Bulking Order

If you’ve ever said, “I’m bulking,” and then immediately followed it with a plate that looks more like a refeed after a 72 hour fast… this one’s for you.

Bulking has somehow become the most misunderstood phase of nutrition.
Some people treating it like a free-for-all. Some deciding that a 1000calorie surplus will get them to the finish line quicker.
And others barely go a calorie over maintenance in fear that they’ll “get fat.”

The real target is somewhere in the middle of all that.

A surplus is not a permission slip to stack up on the latest Popeye’s release.

It’s still a valuable tool… regardless of what you’ve heard.
Used well, it builds muscle, strength, and performance.
But used poorly, it builds fatigue, bad habits, and regret.

So let’s clean this all up.

A caloric surplus simply means you’re eating more calories (energy/food) than your body needs to maintain its current weight.

Pretty simple, right?

So the goal is not to gain weight as fast as possible.
The goal is to support training, recovery, and muscle growth with just enough extra fuel to drive all those processes.

Keep these in mind:
- Better sessions
- Better recovery
- Slow, intentional weight gain

Not:

“See how much I can eat everyday”
“I’ll clean it up later”
“It’s bulking season, bro”

Less than you think.

For most lifters and athletes the surplus should be:
- 200-500 calories per day is typically a good place to be
- Beginners can sometimes push closer to +500 (to fuel a bit of those nooby gains).
- Advanced lifters often need even less (gaining is slower and utilization is different)

If the scale is flying up week to week, you’re overshooting.
Muscle builds slowly. Fat and water stores fill quickly.

A good rule: If your performance isn’t improving, but your waistline is… that’s not a successful bulk.

No phase of nutrition works without adequate protein.
Bulking doesn’t change that.

Aim for:
- 0.7–1.0g of protein per pound of bodyweight
- Spread across meals
- Prioritize whole sources first

Protein supports:
- Muscle protein synthesis
- Recovery
- Keeping weight gain leaner

Skipping out on hitting the daily protein target and “making it up with calories” is how sloppy bulks happen.
However, you don’t typically need to go crazy on massive amounts of protein intake over the 1g/per lb. You should be consuming enough calories from other sources to offset any potential muscle atrophy.

This is where bulking is king for building.

Carbs are:
- Training fuel
- Recovery fuel
- Supporting volume and intensity

If your lifts feel flat or conditioning tanks, carbs are usually the missing piece; not more protein.

Focus on:
- Rice, potatoes, oats, fruit
- Bulk of carbs around training sessions
- Enough to support hard work, but not over snacking/indulging

Utilize the surplus and train hard. Keep intensity as high as you can with adequate recovery between bouts.

Fats matter.
Hormones, joints, health; all important.

But fats are easy to overdo in a surplus because they’re so calorically dense.

Guideline:
- 20–30% of total calories
- Keep sources consistent and aim for type with higher amounts of the unsaturated fats (regardless of what your carnivore or keto friend told you).
- Just because it’s a “healthy fat” does not mean you can add more

If you’re tracking, and it seems like your calorie consumption is a bit too high… check your fat intake first.

A good bulk is typically boring on the scale.

Expect:
- 0.25–0.5 lb per week
- Strength trending up
- Recovery improving
- Clothes fitting slightly tighter (in the right places)

I do want to clarify that fat gain is normal. Even on a small surplus. It is completely natural and needed to add a little extra “unwanted” weight to build lean muscle mass.

These derail more people than under-eating ever does:

Bulking should make training feel better; not heavier, slower, and more exhausting.
Remember: You’re still technically dieting. It’s just for gaining instead of losing.

The best bulks look consistent on a spreadsheet.

Small surplus.
Hard training.
Boring meals.
Months of patience.

That’s how muscle is actually built.

Next week, we’ll flip the script and talk about cutting without wrecking your performance, hormones, or sanity.

I’m currently bulking right now…
And I’m basically documenting it on my YouTube Channel.

If you have any questions at all, reply to this newsletter directly!