Reasons that diets fail at helping you bulk up:

1) Calories are not high enough and building muscle mass fast fails.

2) Calories are too high and macros percentages are not in check. This in turn leads to putting on sloppy weight (fat) as well as muscle.

3) You are cheating instead of bulking. Cheat days will be factored in, but your food choices should still be healthy. All diets, whether cutting or buking, need to be monitored.

4) You are what you eat. It’s just that simple. If you eat crap, you will look like crap.

The basics:

1. Postworkout (PWO) Nutrition: This is the most important aspect of dieting. It is within the 15 minutes after a workout that your body is in dire need of nutrients. It is a completely anabolic state, and what you take in can be optimized to ensure maximum results. A general rule of thumb is 40-60 grams whey protein, and double the amount of whey in carbohydrates.

2. Carbs: Carbohydrates are a very helpful macronutrient when you are trying to gain lean mass. However, carbohydrates are only useful if they are used at the correct times. In my opionion carbohydrates are only necessary for 3 meals of the day. These meals include breakfast, your PWO Shake, and your PPWO Meal.

3. Protein: Just like when you are cutting, you need plenty of protein. For bulking, a good rule of thumb is 2-3g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. You should take in a good portion of your protein in the source of real meals, avoid intaking too many shakes, as real food comes to a better benefit.

4. Fats: EFA’s (Essential Fatty Acids) are extremely important in any diet. The list of benefits from taking in dietary fats are extensive. A diet which includes EFA’s will yield much better results.

5. Cheating- Cheating is essential. Why? Remember, the body runs on homeostasis, it likes to keep balance. After eating so well after a week, your body begins to adjust, and lean mass gain / fat burning over time will not be as rapid. The other extremely important aspect is mental sanity. So many diets crash and fail because people don’t give themselves a chance to breath. Remember, cheating is not an opportunity for you to pillage the entire mall food court. Shoot for a cheat meal, not an all out binge. A fast food value meal can be 2,000 calories. Eat that 3 times on one day, and you’ve consumed 6,000 calories. And that’s not good in any case.

6. Cardio: Damn right cardio! Yes even when bulking. Why? Because cardio works the most important muscle of all – YOUR HEART. Not only that, but doing cardio 3 times a week will help keep the fat you will gain in this diet to a minimum. Cardio should be performed on an empty stomach first thing in the am. The proper cardio for burning fat is done by staying in your target heart rate for fat burning which is 65-70% of your max heart rate for a period of 45-60 minutes. **Cardio Disclaimer: Some people have a harder time gaining weight than others, and doing cardio might not be the best idea for these people. For others who wish to use the fat burning abilities of cardio but still gain size, 30-35 minutes of cardio 1-3 times a week may be a better choice. Remember it is your body and only you know what works for you.

The sample bulking diet:

Note: This is a sample diet for our 26 year old, 6ft tall, 220 pound man.

Meal 1: Pro/Carb 8 Egg Whites, 1 Scoop Of whey Protein, 1 cup oatmeal 50g protein / 54g carbs / 5g fat

Meal 2: Pro/Fat Lean Ground Beef, ¼ cup swiss cheese, green veggies 55g protein / 2g carbs / 20g fat

Meal 3: Pro/Carb Chicken Breast, 1 and a half cup Brown Rice 55g protein / 84g carbs / 3g Fat **Disclaimer: Meal 3 can be a pro/fat meal if you are ultra sensitive to carb intake.

Meal 4: Pro/Fat 2 Cans of Tuna, 1 Tbsp Full Fat Mayonnaise, Veggies 60g protein / 2g carbs / 13g Fat Workout

Meal 5: PWO Nutrition 2 Scoops whey Protein / 80g of Dextrose 40g protein / 80g carbs / 0g fat

Meal 6: PPWO Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, ½ cup Brown Rice (Measured Uncooked) 50g protein / 70g carbs / 3g fat

Meal 7: Pro/Fat Lean Protein of your choice, 2 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter 50g protein / 5g carbs / 18g fat

Meal 8: Before Bed 3 Scoops of whey Protein, 1.5 Tbsp. Flax Seed Oil 60g protein / 3g carbs / 21g Fat

That turns into approximately 420 grams protein, 270 grams Carbs, and 83 grams of fat. This is roughly 3500 calories

*Reminder: This is a PRIMER. It’s not mean to be comprehensive. Everyone is different, to find out what works for your body takes trial and error.

Q & A:

Q: What about dairy?
A: This is totally dependant upon your goals. If you don’t mind the bloat from milk then go for it. Skim milk is a better choice as far as mixing fats and carbs go. Remember you are bulking so you have more freedom in your dietary choices.

Q: How often should I eat?
A: You’ll have to do the math to see how often you will have to eat to get your 7-8 meals a day in. If your up for 16 hours a day, then every 2 hours is how often you need to eat.

Q: Is sodium an issue?
A: Outside of the bloating issue, or if you have high cholesterol, no.

Q. How do I make my meals not taste like cardboard?
A. Be creative. Mix in some sugar free jam or splenda in your oats, some hot sauce or soy sauce on your meats, or pick up some sugar free ketchup.

Q. I don’t like old fashioned oats. Can I eat the pre mixed oats with fruit?
A. No. Be a man. Those mixes have ridiculous amounts of sugar.

Q. What about fruit?
A: Go for it, like with dairy you are BULKING. You have more freedom in your dietary choices.

Q: What are some good sources of Lean Protein?
A: Eggs, Fish, Chicken, Steak, Ground Beef, whey Protein, Turkey… the list goes on forever. Do a search and look through other people’s diets for ideas on protein

Q: What are some good sources of complex carbohydrates?
A: Rice, Pasta, Whole Wheat Bread, Yams, Oatmeal… same as above.