# Natty bulk



## RexEverthing (Apr 4, 2014)

Probably been asked lots before but I'm being lazy...

If trying to gain weight what amount per week/month is appropriate, specifically for someone unassisted? I'm going to keep an eye on the scales, only bump cals up slowly and obviously watch the mirror but just wondered as minimal fat gain is desirable.

Thoughts guys? @Ultrasonic @dtlv


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Sorry, missed this yesterday. I'll be interesting in what dtlv says but here are my thoughts...

I'm reluctant to recommend a rate of weight gain as I think most of the time this ends of leading to excessive fat gain. If forced to give a number my inclination would be 1-2 lb per month for most people.

What I do for myself is get calories at a level where I can at least tell I am gaining some weight (via daily weighing and tracking a rolling average) but for me gym progress is the better guide of whether things are progressing well or not. As in stalled gym progress whilst body weight is going up at some target rate probably isn't a good combination.

I know this isn't popular but I like using calipers to track body fat gain. I just track the skinfold thickness to the left of my umbilicus ('tummy button'). I'm admittedly a numbers guy but I find it far easier to pick up smaller changes this way than via photos (and looking in a mirror is a crap method as it relies on memory and is affected by mood). If body fat is slowly increasing over time then I believe I can be sure I'm eating more calories than I'm using and so not holding my progress back.

When I do increase calories it's usually in just a 50 kcal increment. It isn't much but from experience I've found this can be enough for me to see weight gain moving again. In practice it probably means I was probably already still in a very slight surplus and this just makes the effect more obvious.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

It depends on a few things like how big (muscular) you are already and how long you've been training. Assuming you've been training more than six months and are of roughly average size and muscularity for that amount of training then you can gain anywhere between 10-20lbs in a year without gaining massive amounts of body fat. A lot depends upon the quality of your training and your genetic ability to gain too, is not just about setting calories and protein intake to facilitate this amount.

IMO the best generalized way to start a lean bulk is firstly to get fairly lean,vand then to spend a few weeks logging energy intake and monitoring body weight so you have a good understanding of what kcals you need to maintain on. Then set your daily intake at roughly 300kcals over that value (is ok to vary a little from day to day so long as it averages this over a week), keep minimal protein intake to 1.6g per 1kg body weight, and get the rest of your kcals from a mix of carbs, fats and extra protein. Stick with that for a month, weighing weekly, and take comparison photos and tape measurements at the start and end of those four weeks. You should find you've gained between 0.5-1kg.

If visually you can't really tell how much of what you have gained is lean, try this: using the metric side of a tape measure (as the smaller increments make for more accurate measuring), compare the change in size of your waist to your arms and mid thighs to their week one measurements. If your waist is roughly the same measurement but arms and upper thighs have increased more as a proportion then you are gaining mostly lean muscle. If your waist has gained more proportionally than anywhere else then you are gaining too much fat and kcals are too high - so drop them and then compare again in another 2-4 weeks, adjusting as necessary. If your size and weight hasn't increased at all then increase kcals by a small increment for a similar period before comparing again.

This is an appropriate guide but, since most men preferentially gain fat on their waist, if gaining fat faster than muscle then the waist will increase it's size in proportion to other areas more quickly.

If you start lean though it should be obvious anyway whether weight increases are adequately lean or excessively fatty. If not so lean though it can be harder to tell and so this method is more useful.


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## Matt6210 (Feb 15, 2018)

Could I possibly suggest something?

:whistling:


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## Sasnak (Oct 11, 2016)

Matt6210 said:


> Could I possibly suggest something?
> 
> :whistling:


 125 test 900 deca. Beat you to it Matt


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## Matt6210 (Feb 15, 2018)

Sasnak said:


> 125 test 900 deca. Beat you to it Matt


 Noooo I'm high test crew brah, equal or more of other compound anyway


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## Sasnak (Oct 11, 2016)

Matt6210 said:


> Noooo I'm high test crew brah, equal or more of other compound anyway


 Horses for courses mate. If you can tolerate 2 mil test a week and don't aromatise like fcuk then go for it. Plenty who struggle so low dose test plus an other compound is the way to go.


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## RexEverthing (Apr 4, 2014)

Matt6210 said:


> Could I possibly suggest something?
> 
> :whistling:


 Would love to but already told you about my anxiety RE health. Genuinely do think it'd mangle my brain.


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## Matt6210 (Feb 15, 2018)

RexEverthing said:


> Would love to but already told you about my anxiety RE health. Genuinely do think it'd mangle my brain.


 Nooo 500mg test a week, one jab a week, will make you feel the bollox, make more gains in 3 months than the the last 3 years.

Body will proper respond to it, as first time, plus the recomp possibilities with you being fresh to gear.

would improve most aspects of your life not just training, improve sex life, more confident, can help with depression/low moods, appetite.

how old you bro? Never asked?


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## RexEverthing (Apr 4, 2014)

Matt6210 said:


> Nooo 500mg test a week, one jab a week, will make you feel the bollox, make more gains in 3 months than the the last 3 years.
> 
> Body will proper respond to it, as first time, plus the recomp possibilities with you being fresh to gear.
> 
> ...


 I'm 34 mate.


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## 72670 (Sep 17, 2016)

dtlv said:


> It depends on a few things like how big (muscular) you are already and how long you've been training. Assuming you've been training more than six months and are of roughly average size and muscularity for that amount of training then you can gain anywhere between 10-20lbs in a year without gaining massive amounts of body fat. A lot depends upon the quality of your training and your genetic ability to gain too, is not just about setting calories and protein intake to facilitate this amount.
> 
> IMO the best generalized way to start a lean bulk is firstly to get fairly lean,vand then to spend a few weeks logging energy intake and monitoring body weight so you have a good understanding of what kcals you need to maintain on. Then set your daily intake at roughly 300kcals over that value (is ok to vary a little from day to day so long as it averages this over a week), keep minimal protein intake to 1.6g per 1kg body weight, and get the rest of your kcals from a mix of carbs, fats and extra protein. Stick with that for a month, weighing weekly, and take comparison photos and tape measurements at the start and end of those four weeks. You should find you've gained between 0.5-1kg.
> 
> ...


 :thumbup1:


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## M.I.A (Aug 7, 2020)

Good advice


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