Bulking: Protein or Calories

[Matt Rogers]

I am a bit confused. I am currently trying to bulk and doing a 20 rep squat routine and working my ass off in the gym. But am a bit confused about the diet

One school of thought is that it is mainly about calories and you should have lots of milk, shakes, pasta, meat etc. So getting a good 200g of protein or so but also a helluva lot of calories around 4000-5000

Another school of thought just says you should eat loads of protein and not go overboard on the calories and stay away from carbs and fat which will make you fat.

Any thoughts?

 

[Double]

i go for a middle way.....300-400g protein and 3000-4000calories....and i'm doing okay with it.(current stats: 159lbs,~16-17%bf)

 

[silverwex]

How can anyone manage to eat between 300-400g protein a day? Does the majority of that all go to waste?

Im bulking at 180g a day.

 

[Heizen]

If your body is using it, then it isn't going to waste. But to get the most out of that many grams, you need to lift super heavy and really work your ass off.

I am bulking and have been and maintained BF% while gaining 10 lbs of muscle. You can bulk cleanly, you just need to make sure you eat *clean* and eat as many clean forms of slow burning carbs as needed to maintain a normal life and workout. Fat is somewhat irrelevant, keep the levels in check and you will do fine.

Eating excessive amounts of calories really isn't needed. Alot of bodybuilders do it because their bodies are at the point where it doesn't really want to gain any more muscle. I don't think anyone in this forum is that far progress to say 'I *need* 5-6K is calories a day to bulk'.

 

[dastal]

300-400g protein and 3000-4000calories

damn
I do 200 and 3000 calories

 

[harwell]

Anyone eating 300-400 g of protein a day better be drinking over a gallon of H2O a day ... thats a lot of work on the kidneys...

I actually use a program to plan out all my meals and to account for protein/carbs/fat. Right now I'm eating 3000 cal/day with 30% protein (225 g) / 40 % carbs (300 g) / 30% fat (100 g). If you just follow that ratio you should be getting enough protein even if your working out hard. As for calories I started at 2400 and added 200 every two weeks till i started gaining.

If your serious about dieting.. make sure your getting your protein from lean cuts of meat like grilled chicken breasts, steak (w/o the fat), eggs, cottage cheese, etc. For carbs go for green vegatables, fruit, brown rice, wheat bread, etc. As far as fats, I try and get the majority from flax seed oil, basically the best kind of fat you can put in your body (polyunsaturated w/ omega-3 and 6)

One final note: DRINK LOTS OF WATER!