Let’s face it: to gain size, you must eat.

There is no way you will add a significant mass of muscle if you do not consume sufficient nutrients and calories that support

bulking. Your body should be in an optimal muscle building state. If you fail to eat

enough, the chances are that you might lose muscle mass regardless of how hard

you train.

Many people who are looking to build bulk find themselves in an endless cycle,

where they take lots of food to bulk up and then go on a crash diet to burn the belly

fat to lose the extra carbohydrates. This is not the best way of changing your

physique.

Is it possible to gain substantial muscle mass without adding unwanted fat? We

can’t say it’s easy, but it is achievable and you ought to give it a shot. Thankfully,

you only need to make minor changes to your diet program.

Here is a guide on how to minimize fat gain when bulking:

1. Get lean first before you bulk

Before you start bulking, make sure that your body is lean enough. Remember that

where you start off will determine how much fat you end up with eventually. If you

have about 10 percent of body fat and your abs are visible, your body can

distribute the nutrients across the fat and muscle cells. Thus, you will neutralize

any fat gains.

However, if you are skinny-fat, you may be disadvantaged with regards to insulin

sensitivity in gaining fat versus muscle. Start by achieving your preferred level of

leanness before bulking.

2. Keep protein in check

Protein is one of the primary factors that contribute to bulking. If you want to gain

muscle mass, you should be consistent in the amount of protein you include in your

meals. You should take between 1 and 1.25 grams per pound of your bodyweight.

This will allow your body enough building blocks to help with your intense workouts.

Good protein sources include eggs, chicken, turkey, whey protein

3. Stock up protein

, fish, low-fatdairy products, and lean meats.

Besides ensuring that you eat high protein levels, you should spread the portions

throughout the day. This will help fuel muscle growth 24/7. Most people that hit the

gym require five grams of protein per pound of your weight every day. Pack the

protein into four meals through the protein of your choices, such as meat or

cheese.

4. Increase your calories

You can never gain any weight or muscle if you are in a calorific deficit. You need to

increase the number of calories you take on a daily or weekly basis. Most people

mess up this part especially when they are starting out. An average of the calories

you should consume can be calculated by multiplying your weight by 16. For

instance, if you are 100 pounds, you should take 1,600 calories. If you do not

realize an increase in your weight within two weeks, you can start increasing the

calories by 200 per day until you achieve your ideal weight.

5. Get the right fuel

Take a ratio of 40:30:30 of protein to carbohydrates to fats in a day. Save the more

substantial portions of your carbs for the days you spend at the gym. This is an

ideal way of taking advantage of the quick energy. Eat your most substantial meal

the moment you finish exercising. At this point, your metabolism will be at its most,

so, you do not want your muscles to be broken down to produce fuel. You should

see carbohydrates as fuel, which means that you have to burn some off before

replenishing. After all, if you add gas to a tank that is already full, your efforts will

be futile.

6. Ditch processed foods

Fries and cheeseburger might help you attain your calorie goals, but processed

foods contribute nearly nothing to your overall physique. All that saturated fat, salt,

and sugar will only reduce your odds of exercising and make you crash. Make sure

that all your meals include vegetables and lean meats. When selecting your

carbohydrate sources, go for the healthy and plant-based ones like potatoes, oats,

rice, and yams. Keep off refined oils since they will only make you gain more fat.

7. Use supplements

The primary rules of bulking are: taking more proteins than your body can break

down, eating more calories than your system can burn and working on a

challenging exercise plan that optimizes muscle growth. If you find difficulty in

sticking to this criterion, consider taking dietary supplements. Some of the best

supplements for muscle growth include:

Creatine

Creatine

Whey protein

occurs naturally in the muscle cells and is one of the primary sources of energywithin these cells. Whenever you perform any movements like chewing food orblinking, it is the creatine energy system that powers the process. The compound isa popular supplement and has been in use since the 18th century.

A post-workout whey protein shake

Beta-alanine

supplies the body with high levels of aminoacids and protein. The nutrients are essential in jump-starting anabolic processes.Besides increasing protein synthesis, whey also enhances muscle recovery andrestoration. You can choose to take it either before or after working out.

It is a naturally occurring amino acid that comes into our bodies through protein-

rich foods. This supplement

helps reduce the acidity of the hydrogen ions that oneproduces when working out. It has a “buffer” effect that delays the buildup of theions; thus allowing you to last longer in your workout.

The supplement helps bodybuilders to improve their performance by regulating

protein metabolism. It reduces the extent of muscle damage during workouts and

enhances muscle endurance.

SARMs

SARMS provide the benefit of steroids without the downsides. SARMs are primarily

used for building muscle mass and improving strength. However, some of them

help with fat loss, as well. YK-11, one of the popular SARMs, can help to turn your

body into a fat-burning machine.

8. Do cardio while you bulk

Although you should put a lot of emphasis on strength during the training, you

should not forgo cardio. Remember to focus on short cardio sessions so that you do

not burn too many calories and lose your muscle tissue. All you want to achieve

here is to torch some fat and keep up with your cardiovascular health. A 20-minute

cardio session a week is sufficient.

9. Hit the weights hard

You will want to have at least four strength-training sessions every week. Make

sure you set aside one or two rest days in a week. Split up days between different

body parts. For instance, you can have a leg day, back day and chest day. The

strategy is useful for gaining size.

10. Include compound movements

Mix your workout sessions with significant compound movements like presses,

squats, deadlifts, and pull-ups. You will not only save on workout time but will also

release extra testosterone and experience increased strength. All these are critical

factors in bulking without gaining fat.

11. Try some drop sets

Finish your regular lifting set to failure, and use weights that are 25 percent lighter.

Add some extra reps if and when you can. When you do this, you will be pushing

your body to use every muscle fiber, which eventually increases the pace of growth.

12. Use time under tension

If you want to build greater muscle, make sure you combine high-volume exercises

with high-intensity exercises. You can do 15 reps per set to focus on hypertrophy

and increase the time under tension (TUT). Although regular strength programs

suggest the use of five reps or less to build greater muscle mass, you will

experience more gains in your neural system.

13. Sleep 7-8 hours a night

It is during rest that the body produces the highest amount of growth hormone,

which is a vital constituent to building a lean, masculine body. Your body also

repairs its muscles during sleep. Make sure you have at least 7 hours of restful

sleep every day.

14. Track your progress often

Monitor your body fat percentage, weight and circumference measurements every

four weeks. Make the necessary adjustments if you realize that you are out of

track. Alter your program by increasing your calorie intake if you have maintained

the same weight. If you have gained more body fat, reduce your calorie intake

cautiously.

Undoubtedly, bulking can make you look fit and healthy. Thankfully, you do not

have to gain fat in the process, so, you can have more muscle on your frame than

fat. Although it’s natural to add some fat as you gain weight, not all the gain should

come from the muscle. Work on achieving results at a slow pace as you work on

minimizing fat gain as much as you can.