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Are you looking to gain weight and pack on some serious muscle? This can be challenging for even the most dedicated of lifters, as gaining muscle requires the correct workouts, proper protein amounts, and the perfect calorie intake.
It may seem complicated and at times impossible, particularly when you're eating your 6th chicken breast of the day, but gaining weight is obtainable when you have a plan. And part of your muscle-building plan needs to be knowing which foods are best for making gains.
Fortunately, we're about to highlight the best bulking foods to gain muscle while keeping your body fat under control. With these foods, your muscle-building workout, and some patience, you'll be on your way to gaining some serious weight.
In this article, we'll discuss:
What is bulking, and how do you do it?
What are bulk foods?
How much bulk food and calories do you need to gain muscle mass?
Clean bulk vs. dirty bulk: What's the difference?
Macro breakdowns for bulking
Best bulking foods to gain weight
Bulking sample eating plan
Tips for incorporating bulking foods into meals and snacks
What is a Bulk?
Bulk isn’t necessarily a term you hear in everyday life, but it's pretty common in the weightlifting and bodybuilding worlds. Bulking is a bodybuilding phase in which you eat in a calorie surplus in hopes of gaining weight, and, more importantly, building muscle.
It works along with several other phases, including cutting, maintenance, and contest prep.
Think of it like a lifter's seasons. You build muscle, cut away fat, maintain, and prepare for a show. Even for lifters not competing in a bodybuilding show, bulking and cutting are still seasons that many follow.
Bulking and Building Muscle:
Bulking involves eating 10-20% more calories than your body typically needs. You provide your body with more fuel, so it has a positive energy balance. Combining this with an effective workout split is the most effective way to add muscle to your body.
It’s important to remember that there are no shortcuts for building muscle. It’s a simple, yet challenging, process that requires time, patience, and dedication. An advanced lifter would be lucky to gain 10-15 pounds of lean muscle in a year.
This also means you shouldn’t eat anything and everything to see the scale increase as much as possible and as quickly as possible. That would be considered a dirty bulk (we will discuss this more in a bit), and it will lead to more fat gain.
There are limits to what a natural lifter can achieve, so temper your expectations. Remember that everyone would walk around as jacked as Arnold if it were easy. Slow, consistent progress is king. Sticking to a consistent bulking program for 12-16 weeks can produce some fantastic results, especially if you are new to lifting and struggling to gain weight.
What are Bulking Foods?
We just touched on the fact that your body needs more calories than it burns to gain weight. Does this mean you should eat anything you want to ensure you get to that number? No!
The best foods for bulking need to be high in calories, but this doesn’t mean you can eat pizza and candy for every meal. Empty calories may taste good, but they're certainly not the best foods for muscles.
Even healthy foods are not all the same when it comes to bulking.
Imagine eating an entire bowl of broccoli vs. a whole bowl of oatmeal. Both are carb sources, but even if you eat the same amount of each, you will feel different afterward. That's because one is more calorie-dense than the other. Oatmeal will leave you feeling more full and help your body build more muscle than broccoli.
This means that making sure you choose high-calorie, nutrient-rich foods for each macronutrient group is a big step in the right muscle-building direction.
How Much Food Do You Need to Gain Muscle Mass?
First, you need to start seeing food for bulking as a part of a larger equation, and that equals calories in vs. calories out. Yes, 3,000 calories are 3,000 calories, but 3,000 calories of pizza and ice cream are not nearly as beneficial as healthy bulking foods.
Once you find your total daily energy expenditure or maintenance calories, adding 200-300 calories to that number is a good start for most people1. For example, if your maintenance calories are 3,000, beginning around 3,200 calories would ensure you aren’t adding too much fat too quickly in your quest for muscle hypertrophy.
If you are newer to bodybuilding and struggling to gain weight, you may want to consider a 500-calorie surplus.
These are great starting points, but this process will require some trial and error. Nothing is more critical when trying to gain weight than complete honesty while tracking your calories. If you do not accurately record your calories, you are essentially closing your eyes and throwing a dart at the dartboard, hoping your physique lands where you want.
Week-to-week tracking to see if your weight is going up or down will make it easy to check back and see if you need to increase or decrease your calories. If you aren't gaining any weight, have been completely honest about what you’ve eaten, and are following progressive overload in the gym, it's time to bump your calories up a bit.
Suppose you have an extremely demanding job or are a competitive athlete with a vigorous training routine. In that case, you may need to increase your number even higher than a gym goer with a desk job.
The principles, however, remain the same. Eat more than you burn, starting with 200-300 calories, pick nutritious calorie-dense foods over junk, and be honest about your tracking.
How Much Weight Should You Gain on a Bulk For Muscle Growth?
As with most questions in the fitness world, this varies from person to person. It depends on how long you’ve been lifting, your goal weight, and your patience and consistency with the process. There isn’t necessarily a gold standard regarding how much weight you should gain following a bulking workout plan and diet.
There are, however, principles you can follow to help you hit your goals. Aim to increase your bodyweight per week by .25%-.5%, or around one pound per week, to ensure you aren’t adding too much fat.
Remember that the more fat you add, the more you will need to take off during your cutting phase to reveal the sculpted muscle you built underneath. Average bulking cycles run for 12-16 weeks and can run longer if you are highly dialed in with your diet.
You may be happy with your strength gains and the scale moving up quickly, but if you exceed a pound a week, you are likely also adding excess fat to your body. The goal is to build muscle, but you still want your body to be healthy and functioning at its best. Excess fat will only decrease that.
Clean Bulk Vs. Dirty Bulk: What's the Difference?
Hopefully, you are starting to see a theme when it comes to bulking. There is a big difference between eating whatever you want to get the calories in and eating foods for bulking that are clean and healthy to help minimize fat gain. This boils down to two different bulking styles.
Clean bulking is a longer, slower process. This is because you are trying to minimize fat gain while building lean mass. Gaining less fat is a massive plus for this style, but staying motivated can also be challenging if the scale is moving slower than you would like or if it stagnates for some time.
Clean bulking can also lead to less flexibility in your program. Sticking to your macronutrient goals and daily calorie totals makes things like eating out or enjoying social events difficult.
Another common issue is that clean bulking tends to trigger people to slip into a cheat meal, followed by a cheat day and, then suddenly, a cheat week.
Dirty bulking, on the other hand, is all about eating anything and everything to get the scale moving. As a warning, dirty bulking can increase inflammation, promote insulin resistance, and raise fat levels in your blood stream2.
Without limitations on what you can eat, it can feel amazing to see your weight increase as you enjoy desserts, pizza, and all other guilty pleasures. You will undoubtedly love the strength increase and seeing the scale move, but eating this way can lead to some problems for your health.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to both bulking types. Clean bulking will minimize fat gain but takes longer and has less flexibility. Dirty bulking can be a huge mental relief as you see the scale tick upward, all while enjoying your favorite foods. However, it may damage the inside of your body while leaving you with extra fat to work off when it’s all said and done.
When deciding which route to follow, we recommend taking a clean bulking approach and trying to fit some of your favorite guilty pleasure foods into your diet. If you are an extremely hard gainer or have an extremely high activity level, you may be someone who can get away with more of a dirty bulking approach.
Try to remember the end goal. You don’t want to work hard to get to a number on the scale, only to hit it and realize you have gained way too much fat.
Calories For Bulking: How to Determine Your Ideal Number
Calories are what your body uses for energy. Your metabolism converts these calories into fuel for your body, supporting everything from thinking and breathing to bench pressing. So, how do you figure out how much fuel to give yourself?
To start, determine how many calories your body burns while at rest. A simple total daily energy expenditure calculator will help you find this number. This number of calories is based on your body type, height, weight, and activity level. This is the number of calories your body needs to perform its essential functions.
Once you find your maintenance calories, add 200-300 calories as your starting point. This should put you in a calorie surplus. The key is tracking so you can measure your progress. If you have consistently hit your daily calorie goals and are still waiting to see weight gain from week to week, try bumping up 100-200 calories the following week.
Your body will continue to adjust to eating more food, so it’s important not to give it too much too soon. It’s like filling your gas tank up with gas and then continuing to let it overflow.
Macro Breakdowns For Bulking
Think of calories as the toolbox, and macronutrients are the tools inside. Macronutrients, which include carbs, fat, and protein, are the nutrients your body needs in large amounts.
Carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories per gram, while fats have 9 calories per gram.
When counting macros, it's important to know the role each nutrient plays. Carbs act as fuel during exercise and are your brain's primary energy source.
Protein intake is crucial for tissue and muscle structure, metabolism, hormones, and muscle hypertrophy. There are 9 essential amino acids from protein that your body does not make, and they play a crucial role in signaling the body's anabolic response to build skeletal muscle mass3.
Fats protect your vital organs, provide insulation and energy reserve, and help transport fat-soluble vitamins throughout your body.
Your daily calorie total is divided into percentages for each of these macros. For bulking, aim to eat 45-60% of your calories from carbs, 30-35% from protein, and 15-30% from fat4.
You can play around with these percentages some, as the ideal ratio will vary a bit from person to person. We recommend beginning with 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fats.
These numbers are a great starting point, but your personal preferences and body type will play a role, so monitor your progress closely. Make sure you are hitting at least 1 gram of protein per body weight as a gold standard, and you can tweak from there.
The 14 Best Bulking Foods to Gain Weight
Let's get into our list of the best bulk food you can eat while trying to gain weight. We've provided nutrition information for each of the foods listed, but please keep in mind these are estimates and your macro information may vary some.
Using a food tracker, like MyFitnessPal, is a good idea if you want a more exact macro counting breakdown.
1. 90% Lean ground beef:
Opting for leaner cuts of ground beef will significantly reduce calories and increase protein. This is one of our favorite good bulking foods as beef is highly versatile in how you prepare it and what you can make using it.
You’ve heard the term meat and potatoes, right? Well, it’s a fantastic option for anyone looking to gain weight. You can also try including ground beef in one of these delicious high protein meal prep recipes.
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 200 calories, 11 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 23 grams protein
2. Salmon:
There are several leaner cuts of fish that have much less fat, but salmon contains benefit-packed essential fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon contribute to all the body's processes, including preventing muscle loss, increasing growth hormone, and forming muscle glycogen.
It's one of the best high calorie foods for bulking you can eat! It's also one of our favorite foods to eat after a workout (assuming you're not working out at 5 a.m.).
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 234 calories, 14 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 25 grams protein
3. Nonfat Greek yogurt:
If you are looking for something with a dessert-like taste during your clean bulk, Greek yogurt is a must in your quest to find the best food for bulking.
Greek yogurt has a higher protein content than other yogurts and significantly less sugar. Top it with fruit or berries, and you have a delicious muscle-building treat.
Nutrition Facts per 6 oz serving: 102 calories, 0 grams fat, 6 grams carbs, 17 grams protein
4. Peanut butter:
When looking for foods to bulk up, peanut butter is an excellent choice. Peanut butter, or your favorite nut butter, is a fast, easy way to add extra calories to your day. It has a significantly higher fat content, which is why it’s so calorie-dense.
Not only can you spread it onto various things, but you can also take a spoonful here and there throughout the day if you’re crunched for time. Plus, let's not forget it makes an awesome ingredient for protein cookies.
Nutrition Facts per 2 tbsp serving: 190 calories, 16 grams fat, 8 grams carbs, 7 grams protein
5. Olive oil:
This may not be the staple of your meal, but cooking with olive oil or adding it to your food packs some fantastic health benefits.
It helps support healthy cholesterol, reduces inflammation, prevents blood clots, and is extremely calorie dense.
Nutrition Facts per 1 tbsp serving: 120 calories, 14 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 0 grams protein
6. Protein powder:
It’s important to note there are hundreds of different proteins, and the macros will vary slightly, so keep an eye on the label. This is a straightforward way to add protein to your diet while avoiding saturated fat to hit your body weight goal.
Protein powder can be added to oats, smoothies, and shakes, and its versatility and high protein content make it a top best bulking food. There are many types of protein powders, including whey protein, casein, pea protein, lactose free protein, and hemp protein.
Nutrition Facts per 1 scoop serving: 120 calories, 1 gram fat, 2 grams carbs, 25 grams protein
7. Cottage cheese:
Cottage cheese is a popular bodybuilding staple since it contains casein protein. This means it’s slow digesting and will use its essential amino acids to build muscle for hours.
Try this before bed to keep your body working and building muscle overnight. This 7-day meal plan for muscle gain also shows you other ways to include it in a day of eating
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving of low fat cottage cheese: 160 calories, 3 grams fat, 8 grams carbs, 24 grams protein
8. Chicken thighs:
Thighs get the nod over chicken breasts since they pack more flavor (thanks to their slightly higher fat content). Like ground beef, this is an excellent bang for your buck food that is highly versatile in how you can prepare it and the things you can serve it with.
It packs in protein with some fat to help you build muscle. Alternatively, when you switch to cutting, you'll likely want to revert back to eating chicken breast, as it's a great high protein low fat food.
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 150 calories, 8 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 20 grams protein
9. Eggs:
Eggs make the list due to their versatility, flavor, and protein. They also are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
It’s not the 90s anymore, and we now know some fats are good for us. Eggs are that kind! Trying adding a few to one of these tasty bulking breakfast recipes.
Nutrition Facts per egg: 72 calories, 4.8 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 6 grams protein
10. Cheese:
Cheese is another good foods for bulking option due to the endless ways you can use it in your diet.
Whether it's by sprinkling some shredded cheese into your ground beef, having a slice of your favorite aged cheddar, or melting it into an omelet, cheese provides healthy fats and ensures a reasonable amount of protein.
Nutrition Facts per 1 oz serving: 116 calories, 9 grams fat, .7 gram carbs, 7 grams protein
11. Quinoa:
Quinoa gets the nod as a fantastic complex carbohydrate source that helps your body build muscle.
It is a veggie protein source that's one of the best foods to eat for bulking. It can be a side dish or mixed in with your favorite animal protein source to make it a complete meal.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 222 calories, 3.6 grams fat, 40 grams carbs, 8 grams protein
12. Oats:
Oats are another complex carbohydrates and energy source that can be paired with protein powder, eggs, and fruit to make a full-bulking meal.
It helps you stay full for longer and provides a slow, clean energy source throughout the day.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 300 calories, 6 grams fat, 54 grams carbs, 10 grams protein
13. Sweet potatoes:
Sweet potatoes act as another versatile complex carbohydrate source and contain no saturated fats. This can easily be replaced with white potatoes if you prefer them, and the macros are almost identical.
They'll satisfy a sweet tooth and fill you up. Talk about the perfect bulking food!
Nutrition Facts per 1 medium potato: 112 calories, .1 gram fat, 26 grams carbs, 2 grams protein
14. Brown rice:
Brown rice has been a staple of muscle-building diets since the beginning of time. This is another complex carbohydrate that provides clean, stable energy and is also full of fiber to help aid digestion.
It can be added alongside any protein source to make a complete meal. We like including it in our high protein lunches.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 150 calories, 1 gram fat, 45 grams carbs, 5 grams protein
Bulking Sample Eating Plan
For this meal plan, we're using e a 2,300-calorie diet for a woman using the 50/30/20 macro split. This is one day of eating filled with good foods for bulking.
Remember that this isn’t a guaranteed one-size-fits-all approach. This is simply so you can see what a day of eating would look like for these caloric intake numbers. Use it for inspiration!
Meal 1: Protein overnight oats
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup blueberries
Nutrition Facts: 500 calories, 7g fat, 73g carbs, 36g protein
Meal 2: Quinoa and ground beef
1 cup quinoa
4 oz ground beef
Nutrition Facts: 382 calories, 10g fat, 40g carbs, 33g protein
Meal 3: Chicken sweet potato hash
4 oz chicken thighs
1.5 sweet potatoes
1 oz cheese
1 chopped red pepper
1 oz olive oil
Nutrition Facts: 431 calories, 19g fat, 37g carbs, 28g protein
Meal 4: Salmon and brown rice
4 oz salmon
2 cups brown rice
Nutrition Facts: 644 calories, 16g fat, 90g carbs, 35g protein
Meal 5: Greek yogurt parfait
2 cups Greek yogurt
1 chopped banana
1/2 cup blackberries
Nutrition Facts: 324 calories, 0g fat, 47g carbs, 34g protein
Tips For Incorporating Bulking Foods Into Meals & Snacks
The easiest tip to remember is that you need to plan. If you don’t have suitable options available, you will more than likely default to eating junk food. Fruits are great to keep on hand for sweet cravings and are a much better option than standard desserts.
Having high protein nuts or seeds on hand can help add healthy calories from fats anytime you're crave something salty. Things like cheese or nut butter can be added to most meals to add fats.
How Long Should a Bulk Last?
A bulk can last as long as you want it to, as long as you can maintain slow, consistent progress without adding too much fat. A simple way to track this is by using the mirror test.
Give yourself a goal for the amount of weight gained during a set timeframe, and keep an eye on how you look in the mirror. If you start to feel you are gaining too much fat, it’s time to begin a cutting workout and diet plan or decrease your calories for bulking slightly.
What Do You Do After a Bulk?
After your bulk, it's time to decide whether you're going to maintain or cut. You can hop right into a cut if you feel you added too much fat.
This will allow you to strip away any fat gain and see all the fantastic muscle gains you built during your bulk. Sometimes it can be shocking to go from surplus to deficit immediately, so consider gradually decreasing your calories to maintenance and then move into your cutting phase. During a cutting phase, it'll be helpful to add some HIIT and LISS to help you hit your goals more quickly.
But, again, this will all depend on your preference and goals.
Can You Eat Bulking Foods When You Start a Cut?
Yes! Healthy bulking food still fits perfectly into a cut. The only thing you have to worry about is portion sizes. The same rules apply, and you will still have calorie and macronutrient goals.
You may swap out some of the higher-fat foods as they are higher in calories. Also, during a cut, you will have less wiggle room in your daily calorie goals.
Keep the same plan when you are on a cut. Check out the 80 20 rule diet for some more guidance on choosing nutritious foods.
By now, you understand the concepts of what it means to bulk. It’s important to remember that the gains will come, but there is no need to rush them.
Tracking, consistency, and honesty are key when beginning this journey. If you can do this, you should have no problem adding some serious size during your bulking season.
Related: Bulking vs Cutting? The Guide to All of Your Questions
References:
Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports. 2019;7(7):154. doi:10.3390/sports7070154
Leaf A, Antonio J. The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition - A Narrative Review. International journal of exercise science. 2017;10(8):1275-1296. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786199/
Børsheim E, Tipton KD, Wolf SE, Wolfe RR. Essential amino acids and muscle protein recovery from resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2002;283(4):E648-E657. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00466.2001
Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2014;11(1). doi:10.1186/1550-2783-11-20
Are you looking to gain weight and pack on some serious muscle? This can be challenging for even the most dedicated of lifters, as gaining muscle requires the correct workouts, proper protein amounts, and the perfect calorie intake.
It may seem complicated and at times impossible, particularly when you're eating your 6th chicken breast of the day, but gaining weight is obtainable when you have a plan. And part of your muscle-building plan needs to be knowing which foods are best for making gains.
Fortunately, we're about to highlight the best bulking foods to gain muscle while keeping your body fat under control. With these foods, your muscle-building workout, and some patience, you'll be on your way to gaining some serious weight.
In this article, we'll discuss:
What is a Bulk?
Bulk isn’t necessarily a term you hear in everyday life, but it's pretty common in the weightlifting and bodybuilding worlds. Bulking is a bodybuilding phase in which you eat in a calorie surplus in hopes of gaining weight, and, more importantly, building muscle.
It works along with several other phases, including cutting, maintenance, and contest prep.
Think of it like a lifter's seasons. You build muscle, cut away fat, maintain, and prepare for a show. Even for lifters not competing in a bodybuilding show, bulking and cutting are still seasons that many follow.
Bulking and Building Muscle:
Bulking involves eating 10-20% more calories than your body typically needs. You provide your body with more fuel, so it has a positive energy balance. Combining this with an effective workout split is the most effective way to add muscle to your body.
It’s important to remember that there are no shortcuts for building muscle. It’s a simple, yet challenging, process that requires time, patience, and dedication. An advanced lifter would be lucky to gain 10-15 pounds of lean muscle in a year.
This also means you shouldn’t eat anything and everything to see the scale increase as much as possible and as quickly as possible. That would be considered a dirty bulk (we will discuss this more in a bit), and it will lead to more fat gain.
There are limits to what a natural lifter can achieve, so temper your expectations. Remember that everyone would walk around as jacked as Arnold if it were easy. Slow, consistent progress is king. Sticking to a consistent bulking program for 12-16 weeks can produce some fantastic results, especially if you are new to lifting and struggling to gain weight.
What are Bulking Foods?
We just touched on the fact that your body needs more calories than it burns to gain weight. Does this mean you should eat anything you want to ensure you get to that number? No!
The best foods for bulking need to be high in calories, but this doesn’t mean you can eat pizza and candy for every meal. Empty calories may taste good, but they're certainly not the best foods for muscles.
Even healthy foods are not all the same when it comes to bulking.
Imagine eating an entire bowl of broccoli vs. a whole bowl of oatmeal. Both are carb sources, but even if you eat the same amount of each, you will feel different afterward. That's because one is more calorie-dense than the other. Oatmeal will leave you feeling more full and help your body build more muscle than broccoli.
This means that making sure you choose high-calorie, nutrient-rich foods for each macronutrient group is a big step in the right muscle-building direction.
How Much Food Do You Need to Gain Muscle Mass?
First, you need to start seeing food for bulking as a part of a larger equation, and that equals calories in vs. calories out. Yes, 3,000 calories are 3,000 calories, but 3,000 calories of pizza and ice cream are not nearly as beneficial as healthy bulking foods.
Once you find your total daily energy expenditure or maintenance calories, adding 200-300 calories to that number is a good start for most people1. For example, if your maintenance calories are 3,000, beginning around 3,200 calories would ensure you aren’t adding too much fat too quickly in your quest for muscle hypertrophy.
If you are newer to bodybuilding and struggling to gain weight, you may want to consider a 500-calorie surplus.
These are great starting points, but this process will require some trial and error. Nothing is more critical when trying to gain weight than complete honesty while tracking your calories. If you do not accurately record your calories, you are essentially closing your eyes and throwing a dart at the dartboard, hoping your physique lands where you want.
Week-to-week tracking to see if your weight is going up or down will make it easy to check back and see if you need to increase or decrease your calories. If you aren't gaining any weight, have been completely honest about what you’ve eaten, and are following progressive overload in the gym, it's time to bump your calories up a bit.
Suppose you have an extremely demanding job or are a competitive athlete with a vigorous training routine. In that case, you may need to increase your number even higher than a gym goer with a desk job.
The principles, however, remain the same. Eat more than you burn, starting with 200-300 calories, pick nutritious calorie-dense foods over junk, and be honest about your tracking.
How Much Weight Should You Gain on a Bulk For Muscle Growth?
As with most questions in the fitness world, this varies from person to person. It depends on how long you’ve been lifting, your goal weight, and your patience and consistency with the process. There isn’t necessarily a gold standard regarding how much weight you should gain following a bulking workout plan and diet.
There are, however, principles you can follow to help you hit your goals. Aim to increase your bodyweight per week by .25%-.5%, or around one pound per week, to ensure you aren’t adding too much fat.
Remember that the more fat you add, the more you will need to take off during your cutting phase to reveal the sculpted muscle you built underneath. Average bulking cycles run for 12-16 weeks and can run longer if you are highly dialed in with your diet.
You may be happy with your strength gains and the scale moving up quickly, but if you exceed a pound a week, you are likely also adding excess fat to your body. The goal is to build muscle, but you still want your body to be healthy and functioning at its best. Excess fat will only decrease that.
Clean Bulk Vs. Dirty Bulk: What's the Difference?
Hopefully, you are starting to see a theme when it comes to bulking. There is a big difference between eating whatever you want to get the calories in and eating foods for bulking that are clean and healthy to help minimize fat gain. This boils down to two different bulking styles.
Clean bulking is a longer, slower process. This is because you are trying to minimize fat gain while building lean mass. Gaining less fat is a massive plus for this style, but staying motivated can also be challenging if the scale is moving slower than you would like or if it stagnates for some time.
Clean bulking can also lead to less flexibility in your program. Sticking to your macronutrient goals and daily calorie totals makes things like eating out or enjoying social events difficult.
Another common issue is that clean bulking tends to trigger people to slip into a cheat meal, followed by a cheat day and, then suddenly, a cheat week.
Dirty bulking, on the other hand, is all about eating anything and everything to get the scale moving. As a warning, dirty bulking can increase inflammation, promote insulin resistance, and raise fat levels in your blood stream2.
Without limitations on what you can eat, it can feel amazing to see your weight increase as you enjoy desserts, pizza, and all other guilty pleasures. You will undoubtedly love the strength increase and seeing the scale move, but eating this way can lead to some problems for your health.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to both bulking types. Clean bulking will minimize fat gain but takes longer and has less flexibility. Dirty bulking can be a huge mental relief as you see the scale tick upward, all while enjoying your favorite foods. However, it may damage the inside of your body while leaving you with extra fat to work off when it’s all said and done.
When deciding which route to follow, we recommend taking a clean bulking approach and trying to fit some of your favorite guilty pleasure foods into your diet. If you are an extremely hard gainer or have an extremely high activity level, you may be someone who can get away with more of a dirty bulking approach.
Try to remember the end goal. You don’t want to work hard to get to a number on the scale, only to hit it and realize you have gained way too much fat.
Calories For Bulking: How to Determine Your Ideal Number
Calories are what your body uses for energy. Your metabolism converts these calories into fuel for your body, supporting everything from thinking and breathing to bench pressing. So, how do you figure out how much fuel to give yourself?
To start, determine how many calories your body burns while at rest. A simple total daily energy expenditure calculator will help you find this number. This number of calories is based on your body type, height, weight, and activity level. This is the number of calories your body needs to perform its essential functions.
Once you find your maintenance calories, add 200-300 calories as your starting point. This should put you in a calorie surplus. The key is tracking so you can measure your progress. If you have consistently hit your daily calorie goals and are still waiting to see weight gain from week to week, try bumping up 100-200 calories the following week.
Your body will continue to adjust to eating more food, so it’s important not to give it too much too soon. It’s like filling your gas tank up with gas and then continuing to let it overflow.
Macro Breakdowns For Bulking
Think of calories as the toolbox, and macronutrients are the tools inside. Macronutrients, which include carbs, fat, and protein, are the nutrients your body needs in large amounts.
Carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories per gram, while fats have 9 calories per gram.
When counting macros, it's important to know the role each nutrient plays. Carbs act as fuel during exercise and are your brain's primary energy source.
Protein intake is crucial for tissue and muscle structure, metabolism, hormones, and muscle hypertrophy. There are 9 essential amino acids from protein that your body does not make, and they play a crucial role in signaling the body's anabolic response to build skeletal muscle mass3.
Fats protect your vital organs, provide insulation and energy reserve, and help transport fat-soluble vitamins throughout your body.
Your daily calorie total is divided into percentages for each of these macros. For bulking, aim to eat 45-60% of your calories from carbs, 30-35% from protein, and 15-30% from fat4.
You can play around with these percentages some, as the ideal ratio will vary a bit from person to person. We recommend beginning with 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fats.
These numbers are a great starting point, but your personal preferences and body type will play a role, so monitor your progress closely. Make sure you are hitting at least 1 gram of protein per body weight as a gold standard, and you can tweak from there.
The 14 Best Bulking Foods to Gain Weight
Let's get into our list of the best bulk food you can eat while trying to gain weight. We've provided nutrition information for each of the foods listed, but please keep in mind these are estimates and your macro information may vary some.
Using a food tracker, like MyFitnessPal, is a good idea if you want a more exact macro counting breakdown.
1. 90% Lean ground beef:
Opting for leaner cuts of ground beef will significantly reduce calories and increase protein. This is one of our favorite good bulking foods as beef is highly versatile in how you prepare it and what you can make using it.
You’ve heard the term meat and potatoes, right? Well, it’s a fantastic option for anyone looking to gain weight. You can also try including ground beef in one of these delicious high protein meal prep recipes.
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 200 calories, 11 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 23 grams protein
2. Salmon:
There are several leaner cuts of fish that have much less fat, but salmon contains benefit-packed essential fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon contribute to all the body's processes, including preventing muscle loss, increasing growth hormone, and forming muscle glycogen.
It's one of the best high calorie foods for bulking you can eat! It's also one of our favorite foods to eat after a workout (assuming you're not working out at 5 a.m.).
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 234 calories, 14 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 25 grams protein
3. Nonfat Greek yogurt:
If you are looking for something with a dessert-like taste during your clean bulk, Greek yogurt is a must in your quest to find the best food for bulking.
Greek yogurt has a higher protein content than other yogurts and significantly less sugar. Top it with fruit or berries, and you have a delicious muscle-building treat.
Nutrition Facts per 6 oz serving: 102 calories, 0 grams fat, 6 grams carbs, 17 grams protein
4. Peanut butter:
When looking for foods to bulk up, peanut butter is an excellent choice. Peanut butter, or your favorite nut butter, is a fast, easy way to add extra calories to your day. It has a significantly higher fat content, which is why it’s so calorie-dense.
Not only can you spread it onto various things, but you can also take a spoonful here and there throughout the day if you’re crunched for time. Plus, let's not forget it makes an awesome ingredient for protein cookies.
Nutrition Facts per 2 tbsp serving: 190 calories, 16 grams fat, 8 grams carbs, 7 grams protein
5. Olive oil:
This may not be the staple of your meal, but cooking with olive oil or adding it to your food packs some fantastic health benefits.
It helps support healthy cholesterol, reduces inflammation, prevents blood clots, and is extremely calorie dense.
Nutrition Facts per 1 tbsp serving: 120 calories, 14 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 0 grams protein
6. Protein powder:
It’s important to note there are hundreds of different proteins, and the macros will vary slightly, so keep an eye on the label. This is a straightforward way to add protein to your diet while avoiding saturated fat to hit your body weight goal.
Protein powder can be added to oats, smoothies, and shakes, and its versatility and high protein content make it a top best bulking food. There are many types of protein powders, including whey protein, casein, pea protein, lactose free protein, and hemp protein.
Nutrition Facts per 1 scoop serving: 120 calories, 1 gram fat, 2 grams carbs, 25 grams protein
7. Cottage cheese:
Cottage cheese is a popular bodybuilding staple since it contains casein protein. This means it’s slow digesting and will use its essential amino acids to build muscle for hours.
Try this before bed to keep your body working and building muscle overnight. This 7-day meal plan for muscle gain also shows you other ways to include it in a day of eating
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving of low fat cottage cheese: 160 calories, 3 grams fat, 8 grams carbs, 24 grams protein
8. Chicken thighs:
Thighs get the nod over chicken breasts since they pack more flavor (thanks to their slightly higher fat content). Like ground beef, this is an excellent bang for your buck food that is highly versatile in how you can prepare it and the things you can serve it with.
It packs in protein with some fat to help you build muscle. Alternatively, when you switch to cutting, you'll likely want to revert back to eating chicken breast, as it's a great high protein low fat food.
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 150 calories, 8 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 20 grams protein
9. Eggs:
Eggs make the list due to their versatility, flavor, and protein. They also are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
It’s not the 90s anymore, and we now know some fats are good for us. Eggs are that kind! Trying adding a few to one of these tasty bulking breakfast recipes.
Nutrition Facts per egg: 72 calories, 4.8 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 6 grams protein
10. Cheese:
Cheese is another good foods for bulking option due to the endless ways you can use it in your diet.
Whether it's by sprinkling some shredded cheese into your ground beef, having a slice of your favorite aged cheddar, or melting it into an omelet, cheese provides healthy fats and ensures a reasonable amount of protein.
Nutrition Facts per 1 oz serving: 116 calories, 9 grams fat, .7 gram carbs, 7 grams protein
11. Quinoa:
Quinoa gets the nod as a fantastic complex carbohydrate source that helps your body build muscle.
It is a veggie protein source that's one of the best foods to eat for bulking. It can be a side dish or mixed in with your favorite animal protein source to make it a complete meal.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 222 calories, 3.6 grams fat, 40 grams carbs, 8 grams protein
12. Oats:
Oats are another complex carbohydrates and energy source that can be paired with protein powder, eggs, and fruit to make a full-bulking meal.
It helps you stay full for longer and provides a slow, clean energy source throughout the day.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 300 calories, 6 grams fat, 54 grams carbs, 10 grams protein
13. Sweet potatoes:
Sweet potatoes act as another versatile complex carbohydrate source and contain no saturated fats. This can easily be replaced with white potatoes if you prefer them, and the macros are almost identical.
They'll satisfy a sweet tooth and fill you up. Talk about the perfect bulking food!
Nutrition Facts per 1 medium potato: 112 calories, .1 gram fat, 26 grams carbs, 2 grams protein
14. Brown rice:
Brown rice has been a staple of muscle-building diets since the beginning of time. This is another complex carbohydrate that provides clean, stable energy and is also full of fiber to help aid digestion.
It can be added alongside any protein source to make a complete meal. We like including it in our high protein lunches.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 150 calories, 1 gram fat, 45 grams carbs, 5 grams protein
Bulking Sample Eating Plan
For this meal plan, we're using e a 2,300-calorie diet for a woman using the 50/30/20 macro split. This is one day of eating filled with good foods for bulking.
Remember that this isn’t a guaranteed one-size-fits-all approach. This is simply so you can see what a day of eating would look like for these caloric intake numbers. Use it for inspiration!
Meal 1: Protein overnight oats
Meal 2: Quinoa and ground beef
Meal 3: Chicken sweet potato hash
Meal 4: Salmon and brown rice
Meal 5: Greek yogurt parfait
Tips For Incorporating Bulking Foods Into Meals & Snacks
The easiest tip to remember is that you need to plan. If you don’t have suitable options available, you will more than likely default to eating junk food. Fruits are great to keep on hand for sweet cravings and are a much better option than standard desserts.
Having high protein nuts or seeds on hand can help add healthy calories from fats anytime you're crave something salty. Things like cheese or nut butter can be added to most meals to add fats.
How Long Should a Bulk Last?
A bulk can last as long as you want it to, as long as you can maintain slow, consistent progress without adding too much fat. A simple way to track this is by using the mirror test.
Give yourself a goal for the amount of weight gained during a set timeframe, and keep an eye on how you look in the mirror. If you start to feel you are gaining too much fat, it’s time to begin a cutting workout and diet plan or decrease your calories for bulking slightly.
What Do You Do After a Bulk?
After your bulk, it's time to decide whether you're going to maintain or cut. You can hop right into a cut if you feel you added too much fat.
This will allow you to strip away any fat gain and see all the fantastic muscle gains you built during your bulk. Sometimes it can be shocking to go from surplus to deficit immediately, so consider gradually decreasing your calories to maintenance and then move into your cutting phase. During a cutting phase, it'll be helpful to add some HIIT and LISS to help you hit your goals more quickly.
But, again, this will all depend on your preference and goals.
Can You Eat Bulking Foods When You Start a Cut?
Yes! Healthy bulking food still fits perfectly into a cut. The only thing you have to worry about is portion sizes. The same rules apply, and you will still have calorie and macronutrient goals.
You may swap out some of the higher-fat foods as they are higher in calories. Also, during a cut, you will have less wiggle room in your daily calorie goals.
Keep the same plan when you are on a cut. Check out the 80 20 rule diet for some more guidance on choosing nutritious foods.
By now, you understand the concepts of what it means to bulk. It’s important to remember that the gains will come, but there is no need to rush them.
Tracking, consistency, and honesty are key when beginning this journey. If you can do this, you should have no problem adding some serious size during your bulking season.
Related: Bulking vs Cutting? The Guide to All of Your Questions
References:
[*]Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports. 2019;7(7):154. doi:10.3390/sports7070154
[*]Leaf A, Antonio J. The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition - A Narrative Review. International journal of exercise science. 2017;10(8):1275-1296. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786199/
[*]Børsheim E, Tipton KD, Wolf SE, Wolfe RR. Essential amino acids and muscle protein recovery from resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2002;283(4):E648-E657. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00466.2001
[*]Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2014;11(1). doi:10.1186/1550-2783-11-20
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It may seem complicated and at times impossible, particularly when you're eating your 6th chicken breast of the day, but gaining weight is obtainable when you have a plan. And part of your muscle-building plan needs to be knowing which foods are best for making gains.
Fortunately, we're about to highlight the best bulking foods to gain muscle while keeping your body fat under control. With these foods, your muscle-building workout, and some patience, you'll be on your way to gaining some serious weight.
In this article, we'll discuss:
What is bulking, and how do you do it?
What are bulk foods?
How much bulk food and calories do you need to gain muscle mass?
Clean bulk vs. dirty bulk: What's the difference?
Macro breakdowns for bulking
Best bulking foods to gain weight
Bulking sample eating plan
Tips for incorporating bulking foods into meals and snacks
What is a Bulk?
Bulk isn’t necessarily a term you hear in everyday life, but it's pretty common in the weightlifting and bodybuilding worlds. Bulking is a bodybuilding phase in which you eat in a calorie surplus in hopes of gaining weight, and, more importantly, building muscle.
It works along with several other phases, including cutting, maintenance, and contest prep.
Think of it like a lifter's seasons. You build muscle, cut away fat, maintain, and prepare for a show. Even for lifters not competing in a bodybuilding show, bulking and cutting are still seasons that many follow.
Bulking and Building Muscle:
Bulking involves eating 10-20% more calories than your body typically needs. You provide your body with more fuel, so it has a positive energy balance. Combining this with an effective workout split is the most effective way to add muscle to your body.
It’s important to remember that there are no shortcuts for building muscle. It’s a simple, yet challenging, process that requires time, patience, and dedication. An advanced lifter would be lucky to gain 10-15 pounds of lean muscle in a year.
This also means you shouldn’t eat anything and everything to see the scale increase as much as possible and as quickly as possible. That would be considered a dirty bulk (we will discuss this more in a bit), and it will lead to more fat gain.
There are limits to what a natural lifter can achieve, so temper your expectations. Remember that everyone would walk around as jacked as Arnold if it were easy. Slow, consistent progress is king. Sticking to a consistent bulking program for 12-16 weeks can produce some fantastic results, especially if you are new to lifting and struggling to gain weight.
What are Bulking Foods?
We just touched on the fact that your body needs more calories than it burns to gain weight. Does this mean you should eat anything you want to ensure you get to that number? No!
The best foods for bulking need to be high in calories, but this doesn’t mean you can eat pizza and candy for every meal. Empty calories may taste good, but they're certainly not the best foods for muscles.
Even healthy foods are not all the same when it comes to bulking.
Imagine eating an entire bowl of broccoli vs. a whole bowl of oatmeal. Both are carb sources, but even if you eat the same amount of each, you will feel different afterward. That's because one is more calorie-dense than the other. Oatmeal will leave you feeling more full and help your body build more muscle than broccoli.
This means that making sure you choose high-calorie, nutrient-rich foods for each macronutrient group is a big step in the right muscle-building direction.
How Much Food Do You Need to Gain Muscle Mass?
First, you need to start seeing food for bulking as a part of a larger equation, and that equals calories in vs. calories out. Yes, 3,000 calories are 3,000 calories, but 3,000 calories of pizza and ice cream are not nearly as beneficial as healthy bulking foods.
Once you find your total daily energy expenditure or maintenance calories, adding 200-300 calories to that number is a good start for most people1. For example, if your maintenance calories are 3,000, beginning around 3,200 calories would ensure you aren’t adding too much fat too quickly in your quest for muscle hypertrophy.
If you are newer to bodybuilding and struggling to gain weight, you may want to consider a 500-calorie surplus.
These are great starting points, but this process will require some trial and error. Nothing is more critical when trying to gain weight than complete honesty while tracking your calories. If you do not accurately record your calories, you are essentially closing your eyes and throwing a dart at the dartboard, hoping your physique lands where you want.
Week-to-week tracking to see if your weight is going up or down will make it easy to check back and see if you need to increase or decrease your calories. If you aren't gaining any weight, have been completely honest about what you’ve eaten, and are following progressive overload in the gym, it's time to bump your calories up a bit.
Suppose you have an extremely demanding job or are a competitive athlete with a vigorous training routine. In that case, you may need to increase your number even higher than a gym goer with a desk job.
The principles, however, remain the same. Eat more than you burn, starting with 200-300 calories, pick nutritious calorie-dense foods over junk, and be honest about your tracking.
How Much Weight Should You Gain on a Bulk For Muscle Growth?
As with most questions in the fitness world, this varies from person to person. It depends on how long you’ve been lifting, your goal weight, and your patience and consistency with the process. There isn’t necessarily a gold standard regarding how much weight you should gain following a bulking workout plan and diet.
There are, however, principles you can follow to help you hit your goals. Aim to increase your bodyweight per week by .25%-.5%, or around one pound per week, to ensure you aren’t adding too much fat.
Remember that the more fat you add, the more you will need to take off during your cutting phase to reveal the sculpted muscle you built underneath. Average bulking cycles run for 12-16 weeks and can run longer if you are highly dialed in with your diet.
You may be happy with your strength gains and the scale moving up quickly, but if you exceed a pound a week, you are likely also adding excess fat to your body. The goal is to build muscle, but you still want your body to be healthy and functioning at its best. Excess fat will only decrease that.
Clean Bulk Vs. Dirty Bulk: What's the Difference?
Hopefully, you are starting to see a theme when it comes to bulking. There is a big difference between eating whatever you want to get the calories in and eating foods for bulking that are clean and healthy to help minimize fat gain. This boils down to two different bulking styles.
Clean bulking is a longer, slower process. This is because you are trying to minimize fat gain while building lean mass. Gaining less fat is a massive plus for this style, but staying motivated can also be challenging if the scale is moving slower than you would like or if it stagnates for some time.
Clean bulking can also lead to less flexibility in your program. Sticking to your macronutrient goals and daily calorie totals makes things like eating out or enjoying social events difficult.
Another common issue is that clean bulking tends to trigger people to slip into a cheat meal, followed by a cheat day and, then suddenly, a cheat week.
Dirty bulking, on the other hand, is all about eating anything and everything to get the scale moving. As a warning, dirty bulking can increase inflammation, promote insulin resistance, and raise fat levels in your blood stream2.
Without limitations on what you can eat, it can feel amazing to see your weight increase as you enjoy desserts, pizza, and all other guilty pleasures. You will undoubtedly love the strength increase and seeing the scale move, but eating this way can lead to some problems for your health.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to both bulking types. Clean bulking will minimize fat gain but takes longer and has less flexibility. Dirty bulking can be a huge mental relief as you see the scale tick upward, all while enjoying your favorite foods. However, it may damage the inside of your body while leaving you with extra fat to work off when it’s all said and done.
When deciding which route to follow, we recommend taking a clean bulking approach and trying to fit some of your favorite guilty pleasure foods into your diet. If you are an extremely hard gainer or have an extremely high activity level, you may be someone who can get away with more of a dirty bulking approach.
Try to remember the end goal. You don’t want to work hard to get to a number on the scale, only to hit it and realize you have gained way too much fat.
Calories For Bulking: How to Determine Your Ideal Number
Calories are what your body uses for energy. Your metabolism converts these calories into fuel for your body, supporting everything from thinking and breathing to bench pressing. So, how do you figure out how much fuel to give yourself?
To start, determine how many calories your body burns while at rest. A simple total daily energy expenditure calculator will help you find this number. This number of calories is based on your body type, height, weight, and activity level. This is the number of calories your body needs to perform its essential functions.
Once you find your maintenance calories, add 200-300 calories as your starting point. This should put you in a calorie surplus. The key is tracking so you can measure your progress. If you have consistently hit your daily calorie goals and are still waiting to see weight gain from week to week, try bumping up 100-200 calories the following week.
Your body will continue to adjust to eating more food, so it’s important not to give it too much too soon. It’s like filling your gas tank up with gas and then continuing to let it overflow.
Macro Breakdowns For Bulking
Think of calories as the toolbox, and macronutrients are the tools inside. Macronutrients, which include carbs, fat, and protein, are the nutrients your body needs in large amounts.
Carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories per gram, while fats have 9 calories per gram.
When counting macros, it's important to know the role each nutrient plays. Carbs act as fuel during exercise and are your brain's primary energy source.
Protein intake is crucial for tissue and muscle structure, metabolism, hormones, and muscle hypertrophy. There are 9 essential amino acids from protein that your body does not make, and they play a crucial role in signaling the body's anabolic response to build skeletal muscle mass3.
Fats protect your vital organs, provide insulation and energy reserve, and help transport fat-soluble vitamins throughout your body.
Your daily calorie total is divided into percentages for each of these macros. For bulking, aim to eat 45-60% of your calories from carbs, 30-35% from protein, and 15-30% from fat4.
You can play around with these percentages some, as the ideal ratio will vary a bit from person to person. We recommend beginning with 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fats.
These numbers are a great starting point, but your personal preferences and body type will play a role, so monitor your progress closely. Make sure you are hitting at least 1 gram of protein per body weight as a gold standard, and you can tweak from there.
The 14 Best Bulking Foods to Gain Weight
Let's get into our list of the best bulk food you can eat while trying to gain weight. We've provided nutrition information for each of the foods listed, but please keep in mind these are estimates and your macro information may vary some.
Using a food tracker, like MyFitnessPal, is a good idea if you want a more exact macro counting breakdown.
1. 90% Lean ground beef:
Opting for leaner cuts of ground beef will significantly reduce calories and increase protein. This is one of our favorite good bulking foods as beef is highly versatile in how you prepare it and what you can make using it.
You’ve heard the term meat and potatoes, right? Well, it’s a fantastic option for anyone looking to gain weight. You can also try including ground beef in one of these delicious high protein meal prep recipes.
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 200 calories, 11 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 23 grams protein
2. Salmon:
There are several leaner cuts of fish that have much less fat, but salmon contains benefit-packed essential fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon contribute to all the body's processes, including preventing muscle loss, increasing growth hormone, and forming muscle glycogen.
It's one of the best high calorie foods for bulking you can eat! It's also one of our favorite foods to eat after a workout (assuming you're not working out at 5 a.m.).
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 234 calories, 14 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 25 grams protein
3. Nonfat Greek yogurt:
If you are looking for something with a dessert-like taste during your clean bulk, Greek yogurt is a must in your quest to find the best food for bulking.
Greek yogurt has a higher protein content than other yogurts and significantly less sugar. Top it with fruit or berries, and you have a delicious muscle-building treat.
Nutrition Facts per 6 oz serving: 102 calories, 0 grams fat, 6 grams carbs, 17 grams protein
4. Peanut butter:
When looking for foods to bulk up, peanut butter is an excellent choice. Peanut butter, or your favorite nut butter, is a fast, easy way to add extra calories to your day. It has a significantly higher fat content, which is why it’s so calorie-dense.
Not only can you spread it onto various things, but you can also take a spoonful here and there throughout the day if you’re crunched for time. Plus, let's not forget it makes an awesome ingredient for protein cookies.
Nutrition Facts per 2 tbsp serving: 190 calories, 16 grams fat, 8 grams carbs, 7 grams protein
5. Olive oil:
This may not be the staple of your meal, but cooking with olive oil or adding it to your food packs some fantastic health benefits.
It helps support healthy cholesterol, reduces inflammation, prevents blood clots, and is extremely calorie dense.
Nutrition Facts per 1 tbsp serving: 120 calories, 14 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 0 grams protein
6. Protein powder:
It’s important to note there are hundreds of different proteins, and the macros will vary slightly, so keep an eye on the label. This is a straightforward way to add protein to your diet while avoiding saturated fat to hit your body weight goal.
Protein powder can be added to oats, smoothies, and shakes, and its versatility and high protein content make it a top best bulking food. There are many types of protein powders, including whey protein, casein, pea protein, lactose free protein, and hemp protein.
Nutrition Facts per 1 scoop serving: 120 calories, 1 gram fat, 2 grams carbs, 25 grams protein
7. Cottage cheese:
Cottage cheese is a popular bodybuilding staple since it contains casein protein. This means it’s slow digesting and will use its essential amino acids to build muscle for hours.
Try this before bed to keep your body working and building muscle overnight. This 7-day meal plan for muscle gain also shows you other ways to include it in a day of eating
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving of low fat cottage cheese: 160 calories, 3 grams fat, 8 grams carbs, 24 grams protein
8. Chicken thighs:
Thighs get the nod over chicken breasts since they pack more flavor (thanks to their slightly higher fat content). Like ground beef, this is an excellent bang for your buck food that is highly versatile in how you can prepare it and the things you can serve it with.
It packs in protein with some fat to help you build muscle. Alternatively, when you switch to cutting, you'll likely want to revert back to eating chicken breast, as it's a great high protein low fat food.
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 150 calories, 8 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 20 grams protein
9. Eggs:
Eggs make the list due to their versatility, flavor, and protein. They also are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
It’s not the 90s anymore, and we now know some fats are good for us. Eggs are that kind! Trying adding a few to one of these tasty bulking breakfast recipes.
Nutrition Facts per egg: 72 calories, 4.8 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 6 grams protein
10. Cheese:
Cheese is another good foods for bulking option due to the endless ways you can use it in your diet.
Whether it's by sprinkling some shredded cheese into your ground beef, having a slice of your favorite aged cheddar, or melting it into an omelet, cheese provides healthy fats and ensures a reasonable amount of protein.
Nutrition Facts per 1 oz serving: 116 calories, 9 grams fat, .7 gram carbs, 7 grams protein
11. Quinoa:
Quinoa gets the nod as a fantastic complex carbohydrate source that helps your body build muscle.
It is a veggie protein source that's one of the best foods to eat for bulking. It can be a side dish or mixed in with your favorite animal protein source to make it a complete meal.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 222 calories, 3.6 grams fat, 40 grams carbs, 8 grams protein
12. Oats:
Oats are another complex carbohydrates and energy source that can be paired with protein powder, eggs, and fruit to make a full-bulking meal.
It helps you stay full for longer and provides a slow, clean energy source throughout the day.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 300 calories, 6 grams fat, 54 grams carbs, 10 grams protein
13. Sweet potatoes:
Sweet potatoes act as another versatile complex carbohydrate source and contain no saturated fats. This can easily be replaced with white potatoes if you prefer them, and the macros are almost identical.
They'll satisfy a sweet tooth and fill you up. Talk about the perfect bulking food!
Nutrition Facts per 1 medium potato: 112 calories, .1 gram fat, 26 grams carbs, 2 grams protein
14. Brown rice:
Brown rice has been a staple of muscle-building diets since the beginning of time. This is another complex carbohydrate that provides clean, stable energy and is also full of fiber to help aid digestion.
It can be added alongside any protein source to make a complete meal. We like including it in our high protein lunches.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 150 calories, 1 gram fat, 45 grams carbs, 5 grams protein
Bulking Sample Eating Plan
For this meal plan, we're using e a 2,300-calorie diet for a woman using the 50/30/20 macro split. This is one day of eating filled with good foods for bulking.
Remember that this isn’t a guaranteed one-size-fits-all approach. This is simply so you can see what a day of eating would look like for these caloric intake numbers. Use it for inspiration!
Meal 1: Protein overnight oats
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup blueberries
Nutrition Facts: 500 calories, 7g fat, 73g carbs, 36g protein
Meal 2: Quinoa and ground beef
1 cup quinoa
4 oz ground beef
Nutrition Facts: 382 calories, 10g fat, 40g carbs, 33g protein
Meal 3: Chicken sweet potato hash
4 oz chicken thighs
1.5 sweet potatoes
1 oz cheese
1 chopped red pepper
1 oz olive oil
Nutrition Facts: 431 calories, 19g fat, 37g carbs, 28g protein
Meal 4: Salmon and brown rice
4 oz salmon
2 cups brown rice
Nutrition Facts: 644 calories, 16g fat, 90g carbs, 35g protein
Meal 5: Greek yogurt parfait
2 cups Greek yogurt
1 chopped banana
1/2 cup blackberries
Nutrition Facts: 324 calories, 0g fat, 47g carbs, 34g protein
Tips For Incorporating Bulking Foods Into Meals & Snacks
The easiest tip to remember is that you need to plan. If you don’t have suitable options available, you will more than likely default to eating junk food. Fruits are great to keep on hand for sweet cravings and are a much better option than standard desserts.
Having high protein nuts or seeds on hand can help add healthy calories from fats anytime you're crave something salty. Things like cheese or nut butter can be added to most meals to add fats.
How Long Should a Bulk Last?
A bulk can last as long as you want it to, as long as you can maintain slow, consistent progress without adding too much fat. A simple way to track this is by using the mirror test.
Give yourself a goal for the amount of weight gained during a set timeframe, and keep an eye on how you look in the mirror. If you start to feel you are gaining too much fat, it’s time to begin a cutting workout and diet plan or decrease your calories for bulking slightly.
What Do You Do After a Bulk?
After your bulk, it's time to decide whether you're going to maintain or cut. You can hop right into a cut if you feel you added too much fat.
This will allow you to strip away any fat gain and see all the fantastic muscle gains you built during your bulk. Sometimes it can be shocking to go from surplus to deficit immediately, so consider gradually decreasing your calories to maintenance and then move into your cutting phase. During a cutting phase, it'll be helpful to add some HIIT and LISS to help you hit your goals more quickly.
But, again, this will all depend on your preference and goals.
Can You Eat Bulking Foods When You Start a Cut?
Yes! Healthy bulking food still fits perfectly into a cut. The only thing you have to worry about is portion sizes. The same rules apply, and you will still have calorie and macronutrient goals.
You may swap out some of the higher-fat foods as they are higher in calories. Also, during a cut, you will have less wiggle room in your daily calorie goals.
Keep the same plan when you are on a cut. Check out the 80 20 rule diet for some more guidance on choosing nutritious foods.
By now, you understand the concepts of what it means to bulk. It’s important to remember that the gains will come, but there is no need to rush them.
Tracking, consistency, and honesty are key when beginning this journey. If you can do this, you should have no problem adding some serious size during your bulking season.
Related: Bulking vs Cutting? The Guide to All of Your Questions
References:
Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports. 2019;7(7):154. doi:10.3390/sports7070154
Leaf A, Antonio J. The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition - A Narrative Review. International journal of exercise science. 2017;10(8):1275-1296. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786199/
Børsheim E, Tipton KD, Wolf SE, Wolfe RR. Essential amino acids and muscle protein recovery from resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2002;283(4):E648-E657. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00466.2001
Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2014;11(1). doi:10.1186/1550-2783-11-20
Are you looking to gain weight and pack on some serious muscle? This can be challenging for even the most dedicated of lifters, as gaining muscle requires the correct workouts, proper protein amounts, and the perfect calorie intake.
It may seem complicated and at times impossible, particularly when you're eating your 6th chicken breast of the day, but gaining weight is obtainable when you have a plan. And part of your muscle-building plan needs to be knowing which foods are best for making gains.
Fortunately, we're about to highlight the best bulking foods to gain muscle while keeping your body fat under control. With these foods, your muscle-building workout, and some patience, you'll be on your way to gaining some serious weight.
In this article, we'll discuss:
- What is bulking, and how do you do it?
- What are bulk foods?
- How much bulk food and calories do you need to gain muscle mass?
- Clean bulk vs. dirty bulk: What's the difference?
- Macro breakdowns for bulking
- Best bulking foods to gain weight
- Bulking sample eating plan
- Tips for incorporating bulking foods into meals and snacks
What is a Bulk?
Bulk isn’t necessarily a term you hear in everyday life, but it's pretty common in the weightlifting and bodybuilding worlds. Bulking is a bodybuilding phase in which you eat in a calorie surplus in hopes of gaining weight, and, more importantly, building muscle.
It works along with several other phases, including cutting, maintenance, and contest prep.
Think of it like a lifter's seasons. You build muscle, cut away fat, maintain, and prepare for a show. Even for lifters not competing in a bodybuilding show, bulking and cutting are still seasons that many follow.
Bulking and Building Muscle:
Bulking involves eating 10-20% more calories than your body typically needs. You provide your body with more fuel, so it has a positive energy balance. Combining this with an effective workout split is the most effective way to add muscle to your body.
It’s important to remember that there are no shortcuts for building muscle. It’s a simple, yet challenging, process that requires time, patience, and dedication. An advanced lifter would be lucky to gain 10-15 pounds of lean muscle in a year.
This also means you shouldn’t eat anything and everything to see the scale increase as much as possible and as quickly as possible. That would be considered a dirty bulk (we will discuss this more in a bit), and it will lead to more fat gain.
There are limits to what a natural lifter can achieve, so temper your expectations. Remember that everyone would walk around as jacked as Arnold if it were easy. Slow, consistent progress is king. Sticking to a consistent bulking program for 12-16 weeks can produce some fantastic results, especially if you are new to lifting and struggling to gain weight.
What are Bulking Foods?
We just touched on the fact that your body needs more calories than it burns to gain weight. Does this mean you should eat anything you want to ensure you get to that number? No!
The best foods for bulking need to be high in calories, but this doesn’t mean you can eat pizza and candy for every meal. Empty calories may taste good, but they're certainly not the best foods for muscles.
Even healthy foods are not all the same when it comes to bulking.
Imagine eating an entire bowl of broccoli vs. a whole bowl of oatmeal. Both are carb sources, but even if you eat the same amount of each, you will feel different afterward. That's because one is more calorie-dense than the other. Oatmeal will leave you feeling more full and help your body build more muscle than broccoli.
This means that making sure you choose high-calorie, nutrient-rich foods for each macronutrient group is a big step in the right muscle-building direction.
How Much Food Do You Need to Gain Muscle Mass?
First, you need to start seeing food for bulking as a part of a larger equation, and that equals calories in vs. calories out. Yes, 3,000 calories are 3,000 calories, but 3,000 calories of pizza and ice cream are not nearly as beneficial as healthy bulking foods.
Once you find your total daily energy expenditure or maintenance calories, adding 200-300 calories to that number is a good start for most people1. For example, if your maintenance calories are 3,000, beginning around 3,200 calories would ensure you aren’t adding too much fat too quickly in your quest for muscle hypertrophy.
If you are newer to bodybuilding and struggling to gain weight, you may want to consider a 500-calorie surplus.
These are great starting points, but this process will require some trial and error. Nothing is more critical when trying to gain weight than complete honesty while tracking your calories. If you do not accurately record your calories, you are essentially closing your eyes and throwing a dart at the dartboard, hoping your physique lands where you want.
Week-to-week tracking to see if your weight is going up or down will make it easy to check back and see if you need to increase or decrease your calories. If you aren't gaining any weight, have been completely honest about what you’ve eaten, and are following progressive overload in the gym, it's time to bump your calories up a bit.
Suppose you have an extremely demanding job or are a competitive athlete with a vigorous training routine. In that case, you may need to increase your number even higher than a gym goer with a desk job.
The principles, however, remain the same. Eat more than you burn, starting with 200-300 calories, pick nutritious calorie-dense foods over junk, and be honest about your tracking.
How Much Weight Should You Gain on a Bulk For Muscle Growth?
As with most questions in the fitness world, this varies from person to person. It depends on how long you’ve been lifting, your goal weight, and your patience and consistency with the process. There isn’t necessarily a gold standard regarding how much weight you should gain following a bulking workout plan and diet.
There are, however, principles you can follow to help you hit your goals. Aim to increase your bodyweight per week by .25%-.5%, or around one pound per week, to ensure you aren’t adding too much fat.
Remember that the more fat you add, the more you will need to take off during your cutting phase to reveal the sculpted muscle you built underneath. Average bulking cycles run for 12-16 weeks and can run longer if you are highly dialed in with your diet.
You may be happy with your strength gains and the scale moving up quickly, but if you exceed a pound a week, you are likely also adding excess fat to your body. The goal is to build muscle, but you still want your body to be healthy and functioning at its best. Excess fat will only decrease that.
Clean Bulk Vs. Dirty Bulk: What's the Difference?
Hopefully, you are starting to see a theme when it comes to bulking. There is a big difference between eating whatever you want to get the calories in and eating foods for bulking that are clean and healthy to help minimize fat gain. This boils down to two different bulking styles.
Clean bulking is a longer, slower process. This is because you are trying to minimize fat gain while building lean mass. Gaining less fat is a massive plus for this style, but staying motivated can also be challenging if the scale is moving slower than you would like or if it stagnates for some time.
Clean bulking can also lead to less flexibility in your program. Sticking to your macronutrient goals and daily calorie totals makes things like eating out or enjoying social events difficult.
Another common issue is that clean bulking tends to trigger people to slip into a cheat meal, followed by a cheat day and, then suddenly, a cheat week.
Dirty bulking, on the other hand, is all about eating anything and everything to get the scale moving. As a warning, dirty bulking can increase inflammation, promote insulin resistance, and raise fat levels in your blood stream2.
Without limitations on what you can eat, it can feel amazing to see your weight increase as you enjoy desserts, pizza, and all other guilty pleasures. You will undoubtedly love the strength increase and seeing the scale move, but eating this way can lead to some problems for your health.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to both bulking types. Clean bulking will minimize fat gain but takes longer and has less flexibility. Dirty bulking can be a huge mental relief as you see the scale tick upward, all while enjoying your favorite foods. However, it may damage the inside of your body while leaving you with extra fat to work off when it’s all said and done.
When deciding which route to follow, we recommend taking a clean bulking approach and trying to fit some of your favorite guilty pleasure foods into your diet. If you are an extremely hard gainer or have an extremely high activity level, you may be someone who can get away with more of a dirty bulking approach.
Try to remember the end goal. You don’t want to work hard to get to a number on the scale, only to hit it and realize you have gained way too much fat.
Calories For Bulking: How to Determine Your Ideal Number
Calories are what your body uses for energy. Your metabolism converts these calories into fuel for your body, supporting everything from thinking and breathing to bench pressing. So, how do you figure out how much fuel to give yourself?
To start, determine how many calories your body burns while at rest. A simple total daily energy expenditure calculator will help you find this number. This number of calories is based on your body type, height, weight, and activity level. This is the number of calories your body needs to perform its essential functions.
Once you find your maintenance calories, add 200-300 calories as your starting point. This should put you in a calorie surplus. The key is tracking so you can measure your progress. If you have consistently hit your daily calorie goals and are still waiting to see weight gain from week to week, try bumping up 100-200 calories the following week.
Your body will continue to adjust to eating more food, so it’s important not to give it too much too soon. It’s like filling your gas tank up with gas and then continuing to let it overflow.
Macro Breakdowns For Bulking
Think of calories as the toolbox, and macronutrients are the tools inside. Macronutrients, which include carbs, fat, and protein, are the nutrients your body needs in large amounts.
Carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories per gram, while fats have 9 calories per gram.
When counting macros, it's important to know the role each nutrient plays. Carbs act as fuel during exercise and are your brain's primary energy source.
Protein intake is crucial for tissue and muscle structure, metabolism, hormones, and muscle hypertrophy. There are 9 essential amino acids from protein that your body does not make, and they play a crucial role in signaling the body's anabolic response to build skeletal muscle mass3.
Fats protect your vital organs, provide insulation and energy reserve, and help transport fat-soluble vitamins throughout your body.
Your daily calorie total is divided into percentages for each of these macros. For bulking, aim to eat 45-60% of your calories from carbs, 30-35% from protein, and 15-30% from fat4.
You can play around with these percentages some, as the ideal ratio will vary a bit from person to person. We recommend beginning with 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fats.
These numbers are a great starting point, but your personal preferences and body type will play a role, so monitor your progress closely. Make sure you are hitting at least 1 gram of protein per body weight as a gold standard, and you can tweak from there.
The 14 Best Bulking Foods to Gain Weight
Let's get into our list of the best bulk food you can eat while trying to gain weight. We've provided nutrition information for each of the foods listed, but please keep in mind these are estimates and your macro information may vary some.
Using a food tracker, like MyFitnessPal, is a good idea if you want a more exact macro counting breakdown.
1. 90% Lean ground beef:
Opting for leaner cuts of ground beef will significantly reduce calories and increase protein. This is one of our favorite good bulking foods as beef is highly versatile in how you prepare it and what you can make using it.
You’ve heard the term meat and potatoes, right? Well, it’s a fantastic option for anyone looking to gain weight. You can also try including ground beef in one of these delicious high protein meal prep recipes.
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 200 calories, 11 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 23 grams protein
2. Salmon:
There are several leaner cuts of fish that have much less fat, but salmon contains benefit-packed essential fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon contribute to all the body's processes, including preventing muscle loss, increasing growth hormone, and forming muscle glycogen.
It's one of the best high calorie foods for bulking you can eat! It's also one of our favorite foods to eat after a workout (assuming you're not working out at 5 a.m.).
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 234 calories, 14 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 25 grams protein
3. Nonfat Greek yogurt:
If you are looking for something with a dessert-like taste during your clean bulk, Greek yogurt is a must in your quest to find the best food for bulking.
Greek yogurt has a higher protein content than other yogurts and significantly less sugar. Top it with fruit or berries, and you have a delicious muscle-building treat.
Nutrition Facts per 6 oz serving: 102 calories, 0 grams fat, 6 grams carbs, 17 grams protein
4. Peanut butter:
When looking for foods to bulk up, peanut butter is an excellent choice. Peanut butter, or your favorite nut butter, is a fast, easy way to add extra calories to your day. It has a significantly higher fat content, which is why it’s so calorie-dense.
Not only can you spread it onto various things, but you can also take a spoonful here and there throughout the day if you’re crunched for time. Plus, let's not forget it makes an awesome ingredient for protein cookies.
Nutrition Facts per 2 tbsp serving: 190 calories, 16 grams fat, 8 grams carbs, 7 grams protein
5. Olive oil:
This may not be the staple of your meal, but cooking with olive oil or adding it to your food packs some fantastic health benefits.
It helps support healthy cholesterol, reduces inflammation, prevents blood clots, and is extremely calorie dense.
Nutrition Facts per 1 tbsp serving: 120 calories, 14 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 0 grams protein
6. Protein powder:
It’s important to note there are hundreds of different proteins, and the macros will vary slightly, so keep an eye on the label. This is a straightforward way to add protein to your diet while avoiding saturated fat to hit your body weight goal.
Protein powder can be added to oats, smoothies, and shakes, and its versatility and high protein content make it a top best bulking food. There are many types of protein powders, including whey protein, casein, pea protein, lactose free protein, and hemp protein.
Nutrition Facts per 1 scoop serving: 120 calories, 1 gram fat, 2 grams carbs, 25 grams protein
7. Cottage cheese:
Cottage cheese is a popular bodybuilding staple since it contains casein protein. This means it’s slow digesting and will use its essential amino acids to build muscle for hours.
Try this before bed to keep your body working and building muscle overnight. This 7-day meal plan for muscle gain also shows you other ways to include it in a day of eating
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving of low fat cottage cheese: 160 calories, 3 grams fat, 8 grams carbs, 24 grams protein
8. Chicken thighs:
Thighs get the nod over chicken breasts since they pack more flavor (thanks to their slightly higher fat content). Like ground beef, this is an excellent bang for your buck food that is highly versatile in how you can prepare it and the things you can serve it with.
It packs in protein with some fat to help you build muscle. Alternatively, when you switch to cutting, you'll likely want to revert back to eating chicken breast, as it's a great high protein low fat food.
Nutrition Facts per 4 oz serving: 150 calories, 8 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 20 grams protein
9. Eggs:
Eggs make the list due to their versatility, flavor, and protein. They also are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
It’s not the 90s anymore, and we now know some fats are good for us. Eggs are that kind! Trying adding a few to one of these tasty bulking breakfast recipes.
Nutrition Facts per egg: 72 calories, 4.8 grams fat, 0 grams carbs, 6 grams protein
10. Cheese:
Cheese is another good foods for bulking option due to the endless ways you can use it in your diet.
Whether it's by sprinkling some shredded cheese into your ground beef, having a slice of your favorite aged cheddar, or melting it into an omelet, cheese provides healthy fats and ensures a reasonable amount of protein.
Nutrition Facts per 1 oz serving: 116 calories, 9 grams fat, .7 gram carbs, 7 grams protein
11. Quinoa:
Quinoa gets the nod as a fantastic complex carbohydrate source that helps your body build muscle.
It is a veggie protein source that's one of the best foods to eat for bulking. It can be a side dish or mixed in with your favorite animal protein source to make it a complete meal.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 222 calories, 3.6 grams fat, 40 grams carbs, 8 grams protein
12. Oats:
Oats are another complex carbohydrates and energy source that can be paired with protein powder, eggs, and fruit to make a full-bulking meal.
It helps you stay full for longer and provides a slow, clean energy source throughout the day.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 300 calories, 6 grams fat, 54 grams carbs, 10 grams protein
13. Sweet potatoes:
Sweet potatoes act as another versatile complex carbohydrate source and contain no saturated fats. This can easily be replaced with white potatoes if you prefer them, and the macros are almost identical.
They'll satisfy a sweet tooth and fill you up. Talk about the perfect bulking food!
Nutrition Facts per 1 medium potato: 112 calories, .1 gram fat, 26 grams carbs, 2 grams protein
14. Brown rice:
Brown rice has been a staple of muscle-building diets since the beginning of time. This is another complex carbohydrate that provides clean, stable energy and is also full of fiber to help aid digestion.
It can be added alongside any protein source to make a complete meal. We like including it in our high protein lunches.
Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: 150 calories, 1 gram fat, 45 grams carbs, 5 grams protein
Bulking Sample Eating Plan
For this meal plan, we're using e a 2,300-calorie diet for a woman using the 50/30/20 macro split. This is one day of eating filled with good foods for bulking.
Remember that this isn’t a guaranteed one-size-fits-all approach. This is simply so you can see what a day of eating would look like for these caloric intake numbers. Use it for inspiration!
Meal 1: Protein overnight oats
- 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup blueberries
Meal 2: Quinoa and ground beef
- 1 cup quinoa
- 4 oz ground beef
Meal 3: Chicken sweet potato hash
- 4 oz chicken thighs
- 1.5 sweet potatoes
- 1 oz cheese
- 1 chopped red pepper
- 1 oz olive oil
Meal 4: Salmon and brown rice
- 4 oz salmon
- 2 cups brown rice
Meal 5: Greek yogurt parfait
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- 1 chopped banana
- 1/2 cup blackberries
Tips For Incorporating Bulking Foods Into Meals & Snacks
The easiest tip to remember is that you need to plan. If you don’t have suitable options available, you will more than likely default to eating junk food. Fruits are great to keep on hand for sweet cravings and are a much better option than standard desserts.
Having high protein nuts or seeds on hand can help add healthy calories from fats anytime you're crave something salty. Things like cheese or nut butter can be added to most meals to add fats.
How Long Should a Bulk Last?
A bulk can last as long as you want it to, as long as you can maintain slow, consistent progress without adding too much fat. A simple way to track this is by using the mirror test.
Give yourself a goal for the amount of weight gained during a set timeframe, and keep an eye on how you look in the mirror. If you start to feel you are gaining too much fat, it’s time to begin a cutting workout and diet plan or decrease your calories for bulking slightly.
What Do You Do After a Bulk?
After your bulk, it's time to decide whether you're going to maintain or cut. You can hop right into a cut if you feel you added too much fat.
This will allow you to strip away any fat gain and see all the fantastic muscle gains you built during your bulk. Sometimes it can be shocking to go from surplus to deficit immediately, so consider gradually decreasing your calories to maintenance and then move into your cutting phase. During a cutting phase, it'll be helpful to add some HIIT and LISS to help you hit your goals more quickly.
But, again, this will all depend on your preference and goals.
Can You Eat Bulking Foods When You Start a Cut?
Yes! Healthy bulking food still fits perfectly into a cut. The only thing you have to worry about is portion sizes. The same rules apply, and you will still have calorie and macronutrient goals.
You may swap out some of the higher-fat foods as they are higher in calories. Also, during a cut, you will have less wiggle room in your daily calorie goals.
Keep the same plan when you are on a cut. Check out the 80 20 rule diet for some more guidance on choosing nutritious foods.
By now, you understand the concepts of what it means to bulk. It’s important to remember that the gains will come, but there is no need to rush them.
Tracking, consistency, and honesty are key when beginning this journey. If you can do this, you should have no problem adding some serious size during your bulking season.
Related: Bulking vs Cutting? The Guide to All of Your Questions
References:
[*]Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports. 2019;7(7):154. doi:10.3390/sports7070154
[*]Leaf A, Antonio J. The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition - A Narrative Review. International journal of exercise science. 2017;10(8):1275-1296. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786199/
[*]Børsheim E, Tipton KD, Wolf SE, Wolfe RR. Essential amino acids and muscle protein recovery from resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2002;283(4):E648-E657. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00466.2001
[*]Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2014;11(1). doi:10.1186/1550-2783-11-20
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