While this initially sounds effective, the cutting phase also causes a decrease in muscle mass. To combat the muscle loss, you start the cycle over. You spend all of your time going around and around, never really reaching a steady point that you can simply maintain. If you want to end the cycle of bulking up and cutting down, then use these tips to help you bulk up the right way.
Eat (and Drink) the Right Way
To add bulk, you need to make sure you are consuming an appropriate amount of calories. However, this doesn’t mean you can ignore the nutritional value of those calories. If the type of calories didn’t matter, you could fuel yourself on pints from the local pub, but that isn’t how it works. Building mass requires a mixture of nutrients; this includes a healthy mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Vitamins and minerals are also critical to the process. Additionally, you want to get all of these nutrients from high-quality sources. Instead of focusing solely on the calories, pay attention to your overall nutrition. You should be getting your calories from a range of foods and beverages. You should be including lean meats, fresh produce, and healthy fats. Avoid excess sugars, especially added sugar, and foods that are overly processed. Most importantly, not all sources of protein are created equal. Some supplements may feature a large amount of protein, but from less popular source. These may be harder for your body to use as fuel, and could lead to wasted effort. Since there are a variety of weight gain supplements on the market, make sure to choose the best options available. Then, you meet your nutritional goals while bulking up without sacrificing on quality. If you prefer to know precisely what is going into your foods and drinks, you can also try a homemade weight gainer to supplement your regular diet. A homemade solution gives you the highest level of control, as you can choose exactly what is and is not included.
Burn That Fuel
Now that you have the right fuel coming into your body, it is important that you burn it off. Regardless of the quality of your nutrition, if you don’t burn the calories, you will add fat along with the muscle. If you have just started your workout routine, you may see results very quickly. This is because you are challenging your body with your workout. As time passes, and you gain more mass, your body will become more efficient. Moves that initially brought you newly sculpted arms and shoulders won’t have the same impact. Not only that, but you will also not burn as many calories performing the move. It is important to continuously challenge your body in new ways to keep your calorie burn high enough to keep fat stores at bay. This includes regularly adding heavier weights to your foundational moves and trying new ones that work your muscles in different ways. If it ever begins to feel easy, it is time to ramp it up. As the amount of muscle on your frame increases, you will automatically burn more calories by simply existing. Some estimates suggest that you may naturally burn up to an additional 50 calories a day per extra pound of muscle. However, you must continue to work out to keep the muscle well developed.
Stick With It
Persistence is truly the key to success. Even if you do not see results quickly, the results will come. Re-evaluate your diet to see if your nutrition is lacking while making sure you consume enough calories to support muscle growth. When in doubt, focus on high-quality lean proteins and a variety of vegetables first. This can help make sure you have the right building blocks in place to achieve the body of your dreams.
