‘Bulking up’ entails building strength and gaining muscle mass by following a specific diet and exercise plan. There are some factors that one has to consider when trying to bulk up to ensure that they are on the right track. Making sure that your bulk diet has the following essentials is going to help you adjust your current meal plan to fit the requirements you need to gain muscle healthily. Here are the 6 most essential elements that comprise an effective bulk diet.
1. Tracking Your Progress
Whatever kind of bulk diet you may be following, you need to make sure that you are keeping track of your progress so that you can determine if the nutrition plan is working or not. Usually, you will want to keep a weekly record of any changes in your muscle and fat mass. If you are gaining more fat than muscle, then you are not bulking up correctly. Although bulking requires consuming a copious amount of calories daily, you should not be gaining a lot of weight in the form of fats as that defeats the purpose of your plan. Keeping track of what you consume can also help you identify whether you are consuming the right food amounts or not.
2. Cardio
Exercise plays an important role in achieving any fitness goal. When it comes to building muscles and keeping your cardiovascular system as healthy as possible while bulking up, incorporating cardio exercise in your workout routine is a must. However, engaging in too much cardio defeats the entire purpose. You do not want to overdo it and break down the muscles you are trying to build.
On the other hand, those who want to have a leaner body usually do a lot of cardio and shredding exercises in between periods of bulking. If you want to have visible, big muscles, then you should find a middle ground. People often take supplements before they work out to ensure that they have enough proteins in their bodies. If you are unsure which supplements would work best for you, then based on the advice from the athletes over at, https://www.wilsonsupplements.com/Blackstone-Labs-s/1975.htm, you need to find the right supplements that will help you achieve your goals. But first, you need to understand which vitamins and nutrients your body is lacking before deciding on the right supplement. You can also find new ideas to incorporate supplements into your diet so that you do not feel limited when it comes to healthy recipes.
3. Rest and Recovery
It might seem like constantly going to the gym and exercising is the way to get the muscle gain that you want. However, not getting enough rest in between exercising can do more harm than good. Resting gives your body a chance to recover from the breakdown of your muscles. If you exercise without resting, your muscles are going to constantly ache and you will not get the results you are looking for. Giving your body enough time to recover before working out ensures that you are building up your body strength rather than sapping it endlessly. If you find yourself getting weaker while following a bulk plan, then you need to reevaluate and adjust your plan accordingly.
4. Increased Protein Intake
As mentioned above, some people take supplements to ensure that their body has enough protein to build up stronger muscles, but this is not the only way you can increase the amount of protein you have in your body. Different healthy foods have a high percentage of protein that you are essential to include in any bulk diet. For example, egg whites, chicken breasts, turkey, fish, and different legumes are readily available and easily incorporated into your daily meals to make them richer in protein. If you are vegetarian or vegan, legumes are a great source of protein.
5. Carbs
Some people think that gaining muscles means cutting out carbohydrates and fat from their diet completely. This is untrue and can deter your progress exponentially. Muscles are not just made up of protein. Your body needs certain portions of carbohydrates to function properly. Instead of completely avoiding fat, you need to make sure that you eat food that does not have trans-fat. Incorporating slow-burning carbs such as oatmeal or sweet potato is essential to an effective bulk diet. This is because you need fuel for your muscles to use.
6. Staying Hydrated
This might not be new information, but it is still worth mentioning. Seventy percent of your body is made up of water. All of your organs, including your muscles, have a lot of water, to say the least. To make your muscles seem fuller and to keep your body healthy while you are bulking up, you need to stay well-hydrated all the time. Some bodybuilders drink ten times more than the recommended 8 glasses of water per day.
These 6 essential elements need to be in any kind of diet that is specifically designed to promote muscle gain. If you feel that your diet is lacking any of these elements, then you must adjust it accordingly to get the desired results. With enough time and dedication, you can tailor a diet that will bulk you up safely and healthily.
