One of the periods in which athletes should pay special attention to their nutrition in order to achieve the appearance they dream of is nutrition during the bulk period. In this article, we will talk about the characteristics and importance of the bulk period and the foods that athletes should consume during this period.
Table of Contents
What is the Bulk Period?
The bulking period is defined as the bulking period of individuals who aim to gain weight and build more muscle.
During the bulk period, when athletes gain weight and develop their muscles to the maximum level, those who want to maximize muscle development especially turn to weight training.
Because lifting weights is a type of training that should be preferred by those who want to have a more muscular body. Another element that makes the bulking period so special is that even though you aim to gain weight during this period; you don't have the freedom to eat whatever you want.
So for an aesthetically satisfying body, you should also expand in healthy ways during your bulking period.
Lifting weights is very important during the bulking period.
What to do during the Bulk Period
In order to increase your volume in a healthy way during the bulking period, you must be very disciplined and determined in terms of nutrition and exercise. Because not paying attention to your nutrition or not being disciplined when it comes to your workouts will reduce the efficiency you get from this period. If we need to systematically explain what needs to be done during the bulking period;
You should eat a minimum of 5-6 meals during the bulking period:
During the bulking period, you need to eat very strictly with the awareness that your goal is to gain weight. For this reason, you need to eat 3 main meals and a minimum of 2 snacks. In addition, increasing the amount of your daily meals will be a factor that will prevent muscle breakdown. Thus, you can build new muscles without the danger of losing your existing muscles.
You should focus on protein:
Muscles are structures that contain special proteins. Therefore, you should focus on protein consumption to build new muscles in your body. You can consume plenty of eggs and meat during this period, provided that you balance it with other foods. We recommend that you prefer salmon from meat varieties.
Don't forget healthy carbohydrates:
When you are in the bulking phase, you should increase your carbohydrate consumption as much as you increase your protein consumption. Because carbohydrates are one of the sources that will provide you with energy to do the workouts you need to get efficiency from this period. But in this period, as in all other periods, you should meet your carbohydrate needs from healthy options. In other words, you should not eat 5 slices of pizza in a row because you need carbohydrates.
Include healthy fats in your diet:
Oils such as avocado, hazelnut, sesame, flaxseed and olive oil are very healthy sources of energy. They are also foods that meet the body's fat needs thanks to their content. One of the food groups you should turn to for a more balanced weight gain during this period is healthy fats such as those in the examples.
Prepare the training program carefully:
Training hard is one of the premises for a person to become healthier, stronger and more muscular. For this reason, you should be aware that training should be one of your top priorities during the bulk period when your goal is to build muscle. You should have a strict training program and you should not neglect to include weight lifting in your program. Because weight training will help you to increase your muscles by making you stronger.
If you need to take supplements, consult those in the know:
In fact, it is possible to say that there is not much need for supplements as the individual will have a protein-rich eating pattern during the bulk period. However, the individual may not want to eat protein-rich foods. In such cases, you can talk to nutritionists to determine which of Whey Protein, Gainer, Creatine Monohydrate or pre-workout supplements would be more suitable for you.
Bulk Period in Winter
Another point you should pay attention to about the bulking period is; which season you coincide with this period. Because seasonal temperatures are among the factors that will directly affect the amount of sports you will do and your diet. Athletes usually enter the Bulk period in winter. Because in winter, people can do more sports without thinking about the mood and sweating problem caused by hot weather. This is a factor that makes the bulk period more efficient.
Bulk Period Nutrition
There are a few foods that you should add to your diet during bulking. By consuming more of these foods, you can take logical steps towards healthy bulking. If we need to list these foods for you;
A Few Food Recommendations
Oatmeal in Bulk Period
Oatmeal, which attracts the attention of athletes by containing healthy fibers for humans, is also a nutritious carbohydrate source. By adding oatmeal to your breakfasts during the bulk period, you will both get healthy carbohydrates and eat a fiber-rich meal.
Chicken Breast in Bulk Period
Chicken is a useful food for humans in terms of the amount of protein it contains. During the bulking period, you can meet some of your daily protein needs by eating especially the breast part of the chicken. The point you should pay attention to when cooking chicken during this period will be to eat the lean parts of the chicken.
Curd Cheese in Bulk Period
Curd cheese is one of the first types of cheese preferred by almost everyone who goes on a diet. Because this cheese contains a high amount of protein and a small amount of fat to balance the fat content. For this reason, you can have a very productive period by including curd cheese in your nutrition program while you are in the bulk period.
Brown Rice in Bulk Period
As we mentioned at the beginning of our article, although the aim of the Bulk period is to gain weight; how we get the weight in the right ways is one of the factors that affect this period the most. You can consume healthy carbohydrate sources such as brown rice during this period to have an efficient bulk period. If you have questions about when you should use carbohydrate sources; "When Should the Athlete Consume Carbohydrates?" We also recommend you to read our article.
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Avocado in Bulk Period
As we mentioned during the bulking period, it is also very important to add healthy fats to your diet. One of these healthy fats is avocado. Although avocado is a food that is perceived only as a fruit, it is also a very rich food in terms of fat. You can taste foods rich in vegetable oil by adding avocado, a quarter of which is 1 teaspoon of oil, to your salads.
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A Few Food Recommendations to Avoid During Bulking
Hamburgers in the Bulk period
According to research, it is possible to say that when a healthy person eats one hamburger every day, their health will deteriorate. As you can see, hamburger, which fascinates us all with its dizzying flavor, is actually a food full of dangers. For this reason, we recommend that you forget about eating hamburgers during the Bulk period.
Chips in the Bulk period
Almost all dietitians advise you not to give your children the habit of eating chips from an early age. Because although chips can be described as delicious, it is a very harmful food. You should never taste this food, which is likely to cause acne on the skin and excess weight in the body, during the bulk period. Although the bulking period is seen as a period of weight gain, it will be very difficult for the weight gained from chips to leave your body or turn into muscle. Therefore, you should stay away from this food during the bulk period.
Chocolate during the Bulk period
Chocolate is also one of the foods you should avoid during the bulk period due to its high sugar content. Because sugar causes fat, especially in the abdominal area, and it will be very difficult for you to break this fat and build muscle.
As can be seen, the bulk period is a very complex period. Because people entering the bulk period need to be very systematic and disciplined. If you want to learn what you need to consume to have a more efficient bulk period, don't forget to take a look at our article "Food Recommendations That Make Muscle Building Easier".
