There is a lot of good info in this thread. I've been reading since last night. I'm confused. A lot I'd the ladies in here appear to be smaller than me. So I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing now. How do you know if you're supposed to start bulking or keep cutting?
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Thread: First time BULKERS apply here ;)
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05-04-2012, 04:34 PM #5611
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05-04-2012, 05:39 PM #5612
Looking at your picts you have a good lean base but I'd start by leaning out first. I think you'll be happier starting a bulk at a lower body fat. That doesn't mean you can't gain muscle while leaning out. Especially as a newbie! If you take a slower fat loss approach, like 250 calorie deficit instead of a 500 calorie deficit, you may get more muscle gains during your leaning out phase. It's really up to you and what kind of physique you want.
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05-04-2012, 11:27 PM #5613
Thanks for your response! I'm looking to add more muscle overall. So I kept lowering my calories, telling myself when I get to about 130 I should start bulking. I have been eating at 1500 (up from 1200) for about 3 months now . I just feel like I'm getting skinnier and looking too flabby. It's hard for me explain the kind of physique I want. I know that I don't want the skinny fat look. I don't want to just be smaller and look good in clothes- I want to be smaller and look good out of my clothes too. But I want muscle definition - my arms, my legs, etc. I don't know if I'm making sense.
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05-05-2012, 03:27 AM #5614
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05-05-2012, 06:22 AM #5615
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05-05-2012, 06:51 AM #5616
Hey bulkin' babes I just whipped up this comparison image that I thought was share-worthy. What a difference a year can make!!!
^^now I probably have a little more body fat in the current picture but there is still some visible progress there. If you are on the fence about an all-out bulk... just do it!
I'll be joining you again in August... I need to focus on my delts, lats, and hamstrings the next time around...Last edited by stephanielynn76; 05-05-2012 at 07:08 AM.
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05-05-2012, 07:04 AM #5617
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05-05-2012, 07:10 AM #5618
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05-05-2012, 07:10 AM #5619
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05-05-2012, 07:14 AM #5620
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05-05-2012, 07:59 AM #5621
- Join Date: Aug 2009
- Location: Illinois, United States
- Age: 40
- Posts: 1,233
- Rep Power: 2317
Update: I weighed in at 86.5 today! So happy since i was stuck at 84-85 forever. Currently eating around 2200 cals. I think ill stick with this level for now. Even though I don't gain every week, Im still gaining, just at a pretty slow pace. Which is good for me. Also had my trainer test my body fat again a week ago (calipers). still 9% which is the same that I started at. So that means Im gaining both fat and muscle equally, although 9% is still too low, I realize. Ill post more pics when I get to 90lb.
Hope you are all well!
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05-05-2012, 08:20 AM #5622
- Join Date: Jun 2011
- Location: Pennsylvania, United States
- Age: 49
- Posts: 1,709
- Rep Power: 6436
This was totally me as well! I had upped my cals to 1800-1900 in October and kept them that way until January even though I wasn't gaining that entire time and was totally frustrated. Since I want to compete this fall, I knew at that point it was do or die, because if I didn't start gaining and gaining soon, there was no way I'd be ready. Of course now I'm mad at myself because I am not sure at this point if I'll be ready and I probably would have been with no problems if I'd just gotten past the mental block sooner. But live and learn - the stage isn't going anywhere, so even if I wait a few months, no biggie. I'd rather feel super prepared than get up there and feel like I shouldn't be there.
Danielle xoxo
#TEAM HYPE
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05-05-2012, 10:20 AM #5623
- Join Date: Sep 2010
- Location: Massachusetts, United States
- Age: 61
- Posts: 5,943
- Rep Power: 7210
Stephanie, I am in awe that you were able to grow your quads that much in a six month bulk. What an awesome job you've done. I saw your pictures in your other thread and can I just say, your obliques are also a work of art. They almost make me want to do direct ab work. Almost. hahahaha I just want to add my voice in saying that I have absolutely no idea what is required to compete, but you look absolutely awesome and I wish you all the best of luck no matter your decision.
"Eat some oatmeal, do some squats, how hard is that seriously."--Prof Ham
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Team Cookies Give You Superpowers
...............................................................................
For the lulz and an occasional intelligent thought, plus pics:
http://musclemilkisnotaeuphemism.blogspot.com/
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05-05-2012, 11:51 AM #5624
I think that's part of my problem- getting there mentally. Even though, for a while, I've been having this feeling that I should do it, you know? But I'm scared lol so I kept trying to push myself to lose more. Either way, I'm not happy with what I see in the mirror and I feel like a fraud when folks say I look geat (I used to be heavier, and on a formerly super skinny girl, either look wasn't good for me) b/c I know what I see in the mirror in the morning and I want more. Just being skinny is not enough for me. I think I'm ready to take the plunge but I will really lurk this thread b/c I have no clue as to what I should be doing as far as calorie intake, etc.
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05-05-2012, 12:12 PM #5625
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05-05-2012, 01:15 PM #5626
- Join Date: Sep 2010
- Location: Massachusetts, United States
- Age: 61
- Posts: 5,943
- Rep Power: 7210
"Eat some oatmeal, do some squats, how hard is that seriously."--Prof Ham
..............................................................................
Team Cookies Give You Superpowers
...............................................................................
For the lulz and an occasional intelligent thought, plus pics:
http://musclemilkisnotaeuphemism.blogspot.com/
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05-05-2012, 01:35 PM #5627
Yes I have! And that's what I figured. I know I need to get the proteins and fats right, and then I can divide the rest as I please. I just also remember reading about people keeping their carbs and proteins around the same so I thought I'd check and see if I was in the clear. I just like to double check my thoughts because I tend to get confused easily -_- lol Thank you!
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05-05-2012, 02:53 PM #5628
As long as you're lifting and not at a big deficit, you're not standing still. I don't know how old you are but maintenance is in the neighborhood of 2200 cals. For bulking you'd go up to 2450.
It makes absolutely no difference. Get your body weight in grams for protein and eat what you want. A bit more protein can help with recovery. Lots of carbs also help with recovery as well as energy in the gym.
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05-05-2012, 07:37 PM #5629
[QUOTE=freebirdmac;877797321]As long as you're lifting and not at a big deficit, you're not standing still. I don't know how old you are but maintenance is in the neighborhood of 2200 cals. For bulking you'd go up to 2450.
Wow! That is a LOT! I would've have never thought the number would be that high.How do you even fit in that many?
I'm 33 btw.
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05-05-2012, 08:04 PM #5630
[QUOTE=SweetnBossy;877917391] Easy! A minimum of 142g protein and 43g of fat is 955 calories already. If you add 200g carbs and bump fat up to 93g you're there. Of course you can structure this however you want. More carbs, less fat, but you get the idea. After you've been dieting for awhile your body is ready to rock and roll on some food. If nothing else I'd go to maintenance for a few weeks and give your body a rest from dieting. Some bloating can occur depending on your previous eating style, but it's temporary.
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05-05-2012, 08:36 PM #5631
Awwww... thanks dreahere xoxoxo!! Miss seeing you round since I switched to cutting... I need to peek at your blog and catch up! About my quads... I think I had a little bit of a newbie-gains advantage there. Even though I had been lifting for YEARS before that, I had wasted my time piddling around on the extension, curl, and inner/outer thigh machines. I had avoided the big lifts for all those years. I started incorporating them into my training 6 months before I started bulking so like a little over a year ago. What a difference it makes to actually do squats and DL's!!! My advice to everyone... JUST DO THEM! I LOLed at your comment about doing direct ab work because I HATE it myself. In fact, I haven't done it in quite a long time. If I actually did direct ab work I might could acquire a six-pack. The problem is, I just don't want it bad enough to invest the time or energy into it. I'd rather have a tighter bum!
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05-05-2012, 08:49 PM #5632
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05-06-2012, 01:19 AM #5633
I was surprised I was escaping bloat these past couple of days, it caught up with me today I'm kind of oddly satisfied with it though, ha. What I'm not satisfied with is making a huge egg sandwich loaded with turkey bacon and cheese and then dropping it on the floor.
So this week (I start my "weeks" out on Sunday, if that makes any sense) I'm only lifting twice, today and tomorrow. My husband and I are doing Tough Mudder next weekend, and I've been so freaking sore lately I need to let myself recover beforehand. I'm definitely going to have lifting withdrawals.
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05-06-2012, 07:39 AM #5634
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05-06-2012, 11:30 AM #5635
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05-06-2012, 11:43 AM #5636
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05-06-2012, 03:35 PM #5637
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05-06-2012, 03:55 PM #5638
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05-06-2012, 05:16 PM #5639
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05-06-2012, 07:19 PM #5640
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