Bulking...
 

I started bulking last year, but it only lasted a month or so, due to having no motivation. Since then, I've put on a little weight, but I'm still fairly lean, however, what it has done is provided motivation for me to start bulking again.

My diet last year consisted mainly of chicken and protein whey shakes. I've got strange eating habits, as I only eat a handful of things. I can’t get enough of chicken, so that’s going to be my pivotal item in my diet. That shouldn't cause any problems, should it?

If I'm looking to bulk, how much protein should I be consuming daily?

I’ve never been too interested in relying too much on supplements, but I’m wondering if there is anything out there worth trying? Although, I’m against steroids and illegal drug use. I'm tempted to go for protein whey again, unless someone convinces me otherwise.

wow, all the bodybuilders are out today :D

firstly for bulking you need plenty of carbs, not just protein. chicken on its own isnt going to help you much for adding mass. make friends with oats and wholegrain rice.

what are your stats? this dictates how much you should be eating. what is your exact current diet including times and amounts?

as for whey shakes.. post-workout only. they are absorbed too quickly at other times to be of any real use.

Thought I might be hearing from you, Milo. :)

As for stats, I've not stepped on a set of scales for months - just goes to show how out of touch I've been. I'm 5'10, and I'd guess around 13-14 stone, although I will get myself weighed properly before planning the diet. I've got a fair bit of mass on my shoulders and pecks, with fairly average biceps and forearms.

My diet at the moment is fairly non-existent. It’s time to cut out the cr*p, and start from scratch.

So, if whey shakes are for post-workout, what can you suggest for use prior to workouts?

eat a proper meal containing slow burning (low gi) carbs and a longer lasting protein source. make the meal not too calorie heavy, as this can spoil a lifting session.. you will need to experiment as to whats best for you. you want to eat this around 1-2 hours before you lift (again experiment to find out whats best for you). personally i eat a dozen egg whites and 2 cups of oats an hour before i start lifting.. i find this works best for me.

Thanks, Milo.

Is there a rough guide to protein/carb intake? I have come across a lot of conflicting information.

the reason theres a lot of conflicting information is because everyone is different, and you need to experiment.

a good base to start from is take your bodyweight in lbs and multiply by 11 for cutting, 12 for maintaining and 15 for bulking. you then experiment by adjusting calories from there to get to a situation of gaining 1lb a week for bulking, or losing 1-2lbs a week for cutting.

typically you would start from 40% of your cals from protein, 40% from carbs and 20% from protein.

so for a 200lb guy wanting to bulk, you typically start from:
3000 calories
300g protein
300g carbs
65-70g fats
split up between 5-8 meals.

G star, like Moses you havent actually mentioned any exercise, as for protien intake, eat Chicken until you an stand it no longer, seemed to work for me.

Milo, seriousl question, do nuts make up any part of your diet, I eat a few grams of unsalted mixed nuts every day but not sure where they fit into a Bodybuilding diet, would imagine too much fat for any quantity.

no, i dont consume any nuts generally.

when i run a ckd diet, which is rare now, i do take in some (almonds). these would be the only nuts id consume. they're calorie-rich and full of protein and good fats. there are far superior choices of foods unless you're on a ketogenic diet though.

almonds can have a place in a bodybuilding diet, but not more than a few grams a day.

almost all of my fats (and i take in quite a lot) come from efas, in particular crushed flaxseeds.

J4CKO, as for exercise, I'll be hitting the gym three/four times a week, perhaps using one of those days to focus on CV.

I've got so many bags of chicken breasts in the freezer that they tend to fall out whenever I open the door.

Quick question about chicken breasts - what's the best way to cook them? In the oven, or using my George Foreman?

grill them
bbq them
stir-fry them in a little extra virgin olive oil

in other words, pretty much however you want.. just dont put sauces on them, and dont deep fat fry them.

i grill them in the winter, and bbq them in the summer.

oh, and also make sure you're having chicken that DOESNT contain any added salt.

ideally you'll be getting chicken from the butchers. if you get it from the supermarket, chances are it has added water (its usually 20%).. if so remember to compensate for this when working out your macronutrient quantities.