Help Me! - First Time Bulking Diet

[Janitor Pants]

Hi All, First of all thanks for looking, here is my backstory quickly.

I have been going to the gym regularly now for about 1.5 years. 1 year ago just when I was starting to really get into it I separated my shoulder snowboarding and had to take it easy in the gym for quite a while. For the last 6 months I have been going hard again, and for the last 4 months I have been cutting weight to get better definition and shed extra pounds. I am 28 years old, 6'1 and I used to weigh 230 lbs, as of today I am down to 196 and have been maintaining that for about 3 weeks. I like the definition but have definitely noticed I have stopped getting stronger for about the last month. I am now looking to bulk up. I have tried to follow some of your guy's posted diets and come up with something that I think will work for me. Here is what I have so far, I would love some input from some of the veterans on here, I am terrified of putting on a ton of extra flab again. I know I will gain some fat, but I don't need to be carrying 30+ extra pounds of fat ever again. I have just started eating normal again and have kept focusing on protein and already I feel like a rocket ship on the launch pad, I would love some input before I start this diet, I want to get huge, but in an Incredible Hulk kind of way, not like Fat Albert.

Meal 1 - 6:30 AM

1 Scoop Whey Isolate
500 ml 1% Milk
1/2 cup Oatmeal
1/2 cup Blue Berries
1 Cup Fat Free Yogurt

1 Clif Builders Bar

(I know this one isn't ideal, but I am not a morning person, I try to pack all my stuff the night before and I like this one because I can just grab it and jump in the truck and go to work. Also on a side note, I work in the patch and am on the road all day so things that can be packed and taken with me are a bonus)

Meal 2 - 9:00 AM

Whole Wheat Tortilla
2 Eggs
Hot Sauce
2 Slices Marble Cheese

Meal 3 - 12:00 PM

1 Can Tuna
Large Side of Brown Rice
Large Plate of Spring Greens

Meal 4 - 3:00 PM

1 Scoop Whey Isolate
500 ml 1% Milk
1/2 Cup Blue Berries

2 Pieces Multigrain Bread
Natural Peanut Butter

Meal 5 - 6:00 PM

Giant Costco Chicken Breast
Large Side Brown Rice
Large Side of Spring Greens

Meal 6 Pre Workout Shake - 7:00 PM

1 Scoop Whey Isolate
500 ml 1% Milk

Meal 7 - 9:00

1 Scoop Whey Isolate
1/2 Cup Dry Oatmeal
1 Cup Yogurt
1 Banana

Total Calories: 4150
Total Protein: 380 g
Total Fat: 85 g
Total Carbs: 460 g

Carrying over from my cutting phase I am going to continue to drink only water or green tea. I usually drink about 4-5 liters of water a day.

I feel like my calories are about right, I know my protein is way too high, my fat is a little high also, but my carbs seem too low to me. The problem I am having is I don't know what to do about it. Maybe I am worrying to much about this, but I would like to do this as efficiently as possible.

I go to the gym 4 times a week, 2 days going to max strength training and 2 days repetition at reduced weight. Thanks so much for looking, sorry for the long ass post. I look forward to your reviews.

[PdH]

I would try to get more whole food in there. 3 shakes and the rest whole food with at least 1 beef meal. Meal 4 looks like a good place to add 7 oz beef and rice or pasta. Also, get rid of those blueberries in your shakes. They mess with glycogen uptake by muscle tissue. If you feel your protein intake is too high, which is debatable, then cut the milk volume in your shakes. IMO your carb intake is fine. You could use more good fats from cashews, almonds, and olive oil. Good luck! :)

[Janitor Pants]

Hey thanks for the feedback, I will lose the blueberries immediately, I had heard good things about the anti-oxidants but didn't know they would mess with muscle tissues, good to know. Replacing the shake in meal four with a steak should be easy enough as my whole extended family is beef farmers, we've got lots kicking around.

I forgot to mention that I am taking Omega 3 as well, but I will definitely get my hands on some cashews and almonds. The old lady cooks the chicken breasts with olive oil which I forgot to mention.

Thanks for the feedback.

[fourarms]

I would try to get more whole food in there. 3 shakes and the rest whole food with at least 1 beef meal. Meal 4 looks like a good place to add 7 oz beef and rice or pasta. Also, get rid of those blueberries in your shakes. They mess with glycogen uptake by muscle tissue. If you feel your protein intake is too high, which is debatable, then cut the milk volume in your shakes. IMO your carb intake is fine. You could use more good fats from cashews, almonds, and olive oil. Good luck! :)

What do you mean the blueberries will mess with glycogen uptake? Are you referring to the fiber in the skins? I think the blueberries are good as long as they're not in the post workout shake where you would only want a fast acting carb and protein.

[PdH]

What do you mean the blueberries will mess with glycogen uptake? Are you referring to the fiber in the skins? I think the blueberries are good as long as they're not in the post workout shake where you would only want a fast acting carb and protein.

Blueberries are full of fructose. Fructose replaces liver glycogen which, once saturated, impairs muscle glycogen uptake.

[devo09]

Blueberries are full of fructose. Fructose replaces liver glycogen which, once saturated, impairs muscle glycogen uptake.

can you prove this? The only situation I'm aware that fructose intake can mess with something like that is when the intake is VERY high....

OP, diet looks fine. I'd up fats/carbs and lower protein a little but the diet will work as along as the calorie level is adequate.....and IMO eat your blueberries

[PdH]

can you prove this? The only situation I'm aware that fructose intake can mess with something like that is when the intake is VERY high....

http://www.fitnessforoneandall.com/nutrition/article/glycogen.htm

http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/nutritionbasics/a/glycemicindex_3.htm

http://www.protraineronline.com/past/july2/fruit.cfm

[devo09]

http://www.fitnessforoneandall.com/nutrition/article/glycogen.htm

http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/nutritionbasics/a/glycemicindex_3.htm

http://www.protraineronline.com/past/july2/fruit.cfm

So those articles pretty much say to limit fructose, if your dieting, where your carbs will be restricted...
Resistance training really doesn't use a lot of glucose/glycogen as energy and doesn't burn many calories...he is NOT going to depleted while intaking 480carbs per day...thus it doesn't really matter

also, if calories are in check, the fructose intake in moderation will have zero effect since our bodies are constantly storing and burning fat throughout the day. So if your worried about fructose being more easily stored as fat then you better be worried about dietary fat intake too, since that is much more easily stored in adipose tissue.

an endurance athletes burning a shitton of glycogen would definitely want to make sure fructose wasn't their main intake of carbs

[PdH]

The way I read it is this: Fructose is utilized by the body to replenish liver glycogen. Once liver glycogen is saturated, the body transforms all other fructose and glucose to fat.

[Ritch]

Blueberries are full of antioxidants. Besides I doubt he`s eating quantities that have enormous amounts of carbs, and the carbs from them are low glycemic. Blueberries are fine, I have them everymorning in my oatmeal with strawberries and rasberries. Whether gaining or dieting.

[kloan]

mmm... blueberries are yummy!

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1851/2


go ahead and eat them, nothing wrong with that. 1/2 cup is only like 10 grams of total carbs, fructose & glucose will be less... no big deal.

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