplements to help promote lean mass:

MRP: Meal replacements should not be taken every day, but if you do not have time to make yourself a meal, a meal replacement the occasional time is a healthy choice because it will maintain that high metabolism which leads to a leaner body. They are convenient, contain great sources of protein, some are even high in fiber and most are low in fat. I would recommend Prolab’s Naturally Lean Complex because it is high in fiber, contains vitamins and minerals, a good blend of fast and slow digesting proteins and safflower oil an essential fat which contains CLA.

EFA’s: I would also recommend supplements which contain essential fats because they promote lean mass. If you are not getting the desired amount of EFA’s, I would recommend CLA, a fish oil, flax oil and also Seasamin by SciVation.

Fat loss supplements: I would not recommend supplements with stimulants because they usually leave you with an energy crash and also surpress your appetite. I would recommend Stimulant free fat burners with L-Carnitine, Synephrine, L-Methionine, and maybe a mild stimulant such as green tea extract. I would recommend trying Universal Super Cuts3, Santrax MM4, or PrimaForce Lean Green.

Bonus Question: Does the extra fat bother you when bulking? Is it really a bad thing? Approximately how much fat do you gain when bulking? How long is your usual bulking program?

Extra fat does not bother me too much because I don’t gain a whole lot of fat when I bulk. I know that I do gain a little if I look at my abs, but I can easily shed it off. I don’t believe that gaining a extra few pounds in fat really bad thing because my 6 pack is still slightly visible during the end of my bulking season. If I did gain more fat that than I would be worried. I usually gain about 3 % body fat during my bulking phase, which is about 4-5 pounds of body fat. My bulking phase is no more than 4 months long and I usually change my training schedule every one to one and a half months, a key in bulking.

References:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/fiber.html

bigcalves

09-14-2005, 10:58 PM

How Can You Minimize Fat Gains When Bulking?

Bulking up is a part of bodybuilding. All the pro's and amateurs bulk up and then cut down for a competition. Without bulking up, your progress would come to a snail's pace. When 'bulking' you should focus on gaining as much muscle as you can, while keeping fat gain at a minimum. Your best judge is you. And your friend is the mirror. Do not base your resutls on weight, charts and logs. Sure those are necessary, but are not the prime factor on determining your progress. Before you start keep a log of all your lifts, and measurements. Record your progress every 2 weeks and that way you can determine if you are heading down the right path.

When bulking up you should keep body fat at a minimum. Gaining more than 2lbs per week is bad, and it means you are over eating and you should cut your calories by 200 or 400 calories to ease off the fat gains. Our goal is to gain muscle and not fat. Let's be realistic, fat will come but you shouldn't gain more than 4-7% fat on your whole bulk. If your gianing 10%+ you are surely overeating, or consuming junk food. Again, the mirror is your best friend. When bulking i monitor my fat gains and when i gain too much fat i can usually tell why it is. Learn to listen to your body and not the scale. Do not overbulk, because if you do, you will have a hard time loosing it all off. Plus with all the cutting you will do, you will loose more muscle which will lead you to no where. Like i said, it's not wise to base it on the scale or a program, always determine your progress through looking in the mirror.

Although weight training is necessary to gain muscle, the right diet is needed. Nutrition is about 80 percent of bodybuilding. So no matter how much you train, and how many sets you do, if you don't feed and rebuild your body, it simply won't grow. I see tons of people in the gym with perfect routines, going day by day, always the same. I know that their diet sucks, but again i see them editing their routines and following the next best workout program. The other factor that seems to be over looked is rest. You need 8 hours of good quality sleep. Don't expect to grow while you watch TV until midnight and then wake up at 6 for work or school. Your body needs to repair. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) kicks in within 2 hours of your sleep and repairs broken down tissue, or you muscle. That way you get bigger and stronger. When you cut down your sleep, you are taking away 2-4 hours of the main building process, and that is no good in trying to get more muscle. You need trainign, diet and rest to get big. Once begin to master these components your gains should be comming in quite nicely.

The best type of diet for bulking up

When bulking up, you need an organized eating plan. Also you have to educate yourself about carbs, protein and fats. You need to know how calories work, and how to calculate your meals. First off your going to need to form a ratio. Through years of experience, i've found that 50/30/20 (carbs,protein,fat) works best for gainign quality weight. Now since the body get's used to the amount of food your giving it, you will have to UP the calories by 300 every 2 weeks. The first week that you start bulking you will go +500 calories, and then 300 calories every 2 weeks from then on. The 300 calories will be the same ratio as your diet. You will bulk up for 14-16 weeks, or until you decide to cut down. Let's say you were eating 2000 calories before you started. Thats your maintenence. First you will add 500 for the first 2 weeks, and then 300 for every other week. So it will look something like this. This is only a model, so add 500 calories to your maintenance calories.

Starting at 3000.
Weeks 1-2 = 3,500 cal
Weeks 3-4 = 3,800 cal
Weeks 5-6 = 4,100 cal
Weeks 7-8 = 4,400 cal
Weeks 9-10= 4,700 cal
Weeks 11-12= 5,000 cal
Weeks 13-14= 5,300 cal
Week 15-16 = 5,500 cal

You can stop at anytime if you feel you reached your goal, or are gaining too much fat. Let the mirror be your judge. Don't follow the scale or a program. It would be fooish if you are happy at week 13 and you continue to week 16 and gain 5 or more lbs of fat. Always look in the mirror. Having logs and looking at the scale is fine too, it's actually necessary, but always let the mirror be your main source for judging your progress. Now since you know how many calories you have to eat, it's time to see what you will be eating. Carbs, protein and fats are what your diet is made out of. You know the ratio you need, now we need to figure out what of each you will be having and what foods are great sources of each macronutrient.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are needed for energy. You need alot of carbs, since they make 50% of your diet. Going too high on carbs will result in fat gain. Too little carbs will results in using other macronutrients as enegry which is also bad. You need to balance it out, and 50% is exactly what will do the trick. In the world of carbs, there are simple and complex carbs. Eat simple carbs consisting of dextrose for after workout only, otherwise avoid these carbs as they result in insulin spike and fat again. Feel free to eat alot of fruits though. Next are complex carbs which are great for bulking. They are slowly released into the body not greating a spike, and perfect for your diet. Now here are some great sources of carbohydrates.

SIMPLE CARBS- Dextrose, Fruits, Sugar, High fructose corn syrup, Sports drinks, Candies, etc..

COMPLEX CARBS- Brown rice, 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Oats, Pasta, Spaghetti, Beans, Veggies, etc..

Protein

Protein is very important. Protein builds lean muscle tissue, and that's how you get big. Without protein, it's like trying to drive a car without gas, or on the fumes. You need 1-2grams per lb of bodyweight, and 30% of your diet will be just enough to get you big. With a diet rich of protein, you will grow and feel better. Protein is found in meats and poultry. Be careful and avoid meat with the white stuff on it. That is saturated fat, and no good for your body or health. Red meat is perfect for getting big, but also contains saturated fats. Eat beef only 2-3 times per week and becareful and cut off all the visable saturated fat. Tuna and other fish are great for lean protein. Since not all of us can eat meat all the time, whey protein is perfect for supplementation. Whey saved my diet when i started my job. It was 8 hours and i had a 1 hour break in between and i was able to eat a big meal. But i also needed two smaller ones in between. So i got my cantiene and put 2-3 scoops of whey and i also had a banana or something to fullfill my diet requirements. I strongly suggest that you pick up a tub of Whey Protein.

Protein Foods- Tuna, Salmon, Chicken Breast, Beef, Pork Chops, Turkey, Egg Whites

Fats

Fats are often overlooked in todays 'athlete' diets. Since the 90's fats got a bad reputation. So in everyone's mind, fat equals fat around your belly. In reality, fat from food and stored fat on a body are two different things. Everyone needs fat in their diet. From active to non active people, fat is needed. Since we are trying to get bigger, fat is 20% of our total intake. Don't worry it will not magically stick to your belly. There's different kinds of fat. There is Saturated, and Unsaturated fat. The saturated fat has a sub category of Trans fats, while the Unstaturated fats have Poly and Mono. You should avoid Saturated fats, and avoid Trans fats at all costs, since all they do is clog arteries and have 0 beneficial results in your body.

Poly and Mono are helpful and help the body and are also prooven to raise natural testosterone. Something that every lifter can appriciate. These 'good fats' belong to the Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) which are needed for your body and are quite good for you, with little to no bad benefits. Salmon and fish are excellent sources of protein and the fat that we want. There's virtually no Saturated fat in fish and that is good to keep your bulk diet clean. Be sure to consume alot of nuts and cook with olive oil. These will give you pure EFA's and will be very good for your body and healthy for your system. Please don't overlook fat, because it plays an important role in any diet, bulking or cutting.

Good Fats- Nuts, Olive oil, Fish, Seeds

Cardio During Bulking

If your bulking up doesn't mean that you should develop heart and cardiovascular problems. Always peform cardio so you can stay healthy and maintain healthy blood pressure. Something alot of pro bodybuilders need to do. I like all sorts of cardio. The problem with me is that I get bored easilly and that might not be such a bad thing. Since your body can get adjusted too, it's good to switch things up. Now when I do HIIT, I like the feeling of the intense cardio, but sometimes i'm so tired that I prefer the 40 minute monotonous jog. But whatever floats your boat. I personally recommend doing both so you can get the same benefits. Maybe make a routine that has 2 days HIIT and the other 2 days long jogs. It's your choice, and for some people their body responds best to HII so why change it if it works. Try and and see which method works for you and if neither is the best, switch them up from time to time.

THE ROUTINE

MON- HIIT 25 minutes
TUE- OFF
WED- 45 minute jog
THUR- OFF
FRI- HIIT 25 minutes
SAT- OFF (unless your metabolism is very slow then you can add HIIT)
SUN- OFF

CONTINUED...

bigcalves

09-14-2005, 11:12 PM

CONTINUED

Eating Smart

Sure we are bulking. But i strongly suggest do not go out and load up on fast food thinking that you loaded up on calories and will get big. Well you are right on one thing, you will get big, but the only measurement that will change will be your waist. We don't want that. So even though we are consuming a high amounts of calories, that doesn't give us the right to pig out. It's ok to have a cheat day once every 1 or 2 weeks, but don't overdo it or you will gain extra fat which when cutting time comes around is no fun. It means you will cut longer, loose more muscle and have a bussy schedule. So take it nice and slow, stick to basic foods from each group, nothing too extreme and remember to listen to your body. Even if it's time to chage the calories a bit, if you still feel that you are making gains, then don't change it. It's about looking in the mirror and determining how you've progressed. If you gain fat a little faster, then have fewer cheat meals. Do not hesitate to tweak your calories, or do a carb load depending on how you feel. After all it's your body and everyone reacts differently.

There are some bad carbs.Ok now it's time to seperate the bad from the good. When eating carbs becareful not to over eat on the simple carbs. Simple carbs are excellent for after a workout because they will go in your system for energy or muscle rebuilding fast. But when you are not doing anything and have large amounts of simple carbs (High GI) you are asking for fat loss. Since it all goes in your system and your body doesn't need it. Avoid foods like candy, pure sugar and foods containing alot of sugar. Ice cream, pizza, potato chips and twislers are all bad for you and won't give you the gains you are looking for.

As for protein, you can't really mess up that bad. Just make sure you are eating clean, lean protein. Don't eat fatty steak everyday and wonder why you are gaining fat fast. Avoid the white stuff (Saturated Fats) and be sure to eat alot of fish and chicken breast. Be sure to avoid mixed beef that is full of Sat. fat and other bad stuff. Also avoid meats that are generally high in fat and feel greasy when eating. Chicken is good, but don't buy fried chicken or chicken strips that have 20% real chicken in them. Also avoid pork. Sure pork chops are good for red meat, but other than that pork is bad and pretty fattening. Meats like lamb and duck are greasy and don't have good protein in them. Besides from chicken breast, tuna and the occaisional red meat fix, all other meats have too much Sat. fat for large consumption.

Fats are always overlooked and to people they are the same. Wrong. There are bad and good fats. I already explained the benefit and what and where good fats come from. Now it's time for the bad fats. They are found in red meat. Beef, pork, lamb. You name it, and it's there. Saturated fats are usually found looking white at room temperature and if you taste them they feel very greasy. Avoid them at all cost since they are no good for you. They clog up arteries, and the leading causes of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, high cholesterol and death. Cheese and eggs also contain this type of fat, like the red meat it come's from an animal. Aside from red meat and diary, Saturated fats are found on artificial products such as potato chips, fast food and junk candy. The Saturated fat from these products comes from low quality, cheap oils that companies use to lessen the cost, increase the greasy taste and cause major problems to today's society. Avoid these bad fats.

Supplements For Keeping Lean While Bulking

Our key is to minimize fat while bulking. Although diet, training and rest are key, supplements can play an important role in bulking. They will give you the extra boost you need. By taking supplements you can increase your gains. Not anything dramatic, but still it's well worth it to invest in supplements. They can give you a extra boost when you need it in the weightroom or shorten your recovery time. No matter what, i strongly suggest supplements, and the best place to get them for an affordable price and excellent quality is Bodybuilding.com's store. There you will find everything you need, filled with tons of articles and places that can give you a very close look in the world of supplements. Although famous, these few supplements are very effective and not that expensive.

Whey Protein
No matter how hard you try, nothing replaces good old whey. It has a fast digestion rate, and comes in very pure form. By taking whey, you can increase your protein uptake by 50-150 grams per day which is very time saving and efficient. Whey is a must for after a workout since your muscles are tired and need to be replenished. Also when you wake yup, whey is the best choice for protein in my opinion.

Creatine
Creatine is used by tons of people world wide. It is safe, 100% natural and effective. From Olympians to gym rats, people use creatine. It gives an extra boost when working out. It can also help you gain more muscle and better your lifts. It boosts up the ATP energy which is responsible for short, drastic muscle movements. Perfect for weightlifters all around, creatine is a must for bulking up.

L-Glutamine
L-Glutamine is an amino acid. It is a 100% natural and safe supplement. It is used mainly for recovery. It can help you recover faster from the hard leg or back workout that you had. That way intensity and recovery for your workouts is at an all time high. L-Glutamine also helps maintain a positive Nitrogen balance which is very healthy for your body.

Multi-Vitamins
These days everyone takes Multi-Vitamins. That is a very smart choice. Since we all need vitamins, and we can't always eat every fruit out there, so Multi-Vitamins are a very wise choice for any diet. Since you are bulking, you need vitamins to maintain your body healthy. From all the workouts and stress that you put on it, it's a must that you have vitamins to replenish and rebuild. Always a must for every bodybuilder.

I don't recommend using any thermogenics as those can raise your blood pressure and if it's already raised it can cause problems. Also it can speed up the metabolism too fast and that can be counter productive. Although you can try caffiene before workout, but don't use it everyday and follow directions.

BONUS QUESTION: Does the extra fat bother you when bulking? Is it really a bad thing? Approximately how much fat do you gain when bulking? How long is your usual bulking program?

I must say this is a hard question. In my usual season shape i'm around 10%bf. But what happens when I bulk is I go to around 13-17%bf which can throw off alot of people if they don't know what you are doing. I think that anything over 20% is too much. As for 13-20% is normal for bulking but if you are maintaining at that then it's bad. But if your on your 9th week of bulking and sporting a mini gut at 15%bf, then I wouldn't worry. It's very weird especially with girls. My success rate goes down with girls when i'm into my bulking stage, while it gets higher as i get cut to around 8-10%. Sure my muscles look better at 15% and are fuller, but girls don't like that. After all you have to be doing it for yourself otherwise you will get into trouble.

I use the good 'ole bulking/cutting method. I bulk up two times per year. Usually a big one from January till April, and then cutting till July/August and then bulking again from August till Octomber with a smaller bulk so I can cut and be ready for my next big bulk. I'm usually 8-12% when i'm at the end of a cut and usually 12-16% when I'm bulking. I might go to 18% when I'm bulking for 3 months or more and that is noticible on my 5'6 frame. Right now i'm sporting a 5'6 205lb frame with around 13-14%bf and i'm ready for a cut in a few weeks. My main concern is mass, and for that you have to sacrafice some fat. But if you just want to be fit, maintain a 7-10%bf and you should be fine.

Good Luck!