# Bulking and Belly



## Mark_08 (Feb 15, 2012)

Evening guys,

I was chatting to my friend today and told him about my bulking plan for the next 12 weeks but said that I don't want my belly getting too big (i know it is inevitable that its going to get little big with the extra calories). He said that all his friends who are big in mass all got bellies and the ones who haven't are not big but ripped.

I started my bulk last monday and this week kept to my diet and training, however all the brown pasta, rice, wholemeal pittas have bloated me and my belly looks bigger than last week. I have one of those stubborn bellies that lose the fat hard but gain it easily, during my cut i dropped from 84kg to 74kg but my arms, shoulders and chest also deflated.

My average macros last week were Carbs 260, Fat 75 and 240 protein, Im 5'11weighing 167 pounds, I do want to put on some quality mass and avoid bad food.

Should i increase the cardio more or just see how it goes for few weeks and then adjust?

thanks for any advice.


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## Phenix (May 12, 2012)

Some ppl increase their cardio just to keep BF at bay To bulk clean is hard bud


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## Davidmc1961 (Nov 1, 2008)

Depends what you want really, wash board abs on a smaller physique or more mass with a little bodyfat. Personally I don't want to waste my time looking like a ripped skeleton and gaining bugger all mass.


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

Phenix said:


> Some ppl increase their cardio just to keep BF at bay To bulk clean is hard bud


surely that defeats the point of a bulk as you wont be in such an excess of calories doing added cardio?

OP: the whole point of a bulk is to gain mass, yes some of this will be fat, but as long as you eat clean you wont gain much fat. when you cut again youl see the abs again, dont worry about loosing your abs for a month or two.. weathers sh!te anyway.


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## Mark_08 (Feb 15, 2012)

thanks lads, i realise it is hard and i am dedicated to it, I also realise i am going to get a little belly maybe but i agree with you, i don't want to look skinny.


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## Mark_08 (Feb 15, 2012)

harry, cheers for the reply mate, i just hope when it comes to the cut my belly is not too huge to get it down, im 32 now and getting on a bit.


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

Mark_08 said:


> harry, cheers for the reply mate, i just hope when it comes to the cut my belly is not too huge to get it down, im 32 now and getting on a bit.


honestly mate as long as you get your excess calories from clean food youl be fine. just up the cardio when you cut again.


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## Phenix (May 12, 2012)

harryalmighty said:


> surely that defeats the point of a bulk as you wont be in such an excess of calories doing added cardio?
> 
> OP: the whole point of a bulk is to gain mass, yes some of this will be fat, but as long as you eat clean you wont gain much fat. when you cut again youl see the abs again, dont worry about loosing your abs for a month or two.. weathers sh!te anyway.


Think you will find most body builders don't bulk and cut now bud But if you don't believe ask around Bud even in offseason they are not overly fat


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## bottleneck25 (Sep 25, 2009)

Im in the same boat i started two weeks ago and i loook like a pregnant women lol but ive been eating whatever i want when i want as i have an active job i really have to load up on cals to out any size on its worth tho when im in the gym smashed my bp close grip bench tonight 90 kg for 5 reps was onky doing 75 for 5 2 weeeks ago ..


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

Phenix said:


> Think you will find most body builders don't bulk and cut now bud But if you don't believe ask around Bud even in offseason they are not overly fat


you shouldnt get 'fat' during a bulk. you WILL hold more water and gain a little fat i dont mean turn into heather from eastenders. and no Pro BB's have an off season and then they cut and prep for a show so yes technically they do cut and bulk.


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## Phenix (May 12, 2012)

Technically is not a answer bud it a yes or no question ?


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

Bulk - Just an excuse to eat what you want & get fat!

It'll be a hell of a lot harder losing it than it will be to gain it!


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## Phenix (May 12, 2012)

Squirrel said:


> Bulk - Just an excuse to eat what you want & get fat!
> 
> It'll be a hell of a lot harder losing it than it will be to gain it!


Now their is a man you know what I am talking about mates


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

Phenix said:


> Technically is not a answer bud it a yes or no question ?


ok look at your avi when bulking and trying to gain size your BF should be around this level and then cut to rip up, see what im getting at now?


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## Phenix (May 12, 2012)

harryalmighty said:


> ok look at your avi when bulking and trying to gain size your BF should be around this level and then cut to rip up, see what im getting at now?


Yes I know were you are coming from But the way the guy talking he getting to fat bud You have to keep it under control


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## JS95 (Aug 29, 2010)

Personally, I tried a bulk last summer - christmas. I made the mistake of not doing enough cardio to stay fit, which is different ofcourse rather than keeping fat off. Depends if asthetics or mass is what you really want, but then again theres a few guys in my gym who've stayed ripped but the same size for a couple of years now, as compared to the heavier guys who you can clearly see are packing on some quality mass.


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## corporates (Nov 12, 2006)

Im startin a cutting phase soon mate, and the bloat is deffo there, and will come back again, that's why we cycle aint it, or am i missing the point.

Im a fatty natty normally, but going back on the gear as im fed up and need some results.....before anyone slates me, i do my research, even though ive been here six years, i read whats here, and not post loads....well maybe recently...mwuuuaaaahhh. why does a 44 year old find austin powers mojo so cool....?


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## hotchy (Aug 20, 2009)

I used bulking as an excuse to eat what I wanted. Sure I look a lot bigger, except my tits belly And love handles. I always thought 2 stone will do it, will it fuk. Av lost over 2 stone and tbh its gonna be another 2 for complete washboard abbs

. I'm keeping clean. Not getting fat ever again. Cutting is just so hard from being over 18stone lol


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## Phenix (May 12, 2012)

don't think the boy is on gear bud or did I not read it right lol


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## Mark_08 (Feb 15, 2012)

Phoneix, no bud your right, im not on gear but am planning maybe a little test after more research.

So if bulking is not recommended by some of you boys, what other strategy would you suggest? essentially to increase muscle I will have to increase calories but then if im going to lose all this muscle in a cut, ain't that bit of a con?

What about some of the members on here with great physqiue, how do they manage to balance between the two?


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## Phenix (May 12, 2012)

Mark_08 said:


> Phoneix, no bud your right, im not on gear but am planning maybe a little test after more research.
> 
> So if bulking is not recommended by some of you boys, what other strategy would you suggest? essentially to increase muscle I will have to increase calories but then if im going to lose all this muscle in a cut, ain't that bit of a con?
> 
> What about some of the members on here with great physqiue, how do they manage to balance between the two?


drugs bud


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## Heath (Mar 3, 2011)

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/the_truth_about_bulking;jsessionid=CB29BD355EA4AFDC5F8228FC6709BA2D-mcd01.hydra

Worth a read but will need to copy paste the link


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## Mark_08 (Feb 15, 2012)

Mutant X,

Thanks for that mate, didn't have the chance to read it over the weekend, just took a look, very interesting read indeed.

Specially the bit where it says if your natural protein synthesis is low, there is not much you can do about it unless AAS.


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## Cluk89 (Aug 26, 2009)

best advice i have had regarding bulking and diet is keep protein to a fixed amount for example 400g's, and adjust fat and carbs in-take depending on fat gain, if you think your putting fat on slightly reduce your carbs/fats accordingly and see how you get on, if you are still putting fat on reduce a little more etc etc..


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## Mark_08 (Feb 15, 2012)

Clux,

Cheers mate for the info, what macros do you think i should be aiming for per day?


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## Cluk89 (Aug 26, 2009)

It really is person dependant, i couldnt say, but i would say more protein than what you have stated, here is a thread i created the other day for critique on my diet plan:

http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/gaining-weight/188825-my-food-take-today-will.html


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## geeby112 (Mar 15, 2008)

At the beginning when I wanted to gain mass I got a belly and looked a mess.

I dieted way down to start from scratch. All i did was add more carbs but stop them early evening and still did CARDIO. Screw looking big with a fat belly, fcuk that I'm sorry. It took longer but being lean around 15stone with abs I'm much much happier then having the big bloated look.

Will always remember this guy on a night out was stood on the dance floor, looking big, arms flared out etc. Till this girl came up behind and lifted his top expecting a 6 pack but a belt flopped out, he walked out as the girls were laughing.

Always wanted to look like them comic characters , you don't see them developed with bellys


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## JSTEVO (Oct 4, 2009)

Thats an awesome read, i've stayed lean for almost 12 months by keeping my macros spot on, mentioned to my training buddy that i was gonna bulk again but keep my catbs to around 250g per day and he criticised me, initially i took this on board as i was wrong and he was right so i increased ny carbs to 300 a day, fats to 100g, Protein at 350g. But after 4 weeks of doing this i have lost my abs and began to bloat. Calories where at 3700.

I've now dropped my carbs down to 250g again using 150g white rice and 100g porridge oats with a banana and a few almonds.

Gonna see how i get on now and watch my increase in size and bf with 3000 cals per day

Pretty much what i have read on that article and seems to make sense, started my course as well so its gonna be an interesting ride!!


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## TAFFY (Jun 3, 2009)

when i wan put bit size on i basically eat same when dieting but more of it,fairly clean i say about 70per cent clean rest cheat meals

you gonna carry more weight and look bit rounded but to build muscle and size you gotta eat well,


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## Barman (Feb 29, 2012)

Simple just Bulk and if you dont like the amount of fat your putting on drop carbs a bit do a bit more cardio till you find your sweet spot so to speak


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## Mark_08 (Feb 15, 2012)

Your right fellas, I could trial and error to see where my fat levels are in few weeks.

After reading that article, some things make more sense now.

Really appreciate the time everyone took to give their advice.


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