Time to B-U-L-K UP

[Litewatenatty]

Hey everyone, I have just finished a cut and become completely addicted to bodybuilding
I used to be heavily into it but sort of lost interest during the last few years of college, so I am a bit smaller and weaker than I used to be. I will be posting in this thread every few days so people can keep track of my bulk and critique/ask questions about my diet and training. I am attempting a pretty clean bulk phase to avoid adding back too much of the fat I just lost over the last 10 weeks or so. Here are a few pics of me from last Friday, the start of my bulk. Weighed in at 143 lbs (so light!) bodyfat estimate around 9% i would say







My current diet will be around 2500 cals on training days and 2300 cals on non-training days. I will follow this for 2 weeks (started last Friday) and re-evaluate after that. My ultimate goal is to compete next year, hopefully around September/October.

[Litewatenatty]

Here's the diet I will follow for the first 2 weeks. I've already filled out quite a bit, cant wait to see how my strength begins to improve after some much-needed calories


BULKING DIET-TRAINING DAYS

Oats and ham, 2 slices toast w/jam: 64g carbs, 32g protein, 6g fat

Yogurt, berries, 2 boiled eggs: 50g carbs, 20g protein, 14g fat

Rice with meat and veggies, fruit: 50g carbs, 30g protein, 6g fat

Sandwich, crackers: 40g carbs, 30g protein, 4g fat

20g whey shake with 1.5 tbspn sugar: 25g carbs, 20g protein, 2g fat

30g whey shake with 2 tbspn sugar: 32g carbs, 30g protein, 3g fat

Oats with cheese: 30g carbs, 8g protein, 8g fat

Veggies, peanuts: 8g carbs, 12g protein, 15g fat

Carbs: 292 x 4= 1168
Pro: 182 x 4= 728
Fat: 58 x 9= 522

Total Cals: 2468-2520


NON-TRAINING DAYS

Skip both whey shakes, add 35g protein to oats and cheese

[Litewatenatty]

I should probably post my training split as well.
Mon: Legs and Abs
Tues: Chest and Calves
Wed: Off
Thurs: Back and Biceps
Fri: Shoulders, Tris, Abs, Calves
Sat and Sun: Off

Difficult to say which bodyparts are lagging atm, but my back has always grown quickly so i imagine that it will get thicker/wider very soon. Chest has always been weak for me, so i'm focusing hard on that right now along with tri's and of course calves

[Quelly]

you actually look a bit below 9%...nice job!

you have a solid base, very aesthetic and quite lean...but you really need to add some hamstring size, and back thickness....are you deadlifting?

[asianboy101]

Bro u got a good base to start from. Can i jus ask what u did during ur cut ie caloric intake; whether u carb cycled; cardio frequncy?

i have similar stats to u but around 12% bf and kinda stuck tryin to get below dat.
thnx

[Litewatenatty]

you actually look a bit below 9%...nice job!

you have a solid base, very aesthetic and quite lean...but you really need to add some hamstring size, and back thickness....are you deadlifting?

Yeah these photos are actually what inspired me to get back on a bulk, i cant believe how thin i look from the back now! i'll be doing only mass builders that i know from experience to work for me. i've tried other exercises and programs over the years, but i'm sticking to the ones that have always worked so i'm sure i'll get quite a bit thicker over the next few months

[Litewatenatty]

Bro u got a good base to start from. Can i jus ask what u did during ur cut ie caloric intake; whether u carb cycled; cardio frequncy?

i have similar stats to u but around 12% bf and kinda stuck tryin to get below dat.
thnx

Calories were around 1680-1700 for the cut, i would do 3 days at around 120g carbs then a refeed day at 300g carbs and drop my protein a bit. Fat was quite low, around 45g or less each day. i hit weights 4 days a week and did low intensity cardio 3 days a week for about an hour. I also ran each friday, got up to about 6 miles per session ( i like running!) but i dont think that helps with weight loss to much cause it made me insanely hungry also took green tea (the real stuff not Lipton) before each workout

[asianboy101]

Calories were around 1680-1700 for the cut, i would do 3 days at around 120g carbs then a refeed day at 300g carbs and drop my protein a bit. Fat was quite low, around 45g or less each day. i hit weights 4 days a week and did low intensity cardio 3 days a week for about an hour. I also ran each friday, got up to about 6 miles per session ( i like running!) but i dont think that helps with weight loss to much cause it made me insanely hungry also took green tea (the real stuff not Lipton) before each workout

thx bro. that carb cycle is almost exaclty what i was gonna do for my next cut (similr to Tom Venuto's BFFM programe)

[DanTheManB]

you actually look a bit below 9%...nice job!

you have a solid base, very aesthetic and quite lean...but you really need to add some hamstring size, and back thickness....are you deadlifting?

Deadlifts aren't necc. key to adding back size. I deadlifted like it was my job and my back shrunk a TON.

However my buddy Zac has a back that's wide AND thick...looks like Venom from Spiderman!
And he hates deadlifting. Rows with real good form / squeezes seem to do wonders as well as wide grip everything....

But everyone is different! Deads and squats cant hurt!

[Blazed]

Subbed and looking forward to seeing your progress.

You have a Xmas tree on the lower back and your legs are pretty diced, I would pin you at a few % <9.

[Litewatenatty]

Well, either way, i'm definitely lean enough to get bulking! got shoulders and tri's today to finish off the first week, i've been very sore all week (feels awesome!) and my lifts have gone up tremendously since i've actually been eating plenty of carbs. my belt still fits the same, maybe a bit tighter due to more water retention from the carbs so i'm happy with that. only supps i'm using are whey protein and creatine mono, i don't want to add anything else until i know that my diet is working properly

[Quelly]

Deadlifts aren't necc. key to adding back size. I deadlifted like it was my job and my back shrunk a TON.

However my buddy Zac has a back that's wide AND thick...looks like Venom from Spiderman!
And he hates deadlifting. Rows with real good form / squeezes seem to do wonders as well as wide grip everything....

But everyone is different! Deads and squats cant hurt!

I actually agree...deadlifts are pretty good for back thickness, not great for overall back development and not at all good for width but much better for hamstring development and just overall development...I certainly think a healthy staple of barbell rows and some form of vertical pulling; lat pulldowns or chins would be needed too

[Litewatenatty]

Here's my back workout, i have two separate routines that i alternate week to week to reduce boredom and body adaptation:

Back Workout 1

Pullups-75 reps
Smith Row-4 sets
Cable Deadlift-3 sets
Hyperextensions-2 sets

Back workout 2

BB row-4 sets
one arm row-3 sets
close grip pulldown-3 sets
hyperextensions-2 sets


i dont do normal deadlifts right now because i hurt my lower back a few years ago, and i'm still being cautious until i strengthen that area quite a bit. i've concentrated on trying to get my torso parallel to the ground when doing barbell rows and that has made a world of difference for me, really takes the arms out of the movement

[Litewatenatty]

Ok so it has been a little over a week now, just had my second chest workout yesterday. I've definitely filled out, probably mostly glycogen and a little water weight though. Strength went up pretty well but i'm not sure if i've gained much weight. I weighed myself saturday morning and came in at 144, and my belt hasn't really gotten any tighter. Today is leg day, so i'm going to increase cals considerably since i was sore for 6 days after my last leg workout! Super keen to get my 2 week pics on Friday, but i may end up increasing by 200 cals a day starting Saturday if i feel like i havent made enough gains. I'll keep posting and let everyone know

[DanTheManB]

Ok so it has been a little over a week now, just had my second chest workout yesterday. I've definitely filled out, probably mostly glycogen and a little water weight though. Strength went up pretty well but i'm not sure if i've gained much weight. I weighed myself saturday morning and came in at 144, and my belt hasn't really gotten any tighter. Today is leg day, so i'm going to increase cals considerably since i was sore for 6 days after my last leg workout! Super keen to get my 2 week pics on Friday, but i may end up increasing by 200 cals a day starting Saturday if i feel like i havent made enough gains. I'll keep posting and let everyone know

Everyone says go slow increasing calories. 200 more seems WAY too slow. It makes sense and I'm not hating on it....but think of it like this...with 500 extra calories you feel stronger...so you put more weight on the bar...which in turn makes you hungrier and need even more calories...

I dunno how people work out but I went from 2,100 2 weeks out from my show to 4 k this week (3 weeks post show) and my squat went from 315 for 5 to 405 for 2 and 315 for 10!

Bodyfat still around 8% also. Vascular everywhere. Not as shredded as father flex but I don't want to stay in that condition anyway personally. I like feeling strong and I look better at 8-10%

[Litewatenatty]

I definitely here you on that, but i've been having trouble with my stomach lately since i started the bulk. i've heard that the digestive system gets used to lower calories and may take time to respond to higher calories when on a bulk. have you had this sort of problem? i dont just mean a strong fullness feeling, i mean cramps and bloat. it kinda sucks because i hate to have to rely on more calorie-dense foods (ice cream etc..) since i just got through cutting so much. i've done that before and just ended up getting puffy

[devo09]

...with 500 extra calories you feel stronger...so you put more weight on the bar...which in turn makes you hungrier and need even more calories...

hunger is an COMPLEX and largely irrelevant topic

[DanTheManB]

hunger is an COMPLEX and largely irrelevant topic

no clue what you just typed lol

[DanTheManB]

I definitely here you on that, but i've been having trouble with my stomach lately since i started the bulk. i've heard that the digestive system gets used to lower calories and may take time to respond to higher calories when on a bulk. have you had this sort of problem? i dont just mean a strong fullness feeling, i mean cramps and bloat. it kinda sucks because i hate to have to rely on more calorie-dense foods (ice cream etc..) since i just got through cutting so much. i've done that before and just ended up getting puffy

after about a week and a half of more meals that are SLIGHTLY larger + a cple big cheats and this goes away. everyone is different tho

[Litewatenatty]

cool, yea i think i'm slowly starting to get used to it. had some pop tarts after i did legs yesterday and then got some extra carbs before bed, i'll force those bastards to grow one way or another!

[Litewatenatty]

Ok so the indigestion is still getting to me pretty bad. the first two meals of the day are fine but then after the third around noon i'm just hurting. very bloated, constant trips to the bathroom, etc...I have not really changed the types of foods that i eat, just eating more of them. has anyone tried ginger to aid with this? I had a very small lunch today to see if that would help, and it did a bit but i'm still hurting right now

[Quelly]

Ok so the indigestion is still getting to me pretty bad. the first two meals of the day are fine but then after the third around noon i'm just hurting. very bloated, constant trips to the bathroom, etc...I have not really changed the types of foods that i eat, just eating more of them. has anyone tried ginger to aid with this? I had a very small lunch today to see if that would help, and it did a bit but i'm still hurting right now

youve got the intestines of a old woman right now, they actually atrophy significantly after prolonged low calorie cuts, especially if you cut out certain foods...it'll take some time

[Litewatenatty]

old woman........lovely well on the plus side my strength is coming back rapidly, my lower back is feeling good (i hurt it a few years ago doing squats), and i'm looking very full and vascular. got an outer lat pump today in the gym and i was looking wide as a house (albeit, a small house) and had plenty of energy to destroy my calves for a few good sets. i'm actually looking forward to leg day each week more than any other, gonna get my form down perfect on low bar squats so i can finally get some mass on my legs without compromising my back. i'll take pics on Friday, the two week mark, hopefully with the exact same lighting as before for good comparisons

[Paul_2_Oh]

I'm interested to see how this goes for you. My intestines have taken a while re-adjusting to my food intake after dieting down over 1.5+ years. Honestly, you should be good to go in a few weeks. Lots of farts? Or just cramping pain?

[ashylarryku]

subbed, hope the bulk goes well for you! i think i'm going to use the split you have going right now. i just finished up a 13 week program that was designed for mainly beginners but i think i'm ready to tackle a good week split now.

check out my journal if you'd like. support is always nice! haha, keep up the good work man

[pooey]

On the subject of bulking I've been weight training for about 6 months now and want to bulk up. I would like some advice on how to gain more muscle mass. I'm pretty new to the nutrition side of things and wanted to know how many calories/carbs/protein/fat should I be eating each day to gain more muscle?

These are my stats below:-

WEIGHT: 11st 11lb - 75 kg
HEIGHT: 5'6.4" - 1.69 m
--------------------------------------------
B.M.I - 26.3
--------------------------------------------
BODY FAT (%) - 18.6 %
BODY FAT MASS: 13.9 kg
AGE: 29 years - MALE

Any feedback much appreciated :-)

[DanTheManB]

old woman........lovely well on the plus side my strength is coming back rapidly, my lower back is feeling good (i hurt it a few years ago doing squats), and i'm looking very full and vascular. got an outer lat pump today in the gym and i was looking wide as a house (albeit, a small house) and had plenty of energy to destroy my calves for a few good sets. i'm actually looking forward to leg day each week more than any other, gonna get my form down perfect on low bar squats so i can finally get some mass on my legs without compromising my back. i'll take pics on Friday, the two week mark, hopefully with the exact same lighting as before for good comparisons

bwahaha @ "small house"

keep hitting it man keep slowly increasing cals...try to get some shakes...PB whey, somemilk maybe or ice cream, honey...could help! liquid calories ftw!

[DanTheManB]

I restricted calories for 6 months, got down to 164lbs on stage August 23rd and today I'm sitting at 200 lbs (avatar pic)

The first 2 weeks were my toughest transition with strength and getting used to more food

[Litewatenatty]

I'm interested to see how this goes for you. My intestines have taken a while re-adjusting to my food intake after dieting down over 1.5+ years. Honestly, you should be good to go in a few weeks. Lots of farts? Or just cramping pain?

Sort of a combo of both, with a little acid indigestion as well! always hits after lunch, so i've made my lunch a bit smaller by taking some carbs out and adding them back in at my meal before bed. carbs at night help me sleep really well too, so it's a pretty good move i think.

Weighed in at 146 even today on an empty stomach, that makes a gain of 3.5 pounds in 2 weeks! i am on creatine mono right now, so i'm sure a bit of water retention helped out with that, but i've definitely gained back some muscle as well. i'll take pics later tonight to post up

[DanTheManB]

Sort of a combo of both, with a little acid indigestion as well! always hits after lunch, so i've made my lunch a bit smaller by taking some carbs out and adding them back in at my meal before bed. carbs at night help me sleep really well too, so it's a pretty good move i think.

Weighed in at 146 even today on an empty stomach, that makes a gain of 3.5 pounds in 2 weeks! i am on creatine mono right now, so i'm sure a bit of water retention helped out with that, but i've definitely gained back some muscle as well. i'll take pics later tonight to post up

good job brother. keep it rollin