ewww bulking phase : (
Discussion
Is it just me?
Everytime I have a serious crack at loading up, I quickly start to hate the way I look carrying the mass.
I know, I know, it's going to be turned around into muscle and the excess burnt off but just cant stick at it. Almost anorexic thoughts go through my head.
Its not a nice body I see in the mirror and I cant seem to force myself on with the program. Daft really but it happens to me.
I'm 200lbs and 6ft around 13% bf, been training 3 years.
Everytime I have a serious crack at loading up, I quickly start to hate the way I look carrying the mass.
I know, I know, it's going to be turned around into muscle and the excess burnt off but just cant stick at it. Almost anorexic thoughts go through my head.
Its not a nice body I see in the mirror and I cant seem to force myself on with the program. Daft really but it happens to me.
I'm 200lbs and 6ft around 13% bf, been training 3 years.
I've got fatter since working out and I agree, it's a bummer. I've gained around 5KG, of which probably 2-3KG is fat I'd imagine (Or rather, hope!)..
Still though, just gotta stick with it for as long as I can. When I finally look in the mirror an say 'Fat s
t' then I think I'll start cutting.
Still though, just gotta stick with it for as long as I can. When I finally look in the mirror an say 'Fat s
t' then I think I'll start cutting.AJLintern said:
I started gaining some weight as I've been training for rowing, but I can't seem to get over 10st10. I started out at 10st4 last October. I'm 6ft so pretty skinny - just need to find something to eat that's good for me but provides lots of calories!
Avocado and chicken does it for me. Benefit is it tastes good tooI struggled around the 11 stone mark, but then took a step back, worked out a better meal plan, and started eating again.
The strange thing is you get to a certain weight and then it becomes your "natural" weight (well, that's what happens with me) for example:
I started training at about 10 stone, after a while I got to 11 stone and stayed there for a long while, and then found that even when I had off months/didnt eat well/had colds (lots of those) that I stayed about 11 stone. It was my normal weight rather than always being 10 stone.
I then applied myself hard again and got to 12 stone, which I am now and have been for a good many months, and even after this last week of being flat on my back with a bad flu virus (plus 3 months previous of on/off illness), and unable to face much food at all Im still 12 stone.
Im going for 13 stone when I eventually get better, and know the only way to do it is with compound excercises and more food than Id like to face in a day.
AJLintern, to gain any significant weight you'll have to determine what you burn daily, including with the rowing you do, and eat 500 cals more than you burn. Also add in deadlifts, bench press, and squats in a low rep high weight format, and lots of rest days between sessions.
Along with high cal foods Id recommend a good all-in-one, like Reflex One Stop Extreme, has good cals and carbs and without it getting the cals you need will be that much more difficult.
I dont mind being bulky (for my wee height) but when I have bad months like the last 3, where Ive been ill constantly, instead of being quite bulky but muscley I end up weighing the same, but just a lot fatter, got a hard recovery and come back ahead.
The strange thing is you get to a certain weight and then it becomes your "natural" weight (well, that's what happens with me) for example:
I started training at about 10 stone, after a while I got to 11 stone and stayed there for a long while, and then found that even when I had off months/didnt eat well/had colds (lots of those) that I stayed about 11 stone. It was my normal weight rather than always being 10 stone.
I then applied myself hard again and got to 12 stone, which I am now and have been for a good many months, and even after this last week of being flat on my back with a bad flu virus (plus 3 months previous of on/off illness), and unable to face much food at all Im still 12 stone.
Im going for 13 stone when I eventually get better, and know the only way to do it is with compound excercises and more food than Id like to face in a day.
AJLintern, to gain any significant weight you'll have to determine what you burn daily, including with the rowing you do, and eat 500 cals more than you burn. Also add in deadlifts, bench press, and squats in a low rep high weight format, and lots of rest days between sessions.
Along with high cal foods Id recommend a good all-in-one, like Reflex One Stop Extreme, has good cals and carbs and without it getting the cals you need will be that much more difficult.
I dont mind being bulky (for my wee height) but when I have bad months like the last 3, where Ive been ill constantly, instead of being quite bulky but muscley I end up weighing the same, but just a lot fatter, got a hard recovery and come back ahead.
AJLintern said:
Thanks for the advice BB 
Looks like I just have to stuff my face whether I feel like it or not and lift heavy! I currently try to get to 3x 12 reps before increasing the weight, maybe I should try lower reps and heavier weights? 
You'll need to look at your workout and build it around 3 or 4 main compound excercises: Looks like I just have to stuff my face whether I feel like it or not and lift heavy! I currently try to get to 3x 12 reps before increasing the weight, maybe I should try lower reps and heavier weights? Bench Press
Squats
Deadlift
Do those on different days, and aim for 5 x 5 as opposed to 3 x 12. Then for your smaller muscle groups you can use 3 x 12's, and develope a total workout from that.
With eating, have a decent breakfast with a protein shake, then a banana, yoghurt, and handful of nuts a little later, then a sandwich/lunch, then a few hours later another sandwich/lunch, then a protein shake (not compulsory but helps I find), then dinner, train, another shake, then a snack before bed. I dont always manage all of it, but try to do that daily where poss and it means a good spread of food and decent number of cals.
Im a long way from where I want to be as well, but I know the above works, all I need now is the odd bout of good health so I can train again!! Bloody colds.
AJLintern said:
So how many calories do people eat when bulking and how many when cutting? I don't think I even get the recommended 2500 calories on an average day, but I don't feel hungry 
I would expect 15+ calories per 1lb of body weight, and aiming for 2g or protein per lb of lean body mass. Cutting would be 10 - 12 calories per 1 lb of body weight, aiming for a minimum of 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass.
Although these numbers can vary wildly based on activity. Someone who worked as a brick layer might need to eat 5k calories a day to cut and 7k per day to bulk.
The numbers above are based upon an inactive person doing an hour or so a day at the gym.
Edited by GBDG on Friday 2nd March 13:53
GBDG said:
I would expect 15+ calories per 1lb of body weight, and aiming for 2g or protein per lb of lean body mass.
Cutting would be 10 - 12 calories per 1 lb of body weight, aiming for a minimum of 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass.
That doesn't sound too bad really, but how do you gauge lean body mass? I have a protein shake after I've been rowing/circuit training etc, but not every day. That's supposed to be 20g per shake, so I'd only be getting around 40-50g per day at most I would think.Cutting would be 10 - 12 calories per 1 lb of body weight, aiming for a minimum of 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass.
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