When the weather starts getting cold again it means we get to wear our heavy coats, sweaters, scarves, boots, and pants to stay warm. Not only do these clothing items protect our skin from the harsh cold climate, it also hides our bodies so we can enter the bulking season!

The summer months are considered “cutting season” where we work hard to trim fat and tone muscles to get our bodies looking great for the beach. In the winter, however, we have to gain that weight back by going into a caloric surplus. When we go into a caloric surplus, we gain more strength because our bodies can output more energy and gain more body weight over time. There are typically two ways you can go about bulking; clean or dirty.

Dirty Bulk vs Clean Bulk

A dirty bulk is when you go into a caloric surplus by eating whatever and whenever you want. This usually includes a lot of junk, greasy, and fatty foods. There really isn’t any guidelines to follow when going on a dirty bulk and you will gain weight quicker than with a clean bulk, but the weight will be from fat, not muscle. If you eat a large quantity of junk food when you bulk, you will get to your targeted weight quickly, but it is not that healthy for you. The number of carbs you will be ingesting can affect your blood sugar and your insulin levels which can alter your overall health. The fat content in them can also create heart problems later on in life which can lead to an increased risk of a stroke or heart attack. Unless you are being monitored by a medical professional every day, this type of bulking is not recommended, no matter how tempting it may be!

On the other hand, a clean bulk involves consuming a surplus of calories only from nutritional sources. The best kinds of foods to eat for a clean bulk are fruits, vegetables, and clean proteins like lean meat or nuts. You should also try out some proteins shakes made from almond milk, fruit, and natural mass gaining protein powders. Incorporating these clean calories into your diet will allow you to healthily gain weight during your bulking season.

Starting a Clean Bulk

The best way to do a clean bulk is to eat six high-calorie meals every few hours every day. This allows you to stop temptation from eating junk food as you will always be full of nutritional calories. Prepping your food weekly is a good way to keep yourself on track and to eat only the food you set out for yourself. This will stop you from driving through the drive-thru after a long day at work and not wanting to cook anything when you get home.

Going on a clean bulk is the safest way to gain mass and strength without feeling sick or fatigued during the day, which is what you will more than likely face if you go on a dirty bulk. If you need help bulking up and are looking for gyms in London, Ontario then come to our fitness club, Forest City Fitness.

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