Bulking diet help, please!

[Natehayes]

I'm starting a mild blast cycle (500mg test/ 400mg deca) and am trying to make sure I have my diet in order. I have been reading as much as possible, but some extra guidance would be much appreciated. I won't use the term hard gainer because it is a cop-out, but I know from past experience if I don't really pay attention to getting enough food I have an extremely hard time putting on weight. I know I am a lightweight, but I have worked hard for quite a while to even get to the weight I am now (I was 130lbs well into my 30's). I would like to bulk as cleanly as possible, but who doesn't?
My stats are as follows:

Age: 43
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 150lbs
Working out: over 20 years, but was primarily cardio/functional strength for JDK and BJJ, now would like to add some mass.

Here is a sample eating day from fitday:

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r58/natehayes/Diet/Screenshot2011-04-26at40829PM.png

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r58/natehayes/Diet/Screenshot2011-04-26at40546PM.png

 

[KaiserSose]

I would bump calories up to at least 3800 , and get your macros more around 40/40/20. Its hard for me to eat much more than that but im like you im not really a hard gainer but if I slip up a little I will lose fast as hell!!! Im 37 and those numbers have worked pretty well for me I averaged 155 for a long time by doing that I got to 190 and relatively lean.

 

[Natehayes]

Thanks for the advise!

Yeah, I need to drop the fat for sure. The ground beef and breaded chicken killed me in that regard, I think.

I was afraid my carbs were already too high, so it's good news that you think I can bump them up a bit.

Ugh, the thought of eating even more food is but I will definitely try!

I would be happy if I can get up to 175l (although if I do get there I'm sure I'll want to be 190!)

 

[LOKI1978]

I went from 155 (long distance running emaciated me) to 210 lb. The key is obviously diet. If you're eating 3,200 calories, and lifting you will grow. Depending on how active you are, you may not want to eat much more than that unless you're prepared to put on some extra body fat.

Also, if I'm reading your chart correctly, you consume 330 grams of protein a day? That seems high to me, even if you're on a cycle. The general rule is no more than 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

 

[Natehayes]

Thanks for the reply! Good to hear other guys managed to grow like I am hoping too!

I think the protein for the chicken breasts may have been a bit on the optimistic side since the breasts were actually quite small so I think I probably actually fell right around 300g of protein. I will definitely keep on eye on it though, thanks for catching that.

 

[Juicer2222]

What I plan to do when i start bulking, and I think would be very effective is protein 1-1.5x bodyweight. carbs twice that of protein. and fats somewhere between 150 and 200. probably not gonna count fats, just make sure they are mostly good fats and dont get obviously excessive.

so basically at ur weight, 225g protein and 450g carbs.

 

[3J]

What I plan to do when i start bulking, and I think would be very effective is protein 1-1.5x bodyweight. carbs twice that of protein. and fats somewhere between 150 and 200. probably not gonna count fats, just make sure they are mostly good fats and dont get obviously excessive.

so basically at ur weight, 225g protein and 450g carbs.

seriously.. ur gonna tell a 150lb guy to eat that much fat and not count it???

did u ever think that bulking should involve high carbs and low fats???

 

[3J]

I would bump calories up to at least 3800 , and get your macros more around 40/40/20. Its hard for me to eat much more than that but im like you im not really a hard gainer but if I slip up a little I will lose fast as hell!!! Im 37 and those numbers have worked pretty well for me I averaged 155 for a long time by doing that I got to 190 and relatively lean.

im 280lbs and i eat 4200 calories for a bulk.. what makes u think this guy needs that much intake???

 

[Natehayes]

seriously.. ur gonna tell a 150lb guy to eat that much fat and not count it???

did u ever think that bulking should involve high carbs and low fats???

What kind of split do you think I should shoot for?

I think my fats need to be lower than it was in my sample day, but do you think I should shoot for higher carb intakeas well?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Natehayes]

im 280lbs and i eat 4200 calories for a bulk.. what makes u think this guy needs that much intake???

So is my original plan of around 3000-3200 calories more in the ballpark?

 

[KaiserSose]

Considering his tdee is probably around 2700 and he's on 500mg of test and 400 mg of deca I would definitely think 3200. is not enough to reach his goal or take full advantage of the gear. I would say off cycle sure you should see a slow steady gain off of 3200 calorie intake but on cycle you need more.

 

[3J]

why would u eat so damn much and put on unnecessary fat when on cycle?? again.. makes no sense.. iv never eaten more then 600 over tdee to bulk

 

[3J]

What kind of split do you think I should shoot for?

I think my fats need to be lower than it was in my sample day, but do you think I should shoot for higher carb intakeas well?

Thanks for your help!

40/40/20

300g protein
350g carbs
66g fats

its just about that split

 

[Juicer2222]

im 280lbs and i eat 4200 calories for a bulk.. what makes u think this guy needs that much intake???

Off topic, but is there any pics of u on these forums 3j? U sound like u could be a monster.

 

[3J]

Off topic, but is there any pics of u on these forums 3j? U sound like u could be a monster.

haha.. im 6'4 man so im not as big as i seem....

i used to have my pic up on my avi.. im currently going through some sensitive stuff so no there are no pictures..

 

[3J]

guys remember that gear isn't about gaining muscle as much as it is about keeping muscle from burning off.. that's the true power of gear..

so eating at 3200 calories while ur on cycle and then upping to 3500 in your post cycle therapy (pct) only to drop down to 3000 to hold on to what you have after the fact should be the correct route

 

[Natehayes]

guys remember that gear isn't about gaining muscle as much as it is about keeping muscle from burning off.. that's the true power of gear..

so eating at 3200 calories while ur on cycle and then upping to 3500 in your post cycle therapy (pct) only to drop down to 3000 to hold on to what you have after the fact should be the correct route

Sounds like I'll be sticking to my 3000-3200 cals a day.

Questions though, I am on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) so will just be dropping back down to 200mg test a week, would I up my calories, keep them constant (if I was still trying to gain), or drop them down a bit to my tdee (2700 or whatever it works out to at my new weight)?

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[3J]

I would def make it a point to stay at 3200 and not go below that. When ur done with ur cycle ur body will need more then 2700 calories tomaintain. Ull have added lbm. So i would think 3000 would do that but we wont know till ur post cycle weigbht and bf

 

[Natehayes]

Will do!

Thanks again.

 

[Natehayes]

Ugh, second day and I am already soooo sick of food.

Anyone have any good shake recipes they might like to share? I'm thinking drinking some of these calories might help!