Lean bulk or pack it on?

[DOUEVENLIFT?]

So I am trying my first ever proper Bulk and trying to get advice, now there seems to be to different theories on the bulk either

A)The lean bulk where if your bf% comes in over around 15% your a fat fuck and your doing it wrong or;

B)The eat as much as humanly possible party who think if you dont eat you wont grow and if your too scared to put on a little fat your a pussy and there should definatly be no abs vissable during the bulk...

so whos right and whos wrong?

I am an endomorph and gain fat very fast, at a guess i would say i am already up around 18-20% to try and bring that down to 15%, my diet atm is tight and i would want to bring it down any further or i will have nothing to take out when I cut...

Or I could stop being a pussy and keep eating?

I think my bodytype has alot to do with the fat gains as my diet is super clean in fact the only thing I have re-introduced since dieting down to 9% is oats, brown rice , cottage cheese and almonds...

 

[blehh]

What are ur macros?


No such thing as clean food bro

 

[Brick]

IIFYM is the only way to diet or bulk. Look into it.

 

[DOUEVENLIFT?]

What are ur macros?


No such thing as clean food bro

IIFYM is the only way to diet or bulk. Look into it.

So IIFYM eh? im sorry but i cannot be convinced that all calories are the same....
or on the other hand do you guys think that IIFYM should be used when incorperating cheat meals? isnt that just the same as dieting and having regular cheat meals?

I suppose you would advocate IF as well?

 

[Brick]

So IIFYM eh? im sorry but i cannot be convinced that all calories are the same....
or on the other hand do you guys think that IIFYM should be used when incorperating cheat meals? isnt that just the same as dieting and having regular cheat meals?

I suppose you would advocate IF as well?

Not all calories are the same you still have meet your macros.

As far as IF goes I only use it as a means to be able to have big meals when I want em. This shit works though have a look at jzpowaz log strong and lean as fuck while eating like a king.

 

[blehh]

A calorie is a calorie regardless of source. Gi is useless to look at.


I don't understand how u can't be convinced when there is nothing that suggests foods forms certain source have better calories and can do different things.


1 gram of protein will always be 4 calories
1 gram of carbs will always be 4 calories
1 gram of fats will always be 9 calories
Layne norton touched on this subject recently read this Is a Calorie Truly Just a Calorie? | Biolayne

 

[DOUEVENLIFT?]

alright so regardless of the method should a bulk be restictive to keep bf under a certain % or should a bulk be just as it sounds... A BULK?

 

[Darkoz]

A 'bulk' is putting on muscle, not fat

 

[wingman]

alright so regardless of the method should a bulk be restictive to keep bf under a certain % or should a bulk be just as it sounds... A BULK?

Whats the actual goal here? The answer to your above question really depends on why you're bulking.

Heres an example:
I did a hardcore bulk when I was trying to speed up progress on a novice linear strength program, went up 10kg in 12 weeks. I was happy with this, because I rated my progress at higher priority than my physique.

 

[rmwing]

My advice is too eat 125-150 Cals over your maintenance, this should theoretically lead to 1 kilo gained every 8-10 weeks, a lot of people will say that isn't enough but really how much muscle do you expect to put on?, especially if you've been lifting a while, too many people just use bulking as an excuse to get fat, and those people look the same year in year out cause when the time comes to drop that bodyfat they do it in a mass rush and end up losing the muscle they gained (this is ofc talking about natty's).

If you gain 1 kilo every 8-10 weeks then in a years time you would've put on 5-7 kilos, and can guarantee you not even all of that will be muscle

 

[iBug]

Don't eat as much as you like (dirty bulk) otherwise you will just become a fatty, then when you cut you will lose some of the muscle and its just a pain in the ass.

Just try to grain .250 - .5kg / week and you should be sweet with a lifting routine

 

[Big Mick]

A 'bulk' is putting on muscle, not fat

This, I think a lot of guys say they are 'bulking' when they are fat and out of shape. and then decide they are 'cutting' when they are trying to lose weight because they look like a fat lazy slob

And thats because 'bulking ' and 'cutting ' sounds cooler than 'being lazy fat slob' and being on a 'diet as you can't see your dick any more'

So eat quality food at just above maintenance meeting your macros and monitor closely and adjust as needed.

I am 'cutting' at the moment (see how cool that sounds), and I still have a can of 'coke' or 'mothers' when I feel like it and still have ice cream and take away, still dropping a kilo a week, as I stick to my daily calories, and I make sure I have enough protein etc

 

[Goosey]

You can't flex fat

 

[NJA82]

What is your training goal? For strength or for pure mass?

If your training for outright functional strength and are doing it properly ( still staying fairly lean and keeping fairly fit with HIIT cardio and mobility stuff etc. which you should be doing, no point in being big and strong if you cant use it ) then eating around or slightly over maintenance and sticking to a solid proven program with built in progression and deloads will see good success.

If you get to a point where you are no longer progressing or recovering then simply add some more calories in and see how you go. Remember squatting 150kg at 75kg bodyweight and 10-15% BF is stronger than 150kg at 85kg bodyweight and 15-20% BF, its not all about the weight on the bar, if you can get stronger while at a leaner more functional bodyweight then that is ideal and a lot healthier.

Unless you are doing a cycle and want to gain the maximum amount of muscle mass possible while on that cycle then eating anymore than 200-300 calories per day over maintenance is crazy.

 

[IRON TANKS]

No, please do not eat anything in sight and expect to gain muscle mass that fast. You'll only gain unwanted body fat and then lose muscle because you'll try cut harder and faster. ESPECIALLY if you're endo-ish. Slower is better. Losing body fat makes you look larger anyway - I met a guy yesterday who is ~6.0% bodyfat and looks like a 80kg-90kg physique and he's just hit 70kg.

people overestimate how much LBM they can lay down if theyre natural. If you're just starting out, there's a quick jump - but as you lay down more and more it gets harder as your reach your genetic cap.

 

[DOUEVENLIFT?]

My advice is too eat 125-150 Cals over your maintenance, this should theoretically lead to 1 kilo gained every 8-10 weeks, a lot of people will say that isn't enough but really how much muscle do you expect to put on?, especially if you've been lifting a while, too many people just use bulking as an excuse to get fat, and those people look the same year in year out cause when the time comes to drop that bodyfat they do it in a mass rush and end up losing the muscle they gained (this is ofc talking about natty's).

If you gain 1 kilo every 8-10 weeks then in a years time you would've put on 5-7 kilos, and can guarantee you not even all of that will be muscle

that is a really small margin you have to be fucking anal with food prep to stick to that... plus taking into account your everyday activities, it would be almost impossible to be accurate?

 

[Figjam Brah]

If your an Endo.. don't IIFYM.....
Ectos are probbaly the only ones that can get away with it.

 

[nazzysmith]

If your an Endo.. don't IIFYM.....
Ectos are probbaly the only ones that can get away with it.

What the???????????????

Nah dude.... Makes no difference!

Each individual needs to set their macros based on their own independent needs and the balance of their genetic make up...

 

[Undercover]

Realistically thou, how many calories do people have to eat "what they want" on IIFYM? After hitting your minimum P/C/F.

I'd rather just skip breakfast and (IF) basically and pig out with 2-4 meals in 6-8 hours. (usually lunchtime till 7-8pm)

 

[judgey]

Realistically thou, how many calories do people have to eat "what they want" on IIFYM? After hitting your minimum P/C/F.

I'd rather just skip breakfast and (IF) basically and pig out with 2-4 meals in 6-8 hours. (usually lunchtime till 7-8pm)

1. For me, even while cutting I have about 175g carbs to play with:

Macro targets at 80kg = 176P 79F = 1416.8 calories
Calorie target = 2200
Calories to eat "what you want" = 700 calories = 175g.

2. I didn't think the eat "what you want" applied only to the calories coming from non-essential calories? I thought you could generally eat as you like provided you're getting sufficient micronutrients.

However, I'll just eat my 2-3 meals and a couple of snacks during the day and then chuck in a bowl of ice cream with mango at the end of the day and fit roughly in my targets. Rather than hammering packets of chips all day, having a few protein shakes and going ta da IIFYM.

3. I agree about the skipping breakfast point, I skipped breakfast both days over the weekend and eating 2200 calories was enjoyable, it felt like eating at maintenance!