watching the scale

I am currently in the first two weeks of my bulking cycle and I am feeling incredibly satiated, always full, always hungry but incongruently – also feeling pretty great. My energy levels have increased, I am lifting more weight and my body weight is slightly increasing. The night and day difference is also due largely to the fact that I just went through a month-long Ramadan fasting period which left me feeling so hungry and dehydrated during the day. You can read up on how I managed to maintain muscle mass during Ramadan in my article: Gaining Muscle During Ramadan.

When it comes to muscle building, the procedure can be difficult and time-consuming. Bulking, on the other hand, is a crucial method that can help you attain your muscle-building goals. A bulking phase is when you consume more calories than your body burns in order to encourage muscle growth. Here are a few reasons why bulking is essential for muscle building:

1. Caloric Surplus: A caloric surplus is vital for muscle building because it gives your body the energy and nutrients it requires to build new muscular tissue. During a bulking phase, you consume more calories than your body requires, resulting in a caloric surplus.
2. Muscle Protein Synthesis: The process through which your body creates new muscle tissue is known as muscle protein synthesis. Your body has extra amino acids available during a bulking phase, which can aid in increasing muscle protein synthesis.
3. Hormonal Response: Consuming more calories than your body requires might cause an increase in the synthesis of anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone. These hormones are important for muscle building and can help you get the most out of your workouts.

Overall, a bulking phase is necessary for muscle gain because it creates a calorie surplus, increases muscle protein synthesis, and promotes a favorable hormonal response. If you’re serious about gaining muscle, including a bulking phase in your workout routine will help you reach your goals faster and more efficiently.

Finding Out What Your Maintenance Is Before Bulking

I found that there isn’t really a way to accurately figure out exactly what your caloric maintenance is or should be. Luckily, there are a few websites and apps that you can use to give you an estimate of the required calories you need to achieve your fitness goals. I used the Gorilla God Calorie Calculator, which is based on the Harris-Benedict equation, to figure out what my maintenance was. After that, I just began adding 50-100 daily calories on top of this number in order to pick up some mass and consequentially build more muscle.

Keeping Track Of Your Growth During A Bulking Phase

The scale and the mirror are definitely your best friends when it comes to tracking your progress as you continue bulking. When I see my weight begin to climb on the scale, I’m on the right track. When my abs begin to disappear, I need to cut back a little. Simple and effective.