First Bulk EVER!!!

Boss,
Try the Accumeasure bodyfat calipers. They aren’t accurate (as far as I can tell) but they are consistant. I have used one and have been able to track changes although I think it reads a bit high. The important part, as you pointed out, is consitency in tracking the amounts.

Look them up, they are about $13.00. You may also want to do a search to see what others recommend.

Arioch

[quote]boss99er wrote:
Well I just started the Waterbury method and would at least like to give it a try. Do you have a good upper lower split I could try. I know you were a proponant for split workouts so I am sure you are familiar with several of them. Like I said, i’m open to any advice. About my cals, do you think 3500 would be enough to at least start?

Also, I do still have some fat left, should I try a hard core cut to get rid of that first or just keep with the bulk and worry about the fat later? I am not currently ripped or really lean right now by any means. I think there was something else I was going to ask but I forget now. Thanks for you help so far!!! [/quote]

I actually like both protocols, each for their own reason. In this case, because you seem to have the time and bulk is your desire, my rec. would be a more split routine. You get the added workout day for one.

Look up his ABBH1 and 2. You can use the exercises as a guide and switch the workouts so you get 4 or even 5 a week.
Horizontal upper, legs, vertical upper, and a different leg routine to finish the wek. If the planes don’t make sense now, they will when you read the article.

In all honesty, I wouldn’t worry about your extra weight right now. From your stats and nothing else I would shoot for around 3000-3500 cals to start. Because weight is a concern for you I would shoot for a 30/30/40 p/c/f type macro breakdown. Maximize your carb windows and eat plenty of fiberous veggies.

Thats the problem with my carb windows. My two biggest carb windows are lumped into one meal. You are supposed to get carbs for breakfast and for post workout but since I workout in the morning, my breakfast IS my post workout meal. I Usually make my breakfast and my first snack my heavy carb meals. Well I might try this workout for another couple weeks and then switch to ABBH. The Waterbury method is only a 4 week program anyway.

Feel free to eat carbs whenever. But your window is not as short as you may think. Seeing as you work out in the am you can eat carbs easily throughout your first 3 meals or so. And actually all day. I like to change the ‘makeup’ of the carbs as the day goes along. I switch away from pastas and fruits and move towards veggies-especially fiberous ones. Don’t fret perfection–it’ll kill ya. Just eat a good quality protein source with each meal and except for your first meal add some fat. Possibly your last meal of the day should be sans carbs.

I’m a FFB so I know where you’re coming from. I’m in the middle of my 1st bulk and I’ve added 20 lbs(135-155) in about 3 months and haven’t gotten fat yet.Here’s some advice.

-don’t go crazy adding cals,your metabolism is slower than average. You probably need less than the normal person bulking.
-do HIIT/cardio 2x a week
-eat clean as much as possible.
-take fish oil every day.
-you’re gonna gain some fat, hopefully not a ton if you do this right. Just suck up the fat gain and focus on getting bigger/stronger.

Hope this helps man.

Thanks for the tips guys! I have noticed one thing. Since I have started my bulk I have been a little more lax with eating carbs at my last meal of the night. It seems I am having a lot more trouble with water retention and a bloated feeling. Could this be the nighttime carbs causing this??? I was doing REALLY well with eating my veggies for my nighttime carbs but like I said I have slacked on that. Time to get back down to business and do this right. I am going to try and have a perfect bulking day today and I will list everything tomorrow and see what you guys think.

Hey Boss, sounds like you’ve got a good plan going. You gonna bulk until you get fitted for the tux, or are you going to keep bulking after that?

Well, not really sure. I dont want to have extra fat for the wedding, but I also dont want to be skinny fat. Thats how I kinda see myself right now even though some might disagree. I guess i’m not really sure. I am just going to bulk for a while and then try to cut for a bit before the big day. We will see how things go.

It took me about 4 weeks to go from my bulking bodyfat (around 15 - 18%ish) to lean (10 - 11%ish) last time I did a cut. I don’t think you need 3 months unless you want to end up ready to jump on-stage.

Don’t worry too much about the mental aspect, I find I switch attitudes completely depending on my goals - if I’m gaining then I’m ‘thinking’ big, everything is about getting bigger & I forget all about being an FFB and just concentrate on becoming a HB.

[quote]Junker wrote:
I’m a FFB so I know where you’re coming from. I’m in the middle of my 1st bulk and I’ve added 20 lbs(135-155) in about 3 months and haven’t gotten fat yet.Here’s some advice.
[/quote]

How fat were you exactly in order to qualify as a FFB? 135lbs seems pretty damn skinny, hell, 155lbs is still really skinny. Are you very short or something?

To the OP: I avoid carbs at night by putting milled flax seeds in my protein shake, they give a kind of oatmeal-ish consistency to it and alleviate any carb cravings I may have (as well as being damn good for you).

[quote]jarvis wrote:
How fat were you exactly in order to qualify as a FFB? 135lbs seems pretty damn skinny, hell, 155lbs is still really skinny.[/quote]

The first F in FFB stands for ‘former’, as in, the individual is no longer fat and may have quite a light bodyweight.

Ok well 3 months might be overkill. But, I do want to get nice and lean before the wedding. I want to pack on a decent amount of muscle too. I understand that i am not going to get HUGE before the wedding. I just want to get more than I have now, and still be lean. Hopefully i can reach those goals.

[quote]jarvis wrote:

How fat were you exactly in order to qualify as a FFB? 135lbs seems pretty damn skinny, hell, 155lbs is still really skinny. Are you very short or something?
[/quote]

I know 135 is pretty light. I guess I went to far when trying to lose weight.

[quote]boss99er wrote:
I am going to try and have a perfect bulking day today and I will list everything tomorrow and see what you guys think.[/quote]

Ok, well I forgot to list what I had all day but I will try and remember now. I have a nutrition journal but I think I added a few things that I didnt write down so here we go:

Pre Workout - Banana

PWO - Shake with Milk, Honey, Protein, Oatmeal

Snack - Shake with Water, Protein, Oatmeal, PB

Lunch - WW Lasagna with lean ground turkey and peas

Snack - Cottage Cheese and Mixed Nuts

Supper - 2 Chicken Breasts and LOTS of veggies

Snack - 2 Tbsp PB and more Cottage Cheese and a couple cups of coffee.

2975 Cals

43% Protein, 28% Carbs, 29% Fat

How does that look guys??? I was actually shooting for just a bit higher cals but didnt quite get there.

[quote]boss99er wrote:
boss99er wrote:
I am going to try and have a perfect bulking day today and I will list everything tomorrow and see what you guys think.

Ok, well I forgot to list what I had all day but I will try and remember now. I have a nutrition journal but I think I added a few things that I didnt write down so here we go:

Pre Workout - Banana

PWO - Shake with Milk, Honey, Protein, Oatmeal

Snack - Shake with Water, Protein, Oatmeal, PB

Lunch - WW Lasagna with lean ground turkey and peas

Snack - Cottage Cheese and Mixed Nuts

Supper - 2 Chicken Breasts and LOTS of veggies

Snack - 2 Tbsp PB and more Cottage Cheese and a couple cups of coffee.

2975 Cals

43% Protein, 28% Carbs, 29% Fat

How does that look guys??? I was actually shooting for just a bit higher cals but didnt quite get there.
[/quote]

You are bulking–right??

A freakin’ banana before a workout! At least throw down 20g/p in water.

WW Lasagna with lean ground turkey! Am I correct that ww stands for weight watchers? Lean ground turkey–what about ground beef? The supreme lean is just as lean as most ground turkey. In fact, inless you are buying ground breast, it probably is leaner.

Switch your PWO and snack shakes around. It’s subtle, but the latter will digest much quicker–or better yet, instead of milk and honey, just use choc. milk.

No carbs–except for some veggies–in your last 3 meals/snacks? Good complex carbs are your friend on a bulk. Don’t be afraid to throw that 2 tbsps of peanut butter on 2 pieces of whole wheat bread. Drink a nice glass of whole milk to wash it down. Add an apple to your after lunch snack.

Those subtle adjustments could have garnered you 500-600 quality calories.

Also, not sure about your coffee that late. It may interupt sleep.

Ok, I better clear a few things up.

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
WW Lasagna with lean ground turkey! Am I correct that ww stands for weight watchers? [/quote]

Ahhhh, hell no. WW stands for whole wheat. Ha ha, come on man, give me SOME credit.

[quote]
Switch your PWO and snack shakes around. It’s subtle, but the latter will digest much quicker–or better yet, instead of milk and honey, just use choc. milk.[/quote]

How about I drink the chocolate milk while I work out and have that shake about a half hour after I work out? Oh, and the banana before I work out. I wake up and eat a banana about an hour before I have to wake up to lift. I lift at 6, so its hard to eat much more than that when you are still mostly asleep. If I drink chocolate milk while I lift, would that help???

[quote]
No carbs–except for some veggies–in your last 3 meals/snacks? Good complex carbs are your friend on a bulk. Don’t be afraid to throw that 2 tbsps of peanut butter on 2 pieces of whole wheat bread. Drink a nice glass of whole milk to wash it down. Add an apple to your after lunch snack.[/quote]

It seems like if I eat carbs late in the day I feel like hell the next morning and feel all blown up all day. Its just not comfortable.

[quote]
Those subtle adjustments could have garnered you 500-600 quality calories.[/quote]

That is deffinitely something I could use, just not sure about making those additional calories out of carbs at night. How about a little more fat throughout the day? I think it couldnt hurt if my fat percentage was a little higher…as long as its good fats.

[quote]
Also, not sure about your coffee that late. It may interupt sleep.[/quote]

Yeah, you are probably right about this. That isnt a habit, its just something I did that night.

Ok here is what I tried. Last night before bed I had my regular PB and cottage cheese but this time I put the PB on some WW bread. WW is whole wheat not weight watchers!!! Ha ha.

Then this morning i woke up as usual and had a banana about an hour before I had to wake up and lift. When I woke up I made a bottle of chocolate milk and drank it on the way to the gym and while I was lifting.

Not sure what it was, but I seemed to have more energy. I still got a bit of bloated feeling, assuming its from the bread last night, but the energy was a welcome trade. ALSO, not sure if it was from the food, but I was sweating WAY more than usual this morning.

Not really sure where that fits in. I will do the same thing for fridays workout and see what happens. Thanks for the advice so far to everyone who has helped out. So far I am up to 194 on my clean bulk and my pants or belt havent gotten tighter at all. So thats a good sign I think. My fiance also thinks I look a bit leaner.