What am I looking for while bulking?

[Modest_Force]

Hello everyone.

I have been trying a clean bulk lately and am not sure what I am looking for. I eat right according to what people on the forums say. I supplement with ON Gold Standard Whey. I am working on the basic hypertrophy workout from the workout section. I thought I should be gaining weight, but after a couple weeks, I have actually lost weight (only a few pounds, though). I also don't feel like I am able to lift more when I'm at the gym.

What should I be looking for when I'm looking for progress with all this? Size? Scale weight?

Also, just a little extra question, if anyone has ever tried the ON Gold Standard Whey Cake Batter flavor or coffee flavor, how did they taste to you? I am interested in trying them.

Thanks

[pinoykcin]

Maybe you should gain more calories? Some lean calories? Increase your protein intake? Or possibly get some gainer protein?

[Modest_Force]

Maybe you should gain more calories? Some lean calories? Increase your protein intake? Or possibly get some gainer protein?

I've been told this before. The problem is, I never eat a lot. I'm not that hungry a lot, for my size. It's hard for me to eat much more than 2200 calories a day at the most. I was thinking about doing a gainer protein to pick up the calories without eating too much, but I'm afraid that I am going to pick up a lot of unwanted fat if I use it incorrectly.

[pinoykcin]

How often do you work out? Maybe you lose toooo much at the gym.

[Modest_Force]

How often do you work out? Maybe you lose toooo much at the gym.

I work out every day, which goes against the hypertrophy plan I am using, but I do this so I can burn calories so they don't pile on as fat. I stay for about an hour lifting, and I like to close my workouts by hitting the sauna. It's just relaxing to me. Also, Mondays and Saturdays I have ultimate frisbee practice for my college team.

[CLB4]

I've been told this before. The problem is, I never eat a lot. I'm not that hungry a lot, for my size. It's hard for me to eat much more than 2200 calories a day at the most. I was thinking about doing a gainer protein to pick up the calories without eating too much, but I'm afraid that I am going to pick up a lot of unwanted fat if I use it incorrectly.

I had this exact problem when I started in October of last year. I weighed in at 124.5 lbs on my first day of training at golds (only previous workout experience was during basketball in HS, mostly light weight and higher reps for maybe 30 minutes at a time), and have since gained 21 lbs (up to 145.7 this evening when I went back to do abs).

Don't focus on eating huge quantities in 3 meals, space your meals out so that you eat 6-7 times a day, and eat cleanly. During and after each meal drink a lot of water, it helps to sort of stretch your stomach and will eventually allow you to eat more. Also try and pace yourself when you eat, it really does help you to eat more than if you just scarf down a smaller portion.

If you're thinking about taking a weight gainer, read the nutrition facts and don't just buy something because the douches at GNC said to take it...I had several friends do this and they gained almost pure fat. Take the gainer in the morning with whey protein to give you a huge caloric boost early in the day. But I wouldn't take the recommended serving of the gainer because those scoops are huge and damn hard to finish, especially if you say you say you don't have a large appetite.

Hope this helps ya, it's sure as hell worked for me. Overall, just eat big and lift big, and don't forget to rest...it's a key to getting bigger/stronger.

[Modest_Force]

I had this exact problem when I started in October of last year. I weighed in at 124.5 lbs on my first day of training at golds (only previous workout experience was during basketball in HS, mostly light weight and higher reps for maybe 30 minutes at a time), and have since gained 21 lbs (up to 145.7 this evening when I went back to do abs).

Don't focus on eating huge quantities in 3 meals, space your meals out so that you eat 6-7 times a day, and eat cleanly. During and after each meal drink a lot of water, it helps to sort of stretch your stomach and will eventually allow you to eat more. Also try and pace yourself when you eat, it really does help you to eat more than if you just scarf down a smaller portion.

If you're thinking about taking a weight gainer, read the nutrition facts and don't just buy something because the douches at GNC said to take it...I had several friends do this and they gained almost pure fat. Take the gainer in the morning with whey protein to give you a huge caloric boost early in the day. But I wouldn't take the recommended serving of the gainer because those scoops are huge and damn hard to finish, especially if you say you say you don't have a large appetite.

Hope this helps ya, it's sure as hell worked for me. Overall, just eat big and lift big, and don't forget to rest...it's a key to getting bigger/stronger.

This does help a lot. I am a nutrition major at my college so I hear ya when you say the GNC people feed you b.s. to make a sale.

Like I said before though, I don't want to pick up huge amounts of fat with a bulk. I'm very worried about that. Do you have any suggestions of how to minimize fat gain on a bulk? Maybe my diet is an issue even though I think I am eating pretty clean.

[CLB4]

This does help a lot. I am a nutrition major at my college so I hear ya when you say the GNC people feed you b.s. to make a sale.

Like I said before though, I don't want to pick up huge amounts of fat with a bulk. I'm very worried about that. Do you have any suggestions of how to minimize fat gain on a bulk? Maybe my diet is an issue even though I think I am eating pretty clean.

Well honestly you're going to gain a little fat on even the cleanest bulk. I'm in the same frame of mind, I want to stay lean year around while still gaining muscle and don't like the whole bulk, cut, bulk, cut sort of approach.

My best advice, aside from diet, is to try some form of cardio a couple times a week. I have several friends who have been training for some time and are much more knowledgable than I am and they say the best ways to minimalize fat gains are to either do sustained low intensity cardio (i.e. walking on a treadmill with an incline for ~30-45 minutes at around speed 4), or HIIT cardio where you vary the intensities for ~20-25 minutes.

Personally I'm more of a fan of HIIT cardio because I can do it 2-3 times a week and be in and out faster. I've also read that HIIT cardio also helps to build muscle rather that strip your body of muscle like excessive cardio tends to do on a cut.

Give me an idea of what you eat on a typical day and maybe I can help a bit more.

[Modest_Force]

Well honestly you're going to gain a little fat on even the cleanest bulk. I'm in the same frame of mind, I want to stay lean year around while still gaining muscle and don't like the whole bulk, cut, bulk, cut sort of approach.

My best advice, aside from diet, is to try some form of cardio a couple times a week. I have several friends who have been training for some time and are much more knowledgable than I am and they say the best ways to minimalize fat gains are to either do sustained low intensity cardio (i.e. walking on a treadmill with an incline for ~30-45 minutes at around speed 4), or HIIT cardio where you vary the intensities for ~20-25 minutes.

Personally I'm more of a fan of HIIT cardio because I can do it 2-3 times a week and be in and out faster. I've also read that HIIT cardio also helps to build muscle rather that strip your body of muscle like excessive cardio tends to do on a cut.

Give me an idea of what you eat on a typical day and maybe I can help a bit more.

My day starts with some scrambled eggs, 1 slice of wheat bread, a tablespoon or two or peanut butter, and 8-10 ounces of skim milk.

class until 1

lunch is usually a turkey sandwich on two slices of wheat bread with lettuce and tomatoes and whatever food the cafeteria is offering at the time. It's usually unhealthy food so I don't eat too much of the cafe food. I have water at this meal.

I eat again at around 4:30 after another block of classes. I have another sandwich. It's really the only pseudo-healthy thing they offer to us. I have some milk or water again and a protein shake.

I workout after that around 5 and have three scoops of the protein from the original post for my post workout shake. I eat some a little more after my workout, but it's usually just a snack to hold me over until I go to bed. It's either a spoon of peanut butter or some lean chicken breast strips from costco.

I have water throughout the day and close my day with a scoop of casein protein.

The day comes to a total of between 2000-2200 calories, between 120-140 g carbs, and at least 200-250 g protein. I can't remember the fat, off hand. Probably around 60-70g.

Unfortunately, this seems like not a lot of food, but it fills me up, which sucks.

[CLB4]

My day starts with some scrambled eggs, 1 slice of wheat bread, a tablespoon or two or peanut butter, and 8-10 ounces of skim milk.

class until 1

lunch is usually a turkey sandwich on two slices of wheat bread with lettuce and tomatoes and whatever food the cafeteria is offering at the time. It's usually unhealthy food so I don't eat too much of the cafe food. I have water at this meal.

I eat again at around 4:30 after another block of classes. I have another sandwich. It's really the only pseudo-healthy thing they offer to us. I have some milk or water again and a protein shake.

I workout after that around 5 and have three scoops of the protein from the original post for my post workout shake. I eat some a little more after my workout, but it's usually just a snack to hold me over until I go to bed. It's either a spoon of peanut butter or some lean chicken breast strips from costco.

I have water throughout the day and close my day with a scoop of casein protein.

The day comes to a total of between 2000-2200 calories, between 120-140 g carbs, and at least 200-250 g protein. I can't remember the fat, off hand. Probably around 60-70g.

Unfortunately, this seems like not a lot of food, but it fills me up, which sucks.

Yah, you're definitely going to have to find a way to get more calories from the right sources throughout the day. I'm only 5'7" 145 and I eat around 3500 cals a day. I'm in college too, live off campus, and understand it can be tough to eat when you need to all the time.

Looking at your typical day, a weight gainer might help you out quite a bit. You could definitely try a weight gainer like I said before, in the morning, with your regular breakfast to start your day off with maybe 4-500 more calories, if not more. You aren't going to be gaining fat (or very little) if you eat cleanly and slightly over your maintenance caloric intake, and do a little bit of cardio like I said earlier.

Just try and buy good, clean foods that you can take with you to class or lunch. Maybe the night before coook some lean chicken breast and take that with you as a snack. Packaged tuna (in water) is also a good lean protein source with Omega-3 as well. Make sure all the carbs you get are complex carbs, with the exception of a serving of fruit post w/out. Protein bars can also be helpful while you're in class or on breaks. The kind I'm eating right now are called "Pure Protein" and are the most nutritionally sound ones I've found thus far.

I had the same problem with never feeling hungry, and now I can't stop eating. Kinda just have to make up your mind that you have to eat to grow and force it down for a while so that your stomach can get used to it. I've had those days where I felt miserable and like I couldn't eat anymore, but I just had to tell myself I would always be a skinny puss if I didn't eat what I had in front of me.

[Modest_Force]

Yah, you're definitely going to have to find a way to get more calories from the right sources throughout the day. I'm only 5'7" 145 and I eat around 3500 cals a day. I'm in college too, live off campus, and understand it can be tough to eat when you need to all the time.

Looking at your typical day, a weight gainer might help you out quite a bit. You could definitely try a weight gainer like I said before, in the morning, with your regular breakfast to start your day off with maybe 4-500 more calories, if not more. You aren't going to be gaining fat (or very little) if you eat cleanly and slightly over your maintenance caloric intake, and do a little bit of cardio like I said earlier.

Just try and buy good, clean foods that you can take with you to class or lunch. Maybe the night before coook some lean chicken breast and take that with you as a snack. Packaged tuna (in water) is also a good lean protein source with Omega-3 as well. Make sure all the carbs you get are complex carbs, with the exception of a serving of fruit post w/out. Protein bars can also be helpful while you're in class or on breaks. The kind I'm eating right now are called "Pure Protein" and are the most nutritionally sound ones I've found thus far.

I had the same problem with never feeling hungry, and now I can't stop eating. Kinda just have to make up your mind that you have to eat to grow and force it down for a while so that your stomach can get used to it. I've had those days where I felt miserable and like I couldn't eat anymore, but I just had to tell myself I would always be a skinny puss if I didn't eat what I had in front of me.

The difference between you and I is that you were a skinny kid trying to get big and I was a big kid trying to get skinny. Not being able to stop eating is a good thing for a person who is naturally thin. You probably couldn't gain fat if you at twice as many calories as you do now.

I think I might try a mass gainer, but I don't like spending a lot of money, especially when mass gainer's serving sizes are so large. A 10lbs. tub will only last a few weeks. My whey lasts me 8-10 weeks.

I will try to eat more for the time being until I can get my hands on a mass gainer. Something I was thinking about was if I ate a large breakfast, lifted in the morning, and ate after my lift as well, go throughout the day as I usually would, and did cardio at night, is it possible that my food from the morning will build my muscles and the cardio at night will burn my fat so I will be limiting my fat intake from the bulk but still be building muscle?

[CLB4]

The difference between you and I is that you were a skinny kid trying to get big and I was a big kid trying to get skinny. Not being able to stop eating is a good thing for a person who is naturally thin. You probably couldn't gain fat if you at twice as many calories as you do now.

I think I might try a mass gainer, but I don't like spending a lot of money, especially when mass gainer's serving sizes are so large. A 10lbs. tub will only last a few weeks. My whey lasts me 8-10 weeks.

I will try to eat more for the time being until I can get my hands on a mass gainer. Something I was thinking about was if I ate a large breakfast, lifted in the morning, and ate after my lift as well, go throughout the day as I usually would, and did cardio at night, is it possible that my food from the morning will build my muscles and the cardio at night will burn my fat so I will be limiting my fat intake from the bulk but still be building muscle?

That's why I was saying to reduce the size of the serving of the mass gainer. Just don't take the full serving and it prolongs the time you can use it plus gives you some added calories from a healthy source. But I do agree those things are expensive. Try adding a protein shake in the morning to help boost the amount of protein you intake since you're limited while at school.

Just make sure you eat enough before your workout so that you have energy, and then have a good meal afterwards with as much protein as possible to help build muscle.

I do my cardio and abs like that, I workout earlier in the day and go back at 9 or so in the evening to do cardio and abs, and it works for me. I think the majority of training is based on the individual though so what works for one might not work for the other.

I guess overall just try and eat more. You're much taller than average, so you're going to need more calories in your body to gain muscle.

[Modest_Force]

That's why I was saying to reduce the size of the serving of the mass gainer. Just don't take the full serving and it prolongs the time you can use it plus gives you some added calories from a healthy source. But I do agree those things are expensive. Try adding a protein shake in the morning to help boost the amount of protein you intake since you're limited while at school.

Just make sure you eat enough before your workout so that you have energy, and then have a good meal afterwards with as much protein as possible to help build muscle.

I do my cardio and abs like that, I workout earlier in the day and go back at 9 or so in the evening to do cardio and abs, and it works for me. I think the majority of training is based on the individual though so what works for one might not work for the other.

I guess overall just try and eat more. You're much taller than average, so you're going to need more calories in your body to gain muscle.

I'll give it all a try. It couldn't hurt. I am trying to get that six pack so anything that will help me is fantastic. I was on a great path for a while but plateaued miserably after I lost 35lbs. I want the muscle to take care of the extra fat covering my abs. This is all great advice and makes sense, but we'll see if it works for me.