afraid of bulking...

[Miroslava]

well the problem is that i would like to gain muscles so i need to eat more... and i'm afraid that i'll gain more fat than muscles... or that it will be extremely hard for mу to loose that extra weight.
Is it possible to gain for example for 2 weeks and than start cutting session for a week or 2 and just repeat this thing or 2 weeks isn't enough for gaining muslcles?
Oh, еоу last question is - i'm 168 cm and 52 kg. Is 1500 calories a small amount for me or not? Is it ok to eat on 1700?
Sorry, if the questions are stupid, just need little help.

Thanks!

[Mindi912]

the only way you are going to get fat bulk is by not eating clean.

Eat clean and you there's no chance of you putting a fat bulk.

If you are looking to bulk I would say eat more towards the 1700 cals a day mark.

you can't do a two week bulk followed by a two week cut, it doesn't work that way.

You have to do a bulk for a longer period of time, and then do your cut slowly and correct.

[kimm4]

Don't we all wish it could work that way No, you need to do a clean bulk for a good 6 months and see where it takes you. If you increase your calories with clean foods you will def add more muscle and very little fat.

Building quality muscle takes years to do...it's not something that happens over night.

[Nelli]

I have to disagree - you can still get fat with eating clean. Limit your calories to a maximum of +500 and add the extra calories post workout (when the body will use the food to build muscle most)
If you eat more than +500 you will gain more fat than whats needed.
And think of it this way, your adding muscle to your body so you will burn more energy, easier to diet. Enjoy eating more and enjoy having great sessions in the gym!
Im bulking too and i had the same concerns - you just have to ask yourself what is my goal - what do i want and what matters more! To me the answer is i want/need more muscle to do better in the next comp!
If my sourroundings dont approve they can get stuffed

[kimm4]

I have to disagree - you can still get fat with eating clean. Limit your calories to a maximum of +500 and add the extra calories post workout (when the body will use the food to build muscle most)
If you eat more than +500 you will gain more fat than whats needed.
And think of it this way, your adding muscle to your body so you will burn more energy, easier to diet. Enjoy eating more and enjoy having great sessions in the gym!
Im bulking too and i had the same concerns - you just have to ask yourself what is my goal - what do i want and what matters more! To me the answer is i want/need more muscle to do better in the next comp!
If my sourroundings dont approve they can get stuffed

Sure, if you go over your limited amount of calories on a clean bulk you can absolutely gain fat. But based on her pic and her stats...I'm immediately thinking she's not going to be one to go over.

[dungeonmistress]

I have to disagree - you can still get fat with eating clean. Limit your calories to a maximum of +500 and add the extra calories post workout (when the body will use the food to build muscle most)
If you eat more than +500 you will gain more fat than whats needed.
And think of it this way, your adding muscle to your body so you will burn more energy, easier to diet. Enjoy eating more and enjoy having great sessions in the gym!
Im bulking too and i had the same concerns - you just have to ask yourself what is my goal - what do i want and what matters more! To me the answer is i want/need more muscle to do better in the next comp!
If my sourroundings dont approve they can get stuffed

i agree with you because this is exactly what's happening to me right now. let me explain though: i was trying to fix a slow metabolic rate due to eating too little. i am not a big person but still - very slow metabolism. i was getting by on about 800 calories a day. i increased this by 100 calories every week. got up to 1600 calories a day over about two months. i gained alright - i feel like a bloated pig. i have calipers too so i know i gained fat.

i ate so clean it was sickening. so yeah, if you eat too much, no matter what it is and you don't burn it off - you can gain weight and it won't be all muscle.

if you have a normal metabolic rate you probably won't suffer to the extent that i have.

[kimm4]

The idea is to do a clean bulk the right way and not gain too much fat in the process. You will add some fat but not a ridiculous amount. That's what I want the OP to understand.

[Mindi912]

The idea is to do a clean bulk the right way and not gain too much fat in the process. You will add some fat but not a ridiculous amount. That's what I want the OP to understand.

exactly

the OP is 5'6" and only weighing in @ 52 kg's, she can afford to do a bulk and not worry about adding too much fat. The idea though is to keep it clean.

[Miroslava]

Girls! thank you so much! So, is it ok to go around 1800-2000 calories? i just can hardly figure out how much do i need? do i need to eat like this all week or only training days?

[Miroslava]

[QUOTE=dungeonmistress;254976471]i was getting by on about 800 calories a day. i increased this by 100 calories every week. got up to 1600 calories a day over about two months. i gained alright - i feel like a bloated pig. i have calipers too so i know i gained fat.
QUOTE]

1600 CALORIES? i think it's an extremely small quantity. imho for me

[Nelli]

i agree with you because this is exactly what's happening to me right now. let me explain though: i was trying to fix a slow metabolic rate due to eating too little. i am not a big person but still - very slow metabolism. i was getting by on about 800 calories a day. i increased this by 100 calories every week. got up to 1600 calories a day over about two months. i gained alright - i feel like a bloated pig. i have calipers too so i know i gained fat.

i ate so clean it was sickening. so yeah, if you eat too much, no matter what it is and you don't burn it off - you can gain weight and it won't be all muscle.

if you have a normal metabolic rate you probably won't suffer to the extent that i have.

I didnt look at stats - i competed 2 month ago at 54kg 168 cm. been there done that and i am 58.5 now eating 2300 on training day and 2000 ish on normal days. By doing the calculations that is not a bulk more maintaining calories but since im gaining weight im keeping it that way and when i stop gaining i increase - not that hard, and macros, about 2g protein per lbs, .5-.7g of fat per lbs and the rest carbs, i tend to feel better on high protein/gats .
I have slowly increased my caloric intake and adjusted the macros (had a low fat low carb contest diet) these 2 months and kept an eye on the scale and the mirror. No need stressing just go slowly no matter where you start. I started at about 1500 calories.

To OP
My advice is to slowly increase your calories, ie 2-300 for a week or two and see if you gain appropriately and if you dont increase more and if you go to quickly slow it down.

[Miroslava]

I have slowly increased my caloric intake and adjusted the macros (had a low fat low carb contest diet) these 2 months and kept an eye on the scale and the mirror. No need stressing just go slowly no matter where you start. I started at about 1500 calories.

To OP
My advice is to slowly increase your calories, ie 2-300 for a week or two and see if you gain appropriately and if you dont increase more and if you go to quickly slow it down.

started at 1500? and what happened nxt? just could you explain it all please))))

[Nelli]

started at 1500? and what happened nxt? just could you explain it all please))))

I dieted down for the competition and in the end i was eating about 1500 calories, after the competition i had a couple of days off dieting and ate whatever i wanted. then i got back on the diet, ie 1500 and slowly increased what i was eating (till where i am now). gained weight (yeah you feel a bit funny but just keep hitting the gym and use your body and keep eating - the body will adjust, in the beginning when you add more food you can retain water but it will go away and you will feel better)
also if you have been deprived for a while it will take some time to get your hormones normal and that might cause bloated feeling too. but the body is great and it should adjust as time passes.
If someone has ie anorexia its probably better to go to a doctor that can monitor the weight gain and help/support but otherwise go ahead and add some food in! it will be muscle and it will be some fat but as long as you keep at it in the gym and portion the increase in calories after your workout fat gains should be smallish (it will be there but less than just eating a lot)

[Nelli]

So say you eat 1500 calories now (if you dont know how much you eat i would recommend that you weigh and put everything in www.nutridiary.com for a week and then you will know)
increase to 1800
@ 52 kg
114-170g of protein
52-65g of fat
230-133g of carbs

So if you train weights you try to put most of your carbs around training, you dont have to eat all of it but have a fair bit of carbs and protein after training (no fats as you want the muscle to take in the protein/carbs quick)

Makes sense?

[Miroslava]

So say you eat 1500 calories now (if you dont know how much you eat i would recommend that you weigh and put everything in www.nutridiary.com for a week and then you will know)
increase to 1800
@ 52 kg
114-170g of protein
52-65g of fat
230-133g of carbs

So if you train weights you try to put most of your carbs around training, you dont have to eat all of it but have a fair bit of carbs and protein after training (no fats as you want the muscle to take in the protein/carbs quick)

Makes sense?

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

[XtremeFitnessINC]

well the problem is that i would like to gain muscles so i need to eat more... and i'm afraid that i'll gain more fat than muscles... or that it will be extremely hard for mу to loose that extra weight.
Is it possible to gain for example for 2 weeks and than start cutting session for a week or 2 and just repeat this thing or 2 weeks isn't enough for gaining muslcles?
Oh, еоу last question is - i'm 168 cm and 52 kg. Is 1500 calories a small amount for me or not? Is it ok to eat on 1700?
Sorry, if the questions are stupid, just need little help.

Thanks!

Gain mass slowly and eat clean. Do not neglect cardio either, you'll be fine.

[Nelli]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

No worries! Good luck! and dont forget to rest too!

[freebirdmac]

i agree with you because this is exactly what's happening to me right now. let me explain though: i was trying to fix a slow metabolic rate due to eating too little. i am not a big person but still - very slow metabolism. i was getting by on about 800 calories a day. i increased this by 100 calories every week. got up to 1600 calories a day over about two months. i gained alright - i feel like a bloated pig. i have calipers too so i know i gained fat.

i ate so clean it was sickening. so yeah, if you eat too much, no matter what it is and you don't burn it off - you can gain weight and it won't be all muscle.

if you have a normal metabolic rate you probably won't suffer to the extent that i have.

Your weight gain came from increasing the cals from extremely low to still too low. My guess is your metabolism is still suffering, and will until you get up above maintenance for your stats. It's hell getting it going again, been there done that, but you can make nice muscle gains once you get above maintenance. I didn't raise my cals slowly. I jacked them up to 1800. I had to force feed myself food and try not to bring it all back up. But it was well worth it. Especially the muscle gains. I think it took a good six months to really see an improvement in my metabolism.

[freebirdmac]

well the problem is that i would like to gain muscles so i need to eat more... and i'm afraid that i'll gain more fat than muscles... or that it will be extremely hard for mу to loose that extra weight.
Is it possible to gain for example for 2 weeks and than start cutting session for a week or 2 and just repeat this thing or 2 weeks isn't enough for gaining muslcles?
Oh, еоу last question is - i'm 168 cm and 52 kg. Is 1500 calories a small amount for me or not? Is it ok to eat on 1700?
Sorry, if the questions are stupid, just need little help.

Thanks!

I'd start out 100-200 over maintenance and see what happens. You're not going to gain oodles of fat like you're worried about