Bulk Cycle weight / calorie graph

[Old Duffer]

I'm curious generally what people see for week-by-week weight gains on a bulk and how they ramp (if they ramp) up their caloric consumption.

1st cycle, so just learning. Here's what I'm seeing so far.

I spent over 3 months dumping fat on 1750 cals/day. Dropped 30+ pounds. I stabilized at 210 and started.

Knew I needed to initially keep my cals down for a few weeks until the the test-e kicked in. I didn't do a great job looking back now.

Week 1 2550 cals. 212#
Week 2. 2640 cals. 214#
Week 3. 3130 cals. 217# (freaked out. Keep reading)
Week 4. 2675 cals. 219# (over compensated. Still gained anyway)
Week 5. 2931 cals. 220#
Week 6. 2797 cals. 222#
Week 7. 2874 cals. 223#

Couple things: my macros are pretty good. Diet is pretty good.
Test-e really kicked in week 6
I'm not too concerned about 'over caloring' ? Is that a phrase? Anyway I'd rather eat too much than not enough to get as much as I can from this cycle. I can lean up later down the road. On the other hand its hard to watch all my dieting evaporate! Ya know?

Here's my question. I'm noting that this week 7, my weight has stabilized but strength is definitely gaining. Been 222 - 223 for over a week. Should I kick up the cals? I'm not a big guy, this is new growth and I'm an old timer, so "crank er up to 3500 cals!" Will probably just make me really fat!

The other hindsight question is, looks like I should have kept my cals lower for those 1st few weeks as gym gains were same as natty was. I think all those 1st couple weeks did was cost me a notch in my belt. Lol.Test had not really kicked in yet.
Do you ramp up your cals? What does that ramp look like?

 

[Roush]

personally , I would not ramp up on a scheduled basis needlessly. no point in raising calories on a fixed schedule unless there is an actual need to raise them.

if your making gains on a 600 calories surplus , then you stay at the 600 calorie surplus until your metabolism and gains stabilize. maybe that takes 3 weeks, then when things slow down, you add an additional 300 calories to that . then gains come on again and your good with that for say 4 weeks, then you add 300 calories to that. then things maybe don't start happening again then add more. also adjusting for your TDEE because as your body weight and comp goes up that will need to be adjusted.
^^ this technique is still "ramping up", its just not done needlessly on a fixed schedule like you've laid out above

thats just me though . I don't see the point in adding in calories on a fixed schedule every single week just for the heck of it when there is not an actual need and if your metabolism has not reset at a higher set point (which it can't do every week).

just calculate how many calories above maintenance you'll need to be to begin you bulk , stick with that number until your metabolism catches up and your no longer gaining weight, then add calories from there.

 

[Old Duffer]

Very good points. Thanx!

Adjusting to the body's needs based on progress makes sense for sure.

Also forgot about the changing TDEE as body composition changes.

That all makes sense

 

[Old Duffer]

Follow up question. Gains. Definitely makes sense to increase caloric intake once gains stop, but I'm curious what different folks use as 'gains'

Gains as weight gain? That's simple enough and easy to understand for sure and actually why I started this thread. Today at gym again my weight was down 1/2 pound of so. Again. Weeks 1-6 gained a steady 10-12 pounds. Week 7 bounced 220, 222, 220, 222, 220, 222. Beginning week 8 hit 223. Then slowly lost weight all week so today 221.5. That tells me I need to kick up my cals some, eh?

But, maybe 'gains' could be better defined as progress on the weights? Steady gains in strength means all is well. Getting stuck at a plateau means needs more cals?

Or, 'gains' could mean more muscle mass? By measurement or change in appearance?

Or all three, for the seasoned vet who really is in tune with their machine

Mostly just curious and wanting to learn

 

[3J]

thats what i needed to know... what is your current weight..

youre over 200lbs and eating under 3000 calories??

youre going to be disappointed when the cycle is over and all that bloat is gone.. youre not gaining muscle optimally like you think you are..

could you give me the following stats

age
weight
height
current bodyfat

cycle details including
dosage, injection frequency
estrogen control protocol

 

[Old Duffer]

http://www.steroidology.com/forum/my-steroid-cycle-forum/685626-time-old-dude-step-up.html

This will catch you up 3J