To succeed in bulking, nutrition and training are inseparable. Training without appropriate nutrition will yield few results, and vice versa.
The first thing to remember is that a slight caloric surplus to gain muscle is necessary.
Plusieurs études cliniques ont élargi nos connaissances dans ce domaine, dont cette étude réalisée en 2019. Pour gagner 1 kg de masse musculaire, 350 à 480 calories de plus par jour sont recommandés.
Weight gain on the scale should be gradual to limit fat gain in favor of muscle. A guideline: 0.5 kg to 1 kg per week is a good average.
To help you plan balanced bulking meals, I suggest a sample day. Let’s imagine your daily needs at 2,700 kcal per day, 400 extra calories for bulking, i.e. a 3,100-calorie day.
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1. A protein-rich breakfast
A mass-gaining breakfast should be sufficiently high in protein. Upon waking, its important to break the overnight fast with foods rich in vitamins, fiber, and healthy fats to satiate the body.
- 2 fried eggs
- 100 g of whole-grain bread + peanut butter
- 1 apple
Other ideas to vary from whole wheat bread:
- Rolled oats
- Sugar-free muesli
2. A high-protein shake
During a mass-gaining phase, supplementing your diet with dietary supplements can be useful. Convenient, their nutritional composition is also perfectly suited.
Instead, choose a gainer based on whey, with carbohydrates and low in fat.
3. A balanced lunch
Prefer lean proteins for a mass-gaining meal: white meats (turkey, rabbit, veal, skinless ham, pork loin…), white fish, oily fish (sardines, mackerel, trout…), and red meat up to twice a week.
Prioritize omega-3 sources for your fats by varying vegetable oils and using healthy foods like avocados or nuts and seeds.
- 100 g of grated carrots, seasoned with canola oil
- 1/2 avocado
- 150 g of chicken breast
- 200 g of quinoa
- 200 g of broccoli with 1 tablespoon of olive oil
4. An afternoon snack
The afternoon snack is essential when lunch and dinner are far apart: to supplement the days calories and above all to provide energy!
If you train around 6 PM, this mass-gaining snack will boost your workout by sparing your energy reserves.
- 200 g of fat-free fromage blanc
- 1 high-protein cereal bar
- 1 banana
5. A customizable dinner
- 150 g of ground beef (5% fat)
- 150 g of cooked white basmati rice
- 200 g of grilled vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
There are many alternatives to vary starchy foods:
- sweet potato
- white pasta or semi-whole wheat pasta depending on your digestive tolerance
- buckwheat
- Legumes, essential if you’re vegetarian: red beans, chickpeas, red (or coral) lentils, or green lentils…
My tips for successful bulking
Three nutrients essential for bulking
Muscle is made mostly of protein and water. Adequate hydration and a strategic distribution of nutrients are the foundations of optimal muscle growth.
Three nutrients are essential:
- fats
- proteins
- carbohydrates
When you do weight training, strength sports, or team sports, the ideal macronutrient distribution for gaining muscle mass is as follows: 55 to 60% carbohydrates, 20 to 25% protein, 20 to 25% fat.
All are essential to nourish the muscle, support its development and meet your body’s needs.
Do not drastically reduce sugar or fat
Several studies have looked at following a ketogenic diet in athletes. Most found that it resulted in maintenance or loss of muscle mass, with few results showing growth.
Same goes for the fats during a bulking phase. To avoid hormonal disruptions, don’t try to reduce them drastically. You need some healthy fats!
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Sports nutrition is always personalized
Sports nutrition should always be personalized: beginner, intermediate or professional, the approach is not quite the same. Other factors (age, sex, genetics…) also matter.
Adjust the quantities, of course. If you are a woman or a man, short or tall, beginner or experienced, a boxer or a basketball player… everyone bulks differently
Depending on your starting target weight and how your body responds to this new diet, the duration of the bulking diet can vary.
Don’t hesitate to consult a dietitian specialized in sports nutrition to support your diet.
Where to start?
The number of meals for a bulking phase can vary between 3 and 6 per day. You can opt for two protein shakes per day if adding meat, fish, and eggs to every meal is difficult for you, or if you are vegan.
Or, for example, favor a post-workout shake if you don’t have dinner shortly after your workout.
Several methods exist to calculate your caloric needs for a bulking phase. If your weight is stable, I suggest keeping it simple by first adding snacks and observing how your body reacts.
Keep in mind that the goal during this period is to limit muscle catabolism in favor of muscle anabolism.
Weigh yourself weekly to see if the bulking meals suit you — whether they’re too calorie-dense or not calorie-dense enough.
Sources and scientific studies
Vargas et al. 2018. Efficacy of ketogenic diet on body composition during resistance training in trained men: a randomized controlled trial.
Slater et al. 2019. Is an Energy Surplus Required to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Associated With Resistance Training.
K J Cureton, M A Collins, D W Hill, F M McElhannon Jr, 1998. Muscle hypertrophy in men and women.
Klaas R Westerterp, 2012. Dietary protein and weight gain.
Bray et al. 2012. Effect of dietary protein content on weight gain, energy expenditure, and body composition during overeating: a randomized controlled trial
