First time BULKERS apply here ;)

[Novesia]

Getting ready to bulk for the first time too, starting Nov. 1st. Well, really October 30th because I'm heading to New Orleans for Halloween. Not like I watch calories down there, lol.

Anyway, I'm a bit concerned about my upper body getting too developed as well. In addition to lifting weights, I also do aerial arts: silks, pole, and lyra. So my upper body gets constant work, and to be honest, is already at a point where I'm happy. I have been doing 2 lifting days of arms where I concentrate on pushing exercises to help balance all the pulling that is inherent in aerial work, especially silks.

Do I simply keep the weight steady and drop my lifting arm day to 1x/week? I know I'll probably still grow a bit in the lats and back, but I just don't want to maximize the growth. Unlike my glutes and abs which need a little more oomph.

Ultimately, you can't control 100% where exactly the extra calories go to. But by decreasing volume and/or weight for upper body lifts you will definitely grow slower than you would with progressive overload lifts in the 3-5 rep range. You could even train legs 3x a week and have only 1 upper body day - especially since it sounds like you are working out your upper body with aerial arts as well!

[Novesia]

I started bulking at 128lbs, and set a rough goal of 140 which eventually I want to maintain at around the same body fat. Now that I'm at 135 and see very little difference with fat gain, I'm just going to play it by ear. On another note, even at 7lbs, the difference in my bust is fabulous! The girls are coming back! lol

^ This! Exactly the same during my last bulk - 15 lbs made quite a bit of a difference haha.

[nicholina]

How many meals do you guys eat per day on your bulk? I know it doesn't make a difference and its mostly personal preference, but Ive been doing 3 and I never get hungry...I go 8-9 hours between meals and still don't get hungry. I was thinking eating more frequently might stimulate hunger....I just like not dealing with eating so many times during the day

[Novesia]

Ladies, I would be interested in your approach to cheat meals on a bulk. I went to a beer festival yesterday and had a looooot of salty Mexican food for dinner. Woke up 5lbs heavier this morning. Would you just cut down on calories/carbs for a couple of days until the weight is back to normal or continue your bulk like nothing has happened?

[TearsOfIce]

Ladies, I would be interested in your approach to cheat meals on a bulk. I went to a beer festival yesterday and had a looooot of salty Mexican food for dinner. Woke up 5lbs heavier this morning. Would you just cut down on calories/carbs for a couple of days until the weight is back to normal or continue your bulk like nothing has happened?

I'd personally move on and keep going with the bulk. It's mostly water weight

Actually since I'm here I need some advice. I stopped bulking because I cannot lift anymore (I'm "forced" to train for tennis until june, I've tried to quit but it's not possible atm and I need to wait until summer) and I live in a place where I can't track anymore. However, I would still like to gain some size and I really don't wanna wait until next year. I can try to hit the gym 3x week, my intention is to only work on my upper body (I will work on lower body nearly every day for tennis during the year and extra training will only make me uncapable of playing properly). I don't know if they will give me the permission to do it but I would like to try...maybe in the evenings hoping they won't care. The problem is that there's NO WAY to track calories. Do you think that if I eat big, make sure I don't go overboard with it...I can still bulk without ruining my body? :P Just checking the scale every week and adjusting...
Please..I need opinions

[Jodie10]

I just wanted to chime in that you're not alone!

I am at 112 now up from 107 in July up from 105 in May...not sure where I'm going with this. My goal is to be more muscular and stronger which I am definitely progressing in that area...but I won't lie, I am having some issues with seeing the scale move up. I was always 105 pounds since a year after my last baby (who is 7 now) until about May of this year. So seeing 112 on the scale is a bit scary to say the least. But I digress.

I am doing Cross Fit 2x a week and lifting 2-3x a week (NROLFW) with cardio (elliptical/treadmill) thrown in there 2x a week extra. I have seen major strength gains no doubt. My clothes still fit for the most part, but are tighter in the legs and butt area. And my tighter shirts (size small or extra small) do not fit around the shoulders...I either have to buy a larger size or buy the stretchier type shirts that give a little.

I am eating about 1800 a day, up from 1500 so I will see where this takes me and then readjust. And I definitely have a cheat meal every weekend, and I drink (3-5 drinks) a couple of times a week too, so I know that affects things as well. So far, so good though.

Throw out the scale and just rely on measurements! I've always been concerned about my weight and that has sabotaged my building a couple times. So much easier to just rely on measurements. Weight is just a number (like age, etc)

[Jodie10]

How many meals do you guys eat per day on your bulk? I know it doesn't make a difference and its mostly personal preference, but Ive been doing 3 and I never get hungry...I go 8-9 hours between meals and still don't get hungry. I was thinking eating more frequently might stimulate hunger....I just like not dealing with eating so many times during the day

I have the same problem, but I started eating a huge breakfast (giant protein pancakes, about 900 calories) and the rest of the day its a lot easier to fill in. I try to eat dinner by 6:30 so I wake up hungry enough to eat my pancakes. At least I'm hitting my macros every day.

[CRascoll]

Ladies, I would be interested in your approach to cheat meals on a bulk. I went to a beer festival yesterday and had a looooot of salty Mexican food for dinner. Woke up 5lbs heavier this morning. Would you just cut down on calories/carbs for a couple of days until the weight is back to normal or continue your bulk like nothing has happened?

IMO keep going. Trust me..I go out every weekend with my bf to dinner. No problem. I keep calories lower that day, maybe around 800-1000, and dinner and sometimes drinks fills the rest. I even did this on a cut, but the only difference was lower cals and fasted cardio in the AM after. During a bulk? Pssh. Watch the pump you'll get the next day.

[CRascoll]

Today I squatted 135 for 11 reps and could have gone more, and I would like to sincerely thank bagels and steak for this opportunity.

[Novesia]

IMO keep going. Trust me..I go out every weekend with my bf to dinner. No problem. I keep calories lower that day, maybe around 800-1000, and dinner and sometimes drinks fills the rest. I even did this on a cut, but the only difference was lower cals and fasted cardio in the AM after. During a bulk? Pssh. Watch the pump you'll get the next day.

I kept going and I'm so glad I did. Actually even upped my calories and am already back to where I was before my cheat meal on Saturday. It always amazes me how sodium intake affects water weight!

[CRascoll]

^So glad you did! See that?

[CRascoll]

Is anyone else sick of society telling women that we need to watch carbs? Even a training article from a "reputable" source said that women should "stick to a low carb diet", even when bulking. WTH? My body loves carbs, handles them extremely well even at 250-300g, and I am not going to be made to feel guilty about it.

[vhenley164]

Is anyone else sick of society telling women that we need to watch carbs? Even a training article from a "reputable" source said that women should "stick to a low carb diet", even when bulking. WTH? My body loves carbs, handles them extremely well even at 250-300g, and I am not going to be made to feel guilty about it.

It is just another of those dieting myths that keeps on cropping up. I am the same and when I was cutting people would always assume that I had cut out bread, pasta and other 'evil' carbs but my body loves them and cutting carbs makes me really tired. It's hard to even argue with people about it anymore, it's like it has become so ingrained that it is considered science FACT

you can't win, been cutting and people in my office see me weighing food and tell me I am crazy and now I say, no need to worry anymore, I am bulking and they look at me like I am crazy again

[Jodie10]

you can't win, been cutting and people in my office see me weighing food and tell me I am crazy and now I say, no need to worry anymore, I am bulking and they look at me like I am crazy again

LOL. That's hilarious.

[Novesia]

Is anyone else sick of society telling women that we need to watch carbs? Even a training article from a "reputable" source said that women should "stick to a low carb diet", even when bulking. WTH? My body loves carbs, handles them extremely well even at 250-300g, and I am not going to be made to feel guilty about it.

That and so many other dieting myths make me mad! The majority of my female friends/family members are on some kind of diet or watch what they eat almost year round. And when I say "diet" I'm not talking about our 1,600-1,700 cuts but radical "I'm not eating any food and least of all carbs all day". One of my friends visited me last weekend. She probably has 15% more body fat, weighs 10 lbs more and every time I see her she eats 1/3 of what I'm eating (and complains about her body). If we would only start eating normally *sigh*. It makes me sad that society has such a huge impact on our body images and the way most females eat.

[natnat5]

Some people just don't understand that there isn't some magical rule you can follow to have the perfect diet. Some people do well with a lot of carbs and some people don't handle them well at all. It's about finding what works for you, not blindly following advice from so called "experts."

[nicholina]

Is anyone else sick of society telling women that we need to watch carbs? Even a training article from a "reputable" source said that women should "stick to a low carb diet", even when bulking. WTH? My body loves carbs, handles them extremely well even at 250-300g, and I am not going to be made to feel guilty about it.

This is how I feel about people thinking they need to restrict cholesterol and saturated fat.

[ms_mac]

Some people just don't understand that there isn't some magical rule you can follow to have the perfect diet. Some people do well with a lot of carbs and some people don't handle them well at all. It's about finding what works for you, not blindly following advice from so called "experts."

This is how I feel about people thinking they need to restrict cholesterol and saturated fat.

This was posted on FB just the other day by one of the "experts':

Another tip in the list of 16 power habits. Stick to no more than 2 half cup servings of complex carbs such as whole grain rice/pasta sweet potato and oatmeal. As we age our body does not require as much of these types of carbohydrates. Load up on the more finer rich carbs in veggies. More on this in my book.

THIS IS SO MADDENING!

[Novesia]

This was posted on FB just the other day by one of the "experts':

Another tip in the list of 16 power habits. Stick to no more than 2 half cup servings of complex carbs such as whole grain rice/pasta sweet potato and oatmeal. As we age our body does not require as much of these types of carbohydrates. Load up on the more finer rich carbs in veggies. More on this in my book. THIS IS SO MADDENING!

Umm... correct me if I'm wrong but aren't veggies complex carbs also? Oh boy...

[vhenley164]

Crazy weekend, partners birthday followed by Halloween party and have been eating loads of bad food and sweets. My weight has really jumped up and feeling really fat and bloated. Really got to hold my nerve with this bulking lark. Only been going two weeks and already had to stop myself cutting cals to compensate for this quick weight gain. Probably just lots of salt, sugar and booze in my system

[CRascoll]

Crazy weekend, partners birthday followed by Halloween party and have been eating loads of bad food and sweets. My weight has really jumped up and feeling really fat and bloated. Really got to hold my nerve with this bulking lark. Only been going two weeks and already had to stop myself cutting cals to compensate for this quick weight gain. Probably just lots of salt, sugar and booze in my system

Life happens sometimes. The thing I learned was that you have to enjoy the process- the lifting, the work that is in progress. The stress I was putting on myself by treating life like a machine was worse for me than anything. Stay your course.

[CRascoll]

Can i get some advice from seasoned bulkers? Does the body try to fight to stay in its "happy zone" for weight? I've noticed every time I think I'm gaining, sooner or later it drops back down to around 132. Just feel like my body is fighting me. (Macros are 190/300/60 with 5-6 lifting days with no more than 2 brief cardio sessions.

[vhenley164]

Can i get some advice from seasoned bulkers? Does the body try to fight to stay in its "happy zone" for weight? I've noticed every time I think I'm gaining, sooner or later it drops back down to around 132. Just feel like my body is fighting me. (Macros are 190/300/60 with 5-6 lifting days with no more than 2 brief cardio sessions.

Good question, would be interested in the answer to that too

[natnat5]

This is how I feel about people thinking they need to restrict cholesterol and saturated fat.

My roommate's girlfriend will only eat egg whites and only makes him egg whites as well. It's pisses me off lol. I really want to tell them that eggs are actually good for you and it's ok to eat the whole thing...

[birdiefu]

Ladies, I joined this thread when it started 4 years ago, on my very first bulk - scared as hell to get "fat", lol. I had a good first bulk in that I didn't really gain much fat at all and it helped me accept that gaining weight was ok. Though I think I would have gotten more bang for my buck if I didn't take my first bulk so slow.

I didn't post in this thread during subsequent bulks, but have been on several since then. I just want to add in that one of the best things I probably did was throw out my fear of gaining scale weight and not freak if I got "fat". If anything hanging out (recomping) at a "heavy" weight while just concentrating on gaining strength and keeping nutrition great, I found that I had added quite some decent mass once I cut back down again. But of course, whatever method you need to get your mind around putting on the weight (and muscle) for the long run is what works best for an individual.

Losing fat is relatively easier than the looong road of gaining quality muscle. Keep lifting heavy and good things will happen Don't forget to take pics over time, even when you don't think anything has happened, you can find some gems when you look back!

[CRascoll]

Birdiefu you look beyond amazing. Any thoughts on my post above about the body "fighting" to stay at a certain weight? Your input would be much appreciated.

[birdiefu]

Birdiefu, any thoughts on my post above about the body "fighting" to stay at a certain weight? Your input would be much appreciated.

Body weight fluctuations are common, especially in women. Honestly, I only compare scale weight 4 weeks apart under similar conditions (just after waking, under similar carb n sodium content over a few days). My monthly cycle has scale weight move 5 lbs over a month, and if i carb up, that can be another 5+ lb. So, a "stall" or even drop over 2 weeks may not be a true reflection of what is going on.

If there is a long term lack of scale movement over 4 weeks, yes I would definitely bump it up depending on how much you want to be gaining/month. I have noticed that when I start adding cals after cutting or even after increasing from maintenance, my NEAT goes up (increasing total maintenance cals). My Bodymedia has always been very accurate for me, and those kinds of trends can also be fun to pick out. My maintenance runs from 2400-3200 depending on time of year and cutting/bulking. That seems like a lot, but 2400 is only when I'm cutting hard and gotten real tired/sluggish and general lifestyle activity is low, while 3200 is usually while bulking and during school season with tons of campus trekking + high volume training and conditioning (fueled by lots of cals, of course!).

[Jodie10]

I haven't been weighing myself much, about once a month or so. What I've noticed which is amazing (first timer here) is the lifting heavy while eating adequate calories for building does something magical. I've gained weight but I still look small-and more muscled. The waist of my gym pants is pretty loose but the butt is tight, and the boobs are bigger but the arms and back are firming on.

Yah baby.

[Novesia]

Quick question ladies. I'm still trying to find my maintenance/bulking calories. I'm at 2,200 now and the scale is still not moving up... I do, however, see pretty great progress in the gym. Had phenomenal workouts all past week with a couple of PRs. Would you keep raising calories until the scale starts moving or just keep riding the gain train for now?

[CRascoll]

Quick question ladies. I'm still trying to find my maintenance/bulking calories. I'm at 2,200 now and the scale is still not moving up... I do, however, see pretty great progress in the gym. Had phenomenal workouts all past week with a couple of PRs. Would you keep raising calories until the scale starts moving or just keep riding the gain train for now?

Awesome job on setting new PR's. The goal is to add mass, though! Up the calories, I say. Imagine your results once you're setting PR's and eating ample calories.