Engage Bear Mode, or... Who is on a bulk?

[cwd]

I've had good results maintaining these last two weeks, using this scheme:
* weigh myself each morning, compare weight to target weight
* if under, eat my cutting diet + one bowl of yogurt, granola, fruit, and whey at bedtime (prob. about 500 calories)
* if over, eat my cutting diet

My plan for bulking is to just increase the target weight by 1 lb every 2 weeks, and let my normal weight fluctuations vs. the higher target cause the bedtime snack to be more frequent.

[MPhelps]

Once I gained the initial 10 lbs, which seemed to be overnight, it's kind of been slow. About 1 lb a week. Generally I just eat 3 big meals to 3000 cals and hopefully don't go too far on the snacks. Some days I don't snack at all, and then...all of the sudden... the half a bag of Doritos gets smashed. I think 155 is my ideal weight. As long as I still hike, XC ski and bike 5 days a week and lift 4 days, I'll probably be ok, as in not fat fucking myself to bloated powerlifter status.

I've been lazy about tracking exact calories lately, and only track because I haven't missed a day in 3+ years. It's probably keeping me honest, because it's pretty hard to glance over 7 servings of Doritos (not even sure, I didn't count 84 chips). I still measure my meals though. Mostly because my eyes aren't good at gauging portion size.

[michael]

I like the idea of tracking Fat Mass Index (FMI) to constrain a bulk. FMI is the same formula as BMI, but is calculated using pounds of fat instead of pounds of total weight.

A FMI of 5 is too high (this is where normal weight individuals start becoming overweight), and would indicate bulking is a bad idea. I think FMI is a better metric than body fat percentage, since the later is skewed lower in strength athletes by higher muscle mass. For example 20% body fat is normally healthy, but someone 5'9" @ 200 pounds with 20% body fat has a FMI of 5.9. A 5.9 FMI is a lot of body fat, enough to make a normal weight person overweight or obese.

The numbers above are for men. Women can have a FMI of 6.

[BenM]

After experiencing the beach body I can say fuck that. Feeling like shit doesn't compensate for looking pretty good for strangers on the beach while I'm on vacation.

Anyone else feel like a slow bulk is impossible? I feel like I put 10 lbs on in no time without trying.

So much this. I feel like I've been trying to maintain a weight that's too far below my set point for a couple of years and it's resulted in feeling like shit all the time, fucked hormones, disordered eating and no gains.

And the studies seem to show that people who lose significant weight then put it on again typically regain faster each time and also need to diet harder to lose it again next time. No bloody wonder we find it hard to bulk slowly.

Anyone else feel like a slow bulk is impossible? I feel like I put 10 lbs on in no time without trying.

No doubt. I'm putting on weight so fast right now without trying. Maybe it is because usually I am just constantly trying to force my weight down. Maybe all this lifting has my body craving a larger size. I don't know, but I'm going to see where it takes me.

And this, as well.

So because of my disordered eating (and other behaviours) ive spent a lot of time in ED groups and this is pretty much the conclusion I've come to as well. If I can learn to eat like a normal person and not a fat fuck (which is still a work in progress) my body is gonna find homeostasis at some weight and body composition somewhere.

I just have to trust that it's gonna be something respectable but I feel like it HAS to be. I mean even with the occasional dessert binge, I'm still eating a damn sight better than I used to when I was fat, didn't lift and my only exercise was a round of golf or two each week. So it's a bit of a case of trusting the process right now. Though I still intend to do a little mini cut soon.

[SeanHerbison]

Need to work on my video editing (and video recording) abilities, but I think this belongs here.



I'm prepared for the real thing now.

[JohnHelton]

@SeanHerbison, that is 5000 calories in a sitting! Impressive.

[MPhelps]

Yeah, it didn't even seem like you were getting a bit itchy and sweaty until you were almost done, like around 120

I don't keep foods like that around, (except party size bags of Doritos for my son) because I can smash shit like that easily. Of course, I will get creative like putting peanut butter and Hershey chocolate syrup (again for my kid) on Wasa crackers. Or shots of maple syrup.

Again, as long as I don't take advice from obese charlatans that you shouldn't do any cardio exercise because muscle building burns fat blah blah blah, I probably will end up OK.

[ChasingCurls69]

I am finally able to afford a legit bulk, but now my biggest obstacle is doing it without buying food out all the time when work+training has me out of the house from 7am-11pm 4 days a week. Right now I'm hovering at ~200lbs and 6'6", trying to push to 231 because it's a USAPL class and gives me a target.

Current plan is breakfast shake+500kcal snack/breakfast food with a preference for carbs, figure out a good lunch I can eat in 30 minutes that will get me another 800-1000kcal and 40g protein/high carbs, another shake+snack after work before the gym, and then post-workout dinner of 40g protein/100~ish carbs. I'm trying to limit myself to just one soda a day to keep it from being too shitty with respect to food quality, although it doesn't seem to effect how lean I am very much.

[BigE]

@chasingcurls69

I use ON Oats and Whey for my shakes. 1:1 protein and carbs

[Wayne]

Packet of microwave rice + sauce is an easy way to get some carbs? I’m cutting, but when I was adding calories to bulk previously I adjusted rice and cereal portions mainly. Chuck dried fruit into cereal for even more carbs.

[TheCheat]

Packet of microwave rice + sauce is an easy way to get some carbs? I’m cutting, but when I was adding calories to bulk previously I adjusted rice and cereal portions mainly. Chuck dried fruit into cereal for even more carbs.

That's all I do too. Same foods, just adjust portion size.

[Stenson]

I'm prepared for the real thing now.

Weird, I just stumbled upon that website a few weeks ago. I plan on doing this one next weekend:

https://www.foodchallenges.com/challeng ... r-city-nv/

[FredM]

Anyone else feel like a slow bulk is impossible? I feel like I put 10 lbs on in no time without trying.

Probably because you're starting out so lean/thin.

I still had a small gut and man boobs when I started my bulk @181 bw (5' 11", 34" waist). From Dec 4th ish to Feb ish I gained .5-1 lb/wk without an increase in waist size (192 lb). Then I gained 8 more lbs through April with an inch increase in waist size, so I'm cutting now. And with a 160 lbs added to my total after being stagnate for 6+ months, I'm thinking I gained a lot of muscle.

The advice to lean out until you're totally cut before "Clean bulking" seems poor to me. 1. Those people seem to get understandably attached to their new bodies and when they start gaining fat (unavoidable) freak out and bail on the bulk. 2. I don't even think it's efficient since you gain so much more fat at the start as your body tries to normalize your hormones.

I don't plan on getting my six pack until my last cut. Cycling in the 15-21% bf range seems to work pretty well so far -- and it's not that hard to get to 15%

[cwd]

Anyone else feel like a slow bulk is impossible? I feel like I put 10 lbs on in no time without trying.

...
I don't plan on getting my six pack until my last cut. Cycling in the 15-21% bf range seems to work pretty well so far -- and it's not that hard to get to 15%

Yeah, I'm working in about that range too. At my leanest, my ab separations are visible only in the best of lighting. It gets noticeably harder to cut when I get below 15% or so.

The conventional wisdom in the bodybuilding community seems to be that you get a better muscle:fat ratio when bulking from 10->15% vs 15->20% but so far as I know this is pure conjecture. There's research that obese people have poor muscle:fat ratios when bulking, but 20% is not obese.

[damufunman]

Started by bulk officially this weekend (along with 2 days prior at planned bulk calories, oops), and somehow managed to LOSE 1.5 lbs since Saturday... Only at +400 over maintenance, aiming for 0.5-1 lb/week, but don't want to jump in too fast in case I have the early quick weight gain, but maybe I need to push that given current situation?

[SeanHerbison]

Weird, I just stumbled upon that website a few weeks ago.

Yeah, it's a handy site. I like Randy Santell, and I've used him as a sort of benchmark in some ways. He did the pizza rolls in 14:26, compared to my 19:43.

I plan on doing this one next weekend: https://www.foodchallenges.com/challeng ... r-city-nv/

Feeling confident? Not sure about the cole slaw, but the rest looks good.

I've done one burger challenge so far. Bigger burger, but way less food on the side:

[Stenson]

Feeling confident? Not sure about the cole slaw, but the rest looks good.

I've done one burger challenge so far. Bigger burger, but way less food on the side:

Yeah I'm pretty sure I can do it. I have a couple friends that have tried and failed but it was more of a whim thing for them, they didn't do any kind of "training" (lol). The slaw at this place is actually really good, they call it "Asian coleslaw" and the sauce is some kind of ginger/sriracha tasting stuff.

That is a LOT of meat! Looks tasty though. There are a couple other giant burger challenges in Vegas I'd like to try if I can manage this one.

[alek]

Started by bulk officially this weekend (along with 2 days prior at planned bulk calories, oops), and somehow managed to LOSE 1.5 lbs since Saturday... Only at +400 over maintenance, aiming for 0.5-1 lb/week, but don't want to jump in too fast in case I have the early quick weight gain, but maybe I need to push that given current situation?

I've also lost weight since the start of this bulk. I'm not accustomed to eating as much as it takes I guess, and it's been ~18 months since I've gained weight. Nevertheless, onward!!

ETA: brb, gotta eat something.

[mouse]

I'm prepared for the real thing now.

Weird, I just stumbled upon that website a few weeks ago. I plan on doing this one next weekend:

https://www.foodchallenges.com/challeng ... r-city-nv/

Damn I was expecting something that looked challenging haha... two stars indeed...

One day I might sack up and attempt this one out by me...

https://stickylipsbbq.com/stickylips/menus/atomic-bomb

EDIT: Atomic Bomb only got rated 2 stars too! Damn...

Need to work on my video editing (and video recording) abilities, but I think this belongs here.



I'm prepared for the real thing now.

My favorite part is at 3:20 where even sped up I can see you pause to question why you're doing this... I have pondered that very question several times...

Grossest thing I ever heard of/saw was a friend of the family who liked to smoke some weed and then eat them frozen. Nasty.

[SeanHerbison]

One day I might sack up and attempt this one out by me...

https://stickylipsbbq.com/stickylips/menus/atomic-bomb

Looks decent. Not what I was expecting though, since any time I see "atomic" in a menu item, I immediately expect some sort of death sauce designed to burn your tongue off.

My favorite part is at 3:20 where even sped up I can see you pause to question why you're doing this... I have pondered that very question several times...

Nah, just questioning whether I needed to pause before finishing.

Grossest thing I ever heard of/saw was a friend of the family who liked to smoke some weed and then eat them frozen. Nasty.

Actually, I had some left over after this and I ate several of them frozen. I thought they were pretty good.