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RIT Jared
Level 4
Join date: Dec 2003
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 1831
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I've noticed a lot of new people on here in the past couple months. This post is for you.
Whether you've realized it or not, when you derobe, you probably bear an uncanny resemblence to Macaulay Culkin on a Keto diet. You may think you need to work on your arms or your abs, but really you just need to be about 50lbs heavier.
Anyway, that decision is up to you, but here are a couple bulking tips that have served me well. Maybe some other guys can add theirs too, as this is by no means a comprehensive list. It's my "best of bulking" tips.
1) How to eat more oatmeal:
If you've ever cooked oatmeal, you've realized that it absorbs water. Consequently, eating 2 or more "servings" of oatmeal can turn into a real chore, with you having to down almost a full quart of oat slop.
Next time you go to put down 3 servings of oatmeal, only cook half of the oats. Immediately after they cook, add the other half dry. This will eventually turn into somewhat of a cement. While it doesn't sound appetizing, it's much easier to put down than a gallon of sloppy oats.
Now, you may be saying "Hold on there partner, I add Grow! to my oats!"
Well hold your horses. Add the Grow!, and then not milk or water, but a few splashes of orange juice. It tastes pretty good. And if you're drinking milk, just remember that milk is for babies.
2) The best supplement for bulking: Water.
This is the secret weapon. The Excalibur of mass building.
Before you go to bed at night, drink a half liter of water. When you inevitably get up to empty the tank 3-4 hours later, march yourself to the kitchen and eat a meal. If you can stomach it, try and put down 3/4-1c 4% cottage cheese washed down by a Grow! shake and some peanut butter. If you want to save time, mix all this up in a blender before bed and then all you have to do is drink it and fall back asleep ASAP. |
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ChoBoChan
Level 0
Join date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 8
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That's two nice tips Jared, i was surprised with the water tip, I never thought of that. Thanks man, gota try that :) |
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shamr0ck
Level 0
Join date: Jul 2004
Location: Norway
Posts: 236
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nothing new here, but read up on the various diets in the archives (use the search function).
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Phill
Level 4
Join date: Aug 2003
Location:
Posts: 12804
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Great Idea Jared, and good tips.
This could be a great thread.
I will add a tiny bit myself.
A Food LOG. They are not just for cutting and can be an even more powerfull tool toward successfull bulking.
EAT BIG, but EAT CLEAN. Dont just throw crap down your gullet. You may have to comsume more food by eating clean but the results will be worth it.
PATIENTS young grass hopper. Rome was not built in a day. Take your time. Slowly ADD Quality SIZE, as opposed to balloning up 20 lbs in a months time just vto have to cutt off a boat load of fat.
REST, if you are in dire need of mass and a true hard gainer. Then if your are not eating or training. Sit your butt down, rest up, recover and GROW.
Last, I want to stress the food log and solid diet issue again. Learn proper nutrition and track it. Many newbies are suprised at how little they are actually taking in when they take the time to write it all down.
Oh and FAT is NOT BAD. YOU NEED IT. GOOD FATS, promotes hormone levels, an easy way to up the K/cal intake, and you will have good skin and hair. LOL
I better stop or I will just keep rattling on.
Phill
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smallnomore
Level 4
Join date: Jun 2004
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 372
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Phil hit the nail on the head with FOOD LOG! I started really getting serious, or so I thought, in April. I was eating everything in sight, and gaining quite a bit. I wasn't using a food log, though. So, over time, I slowly was making compromises in my diet that added up to a huge calorie loss. A few weeks ago I got the log going and now I'm back on track.
One more thing. I don't know where Jared gets his milk, but the kind I drink is actually for cows. More specifically, it's for calves, and it turns them into big cows pretty darn quick. I drink milk, always have ever since I was a youngin'. Milk was one of those things I took out of my diet. It helps me out a lot in shakes, gives me a few extra calories and some added texture that water or juice can't hang with. Granted, it's not for everyone, but I wouldn't count it out right away, at least not for bulking.
Ok, I lied, there's one MORE thing. I just thought of it. Don't let the scale be your only guide. In fact, don't rely on it much at all. More important, I think, are bodyfat % and measurements. In the beginning, I would step on the scale much to often, and I would let the numbers affect my mood/outlook. I would get discouraged if I lost 1/2 lbs. since two days prior. I really was just playing head games with myself, and they were rarely helpful. The truth is, depending on a number of different factors, like time of day, water intake/retention, and possibly somebody thought they knew how to calibrate the scale better than it already was, can sway the numbers you get from a scale from day to day. So, only weigh yourslef about once a week, maybe even less. Look at it as a short term goal. Every time you don't want to eat after your night-time pee break, think about what will happen when you get on that scale in two weeks... will you be psyched, or pissed at yourself?
Ok, enough from the little guy, now back to advice from the veterans. |
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RIT Jared
Level 4
Join date: Dec 2003
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 1831
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Nice tip Phill.
Ways to add fats:
1) Natural Peanut Butter:
Put it on stuff or just eat it with a spoon. I go for the latter.
2) Oils:
Olive oil, Fish oil, Flax oil, Safflower oil. Do yourself a favor and buy a bottle of each of these. It's a pricey initial investment, but they last a while.
Use olive or safflower for cooking and on salads.
Save the fish and flax for taking straight shots. It's not pretty and it doesn't taste good, but each tablespoon adds 14g of good fats and 120 cals. 2 tbs with every P+F meal and you're adding 720 cals to your daily intake.
Wash it down with tea or water and you'll be all set.
3) Coconut Milk:
1 can of this yields a whopping almost 900 calories and at my grocery store is less than $1.50. Some people may be concerned about the saturated fat, but coconut milk has other benefits and as long as you don't wash it down with a 32 oz ribeye steak and a plate of bacon, you'll probably be fine. Just don't live on the stuff. Mix half a can in with a Grow! shake.
4) Avocados:
One avocado packs between 300-400 calories, and 30-35g of good fats. Add it to a salad or cut it up and have it as a side dish with some lemon, salt and pepper. You can also buy guacamole which is basically mashed up avocados. Watch the carbs in the guacamole dips though.
Another avocado tip: if you are only eating 1/2 an avocado, leave the pit in the half that you are saving. It will prevent it from going brown.
5) Steak:
John Berardi recommends 1/3 Polyunsaturated fat, 1/3 Monounsaturated, and 1/3 Saturated fat. To get this 1/3 saturated fat, try a nice steak with a side of spinach or other greens.
RIT Jared
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CU AeroStallion
Level 4
Join date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 1366
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Another bulking tip for the newbies:
Keep your workouts simple. Stick to the big compound movements. Rows, presses, squats and deadlifts. Don't waste your time doing tricep extensions to failure, instead do dips. Why bother with a million concentration curls when you can do some pullups? Do the multi-joint movements as they hit a lot more muscle groups.
I second (or maybe third or fourth) using a food log. You'll have no idea how much you're eating if you don't keep one. This will mean that you need to weigh the foods you're eating so you know how many macronutrients you're consuming, as well as calories.
Here's a nifty link to help with the food log, bookmark it.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/...oodcomp/search/ |
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beef215
Level 3
Join date: Oct 2002
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 57
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RITJared, I actually go further than you and dont cook any of my oats. just put some cold water and if you need it some sweetener on it. you can down 1.5 cups oats in like 1 minute flat and be on your way. it doesnt taste half bad once you get used to it and also it doesnt fill me up or make me all uncomfortable like a gigantic bowl of hot thick oats. for the skinnier guys alternating a protein shake and some nuts or peanut butter and whole food meals helps me get my calories in better without feeling like im going to blow up.
cheers
adam |
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CDarklock
Level 3
Join date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 431
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RIT Jared wrote:
Before you go to bed at night, drink a half liter of water. When you inevitably get up to empty the tank 3-4 hours later, march yourself to the kitchen and eat a meal.
What would you suggest if this doesn't work? I can hammer down a *full* litre *and* a half of water, go to bed, and I just wake up in the morning at my usual time -- but I have to pee REALLY BAD. I'm concerned that if I drink much more, I'll just wet the bed.
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RIT Jared
Level 4
Join date: Dec 2003
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 1831
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CDarklock wrote:
What would you suggest if this doesn't work? I can hammer down a *full* litre *and* a half of water, go to bed, and I just wake up in the morning at my usual time -- but I have to pee REALLY BAD. I'm concerned that if I drink much more, I'll just wet the bed.
Well, the water is essentially a natural alarm clock. Theoretically the more water you drink before bed the sooner you will wake up, but if you've tried it again and again without good results then I'm not sure what the problem is. Are you typically well rested and get enough sleep? Do you pee regularly throughout the day or do you typically hold it until the resulting deluge of urine is powerful enough to sink a small rowboat?
If that doesn't work I would just get a 2nd alarm clock and set it for 190 mins after you hit the sack. (from the sleep thread, a "cycle" of sleep is 90 mins, so figure 10 min to fall asleep and then 2 cycles.)
If that doesn't work for you, then just eat a large meal before bed and a large meal when you wake up.
RIT Jared
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CDarklock
Level 3
Join date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 431
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RIT Jared wrote:
If that doesn't work for you, then just eat a large meal before bed and a large meal when you wake up.
Since I don't even use a *first* alarm clock, I'll probably have to go with this. My wife and I have different sleep schedules, so any wake-up procedure I use has to be silent; currently, I just get up when I get up, which tends to naturally fall within 20 minutes of 5 AM. (Yes, I *do* go to bed around nine.) |
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Soldierslim
Level 5
Join date: Apr 2004
Location: California, USA
Posts: 594
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I second just using a second alarm clock. Mine actually has three settings. Get one that you can put in a CD and select a nice peacefull song set on low volume that takes a couple of minutes to actually wake your ass up. Mine usually doen't wake the girlfriend up. Once I'm up I pee (so that I don't wake up twice in one nite) and slam a pre-mixed shake (Grow! + flax oil, ect...). Also, Food logs are better than nothing, but I suggest taking total and absolute control of your diet.
Get a nutrition book with food tables and actually PLAN out a diet. If your an absolute beginner this isn't necessary and will probably scare you away by it's spartan regularity. But if you are "dangerously hardcore" you'll do it anyway. This way you KNOW that you're getting X grams of protein per pound, X grams of carbohydrate per pound and exactally the 33% sat, 33% mono, 33% poly fat profile as per Berardi. The classic T-mag article "Foods That make You Look Good Nekkid" is the place to start for menu selection. Also, another great article is "Things We've Learned." Do more reps than your mind wants you too, lift heavier weights than your muscles want you too, and this last one is key for the bulksters, EAT MORE THAN YOUR STOMACH WANTS YOU TOO.
Hope that helps. |
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Sexy J
Level 0
Join date: Mar 2004
Location: Georgia, USA
Posts: 100
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Not to add dissidence to the thread, but I am rather opposed to the drinking a half liter of water before crashing and then having the midnight piss. Perhaps it is more me than science, but I think the sleep is much more valuable. The idea of getting 8 hours of sleep a day is to do just that, sleep for 8 hours. Not taking a 2 hour nap, a 3 hour first sleep, eat, and then a second 3 hour sleep. No, there is a lot to be said about 8 hours of straight and solid sleep, it is a beautiful things and it can do beautiful things for your body. Instead, just have a casein rich (low carb) before bedtime meal. That'll last you at least 6 hours and then there are undifferentiated proteins in a since, like a steak, that will be in the blood for awhile just because it takes a while to break down and be digested. These aren't bad night time treats either.
In conclusion, I would offer that the 8 hours of solid sleep are just as beneficial if not more, than the two extra hours of circulating protein. Just a thought :) |
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Soldierslim
Level 5
Join date: Apr 2004
Location: California, USA
Posts: 594
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Sexy J, you no dought have a solid argument, but the threads title was tips for "bulking." If your eating 4000+ calories a day sometimes you just CAN'T eat anymore. I mean if you puke it up it kinda defeats the purpose. SOOO, I don't think that any of us were suggesting eating a "mid-night snack" year round, just when you've gotten to the point where you've uped and uped your kcals, and you can't up em' anymore during the waking hours. |
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pauln78
Level 0
Join date: Feb 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 217
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I'll add my 2 cents:
Train with heavy compound movements.
Eat as much clean/natural food as possible.
Sleep & rest as much as you can. |
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RIT Jared
Level 4
Join date: Dec 2003
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 1831
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Sexy J wrote:
Not to add dissidence to the thread, but I am rather opposed to the drinking a half liter of water before crashing and then having the midnight piss. Perhaps it is more me than science, but I think the sleep is much more valuable. The idea of getting 8 hours of sleep a day is to do just that, sleep for 8 hours. Not taking a 2 hour nap, a 3 hour first sleep, eat, and then a second 3 hour sleep. No, there is a lot to be said about 8 hours of straight and solid sleep, it is a beautiful things and it can do beautiful things for your body. Instead, just have a casein rich (low carb) before bedtime meal. That'll last you at least 6 hours and then there are undifferentiated proteins in a since, like a steak, that will be in the blood for awhile just because it takes a while to break down and be digested. These aren't bad night time treats either.
In conclusion, I would offer that the 8 hours of solid sleep are just as beneficial if not more, than the two extra hours of circulating protein. Just a thought :)
I drink so much water during the day that I rarely make it through the night anyhow without having to get up. So, I figured why not portion the water and time when I got up with a meal. I've actually gotten so "good" at it, that I can keep a zombie half-sleep like state all the way through my peeing and eating, and I'm actually hitting the sheets less than 5 min after I get up.
I guess I have this little fantasy that it's better that way. It's at least a little easier to fall back asleep.
When I am not bulking, I do try and get uninterrupted sleep though, so good point.
RIT Jared |
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Hiller
Level 3
Join date: Jun 2004
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 12
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I would consider myself a newbie so I have a few questions for you guys. I have been reading articles on this site for quite a while and have just started getting serious about my lifting. I have always been a skinny guy and all the ideas on this site have already started to pay off.
First question is in regards to my workout. I have only been lifting for real for a few months now and I just started Ian King's Super Strength and limping in series. Do you think these are good selections? I tried OVT but it was too much for me at this point...
Okay, now the important stuff, nutrition. I do want to put on weight but want to do it slowly so I don't gain excessive BF. I am following the massive eating guidelines but everyone says that if you want size you need to carb up. I have carbs at breakfast and get them with Surge and my 2nd PWO meal. When would be the best time to add another carb meal? My second meal of the day and go P+F the rest of the day?
I want to thank everyone for all the help here. This place is amazing.
BTW, Jared would RIT happen to be the school you attended?
Thanks,
Hiller |
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blam
Level 0
Join date: Sep 2003
Location: Ontario, CAN
Posts: 225
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I would probably take in the extra protein+carb meal after training. Try having one solid protein+carb meal 1 hour after training and follow that up w/ another one 2 hours later. |
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RIT Jared
Level 4
Join date: Dec 2003
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 1831
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Hiller wrote:
I would consider myself a newbie so I have a few questions for you guys. I have been reading articles on this site for quite a while and have just started getting serious about my lifting. I have always been a skinny guy and all the ideas on this site have already started to pay off.
First question is in regards to my workout. I have only been lifting for real for a few months now and I just started Ian King's Super Strength and limping in series. Do you think these are good selections? I tried OVT but it was too much for me at this point...
I think the most important selection is the selection to work as hard as you can. At your training level you will make good gains with any program provided you take it seriously and work your ass off.
Charles Staley's tip of the day is really good. "Get in, Do Something Nice, Get Out"
Keep your workouts shorter than you think they need to be-- don't do "junk work" just for the sake of doing it. If you aren't going to give 100% on a set, you may as well leave. Keep your rest times shorter than what is comfortable. Keep the intensity high.
Okay, now the important stuff, nutrition. I do want to put on weight but want to do it slowly so I don't gain excessive BF. I am following the massive eating guidelines but everyone says that if you want size you need to carb up. I have carbs at breakfast and get them with Surge and my 2nd PWO meal. When would be the best time to add another carb meal? My second meal of the day and go P+F the rest of the day?
I see you've done your reading. Yes, the 2nd meal would be the best time to add more carbs. Try and find carbohydrate DENSE foods. These are typically the starchy carbs. You just can't get the amount of carbs you need during a bulking phase with two slices of bread.
Also if you're up for it, try my water tip at night for adding some mass.
I want to thank everyone for all the help here. This place is amazing.
BTW, Jared would RIT happen to be the school you attended?
Yes, and I'm going into my 4th year.
RIT Jared |
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RIT Jared
Level 4
Join date: Dec 2003
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 1831
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blam wrote:
I would probably take in the extra protein+carb meal after training. Try having one solid protein+carb meal 1 hour after training and follow that up w/ another one 2 hours later.
Depending on what time you train this is also good advice. |
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RIT Jared
Level 4
Join date: Dec 2003
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 1831
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I know someone said heavy compound movements, but DEADLIFT. Ian King's Article "The Dead Zone" has some good reasons to deadlift. Plus, for you newbies, it is probably the easiest exercise to move a lot of weight with good form. |
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Phill
Level 4
Join date: Aug 2003
Location:
Posts: 12804
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Man you all really got me hooked on this one. I JUST CANT STAY AWAY.
OK quick one.
Eat BIG early.
Pack in as much as you can in your early meals which will assure you reach the k/cal level you need to as well as giving nutrients throughout the day when you need them most.
This also, in my experience, has the effect of more of your intake going to LBM and less BF gains.
Just another 2cc.
Phill |
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bmf_inc
Level 3
Join date: Jun 2004
Location: Argentina
Posts: 121
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Hey guys - great thread!
If I am only concerned with bulking up should I follow a pc and pf plan or should I really just be eating, eating, and eating. |
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