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Lean vs Dirty Bulking
Lean bulking is a smarter approach and here’s why. For bulking to be successful, you need to eat in a caloric surplus meaning you eat more calories than you can burn over time. This then begs the question; how big should this surplus be?
A lean bulk suggests a small surplus to minimize fat gain. This is more of tortoise approach, slow and steady if you will.
Whereas a dirty bulk suggests a big surplus to maximize muscle gain by also accepting the consequences of more fat gained. Dirty bulking gets its name because most dirty bulkers eat tons of junk food without tracking to skyrocket caloric intake. This is more of a hare approach.
However, research shows us what’s best. Based on current evidence, dirty bulking doesn’t have much merit (3). With extreme caloric intakes, studies show at best slightly faster muscle growth, but exponentially more fat gained. You’ll have to spend additional time cutting later to lose this fat anyways.
So while you might hear about dirty bulking from many old school bodybuilders, it likely won’t work well for most people. Sure, you’ll get to eat a ton of food and you’ll definitely get big, but it’s not the type of big you’d be proud of.
Therefore, a lean bulk of about 200-500 daily calories above your maintenance is ideal. The tortoise really does beat the hare and you should continue gaining until desired size is achieved or until you exit optimal body fat range.
You might get a little soft towards the end of a bulk, but it’s ok. That’s normal and a quick switch to cutting (as discussed later) will torch off any excess body fat revealing the muscles you grew.
What to Eat When Trying to Bulk
This depends on how hard it is for you to gain weight. Everyone needs to get enough protein, but hardgainers can get away with more nut butters, fruit juices, pasta and desserts, while people who easily gain fat should focus on eating more animal protein, dairy, eggs, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and grains.
Even in a small surplus, bulking will allow for much more calories than cutting. This can be tempting to start inhaling a dessert buffet, but for most people that’s not optimal.
Whole food choices that fight chronic inflammation, provide adequate protein, and ensure micronutrient coverage will maximize muscle growth.
Practically speaking though, there are people who struggle to eat enough for an optimal surplus like chronically skinny people and first-time bulkers. Whole foods might be too satiating for this population and thus adding in calorically dense choices should be considered like nut butters, fruit juices, and pasta. Calorically dense supplements can help as well.
When all is said and done, if you can eat a consistent diet that provides enough calories, protein, and vitamins/minerals, muscle growth should be robust assuming training/recovery is also optimal.
Lean bulking is a smarter approach and here’s why. For bulking to be successful, you need to eat in a caloric surplus meaning you eat more calories than you can burn over time. This then begs the question; how big should this surplus be?
A lean bulk suggests a small surplus to minimize fat gain. This is more of tortoise approach, slow and steady if you will.
Whereas a dirty bulk suggests a big surplus to maximize muscle gain by also accepting the consequences of more fat gained. Dirty bulking gets its name because most dirty bulkers eat tons of junk food without tracking to skyrocket caloric intake. This is more of a hare approach.
However, research shows us what’s best. Based on current evidence, dirty bulking doesn’t have much merit (3). With extreme caloric intakes, studies show at best slightly faster muscle growth, but exponentially more fat gained. You’ll have to spend additional time cutting later to lose this fat anyways.
So while you might hear about dirty bulking from many old school bodybuilders, it likely won’t work well for most people. Sure, you’ll get to eat a ton of food and you’ll definitely get big, but it’s not the type of big you’d be proud of.
Therefore, a lean bulk of about 200-500 daily calories above your maintenance is ideal. The tortoise really does beat the hare and you should continue gaining until desired size is achieved or until you exit optimal body fat range.
You might get a little soft towards the end of a bulk, but it’s ok. That’s normal and a quick switch to cutting (as discussed later) will torch off any excess body fat revealing the muscles you grew.
What to Eat When Trying to Bulk
This depends on how hard it is for you to gain weight. Everyone needs to get enough protein, but hardgainers can get away with more nut butters, fruit juices, pasta and desserts, while people who easily gain fat should focus on eating more animal protein, dairy, eggs, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and grains.
Even in a small surplus, bulking will allow for much more calories than cutting. This can be tempting to start inhaling a dessert buffet, but for most people that’s not optimal.
Whole food choices that fight chronic inflammation, provide adequate protein, and ensure micronutrient coverage will maximize muscle growth.
Practically speaking though, there are people who struggle to eat enough for an optimal surplus like chronically skinny people and first-time bulkers. Whole foods might be too satiating for this population and thus adding in calorically dense choices should be considered like nut butters, fruit juices, and pasta. Calorically dense supplements can help as well.
When all is said and done, if you can eat a consistent diet that provides enough calories, protein, and vitamins/minerals, muscle growth should be robust assuming training/recovery is also optimal.
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