When you are bulking, you will have "fat days."
In fact, you will gain fat. It is impossible to put on 5lb of muscle and no fat at all.
Your expectations may be too high. I hear a lot of women talk about putting on 20lb of muscle in one off-season. Not likely. Realistically, depending on your frame, the average natural woman (we are not talking about pro female bodybuilders who are using all kinds of drugs here!) can put on 5-10lb of muscle in her first year, 3-7lb in her second year, and 2-5lb in subsequent years. With a really great and consistent training and nutrition program, sure, you may be able to add a little more than that, and yes, some women do have great genetics that allow them to exceed these amounts.
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| This is the result of 12 months of almost continuous bulking |
But you are simply not going to look like Erin Stern or Jamie Eason after one off-season.
I have also found that quite a few women share what I thought was a ridiculous fear of mine: the fear that after bulking, they will lack the willpower to diet back down.
And you know what? I did for a while. I dieted really hard in 2010 - much harder than I should have (1300 calories/day, up to 90 minutes of cardio/day, 7 days a week, lifting 5x/week), and as a result, I was burnt out and needed a break. And some food. So I basically bulked straight through 2011. But once I decided to cut back down, I had no issues sticking to a diet.
Through my own experience and observing others' bulking cycles, I have come to the conclusion that in general, there are three keys to successfully sticking to a bulk:
1. Have realistic expectations. If you are expecting to put on 15lb of muscle and 1lb of fat and look like a fitness model, you will be disappointed and probably will quit before you have given yourself a chance to add any muscle at all.
2. Go slow and steady. Men can gain muscle more quickly than women, and that's why they can eat at a caloric level that results in 4+lb of gains every month. If you (women) are gaining 4lb a month on a bulk, the weight you are gaining is probably 50+% fat.
3. Have a support system. Many of your friends and family members will not understand what you're trying to accomplish. Find someone, anyone, who shares your goals, and keep in touch with them. You can always e-mail me - I understand & I love helping others =)
Those of you who have completed a bulking cycle: any advice to add to this? If you are considering bulking, what are your fears/hesitations?
Amazing post and amazing progress pics! Man, you gotta give yourself some major props-- your hard work has truly paid off girl!
ReplyDelete"Have a support system" I think that's the biggest factor for me. If I didn't have the support of my parents and friends through the weight gain process or having people to talk to who can relate to the not so fun fat days, I don't know what I'd do! It's people like you that keep me motivated and on the right track :)
Have a great one!!
You are too sweet Alexandra =) You are doing an amazing job with your bulk!! If you ever need anyone to vent to, you know where I am! =)
DeleteSuch a great post and wow I can't get over your progress...your back is HOT and I'm glad that you are able to reap the benefits of your hard work and perseverance..makes it all the more worth it, eh! I really like your tips too! Although I have never bulked out myself, I think all 3 can apply to weight loss too...especially having a support system! Whether you want to gain or lose weight, it's much harder than one would think but having the support of others and a source of external motivation can help you overcome those moments of weakness. Keep up the good work :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! =)
DeleteYou are definitely right - all of these things apply to weight LOSS as well.
Love this! I look up to Erin Stern too but it's no secret that she doesn't like the idea of 'bulking' and gradually gains muscle while still eating on a maintaining diet. I love her but I do think that sometimes 'bulking' is quite necessary. For me, I am not putting on this weight for a competition or anything, but just because I am tired of being the tall lanky girl and I want to be strong and muscular. Doing this now will help me in my future anyways, so I guess I am getting a head start! The hardest part is being with my friends throughout the day and eating soooo much more than them. They always ask "Why do you eat so much?" because they don't understand. But I have the willpower to keep going anyways. Nothing can deter me from my goals. ;) I have 'fat days' but I remember why I am doing this and I keep going. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely!!! The longer you have muscle, the more mature it looks. (As an example, look at Phil Heath & then at Jason Huh. Phil's muscle is more mature.)
DeleteI hate when people make remarks about what I'm eating/not eating/when I'm eating/etc. I mean, I get it, but no one needs to hear "Why are you eating so MUCH?!?" Blah.
GREAT post. I'm right in the middle of bulking and it is no walk in the park. 10 lbs of muscle to go... *sigh*
ReplyDeleteI'm going to book mark this to read over and over. :)
It definitely is not easy! Everyone thinks it is until they have to do it. loL!
DeleteI love this post! I added some lbs trying to build muscle. Now I'm ready to shed and see what's underneath!!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a fun process! :D
DeleteInteresting info on what happens during bulking. What is cool is peeling away the layers you needed to build the muscle and being transformed. The transformative power of fat as fuel!
ReplyDeleteYou are going to kill it!
Thank you so much S!!!
DeleteI agree - the peeling away of layers is much more fun than the adding on of layers ;-)
You look awesome!! Most fitness bloggers are so willowy and skinny and it's not a realistic body for those that are short and not petite. I'd like to say that I have a body type similar to yours but, I don't want to give myself that much credit. You are really inspiring to me. When I was younger I used to love to lift. I prided myself on being able to do as many pushups and pull ups as a guy. I then started to focus on my running more and I lost a lot of that upper body strength. I would never dream of doing a figure competition because I don’t feel I have that kind of discipline. It has been great to live vicariously through you as you go through all of your preparation. Good luck in September!! :)
ReplyDeleteDolly - thank you so much! This comment really made my day =) =) =) =)
DeleteI really appreciate how honest you are about this process. I feel like many blogs I read make even the "hard parts" sound glamorous or like they're not really all that bad if you just want it hard enough or whatever. But you're always so realistic that I never walk away feeling like it's all sunshine and puppies. Don't get me wrong, I think you have a great, positive attitude and make it sound like anyone CAN do it but you keep it real. As always, I am seriously impressed with your progress!
ReplyDeleteKate, this comment means so much to me!! That's always what I've wanted my blog to be - real. What's the point in documenting everything if it's not the truth?
DeleteLoved this post. Your progression continues to amaze me. Ok so bulking is so much harder than people think! I am in the process and its trial and error. I love it when people tell me "it must be so nice to eat so much!" If they only knew how much work it is!
ReplyDeleteSeriously!! I think bulking is harder than cutting honestly. At least with cutting you have the mental reprieve when people compliment you or ask how much weight you've lost!
DeleteYour blog is so unique- I love learning about this journey you're on that I otherwise would have no idea about! You are do great, girl!
ReplyDeleteVeralynn
joiedeveralynn.blogspot.com
Thank you so much Veralynn!!!
DeleteYou know I struggled in my "bulk" phase too -- though I loved the heavy lifting and the awesome strength I had, it's rough when your work clothes don't fit and you can't see the point in buying new bigger ones LOL. I kind of inadvertently wound up doing another bulk over the last 6 months (thanks, binge eating!) and it feels great to be stronger again. So my tip would be to make the most of whatever phase you're in; when you carry more weight, you can lift more weight. Have fun with that instead of thinking about the fat gain. And when you're lighter, your muscles get to be public. Have fun with that instead of thinking about the strength loss you might see.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I've always loved bulking actually (though this is only the second time around i'm doing this - so i can't call myself an expert.
ReplyDeleteIt can play with your head sometimes, i've been SKINNY my entire life - never liked it, and even though i want to gain weight - it does take some getting used to to be 'softer'.
My coach doesn't believe in gaining any more fat then is neccesary though, so that's great :).
I actually just asked my coach if he had any idea when i'd start prep, and he think october/november - i had november/december in my head... sooo i'm going to enjoy the bulking and crazy amounts of food while i still can :)
Great post. I know I have said before that I can relate about bulking because I had to gain weight for swim team a couple of years ago but this really puts it into perspective. Too many people expect to gain just muscle and that is never the case. It would likely look a bit strange too.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.. bulking is terrifying. I've never had a problem with weight, but still, who wants to GAIN weight? I've gained 10lbs so far on my fitness journey (found out about 7 was muscle.. whoo!) and want to go for a few more (132 is my new "ideal".
ReplyDeleteI just started following you and haven't delved too deep into the life of you, but from what I read so far, I'm totally inspired!
Thank you for this article Sable! I am 21 years old and currently on a bulk, even though it's the colder season, it is still bright and sunny on where I am right now. Lol. Anyhow, I most, I mean, ALL the time get criticisms from people, like, "Why are your foods like that, you're punishing yourself. Go eat (insert unhealthy food here)." or sometimes, "You lift weights in the gym? You wanna look like a man? That's not appropriate for a girl" and other blah blahs. It's hard. Sometimes I wish I could just record my reasons and play it on repeat when someone criticizes me again.
ReplyDeleteOn the other note, I tend to shy away from eating more carbs, especially when I see my abdominal area get a little wider, my abs less visible each day and my weight increase. Your article made me realize that yeah, these are just normal occurrences. Also, at first, my goal is to have muscles like Ava Cowan and curves like Amanda Latona, but with 3-4 months of bulking, I must be realistic and must take things steadily but surely.
Gosh, this is a long reply, but I do really appreciate this post. :)