What to Eat During Bulking?

When it comes to bulking, what to eat and which supplements to use are key questions. What is clean bulking? What is dirty bulking? Which approach is best? How much should you eat during bulking? ...

Winter is an excellent season for bulking as it helps you keep your body warm and creates an environment for muscle growth. Then, when summer comes, you can cut, making it the perfect cycle, isn't it?

During the bulking process, nutrition plays a crucial role because you have to eat a lot to increase calorie intake for muscle growth. But is it right to eat all kinds of foods you like? Let's find out.

What to Eat and Which Supplements to Use During Bulking?

Bulking can be seen as the best time for gym enthusiasts because it's a period when you can enjoy many of your favorite foods without worrying too much about how excess fat will be handled, as it will be addressed during the cutting phase. It's also a time to reach new heights. Typically, there are three types of bulking: Clean bulking, regular bulking, and dirty bulking.

What Is Clean Bulking?

This is when you bulk while limiting excessive fat gain and focusing more on muscle mass. This process will restrict you from indulging in foods like French fries, soda, pizza, fast food, etc.

Individuals following a clean bulking approach will consume foods similar to those eaten during the cutting phase, such as pasta, rice, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, lean meats, non-fat milk, cottage cheese, fruits... Generally, fresh and cold foods are preferred. This bulking style is favored by individuals with slower metabolism.

What Is Regular Bulking?

Regular bulking involves focusing on gaining as much muscle mass as possible while still considering the amount of fat consumed. This bulking style also avoids the consumption of fast foods.

Choosing meals follows a similar pattern to clean bulking and is suitable for individuals with average metabolism.

What Is Dirty Bulking?

Individuals following this bulking approach still aim to build as much muscle mass as possible but they do not concern themselves with how much fat they consume. Naturally, this bulking method will cause the body to rapidly increase body fat levels.

Due to this reason, it is only suitable for individuals with a strong metabolism. If you can quickly shed fat during the cutting season, you might consider this bulking regimen. It's also the easiest bulking method to pursue.

So, Which Bulking Approach Is Best?

As mentioned earlier, it depends on your body's metabolism. If you struggle to lose fat, clean bulking is the best choice; otherwise, you can opt for dirty bulking.

Secondly, are you bulking for a specific goal? For example, if you're bulking for a competition, clearly dirty bulking will be eliminated. If you're just trying to impress the ladies, then standard or dirty bulking may be applicable.

The truth is there's no one-size-fits-all bulking approach; it depends on metabolism and the goals you're aiming for.

How Much Should You Eat During Bulking?

Once again, this depends on your body; if you're an ectomorph, aim for 6-8 meals a day, each around 500 calories, with a meal every 2 hours.

An ectomorph should consume 25-30% of their body weight in calories and 1.5 times their body weight in protein.

For instance, if you weigh 70kg and consume 2500 calories a day, you'll need to eat 3125 to 3220 calories a day, with protein intake around 105g per day.

If you're an endomorph, aim for 6 meals a day with a 2.5-hour gap between each meal.

Ensure you eat high-quality foods like rice, pasta, lean beef, chicken breast, eggs,... and avoid fatty foods and fast food, or you'll gain weight rapidly.

If you're a mesomorph, aim for 6-8 meals a day with a 2-hour gap between each meal.

Which foods are good to eat during bulking?

For clean bulking

For regular clean bulking

For semi-clean bulking

The optimal bulking diet should be rich in protein, amino acids, and complex carbs along with some healthy fats. The Protein:Carb:Fat ratio can be 40:40:20 or 35/40/25 if you're just starting out. This ratio will ensure you get enough protein and carbs for muscle building and enough fats to stimulate hormone production for growth.

There are certain foods that can aid in the body's hormone production that you should remember

Yogurt

Yogurt basically helps increase nutrient absorption, it is also rich in calcium which helps strengthen bones during weightlifting.

Garlic

Garlic is rich in antioxidants that boost the immune system. It also helps prevent colds, increases natural testosterone production, and reduces cortisol levels in the body.

Watermelon

Watermelon contains a large amount of the amino acid Citrulline which, when ingested, is converted into arginine in the body, thereby increasing the production of nitric oxide to enhance blood flow and oxygen to your muscles, facilitating muscle growth.

Broccoli

Broccoli not only contains plenty of vitamins but also compounds called indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and diindolyl methane. They reduce Estrogen levels, thereby increasing testosterone in the body.

Watercress

Watercress is rich in Glutamine, excellent for post-workout recovery. Additionally, it contains octacosanol which has been shown to enhance strength and muscle growth during bulking.

Foods to avoid during bulking

Foods containing empty calories (providing calories without nutritional value) like candies, soda, should be avoided as they lack protein. Also, steer clear of

Starch is crucial for bodybuilders as it serves as the primary source of energy for both workouts and daily activities.

Any excess carbs will automatically be stored as fat, so don't consume more than you need.

There are two types of carbs: simple and complex. For example, sugar is a simple carb and bread is a complex carb. Complex carbs are healthier, so prioritize their consumption.

Simple carbs should only be consumed after workouts as they help push protein to muscles faster. At other times of the day, opt for complex carbs to maintain stable energy levels.

3 essential nutrients to know when bulking

Protein

As you know, protein is the building block of your muscles. Without protein, your body won't have enough material to work with. On average, each person exercising needs about 1.5-2g of protein/kg of body weight.

Protein needs to be supplemented every 2-3 hours, so you need to continuously intake protein through meals, and before bedtime, you can drink a glass of milk as it contains casein to supplement protein while you sleep. You can check out a list of over 30 high-protein foods for more information.

Carbohydrates

Besides protein, carbohydrates (carbs) are the next essential nutrient you need to consume enough of. Without carbs, you'll lack energy and won't have the strength to lift weights, and of course, your muscles won't be able to grow.

There are 2 types of carbs: complex and simple. Complex carbs should be consumed throughout the day, while simple carbs should be consumed after workouts because they help increase insulin, which means:

Carbs you should consume include

Complex Carbs

Simple Carbs

Fat

Fat plays a crucial role in the body and helps produce hormones. The best type of fat to use is unsaturated fat such as:

Dieting Hacks for You

Which Supplements to Use During Cutting

Protein

Protein is essential during cutting and bulking phases. Without adequate protein intake, the body will break down muscle protein, a process known as catabolism.

To build larger muscles, avoid muscle breakdown as much as possible. The simplest way to do this is by providing your body with the necessary protein. There are two main types of protein you can buy: Whey Protein and Casein Protein.

Whey Protein

Whey Protein is the most commonly used supplement in the bodybuilding world. It's a fast-absorbing protein, fully absorbed within an hour. The ideal times to take Whey protein are before and after workouts.

When taken before a workout, Whey ensures your body has enough protein to build muscles, while taking it after ensures your body has enough fuel to repair your muscles post-workout.

Another ideal time to use Whey is when you wake up in the morning. This is when your body is in a state of fasting because you haven't eaten overnight. Taking Whey at this time floods your body with protein, preventing it from breaking down muscle protein for energy.

My favorite Whey is Optimum Nutrition Isolate. It's a great quality Whey at an affordable price.

Casein protein

In contrast to Whey, Casein is a slow-digesting protein, staying in your body for over 5 hours before being fully absorbed. It also comes from milk like Whey (where 80% of milk protein is casein). Due to its slow absorption, Casein is often taken before bedtime to ensure your body is continuously supplied with protein without needing to wake up to eat.

Creatine

Creatine is an amino acid abundant in red meat, and it's crucial for fitness enthusiasts as it helps regenerate ATP in the body. ATP is a vital energy source for physical activity, and depletion of it can lead to extreme fatigue.

Creatine is not a Steroid or some scary substance; it's naturally occurring and produced by the body. There are many types of Creatine, but you should stick to Creatine Monohydrate as it provides the best value without unnecessary costs associated with other types.

You can find more details about Creatine in this article for further information.

Multivitamin

BCAA

BCAA stands for Branched-Chain Amino Acids, crucial amino acids for muscle building. They enhance post-workout recovery effectively, allowing you to return to training more quickly. Check out the detailed article on what BCAA is for more insight.

Testosterone

Testosterone plays a crucial role in muscle building. Increasing testosterone levels in the body creates conditions for more effective muscle growth.

Nitric Oxide

While not everyone needs to use this product, during intense muscle-building sessions, such as during a cut, the intensity of training is often high. Therefore, a product that helps dilate blood vessels to increase blood flow, like Nitric Oxide, can be quite beneficial. It enhances workout effectiveness and reduces post-workout pain quickly.

It also helps your muscles swell during workouts, making you feel more pumped up.

Digestive Enzymes

When the body has sufficient enzymes, it operates more efficiently, allowing for better nutrient absorption without the need to eat excessively.

How long to cut before bulking?

This won't have a precise answer as it depends on your goals and your body's condition, as well as the type of cutting you're employing.

Typically, the bulking phase ends when you reach about 20% body fat, but some individuals bulk continuously for 6 months and then cut for the remaining 6 months.

You shouldn't bulk for too long as it can lead to stretch marks when cutting, and you also shouldn't bulk for too short a time when muscle mass hasn't really developed much.

Think of bulking as a mathematical equation. You start bulking after a cutting phase, initially building muscle slowly, then doubling the pace after 1-2 months. After 4-6 months, you increase it fourfold from the start. Therefore, the bulking phase can last for 6-7 months before starting a cut (for individuals with average metabolism).

For Ectomorph body types (fast metabolism)

In general, individuals of this type can bulk for 8 months or 7 months if employing a dirty bulk approach. The reason is that they find it challenging to gain weight but can lose fat very quickly.

For Endomorph body types (Slow metabolism)

If you belong to this body type, you should bulk for 6 months with a clean bulk and 5 months with a dirty bulk. This is because individuals of this type can reach 20% body fat more quickly. Additionally, cutting for these individuals will be more challenging due to their slow metabolism.

For Mesomorph body types (fast muscle gain, slow fat loss)

Individuals of this body type can bulk for 8 months and 7 months with a dirty bulk. The reason is that this group has the ability to build muscle faster than ectomorphs and lose fat faster than endomorphs.

In the bodybuilding world, those belonging to this body type are considered to have 'good genes'.

How to determine your body type

You can read a detailed article about the 3 body types here. In general, they will have the following characteristics

Ectomorph Type

Individuals of this type are usually leaner compared to other types, and they have to train very diligently to gain each gram of muscle.

Endomorph Type

Although individuals of this type struggle with weight loss, their ability to gain muscle is on par with Mesomorphs.

Mesomorph Type

Individuals of this type are mostly bodybuilding champions due to the advantages of their body characteristics.

Mixed Type

Rarely does anyone fit precisely into one body type, but rather a blend between two types. For example, if you're lean but easily gain muscle, you might be an ecto-mesomorph. Or if you're naturally heavier but lose fat easily, you might be an endo-mesomorph.

Understanding your body better will help you make more accurate decisions about your bulking phase. Hopefully, this article will provide you with more knowledge for your bulking journey. Wishing you success!

Posted by: John Smith

Keywords: What to eat when bulking - The best choices