Bulking and Shredding? page

[CuriousAdelaide]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone share their Bulking experiences.

How you gained Lean Body Mass and cut the fat?

I train hard for 4 days a week.2 days training 1 day off.
42yrs, 15%BF, 179cm, 80kgs(176lbs)

At the moment I have a shake before and after morning training. (Almond butter,Coconut milk,yoghurt,berries)1100calories. 550 pre & 550 post.

3 meals containing 45g protein e.g.: 240g Chicken breast with mixed vegetables and butter.
Only the evening meal do I have carbs (Sweet Potatoe)

Daily calories 2900.

Any information as to were i'm going wrong would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Guys

[primal pete]

ultimately to lose fat you must necessarily be burning more calories than you consume. Gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time becomes virtually impossible when you get to advanced levels of leanness and strength/muscle mass. So, you should focus on one or the other and bulk/cut in cycles until you are satisfied with your level of leanness. You sound like a good canditate for leangains, check it out here: Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health

Also, you might be able to get away with training less, 3 days or even 2 days a week for weights, which might be better at your age. Adequate carbohydrates are your friend on training days. A cut to six pack lean usually requires pretty astute food tracking/calorie counting.

[Primalsaber]

I'm 26 years younger than you, but what worked for me to cut 25 lbs was:

Removing fruit EXCEPT within an hour or so before/after a workout
Consuming 35 or less grams of carbs a day on rest days, around 45 on work ones (with a once weekly re-feed, ie sweet potatoes)
Sprinting once a week
Intermittent Fasting (DEFINITELY a huge factor in my weight loss, I did 2 days on/1 day off).
Limiting calories to anywhere between 1400-2000 (on the day of an intense workout)

It sounds like not only are you consuming a pretty large amount of calories, and a sweet potato a day is a lot of carbs. It's unlikely that you'll both lose fat and gain muscle efficiently, pleasantly and consistently, so like the previous responder suggested, I'd say pick one to go after it first. You have the same bf% I started my "bulk" on and I can tell you that yes, it will be hard to accept with any fat you gain. Just accept what your goals are and seek the new, stronger version of yourself.

Of course, that's not a definitive answer, but I hope I provided some helpful ideas. Good luck with your fitness goals, keep us posted!

[CuriousAdelaide]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the replies.
I can't seem to get out of my head that I need to consume a large calorie load. (Strict)

If I do consume 2000 calories will this be enough to build the LBM. I seem to have read various articles stating 3000calories.

Reducing the fat intake could be an option but mentally its been great as i have not felt that sapping effect after hard training.

I can feel it in the next days workout if I do not have carbs in the previous evenings meal.

I'm going to try Protein & fats for meals during the day and reduce carbs to evening meal.

I'll keep you posted?

[Ripped]

I think your current weight is your ideal weight. Don't try to gain or lose any weight. Instead work on getting stronger and leaner over time.

Drop workouts to 2 per week. And relentlessly aim for improved strength.

This shouldn't be too hard sice you aren't quite at your genetic potential yet.

[not on the rug]

when it comes to actually bulking, a good number to start with is a 500 calorie daily surplus. so if you are maintaining your current weight and bodyfat % at 2900 calories a day, then you need to go up to 3400. if you are gaining too much bodyfat at a 500 calorie surplus, you can try a 400 or 300 calorie surplus.

out of curiosity, how long have you been at your current weight and bodyfat %? how long have you been eating 2900 calories a day? what is your training like?

[RichMahogany]

I don't see from what you've posted where you're "going wrong" at all. 15% body fat is respectable, especially at 42 years of age. And you're not a totally scrawny stick figure based on those numbers either, although I can't imagine you look like Lou Ferrigno either.

when it comes to actually bulking, a good number to start with is a 500 calorie daily surplus. so if you are maintaining your current weight and bodyfat % at 2900 calories a day, then you need to go up to 3400. if you are gaining too much bodyfat at a 500 calorie surplus, you can try a 400 or 300 calorie surplus.

I agree, but in my personal experience, trying to gain lean mass while shedding fat is like walking a tightrope. It's not impossible, but there's an easier way to get from point A to point B.

I'm not saying it's perfectly primal, but when I want to bulk, I try to bulk. Well over 3,400 kCal a day (and I'm shorter and overall smaller than you) I still don't eat PUFAs or grains, but I eat 3-4 BIG meals a day, with lots of plantains/sweet potatoes with my meats, and drink a bunch of milk. Lift heavy, 2-3 times per week, no cardio. NO CARDIO. NOOOO CAAAARDIOOOOO.

When I'm ready to lean out afterwards, I cut the starches way down (Aside from a weekly or bi-weekly re-feed), lose the milk, and only eat the 1-2 meals a day that I'm actually hungry for. A weekly sprinting session seems to make the bad weight drop off all the more quickly. Even a few 5km runs (that's 3-ish miles for us 'mericans) might help.

That's been the most productive way to get bulked and shredded in my personal experience. Your mileage may vary.

[Wanderlust]

Same as above, except I still sprint & interval run during weight gain and I have to eat 4,000+ kcal (I only eat 2-3 meals).

[KimchiNinja]

Reducing the fat intake could be an option...

Actually for bulking without getting fat I'd increase fat intake!

I'm hitting the gym twice a week with heavy dead-lifts, squats, bench and military press. Increased fat (especially saturated fat) with meat+skin cooked in grass-fed butter, vegis cooked in butter, eggs, bacon, almonds. Reduced fruit/potatoes to zero. Protein at 0.7g / pound body weight. Calories overall higher (via fat).

My weight is staying the same, but muscle increasing and waist decreasing (thank you butter!). Tried it with sweet potatoes/fruit, didn't work...added muscle but also puffy waist fat. So the only carbs I'm doing are unlimited vegi carbs.

[sbhikes]

I'm a middle-aged woman. I don't want to get fat but I do want to get stronger. What I do is eat a lot of lean meat and potatoes and not much fat (except for chocolate which I can't seem to stay away from.) I've been lifting since October. The longer I keep at it, the heavier the weights get and the more lean meat I need to eat. So far only portions of my body have gotten bigger like my thighs and biceps (I can flex them and see them now), not my belly or any of the other signs of me getting actually FAT. I suppose if I wasn't a middle-aged woman I might have actually "bulked" without getting fat.