Couple bulking questions

[eVoluti0n]

I'm trying to put on some lean muscle mass without trying to add too much body fat. I eat clean as it is, so I don't have a problem there. What I would like to know, is if doing cardio is beneficial during a bulking phase or not. While I'm sure most would say no, I ask because I'm trying to get rid of some extra fat that I've had for a while.

Also, would taking BSN's True Mass be a good PWO shake to help put on mass? I was taking Cytogainer for a while, but it gave me really bad gas and I just finished my tub, so I'd like to try something else.

Lastly, during the week I dont get to the gym until around 6:00 or 6:30 pm. I'm usually there for an hour and have a PWO drink as soon as I'm done. It takes about 20-30 min sometimes to get to the gym and back with traffic, so by the time I get home to eat it's pretty late, usually 8:30 or 9:00. Is it still a good idea to eat that late, and have complex carbs? Or should I just have a casein shake and go to bed? Currently, I don't get to sleep until around 12 or 1 am, and it becomes quite exhausting for me with little sleep.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[lucifuge]

cardio's always good... you can get away with it on a bulk if you don't go crazy with it. I'd do 15 minutes or so after your workout 2 or 3 days a week.
The rest seems fine as well, I've never really used true mass or cytogainer, but they should be fine.
As for eating that late, I personally don't see a problem with it, especially if you're up to midnight or 1 am.

 

[danzik17]

Couple of things.

First, you can't bulk and lose fat at the same time. It's not physiologically possible. Gotta choose one or the other at a time unfortunately.

The second thing is the most important thing you could do is EAT. You don't need to just eat clean, you need to be eating above maintenance calorie levels in order to be able to put weight on.

 

[eVoluti0n]

Putting weight on isn't a problem, I just don't want to bulk and look prego at the same time lol.

 

[Ben]

When Bulking your gonna put some fat on. Eat clean foods and only 500 above ur maintenance level.
As for cardio, id say do it 2x a week on your off days.

 

[eVoluti0n]

What exactly is above maintenance level?

 

[Built]

Track calories now for a week. Take the average.That's maintenance.

To bulk, increase. To cut, decrease.

 

[Ben]

Evolution, use this site and it will tell you how many calories you need, there is also a Weight gain calculator on there.
Calorie Calculator - Daily Caloric Needs

 

[eVoluti0n]

Evolution, use this site and it will tell you how many calories you need, there is also a Weight gain calculator on there.
Calorie Calculator - Daily Caloric Needs

You're awesome, thanks so much.

 

[juggernaut]

Couple of things.

First, you can't bulk and lose fat at the same time. It's not physiologically possible. Gotta choose one or the other at a time unfortunately.

dont believe everything you hear. It's challenging, but NOT physiologically impossible.

 

[Ben]

No worries, makes it much easier.

 

[Biggly]

Built is correct, Ben is wrong. As someone who actually sells such a calculator I'm the first to point out that no formula (there are over 100 different calorie formulas out there) can be accurate enough if you're serious.

The only way to know for certain what YOUR needs are, allowing for your lifestyle, metabolic rate, workout routines etc is to monitor for awhile. THEN you calculate based on your lean mass and goals.

Sorry but a bit of javascript on a website is likely to do more harm than good. For example if I put my own figures in there I get "2304 Calories/day" for maintenance. Great. It's using the same Harris/Benedict formula I use for my own calculator. That's nice.

Except I monitor my calories every day and my average over the last month? 1850. My weight has stayed steady and I KNOW that is my maintenance level. I know for my present weight that I can go down to 1820 without lean weight loss.

Why? Because I'm a lazy slob and my 'work' is at a computer asides from working out.

I know if I ramp up my workouts and am busy building an extension or something I can inhale 3000+ without a problem. YOUR calorie needs are dependent upon your own gentics and circumstances, so measure, then calculate from there.

As a general guide you should reduce something like 400 below for fat loss, around 500 above for mass gain.

I'm all for using formulas as a guide for complete newbies but Jake is correct, measuring what you're already eating is the most accurate method. That java thing doesn't ask what your current lean mass is or anything. It could be absolutely spot on for this guy - or completely wrong.



B.

 

[juggernaut]

he's right. Magazines are also guilty of similar problems-especially those that espouse to writing out diets for the "typical 180 lb individual". I hate those things because they NEVER take into effect the carb sensitive person who is trying to cut, for example and they slam that person with over 200g of carbs and say that is a low carb diet...bullshit. I don't eat 200g of carbs a day, even in my off season and I'm tipping the scales at a lean 210 right now. I'm also carb cycling for my contest and I know that 30g, 60, 90 are my best for carbs. Protein is kept at consistent 210-230g a day and fats are kept to a low bare ass minimum. You have to see what some of these psychos tell you to eat. Especially M&F.
The bottom line is, you need to trial and tweak all that you do, because there really is only one of you!