Looking to gain muscle bulk without getting too fat?

[qwertyui213]

Hey - I pretty recently started a new workout program after taking something like a 6 month break from lifting, I'm basically trying to gain muscle bulk at the moment, taking a weight gainer, eating a lot, etc

I'm naturally pretty thin (not a serious ectomorph by any means, though) and I've got a pretty fast metabolism. I've noticed some pretty good gains since starting this program, but I'm also putting on a bit more fat than I'd like

I'm not too heavy as things go (6'0" 180 pounds) but I wonder if there are any tips for keeping maximum muscle gain without blowing out into a sumo wrestler by the end of it? If possible I'd prefer to avoid having to cut.

For what it's worth I'm on a clean diet - wholemeal bread, peanut butter, lean meats etc. I think part of the problem may be that I'm not calculating my calorie intake, I'm just trying to make sure that I "eat a lot" throughout the day, so I usually end up having about 5-6 meals. Any tips on diet / calculating a good calorie intake?

At the moment I'm also not doing any cardio along with my lifting, is that something I should try mix in, and if so - when / how?

[tmclssns]

You adressed one of the first problems yourself. So start monitoring your calorie intake. Include enough nutrients for your muscle growth but of course, you have to make sure you're not "overdoing" it. Because gainer or not, unused calories will at a certain point add some fat.

A little bit of fat is however almost inevitable because just enough and too much is a delicate balance.

Mixing in some cardio can help you - however I've read dozens of methods from doing cardio first thing in the morning, after your workout. Most important thing is that you do it I guess. I'm unable to do it in the morning (or I've got to get out of bed at 4 AM, which would ruin my work day...) so I do it right after weight training, every two - three days. You're burning some calories during weight lifting (especially if you limit rest between sets), so that should get things fired up and I usually add 20 mins. HIIT and 20 mins. target HR zone immediately after.

Good luck!