Ur thoughts on my first attempt at a bulk!

[Naab]

Ok here is my first bulk ever. Having lurked on these boards for quite some time, and having tried to use the search button to answer most of my queries (god knows i don't want to get flamed right off the bat) i feel as if i have a pretty decent understanding of what it takes to truly eat alot and cleanly.

Pls feel free to critique and guide me in the right direction if you feel obliged to do so.

I am looking to bulk now till the end of january, which at that time i will attempt my first ever cut (shudders).

A few vitals, i am 210lbs, 6ft 1in and around 17-18% bodyfat. I am 33 turning 34 in November and have always had a fast metabolism. Genetically i store fat like many men around the love handles and the stomach. The rest of me looks average i would say. Been lifting 4-5 times a week for 3 weeks and already I am starting to see a "larger" look to my muscles. The weights have been med-heavy since i was focusing on technique rather than all out strength. Now that i feel i have most of the compound movements down i am going to attempt some real "heavy" lifting.

So heres my diet for today, and for the most part this diet or some variation of it will stay true during the entire process. I find keeping things simpler and only changing a few items makes for easier shopping, meal planning, meal prep etc etc. I am lucky too that there are some foods on my list which i do not tire of.

Keep in mind that some days i will rotate things like tuna, beef, steak, etc into the meal plan to offer variation. Anyways heres what i did for the last week. Ironically, this week was identical for all meals, and despite feeling full, and spending alot of time on the crapper, i had much more strength and was able to increase my weights and still maintain good form.

Breakfast: is always a shake b/c I don't have time to cook and sit for a meal
so i created my own meal replacement.

2 scoops whey
1c dry oatmeal
3c pure filter skim milk
1tpsp extra virgin olive oil
1c fresh/frozen blueberries (depends on season)
1g fish oil
1 multi vitamin
1000mg vitamin C
22g Fat 130g Carbs 103g Prot 1136 calories

Morning Snack: I only have 15mins for a break so it has to be quick & easy.

4oz boneless skinless chicken breast
2 slices flax bread
1 Danone yogurt
1 HB Egg
1g fish oil
13g fat 46g carbs 55g protein 521 calories

Here is where my calculations could be off. I get varying calculations when i try to enter my chicken. Everywhere is different. Also the I am not sure to use the cooked weight or the raw weight, which seems to be open to debate. Currently i am using cooked weight in my calculations and i am using this set of nutrients for my chicken. Every 1oz of cooked boneless skinless chicken is
47 cals 1g fat and 9g protein. If someone has a more accurate formula for "Safeway" chicken breasts pls send me a link or respond b/c i will be dammed if i can find anything :boring:

Lunch: I have a half hour and this meal can really be anything i want it to be.

1c dry oats
1c skim cottage cheese
3g fish oil
10g fat 72g carbs 45g protein 557 calories

Afternoon snack: 15mins only, so basically just a repeat of my first snack.

2 slices flax bread
4oz boneless skinless chicken breast
1 Danone yogurt
1 HB egg
1g fish oil
13g fat 46g carbs 55g protein 521 calories

Pre Workout: Sometimes this is only 2 hours after my snack so its whey time!

1 scoop whey and H20
1 scoop glycocarb
1g fat 48g carbs 31g protein 321 calories

Post Workout: Similar to pre workout

1 scoop gycocarb
1 scoop whey
5g of creatine
15g of glutamine powder
1g fat 48g carbs 31g protein 321 calories

Again here I am not 100% sure I am doing this right. I read Lyle's article about PWO nutrition and now I am debating whether simple carbs are truly needed right after a workout. So any opinions on this would be appreciated as well.

Dinner: Not chicken, usually fish or steak, in this case , Salmon

4oz atlantic Salmon
1c cooked brown rice
2c brocolli flowerets
14g fat 53g carbs 32g protein 459 calories

Bedtime snack :
1c skim cottage cheese
1 multivitamin
1000mg vitamin C
1g fat 12g carbs 32g protein 188calories

Totals are : 74g Fat 454g carbs 383g protein 4025 calories

Anyways, i think i might cut and paste a journal as well...but i thought this would be a good place to get a diet critique. I am pretty anal when it comes to doing things.

I will be substiting natty PB, dry almonds, other fibrous veggies and other whole foods to spice things up. But more or less this was to just get me started. I realize that trial and error and avoiding that umpteenth can of tuna will truly be the key.

Anyways to quote a famous comic and now a movie.... Flame on!

[Built]

Not sure what your maintenance cals are, so the cals may be low or they may be okay.

Glutamine is a waste of money on a bulk. You'll get plenty of glutamine in your whey.

I take 10g fish oil daily, glad to see you're including fish oil in your meal plan.

Carbs are unnecessarily high and fats are unnecessarily low. Where's the natty PB, nuts, avocados…? And don't forget saturated fat. A little natural saturated fat is good for your test levels.

Dunno what glycocarb is. If it's dextrose/malto, good.

Not seeing a whole lot of veggies...fruit?

[Naab]

Hi Built!

I really love fruit, but I keep hearing too much fruit isn't good for you (for lifting that is). I love bananas, apples, berries (which i eat everyday). Perhaps i was mistaken thinking this was only while cutting? I won't give up my blueberries lol

The glutamine isn't good on a bulk? I thought glutamine was good for recovery? or am I thinking of L-glut? is there a difference?

I do like avocado, and it would be simple to add it to the chicken sandwhiches

Glycocarb is a maltodextrin powder.....i am not sworn on it, its just what i have, but i am close to running out, so i will be buying something else to replace it if i find something better. This is where all the experimentation comes in.

My weight is 210 * 18 = 3780 cals.... my job is sendantary, so my exercise comes from any activities outside of the workplace. I dunno if i should be doing any cardio....is it even worth it on a bulk?

I can easily add more vegies too a couple other meals. Cucumber, greenbeans, dark green leafy lettuces etc...

the ratios currently break down at 20% fat and 40% for the other two

[Built]

Hi Built!

I really love fruit, but I keep hearing too much fruit isn't good for you (for lifting that is). I love bananas, apples, berries (which i eat everyday). Perhaps i was mistaken thinking this was only while cutting? I won't give up my blueberries lol

Fruit is good for you. Fruit juice is concentrated sugar, but fruit is good for you. On a cut, it can be problematic because of the carbs, particularly fructose, but for bulking, no problem. Blueberries are very good for you.




The glutamine isn't good on a bulk? I thought glutamine was good for recovery? or am I thinking of L-glut? is there a difference?

You are thinking of the right thing. L-Glutamine is abundant in whey, you won't need to supplement on a bulk, trust me.



I do like avocado, and it would be simple to add it to the chicken sandwhiches
Cool



Glycocarb is a maltodextrin powder.....perfect. Get some dextrose, too, and mix 'em half and half if you like.
i am not sworn on it, its just what i have, but i am close to running out, so i will be buying something else to replace it if i find something better. This is where all the experimentation comes in.
[QUOTE=Naab]
My weight is 210 * 18 = 3780 cals....
Ah. So you don't actually know your maintenance calories, you're just estimating them based on a formula. Okay. Gotta start somewhere. If you gain fat too quickly, you'll know you overshot. If you don't gain muscle quickly enough, you'll know you undershot. Adjust accordingly.




my job is sendantary, so my exercise comes from any activities outside of the workplace. I dunno if i should be doing any cardio....is it even worth it on a bulk?
Some do, I never bother, outside of recreational activity, which I deliberately overfeed to compensate.



I can easily add more vegies too a couple other meals. Cucumber, greenbeans, dark green leafy lettuces etc...

the ratios currently break down at 20% fat and 40% for the other two

The ratios are completely meaningless.
There are essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, so it's worth keeping these on the high side. Since there are no essential carbohydrates, use fats as a caloric ballast, not carbs.

Now, on a bulk, there's no real reason to limit your carbs, but there's no reason at ALL to limit your healthy fats. Get 'em up there. Even cutting, I rarely drop lower than 35% of cals from fat, and frequently go higher.

[Chizniz16]

Good luck, and don't take bulking for granted.

[Unholy]

Good luck on your bulk.

[Naab]

ok, Built especially, but anyone else too, i am going to post my modified bulking diet later tonite and please critique it. I will have made some changes to it, but i can't seem to copy paste my fitday totals very well into here ...gr...

which means i need to type them out

[Naab]

OK, as promised here is my meal breakdown for yesterday!

Breakfast : My own MRP which varies in the amount of milk, oats and olive oil

3cups skim milk
1 scoop ISO whey
1cup dry oatmeal
1cup blueberries (fresh)
3tbsp Olive oil

Cals 1250 Fat 48g Carbs 127g Prot 76g

Snack:

1/2cup natural almonds
1cup fat free cottage cheese
1 medium banana

Cals 663 Fat 33g Carbs 47g Prot 45g

Lunch:

5oz chicken breast (boneless, skinless of course)
1/2 avocado
1/2 cup brown rice cooked
Danone yogurt

Cals 546 fat 19g carbs 37g prot 49g

Afternoon snack

2slices flax bread
2 tbsp Natty pb
1 med apple
2 HB eggs

cals 611 fat 29g carbs 61g prot 31

Preworkout

1scoop whey
1 scoop glycocarb

cals 336 fat .5g carb 48 prot 35

Postworkout is identical to preworkout!

Dinner:

5oz boneless skinless chicken breast
2cups broccoli
3cups of spinach

Cals 408 fat 6g carbs 13g protein 52g

totals are 4150 cals 135g fat, 382g carbs 325g prot

i forgot to mention i take a multi twice a day, use creatine , and take 1000mg of vitamin C and drink a gallon and a half of water daily.

also keep in mind, that the chicken can be substituted for tuna/fish/steak/beef etc.....

[sphillip40]

Dinner:

5oz boneless skinless chicken breast
2cups broccoli
3cups of spinach

Cals 408 fat 6g carbs 13g protein 52g

totals are 4150 cals 135g fat, 382g carbs 325g prot


First of all, i'm no expert... and when i give advice, it's based on my own observations through the little experience i have. but...

The dinner post workout seems to be low on the carb side for a strong bulk cycle you are shooting for. Your PW shake has carbs but they get used pretty quick. Shouldn't there be a lower GI carb supply about this time to help maximize muscle growth?

That's what I would change if i were using this plan. Any one else?

[Naab]

I could add another cup of cooked rice, or half cup if that would help, i too noticed that one glaring item missing as well....

I was trying to keep my carbs down and my fats and proteins high, without having to eat 4300 cals, but if i want carbs in that last meal, its going to cost me another 150 cals i would think.

your eye caught what mine did!