Well, it’s that time of year again. Its bulking season.
Whether you bulk every year, or this is your first time trying to put on some serious muscle mass, we believe its always a good idea to review your current plan and continually make adjustments and improvements. This will ensure you achieve the best results long term.
So, let’s dive in. What should you be eating when you’re trying to put on muscle?
How much to eat when bulking
When you’re bulking, the most important thing to keep in mind is that you need to be consuming more calories than you are burning in a day. When starting this process, you should figure out how many calories you need in order to maintain your current weight. This will differ based on your gender, age, and activity level.
Once you’ve calculated your maintenance calories, you can begin adding to it. We recommend gradually increasing your calories over time in order to put on the most muscle with the least amount of fat. Think of it this way, when beginning a diet, you wouldn’t just immediately cut out 500-1000 calories from your diet each day. So, you shouldn’t try doing it when bulking either.
In order to get the most effective bulk, you can start by adding anywhere from 10-100 calories to your diet each day, depending on how aggressive of a bulk you are attempting and how low you will be maintaining it. The longer the bulk, the slower you can add in calories.
How often to eat when bulking
When bulking, you may find it hard to get in all the calories that you require in a day. What can help make it a bit easier is eating more frequently. We recommend consuming 6-8 meals a day during your bulk. This will also give your body a constant supply of fuel throughout the day, which means there will be a constant supply of nutrients to feed your muscles and help them grow.
Which macros to consume for muscle building
Carbohydrates - The bulk of your bulking calories will come from carbohydrates. Around 40-50% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. Increasing your carb intake will give you more fuel to power through heavy lifts as well as feed your muscle. Carbs can also spare muscle because your body will use them as a primary fuel source, instead of muscle.
Some of the best carbs that you can consume are: wholegrain rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, and oats.
Protein - You will also want to increase your protein intake when trying to add muscle to your physique. Protein is the building block of our muscles, so you can probably understand how important it is when trying to gain muscle. You should be aiming to get 30-40% of your daily calories from protein.
Some great sources of protein are: Bodylogix® Natural Isolate, eggs, fish, turkey, chicken, beef, cottage cheese, and tofu.
Fat – Your fat intake should also increase slightly when bulking. Fat supports hormonal production which is a vital part of muscle recovery and growth. You should be aiming to consume 20-30% of your calories from fat.
Some healthy fats that you should eat during your bulk are: nuts, peanut butter, almond butter, avocado, eggs, coconut oil, fish, and red meat.
Remember that if you eat more calories than you are burning, you will put on weight. But in order to put on more muscle than fat, its important to be strategic about what you are eating.
Lift heavy. Eat lots. And enjoy your bulk.
