My Bulking Diet
As most of you know, Round 4 for me was about BULKING UP!! I was not wanting to get fat though! I wanted to add about 8 – 9 lbs of lean muscle mass over a 90 day period, and I was willing accept a small increase in body fat to help me get there. When I started my bulking round, I was 208 lbs, with 6% body fat. After 60 days, I was 217 lbs with 7.5% body fat. So it worked! I had to cut the round short due to a filming conflict with P90X2 (wanted to look cut for that so I stopped bulking). But the principles of the bulking diet I used definitely worked, and can be used as a template for anyone else looking to add mass the smart, clean way.
I am attaching my Round 4 Diet, and you’ll notice some changes.
First, my calorie target varies from day to day. I had the following calorie targets:
- Lift days (3x per week) = 3,500 calories
- Cardio days (2x per week) = 3,300 calories
- Recovery/Rest days (2 x per week) = 3,000 calories
This will allow me to fully fuel myself for muscle growth on the lift days, but not overdo it with unneccesary calories on the light days (like the rest day, the yoga day, and the ab only days). With this diet, I expected to be able to add about 1 lb per week. You will have to find the level of calorie surplus to run to enable yourself to gain 1 lb per week (it could be more or less than what worked for me).
Second, I am using a spreadsheet (I’m attaching them so you can use them or modify them for yourself if you like them). I did a spreadsheet this time so that I could simply check off the box as I eat each item each day. I still think My Fitness Pal is an AWESOME app and very useful, and I still use it if I am eating out or if I have a weekend where the diet will vary a bit. But since I planned on eating nearly the same thing every day, and I’m a creature of habit, this worked well for me as well.
Third, I am shooting for a “range” rather than a specific %, so this gives me a little freedom for substitutions. My protein goal is 30-35%, carbs 50-55%, and fat 15-20% on any given day.
Download my Round 4 Spreadsheets here (Excel):
Download my Round 4 Spreadsheets here (PDF):
round-4-diet-cardio-days Sheet1
round-4-diet-recovery-days Sheet1
* You’ll notice there aren’t big differences in these daily diets. The daily meals and snacks are mostly the same. The key differences are:
Lift Days = I used the pre-workout Nano Vapor (because it has some extra sugar to give me some fast absorbing calories and carbs pre-workout). This adds 210 calories to the daily calorie total. If you don’t want to get a separate PWO, then just consider adding some extra calories in the form of a carb food item before your workout (oatmeal, fruit, etc.).
Cardio Days = Just like lift days except that I used 1 MR for my preworkout, which will cut 200 calories off the daily calorie total.
Recovery Days = I skipped the preworkout and the Results/Recovery formula. However, to get enough morning calories, I CHOOSE 3 (instead of just 2) from my breakfast choices. I will also cut some calories from my afternoon and evening by deleting the afternoon snack of Almonds and the evening Yogurt snack.
Explanation of some of the terms on my Diet Checklist:
Reeses Shakeology = This is my Shakeology, using 1 scoop Shakeology, 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter, and 1 scoop of protein powder.
Choose 2 = I can pick any 2 from that list of 4 items. They will change my % slightly, but still within the range I’m shooting for on any given day. These items are all about 100 calories each. (On recovery days, I can choose 3).
Homemade Bread = My wife makes homemade wheat bread which comes out to 100 calories the way we slice it. If you use standard wheat bread, you can do 2 slices (since standard wheat bread is about 50 cals per slice)
PB = natural peanut butter (I get Smuckers brand from Walmart — the only ingredients are peanuts and salt)
Yogurt = I use both Athenos Greek Yogurt (100 cals/ 11 p / 14 c / 0 f) and Dannon Greek Yogurt (120 cals / 12 p / 17 c / 0 f). These are available at Walmart.
Jerky = I use Jack Links Turkey Jerky from Walmart
Cheerios / H2H = For this snack, I use 1 cup of Cheerios and 3/4 cup of Kashi Heart 2 Heart cinamon O’s (mixed together for variety and flavor)
Carrots (20) = This is 20 count of baby carrots
String Cheese = I use Crystal Farms Light String cheese, 50 cals per stick / 7 p / 1 c / 2.5 f
Almonds = I use plain almonds with sea salt (not the kind cooked in oil). I use 1 serving, which is 24 nuts / 160 cals / 6 p / 6 c / 14 f. I split it into a morning snack of 8 nuts and an afternoon snack of 16 nuts (to spread out my healthy fats throughout the day).
P90X Bar = I use the Chocolate, which has 260 cals / 20 p / 31 c / 8 f
Cheerios / GoLean = For this snack, I use 1 cup Cheerios and 1 cup Kashi GoLean (mixed together for variety and flavor)
Dinner items can vary between Chicken, Salmon, Turkey, etc. I will shoot for about 8 oz of lean meat at dinner. The veggies can vary (green beans, broccoli, salad, etc.). I will shoot for about 140 calories of veggies (which is quite a large serving). The rice / beans can vary (brown rice, black beans, pinto beans, etc.). I don’t usually have both rice and beans, but whichever it is, I will shoot for about 1 serving (170 calories).
My supplement schedule for Round 4:
- Pre-workout = 1MR on cardio days, and NanoVapor on lift days (NanoVapor has a lot of calories in it so I don’t want to use it every day, but the pump and strength it gives me is unreal so I just have to use it on those important lift days!)
- Post-workout = Res/Rec with 3 g extra creatine mixed in
- Breakfast = Vit B, Vit C, and Vit D
- Dinner = Multivitamin, Fish/Flaxseed Oil, and Glucosamine/Chondroitin (since I’m old and arthritic LOL!)
- Late = 5 g creatine mixed with whey protein
216 Responses to “My Bulking Diet”
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Hey Ryan, everyone is different, but yes, as a big guy I always require the max dose to get the effect.
hey coach im about to start p90x i gained 50 pounds working at mcdonalds now im 175 and kinda have a gut now i was wondering if i should do p90x classic doubles or lean and if i should use the bulk diet at same time?
Hey Raul, definitely do P90X Classic, but DON’T do the bulk diet. Do the fat shredder diet!
alright thanks coach you helped me with the hardest decision but if i do that will i also bulk up a bit too cuz i dont just wanna be plain skinny
Hey Raul, read this = http://teamripped.com/big-ripped-or-small-ripped
ok thanks coach i understand lose fat now and build it muscle after well thanks for all the help this will be my last post with questions #1. is the iron gym you’ll up bar ok to use for p90x and #2. is do you have an examle of a fat shredder diet because the nutrition book kinda complicates it.
Yes Raul, the 1900 cal diet is my fat shredder diet. And I use a P90X pullup bar but the Iron gym should work fine.
Thanks Coach Wayne!
I was wondering if I were to start off doing 2 months of the Insanity vid, then after that do P90X for 3 months, and then finally combine the routines as a hybrid.
Are there any downfalls to that or is that fine?
Once again thank you for the advice.
Hey Anthony, sure you can do that. I don’t like doing a cardio-only program though with no lifting. My recommendation would be to do P90X first, then a hybrid with P90X and Insanity second. Here’s a link that discusses them both = http://teamripped.com/p90x-or-insanity
Coach Wayne how can I figure out how many calories to take daily to bulk up?
Hey Pops, look at the “dialing it in” article in the nutrition all in one link = http://teamripped.com/my-nutritionsupplements/nutrition-all-in-one
Thanks coach Wayne by the way my team ripped and P90X2 shirts already arrived and they are amazing.
Hey doc,
I was just reading your bulking diet article. I saw that you used a total of 8 grams of creatine along with your R/R and whey protein, spread out of course. I know that everyone has to be careful with measurements, but at what point can it become toxic? For example, how much creatine is too much?
BTW, I took your advice and changed A LOT of things regarding my diet. I took a small break but started out strong again. I lost 5 pounds my first week, can’t believe it!
Thank you sir, have a good one.
Hey JR, since basically anything, including water, can become toxic at some level, I’m sure creatine can be as well. However, I know that many people typically do loading phases with upwards of 30g of creatine per day for several days with no problems. And in the usual supplemental ranges we are dealing with a toxic dose would not come into play.
I have heard of people who use creatine over a long period of time being more susceptible to kidney stones though. Again, that is rare and not really a “toxic” reaction but a chronic toxicity.
Oh and one last thing, about how many minutes do you consume your pre-workouts before your workout? And about how many minutes into your workout do you actually start to feel the effects? Do you feel jittery, does your heart race a little faster than normal or do you just feel a sudden spike of energy and stamina with no ill effects as you tear through whatever you’re working on that day?
I’m also thinking about starting my exercises early, early in the morning. So this could help me figure out what time I should wake up, take my PWO and get to work. How do you do it early in the mornings?
Thank you, have a goodnight. : )
Hey JR, I take my PWO about 20 min before I start working out. I have never felt a big tingling effect, but that’s just me. Some people feel a big jolt. Everyone’s body will feel it differently. I also never felt much of a “crash” later (feeling run down and tired as the caffeine wears off). Again, others can experience a big crash that makes taking a PWO not worth it for them.
You’ll just have to try it yourself and see what your experience is.
Hi, I am planning on starting p90x with the goal of gaining muscle mass. I am 20 years old, around 5 foot 10 inches and weigh around 145. I used to run cross country and have always been pretty thin but want to bulk up. My plan is to do p90x and use your bulking diet, do you think this would be the best way for me to see results? Also what equipment do I need to purchase (are pull up bar, bands and free weights all I need?) Thanks for the help.
Yes Morgan, that would be perfect to help you build mass. Also, check out my other tips here = http://teamripped.com/coach-ws-tips/building-mass
And yes, all you need is a pullup bar and dumbbells. You don’t even need bands if you have a pullup bar and dumbbells.
hey coach
i was wondering how often you should eat, is it supposed to be 2,5 to 3 hours between snacks and meals. or is just 2,5 to 3 h between meals.
Hey MC, you should eat about 6 times per day, 2.5-3 hours between each time. I eat 3 meals a day, and 3 snacks (for 6 total “meals”).
Ok, thanks. Also, what weight dumbbells would you recommend I work with. I haven’t bought p90x or any equipment yet but I’m pricing everything and saw the prices for adjustable dumbbells and they seem pretty expensive. Is there a few different weights you would recommend for me that I could buy instead?
Hey Morgan, if you are going to use dumbbells, you’ll need an assortment that at least includes 15′s, 25′s, and 35′s for starters. Over time you can add more. Check craigs list or look for used ones and maybe you can get a deal. Weights are expensive.
hey coach
im 21 years old an only weigh right around 142 im trying to gain atleast 20 lbs of muscle but dont have any idea of what kind of diet i need to be intaking daily any way you could help me out?
Hey Jake, this bulking diet gives you some ideas about food choices, but since you are so much smaller than I am, you don’t want to be eating this much food. Look at my article “dialing it in” in the nutrition all in one section for some better specifics for your size = http://teamripped.com/my-nutritionsupplements/nutrition-all-in-one
What do we do If we start to put on more fat during a bulk that we are happy with?
Hey Ray, if you are gaining too quickly, then back down the calories until you are in the right range (to gain about 1 lb per week).
Hey coach i was about to start the bulking diet and was wondering about how many bags of jerky did you buy a week and about how many is about 1oz of jerky?
Also im 5’7″ 140lbs and very slim do you think if i follow your calorie bulk diet i will get bigger but not too big because i want to be ripped but not super big? Thanks a lot!
I would eat about 2 oz of jerky as a snack, and I would eat jerky about 3 days per week. So a 6 oz bag would last me about a week. Other days I would use other items for a snack. You can do it however you want though. Just be sure you are tracking what you eat so that you know your ratios and totals.
And if you are 5’7″, you probably won’t need as many total calories as me. I’m 6’4″. You should start off at about 400 less calories than I did and see how your progress goes, then adjust as needed so that you are gaining 1 lb per week.
Do you mean 400 less calories a day? I also have a high metabolism because i have eaten like a pig for about 5 months and have gained only 3-4lbs total from the last time i finished p90x which was in the summer then college started in September and it set me off and i started to eat bad. :(
Well, pigging out on junk food isn’t a good indicator of how your body will respond to muscle building on a healthy calorie surplus diet. At 5’7″, Id suggest you start off at 400 less calories per day than I did, and adjust from there. Adding body fat just for the sake of being heavier won’t benefit you. You want a controlled, steady muscle gain.
Hey Coach Wayne, I have a question…I use to weight 150 lbs but now I put on 17 lbs of muscle and some fat. I gain a very small gut, I was wondering should I use the p90x regular diet first then later on use your bulking diet. I need to put on size for my job I work in a prison.
Hey Michael, it depends on your goals. Are you looking to drop body fat first or build more muscle first? Look at the “dialing it in” article in my nutrition all in one for more details = http://teamripped.com/my-nutritionsupplements/nutrition-all-in-one
Hey Wayne, I’m looking to really bulk up before summer. I’m trying to gain about 10 pounds of muscle as fast and effective as I can. (while keeping my body fat low) I’m 16, 5’7 138 pounds. How many calories do I need per day and what ratio should I follow?
Hey Robert, check out the “dialing it in” article in my nutrition all in one = http://teamripped.com/my-nutritionsupplements/nutrition-all-in-one
That will tell you where to start, but since everyone’s metabolism runs differently, the key is to adjust as you go to be sure that your calorie intake causes you to gain about 1 lb per week (that way you are building muscle but not just adding fat).
Hey coach. I’m gonna re start a bulk round next week. I assume that even my abs will bulk up at the same time as every thing else? When I started I had a real week core. Now after doing things for awhile I have strengthened that area. I just want to get the abs bigger and more defined. I can definately see them. I just don’t want to lose my current results. Also have you come across anyone who has taken a test booster ? Just curious is all.
Hey Nathan, I’m sure some have used Test Boosters. I don’t have any experience with them. They seem to get mixed reviews — some are sure they work and others say they do nothing and are a waste of $$. So if you try one, let me know what you think!
Will do coach. I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews. So I’m on the fence. Do you agree that bulking should make abs more defined? Also I bought the body fat calipers you got. Great product. One less variable. One other thing. I’ve been cutting up for about 2 weeks now. I have dropped a mm off my abdominal region but also lost a couple of lbs in the process. I’m upping my cals by 200 to try and find that maintenance level. I don’t want to lose weight just some body fat. Is that the way to go? I was thinking 1 more mm and I’ll go to another bulk round.
Hey Nathan, building muscle mass (if you are working your abs) will build the mass of the ab muscles. It won’t make them more defined though unless you also make sure the body fat stays low.
Yes, finding that maintenance calorie level is the way to go. Keep it up!
Hey Wayne, I want to ask your opinion on something. After a workout I take in my post workout shake (350 calories) than an hour later I eat dinner (450 calories) it’s all clean foods of course. But could eating this much so close together cause me to get fat? I was told that it’s highly recommended that you eat an hour after drinking your post workout shake. What do you think?
That’s fine Robert, but honestly you don’t need the 350cal shake after working out if you will be consuming a meal just an hour later. About 150cals would be more ideal for the shake (so maybe half it).
Hey coach, just from curiosity… With that much consumed calories in a day, How much money do you spend a month on food for yourself? I really want to know because it seems like alot of money lol
Hey Jomar, I don’t know how much “I spend” on food in a month because we shop for our family of 7.
I can assure you of this though — I spend a lot less on what I eat now than I did before, because I don’t eat fast food, junk food, etc.
And many of the foods I eat every day are CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!!! Beans, brown rice, oatmeal — dirt cheap! The veggies and fruits I eat are also quite affordable.
Hey Coach,
I overdid the calories and I have gained more fat than I would like during my current bulking phase. Should I run a 1900 calorie diet for a few days or should I just deal with the added fat gain for now and cut at the end of this phase which would be about mid April?
Hey Carl, you can do it either way. I’d switch back to a 40/40/20 to get back down a bit if it were me.
Thanks. The key to maintain the muscle would be heavy weight or protein? Which is more important?
It’s a combination Carl. You’ll get enough protein with any of the recommended diet phases. But yes, keep resistance intense when doing resistance training and you are good to go.
Would you recommend nano vapor or energy and endurance?
I’d recommend either 1MR or E&E. 1MR is the most potent I’ve tried, but E&E doesn’t have to be cycled.