Con
Moderator
Diets ranging from the "clean bulk" method to the "eat what you see" method work differently for each person. Let the board know what helps you gain the most size.
Style of Dieting for Gaining Size: What Works for You?
- Thread starter Con
- Start date
Smokynizuts
Full Member
Carbohydrates!
I recently started adding a high amount of carbs with my night time cassein and the results are are working quite nice. Ive never really ate dirty by any means i guess my weakness could be zebra cakes but even with high sugar intake i seem to not be able to gain fat. But as far as the muscle gains the higher intake of carbs has really imporoved recovery time and my strength and size. I also started grinding oatmeal up with a coffee grinder and mixing it in with my protein shakes to get extra carbs in. But typically only take shakes befor/after workout and when i wake up/
I recently started adding a high amount of carbs with my night time cassein and the results are are working quite nice. Ive never really ate dirty by any means i guess my weakness could be zebra cakes but even with high sugar intake i seem to not be able to gain fat. But as far as the muscle gains the higher intake of carbs has really imporoved recovery time and my strength and size. I also started grinding oatmeal up with a coffee grinder and mixing it in with my protein shakes to get extra carbs in. But typically only take shakes befor/after workout and when i wake up/
Lou
Competitor
I have to be careful here - in the 2009-2010 off season I gained a great deal muscle but what seemed an even larger amount of fat I ended up at over 200lbs about 207lbs that is 94kg on my 5'6" frame WAAAAAYYYY to heavy.
But I got it into my head that I had to go that far to get bigger. However this year at the same point in time I am actually 10kg lighter but look bigger than I did last year; so what's different? I am eating cleaner and being VERY careful about what I eat and when I eat it. I have to eat clean 90% of the time and it is paying off.
I no longer use the term bulking - but prefer to use the term GROWTH PHASE because what I am actually doing is forcing my body to utilise the nutrients that I consume without gaining the fat through eating excessive calories. So eat just enough to facilitate growth of lean tissue.
But I got it into my head that I had to go that far to get bigger. However this year at the same point in time I am actually 10kg lighter but look bigger than I did last year; so what's different? I am eating cleaner and being VERY careful about what I eat and when I eat it. I have to eat clean 90% of the time and it is paying off.
I no longer use the term bulking - but prefer to use the term GROWTH PHASE because what I am actually doing is forcing my body to utilise the nutrients that I consume without gaining the fat through eating excessive calories. So eat just enough to facilitate growth of lean tissue.
Still been messing around with things so not 100% sure whats best but from using knowledge and help from you con I can devise something.
Before hand I bulked up but was eating a lot 500g carbs (mostly brown pasta), 400g protein and 150g+ fat. On this my strength climbed and climbed lots of energy, gained weight fast as well up to 16.8 stone or so. But even though was pretty big abs dissapeared so way to much tbh.
Tried low carbs and just high protein, seems to work fairly well lost a bit of strength, weight either stayed the same or dropped slightly but to be noted that I did rip up pretty well. Was nice feeling lean and defined.
Need to stay pretty lean at the moment and add on size as well, it's not easy for anyone (except con :L). I find I can gain muscle pretty well but problem is keeping it on if I get another flare up or hospital etc which is a pain.
But at the moment keeping carbs low and raising them at weekend. Protein I always keep high. Fats fairly low to be honest as well.
Before hand I bulked up but was eating a lot 500g carbs (mostly brown pasta), 400g protein and 150g+ fat. On this my strength climbed and climbed lots of energy, gained weight fast as well up to 16.8 stone or so. But even though was pretty big abs dissapeared so way to much tbh.
Tried low carbs and just high protein, seems to work fairly well lost a bit of strength, weight either stayed the same or dropped slightly but to be noted that I did rip up pretty well. Was nice feeling lean and defined.
Need to stay pretty lean at the moment and add on size as well, it's not easy for anyone (except con :L). I find I can gain muscle pretty well but problem is keeping it on if I get another flare up or hospital etc which is a pain.
But at the moment keeping carbs low and raising them at weekend. Protein I always keep high. Fats fairly low to be honest as well.
Am a clean/lean bulker anyways so don't do big stuff-my-face bulking phases, but when looking to gain a bit of size and not overly concerned about a slight increase in b/fat, then... well, I just eat more of the same!
For me to grow at my best whilst staying fairly lean I eat roughly a 50/30/20 C/P/F split at around 16-20 kcals per lb/bodyweight depending upon the total amount of exercise I'm doing.
For me to grow at my best whilst staying fairly lean I eat roughly a 50/30/20 C/P/F split at around 16-20 kcals per lb/bodyweight depending upon the total amount of exercise I'm doing.
Usually i have to be pretty clean with my eating for bulking else appetite is destroyed and i dont get enough of the food i need in day in day out
Unsure what works best for me, but a reasonably clean way is a basic for me. Gaining fat or a lot is just a waste of time as in the persuit of the extra lb or two, your likely to lose it anyway as you have to diet harder to get all the crap off! False econemy if you like
Next bulk will be a clean bulk with appx 350g of protein, 400g carbs and 100g fats per day at appx 195lb pretty lean. if i feel like more ill have it for sure.
One other thing....Burgers! They are my favorite thing. That is all
Unsure what works best for me, but a reasonably clean way is a basic for me. Gaining fat or a lot is just a waste of time as in the persuit of the extra lb or two, your likely to lose it anyway as you have to diet harder to get all the crap off! False econemy if you like
Next bulk will be a clean bulk with appx 350g of protein, 400g carbs and 100g fats per day at appx 195lb pretty lean. if i feel like more ill have it for sure.
One other thing....Burgers! They are my favorite thing. That is all
hsmann87
Top Contributor
I believe that you need to eat a lot of calories and not be scared to put on a bit of fat if you want to shift some big weight and make some decent gains.
I hvae noticed many a time that the more calories i eat, the stronger i am. And if i eat a LOT of calories, the excess calorific intake is gonna be MUCH higher than normal and hence i will put on some fat.
Each to their own though i suppose. Some arent interested in lifting the house and just want to look good year round. Cant fault that either...at least they are in a position to be able to lift their top up and show their goods at any time of the year
As Shaun Joseph-Tavernier says, "in the offseason, im interested in packing on as much size as possiblt, eating as much food as possible and lifting the house"....seems to have worked for him!
I hvae noticed many a time that the more calories i eat, the stronger i am. And if i eat a LOT of calories, the excess calorific intake is gonna be MUCH higher than normal and hence i will put on some fat.
Each to their own though i suppose. Some arent interested in lifting the house and just want to look good year round. Cant fault that either...at least they are in a position to be able to lift their top up and show their goods at any time of the year
As Shaun Joseph-Tavernier says, "in the offseason, im interested in packing on as much size as possiblt, eating as much food as possible and lifting the house"....seems to have worked for him!
1
1russ100
eat as much food as you need to recover and grow if you add unwanted fat adjust diet or training accordingly=bodybuilding.
Phmg
Sponsor Rep
Doesnt this depend on what one persons perception of unwanted fat is. I mean, surely all fat is unwanted. What description/percentage would you say was too much fat. Would you say i was gaining too much fat at the moment (from the new pics you saw)?
I'm still very much unqualified to pass on advice as i'm in the learning zone.
i did the dirty bulk... i do not rate this what so ever and it led to 75lbs off for a contest diet....not fun.
i have done 3x lean bulks now and these i do rate, slow weight increases and body recomps at the same time.
I am now 240lbs with a fair amount of conditioning that will see me well into a contest prep....however, offseason i am looking to go for a larger style bulk (not dirty bulk, clean carb sources) as i need a good 5kg lean mass on minimum.
I am carb sensitive, i look at a pack of pasta and i add some fat i swear.
I still need to find a balance between making strong moves forward and holding off excessive fat gain, some is needed but i dont see the point in getting fat.
right now its a lean bulk, after the brits its a good 14-15 months of pure offseason
i did the dirty bulk... i do not rate this what so ever and it led to 75lbs off for a contest diet....not fun.
i have done 3x lean bulks now and these i do rate, slow weight increases and body recomps at the same time.
I am now 240lbs with a fair amount of conditioning that will see me well into a contest prep....however, offseason i am looking to go for a larger style bulk (not dirty bulk, clean carb sources) as i need a good 5kg lean mass on minimum.
I am carb sensitive, i look at a pack of pasta and i add some fat i swear.
I still need to find a balance between making strong moves forward and holding off excessive fat gain, some is needed but i dont see the point in getting fat.
right now its a lean bulk, after the brits its a good 14-15 months of pure offseason
1
1russ100
yeah very true, one persons idea of fat may be different to anothers and it all depends on what each individual wants out of it. i personally dont think you need to go way out of shape to gain, this topic came up a while back and the amount of people that still use the 'dirty bulk' or whatever its called excuse for just being fat is a worry. if your not competeing why look like you dont train? if you are competeing why kill yourself to loose 4 stone of crap?
In you recent pictures i would say your bf levels are fine tbh
Phmg
Sponsor Rep
A lot of people that dont rate this dirty bulk, have done it at some point or another. Is there not a case that doing it early on to speed up development in some way (??) will result in better lean gaining later on.
So, you add lots of fat yeah, but loads of muscle underneath. You shed the fat, next time you come to bulk, there is more mass there to aid metabolism.
Wasnt this the case with you Aaron. Your diet for the Southcoast saw you coming in much faster than expected. Could be due to the amount of muscle you added during your dirty bulking a year and a half before?
Just a thought.
1
1russ100
i think alot of it and most may agree its a case of chasing the scales. oooohhhh im 19 stone, well yes you are but your 13 if you get rid of the sh1t. i think everyones been guilty of it at some point
Smitch
Top Contributor
I was obsessed with weight and was quite shocked at the weight i lost quite quickly when i started really going at the cardio about 6 weeks ago, but my lifts are continuing to improve and it just shows i was carrying a load of un needed fat around.
The thing that also gets me is i have lost size quite noticably too, but if i can stay lean and continue to grow then it's a win/win situation.
Ultimately i just want to look good in a tshirt and be fit so i've found my balance now which is decent amounts of protein and fats with carbs when i feel i need them.
The thing that also gets me is i have lost size quite noticably too, but if i can stay lean and continue to grow then it's a win/win situation.
Ultimately i just want to look good in a tshirt and be fit so i've found my balance now which is decent amounts of protein and fats with carbs when i feel i need them.
GHO
Full Member
I put some mega size on doing the KFC and doughnut diet 