How do you deal with the mental side of bulking?

[justreading]

I am at my wits end!

For years I have been in about the same shape (give or take a few slip ups) because every time I try to get bigger I feel fat!

How do you deal with the mental side of losing your cuts and abs? I just can't get over it and its kept me from getting to the next level which is huge for me. I am above average size but with some bulking could be somewhat impressive I think.

Please give any tips or your stories of how you handle this concern!

 

[nparisi]

I'm the same way I'm pretty interested to hear the replies...I'm bulking now and as soon as it cools down I'll be wearing more sweaters/hoodies and stuff...out of sight out of mind

 

[carpee]

i lift in my college weight room....its nice cuz its where the Chicago Bears train in the summer...

But when i get fat, as i currently am doing...i just look around in the gym.
Dinky little freshman doing awful curls with 8.3 lbs. while i'm deadlifting 315. I may feel fat, but I'm still progressing and under that fat there is LEAN mass that in the months to come next year will be on display!

plus i tell myself how much i love food.

 

[Dyou]

i have this same problem. i am naturally a small skinny guy but i can bulk up easily, the only thing that keeps me back is my midsection. once i feel like its getting too big or losing definition i will get so discouraged that i just stop dead in my tracks. the only way im getting close to my 200lb goal is my now ex girlfriend who was there the whole time to keep encouraging me and pointing out all the girls that check me out on a daily basis.

 

[Andy G]

What buddhists call the laws of impermanence. Nothing is permanent. Not our suffering, not our happiness, not our muscles, nor our flab. Not to get too deep, but that's how I look at it. This "fat" is not permanent. I AM in control and this is serving a greater purpose, and helping me achieve my physical goals. It's these mind games and personal battles that will ultimately reveal what kind of champion you are going to be in life, or at your chosen competitions.

 

[urbanski]

i deal with it by knowing that you cannot gain overall weight without gaining fat. that the only way to build mass is to eat supramaintenance and lift heavy. that gaining mass and strength is my ultimate goal not having "abz" that i flex in the mirror at the gym.


but at 5'9", 205lbs, you've clearly built mass and been successful at it. this just seems like an odd question. bulking is mentally less challenging than dieting.

 

[CrazyChemist]

see i have the oppposite problem. I try to cut and once I get below 10% bf I feel so much smaller I need to start bulking back up and end up around 12-15% bf usually. After fall bulk I'm going to just bite the bullet and do what I need to to get to 9% and stay there. I just look so much smaller glycogen depleted. The bit of flap on my lower abs doesnt bother me as much as how small my shoulders and biceps look.

 

[justreading]

i deal with it by knowing that you cannot gain overall weight without gaining fat. that the only way to build mass is to eat supramaintenance and lift heavy. that gaining mass and strength is my ultimate goal not having "abz" that i flex in the mirror at the gym.


but at 5'9", 205lbs, you've clearly built mass and been successful at it. this just seems like an odd question. bulking is mentally less challenging than dieting.

Dieting is SO easy, you see changes on a daily or weekly basis and everything is laid out for you as one big math problem, plug in the right numbers and lift right and you lose fat. Bulking is not like that, you walk sucha thin line between fat gain and stagnation. I personally get stuck at 215 bulked before I gain too much fat which then translates to 202 ripper and 205 when I go off diet to hold steady. It is the SAME every single year, I might just stop even trying to add weight if I can't get over this mental and physical hurdle that stops me at 215.

 

[monsterbox]

SAME PROBLEM HERE.

I finally said F*ck it. Generally I grow in bursts, when I'm training without hormones. I'll eat a crap ton of food, start to gain fat on my wasit, but for some reason not on my abs. Then the muscle will slap on and that muscle begins to burn the fat.

Just don't bulk too fast...If you are like me, you'll hit about 12-14% BF, but the muscle growth will keep you from gaining any more fat.

Its literally impossible for me to eat enough to get above 12-14% on a bulk unless I stop the intensity in the gym, or I start eating High-GI.

Eat lots of f*cking oatmeal...its your best friend for a bulk. Lots of LONG lasting carbs, for energy, and carbs.

Plus, you have to figure in water retention with the higher BF/carbs. If you cut out all carbs+creatine, you'll look like you dropped 5lbs of fat. I always wake up in the morning feeling much learner and go to sleep at night thinking, WTF am I doing to myself. However, when I'm in the gym, and pumped up, and I realize that my arms are 5 inches bigger than they were 2 years ago, and my chest feels like a water balloon, I reassure myself that giving up the 7% BF was MORE Than worth it.

Keep it up! Only stop if you start getting chest fat/verge of loosing your abs. Even then, just throw in more cardio so you can handle more calories. I believe its going to be easier to drop BF with tons of muscle on you....so when you hit that 230lb goal, and cut back the cals, hit the tredmill, take fat burners, you'll have so much more muscle than your body is used too and it will help in burning the fat off.

 

[urbanski]

Dieting is SO easy, you see changes on a daily or weekly basis and everything is laid out for you as one big math problem, plug in the right numbers and lift right and you lose fat. Bulking is not like that, you walk sucha thin line between fat gain and stagnation. I personally get stuck at 215 bulked before I gain too much fat which then translates to 202 ripper and 205 when I go off diet to hold steady. It is the SAME every single year, I might just stop even trying to add weight if I can't get over this mental and physical hurdle that stops me at 215.

funny how opposite you and i are. i hate to diet and its mentally hard. i hate being glycogen depleted. i love having strength.
the line between too much fat vs stagnation is easily managed by calorie control....couple hundred more, couple hundred less. for me its a fun line to walk and far more mentally easy, lol. i just flat love to eat. i had a 16-oz T-bone and loaded baked potato, plus about 5 shrimp last night and it was glorious!

 

[justreading]

funny how opposite you and i are. i hate to diet and its mentally hard. i hate being glycogen depleted. i love having strength.
the line between too much fat vs stagnation is easily managed by calorie control....couple hundred more, couple hundred less. for me its a fun line to walk and far more mentally easy, lol. i just flat love to eat. i had a 16-oz T-bone and loaded baked potato, plus about 5 shrimp last night and it was glorious!

For me that is NOT walking a line. 300g clean carbs, 400g clean protein and minimal fat is enough to get me gaining fat.

 

[crazyfool405]

i would gain sooo much fat on a diet like that

i ALWAYS have my essentials in place :

Protein- set number usually around 330g per day (enhanced or not, i split between shaked and real food. shakes have greater bioavailability so not hitting that high number is never an issue)

Fats: my omegas and mono unsaturates. this usually goes by .5g per pound for 5 meals because post workout doesnt have any fat. about 100g of fat per day 20 per meal.

Carbs: these are NON essential so ill be switching this up on the regular, Not exactly carb cycling because carb days always the same and non training days always the same so no low medium highs... for this ill have .6g per pound body weight + an extra 40g so about 160g carbs on training days, and ill always use a nutrient partitioner

 

[KgTomCat]

without watching a video of the gods (Arnold, Ronnie, Priest..) here and there, I lose motivation at times

 

[justreading]

without watching a video of the gods (Arnold, Ronnie, Priest..) here and there, I lose motivation at times

Thats the fastest way to lose motivation. It just reminds you that genetics mean everything and we are wasting our time...

I don't know. I eat very clean and am already starting to add some fat back. Sure its not bad for some but it makes bulking impossible

 

[crazyfool405]

Thats the fastest way to lose motivation. It just reminds you that genetics mean everything and we are wasting our time...

I don't know. I eat very clean and am already starting to add some fat back. Sure its not bad for some but it makes bulking impossible

PM me if youd like lets make this work for u!

 

[DenDestroys]

PM me if youd like lets make this work for u!

Crazy, mind spreading the wealth of knowledge here too? I'm kind of in the same boat and want answers on this as well.

 

[KgTomCat]

oh Crazy...

 

[justreading]

PM me if youd like lets make this work for u!

I'll hit you up with more background info soon.

 

[CrazyChemist]

strong post.

agreed

 

[brk_nemesis]

its easy,.... the feeling i get when I look in the mirror with a shirt on when bulking is more gratifying to me than when I cut weight, have a shirt on and look in the mirror. I like the feeling of being "the big guy" and not needing to take off my shirt just to show someone the fruits of my dedication. Im only 15% right now,..... but thats surely no 6% bf.

Everyone wants to be ripped at some point, but I dont want to be ripped and small. All my previous cuts, no matter how they ended, I still felt like i was incredibly small. When you have size for a while, you miss it when it goes away. The only people this doesn't necessarily apply to are guys who have amatuer/pro muscle mass. When you get to that point, you can be "huge" and "ripped," and eventually years from now thats my goal: to acquire enough mass that I can stay cut year round, and still be fukin' huge.

Its all about your goals, and what you are working toward. If you really want it, you'll put up with the "baggage" for however long till you achieve that goal. So if Im not as ripped as Brad Pitt in Fight Club yet,... thats fine by me... b/c my arm is bigger than his head.

 

[silverSurfer]

I am at my wits end!

For years I have been in about the same shape (give or take a few slip ups) because every time I try to get bigger I feel fat!

How do you deal with the mental side of losing your cuts and abs? I just can't get over it and its kept me from getting to the next level which is huge for me. I am above average size but with some bulking could be somewhat impressive I think.

Please give any tips or your stories of how you handle this concern!

I wish I could help you, but I'm working to get to your level

If you're already in great shape feel great about yourself :thumbsup:, but don't give up.

 

[justreading]

Sorry but a bodybuilder has abs year round, maybe not etched but if someone can't keep that they aren't dedicated enough. Look at competitors of any level (besides certain freak like lee priest) and they always have some abs. What good is muscle if you can't see it. For me any fat shows FAR too much. I tested out under 10% bf and I barely have abs. Maybe bf% is deceptive but my fat patterns drive me nuts... just a train of my thoughts. I am losing it because I am eating perfectly clean and still gaining some fat.

 

[nparisi]

Sorry but a bodybuilder has abs year round, maybe not etched but if someone can't keep that they aren't dedicated enough. Look at competitors of any level (besides certain freak like lee priest) and they always have some abs. What good is muscle if you can't see it. For me any fat shows FAR too much. I tested out under 10% bf and I barely have abs. Maybe bf% is deceptive but my fat patterns drive me nuts... just a train of my thoughts. I am losing it because I am eating perfectly clean and still gaining some fat.

Ouch I must not be dedicated enough. Plenty of bbers dont have abs year round, google some more off season pics. If I only bulked to the point of still having abs, I'd still be a real tall lanky mofo...Maybe you have good genetics man, at least you're not 6'2" naturally skinny with a tiny ass bone structure. Bulking efficiently isn't as easy for some...but more power to you that you always have abs year round. :afro:

 

[justreading]

Ouch I must not be dedicated enough. Plenty of bbers dont have abs year round, google some more off season pics. If I only bulked to the point of still having abs, I'd still be a real tall lanky mofo...Maybe you have good genetics man, at least you're not 6'2" naturally skinny with a tiny ass bone structure. Bulking efficiently isn't as easy for some...but more power to you that you always have abs year round. :afro:

Didn't say I had them all the time... just rambling thoughts of frustration

 

[nparisi]

Didn't say I had them all the time... just rambling thoughts of frustration

i hear ya man..i just did some cardio and abs today and could barely see the outline of a 2 pack after =(

 

[alwaysgaining]

this is intesting to read because i just get bigger but stay cut nothing crazy but i still will have a six pack just no back abs

 

[brk_nemesis]

Ouch I must not be dedicated enough. Plenty of bbers dont have abs year round, google some more off season pics. If I only bulked to the point of still having abs, I'd still be a real tall lanky mofo...Maybe you have good genetics man, at least you're not 6'2" naturally skinny with a tiny ass bone structure. Bulking efficiently isn't as easy for some...but more power to you that you always have abs year round. :afro:

agreed. It depends on what your definition on "abs all year round" is JR. Like I said before I am prolly around 14-15, and I have visible abs when flexed. I usually have tested around 10-12% in the past off seasons, but I didnt cut up this summer as I usually do. I personally cannot gain muscle at all w/o a big surplus of extra calories. Same with bb'ers in the off season. There are a few exceptions, Dexter Jackson being one, who states he is ripped year rd. The reason for this is getting the most muscle in the smallest amount of time. If you dont care about this, cut up, and maintain what ya got.

Offseasons/ guest p's:
Ronnie Coleman off season

Vic M

Evan Centopani

It all depends on your goals. If you think you have enough muscle right now, and dont mind slower, and a gradual increase in mass over time,... increase the cardio, keep diet clean.

 

[justreading]

They ALL have some abs. Personally I dont show abs over 12%, I get "fat" when I am still lean.

 

[crazyfool405]

Most bbers are on gh year round od 6months at a time which helps keep them lean

Can't forget about those drugs and hormonrd they put in there body which helps nutrient partioning as well

 

[KgTomCat]

I have abs all year...

 

[justreading]

Most bbers are on gh year round od 6months at a time which helps keep them lean

Can't forget about those drugs and hormonrd they put in there body which helps nutrient partioning as well

Ha its year round man... no six months ****, maybe at low low levels and yound guys. I have no problem using anything except for the funds.

 

[brk_nemesis]

They ALL have some abs. Personally I dont show abs over 12%, I get "fat" when I am still lean.

Thats what I mean,.... If you think thats okay to only see a small outline of abs,.. then I wouldn't worry about it. Thrown in some morning runs here and there or something to lean out a little further. As long as you dont have a "keg" I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[justreading]

Thats what I mean,.... If you think thats okay to only see a small outline of abs,.. then I wouldn't worry about it. Thrown in some morning runs here and there or something to lean out a little further. As long as you dont have a "keg" I wouldn't worry about it.

Its the jiggle that gets me... If anything jiggles at all in any situation I lose my mind. I'm thinking I will try extreme nutrient timing. Need some solution

 

[crazyfool405]

Just be lean enough s0 when u brush ur teeth u don't jiggle lol

 

[KgTomCat]

Thats what I mean,.... If you think thats okay to only see a small outline of abs,.. then I wouldn't worry about it. Thrown in some morning runs here and there or something to lean out a little further. As long as you dont have a "keg" I wouldn't worry about it.

X2

 

[justreading]

Just be lean enough s0 when u brush ur teeth u don't jiggle lol

Been there once before, my fat distribution pattern is horrible. It ALL goes right to my abs, not side not anywhere else but right over the abs.

 

[crazyfool405]

Heyyy mine too bro. That's how I developed my method of madness!

 

[KgTomCat]

we all want to be the best at what we do...if gaining some fat is necessary, then Im fine with that, I now believe that gaining quality mass is as much psychological as it is physical, if your serious about it...

 

[soontobbeast]

What buddhists call the laws of impermanence. Nothing is permanent. Not our suffering, not our happiness, not our muscles, nor our flab. Not to get too deep, but that's how I look at it. This "fat" is not permanent. I AM in control and this is serving a greater purpose, and helping me achieve my physical goals. It's these mind games and personal battles that will ultimately reveal what kind of champion you are going to be in life, or at your chosen competitions.

i look at this the exact opposite. as ive been cutting for quite some time, i think a lot throughout the day, '' maybe ima just stop, smoke some dojah and eat some donuts ''. whats the point? in a few months ima start bulking again and gain a buncha weight back as you say nothing is permanent, that includes definition. you [ most people ] will always have to watch what you eat all the time to maintain that level of definition, and you probably can't. or it would suck to do it.

 

[soontobbeast]

Its the jiggle that gets me... If anything jiggles at all in any situation I lose my mind. I'm thinking I will try extreme nutrient timing. Need some solution

i just read that. cracked me up

 

[Frank Reynolds]

Been there once before, my fat distribution pattern is horrible. It ALL goes right to my abs, not side not anywhere else but right over the abs.

I feel your pain man.. It is mentally draining to say the least.

 

[KgTomCat]

I feel your pain man.. It is mentally draining to say the least.

"the mind is the first part of the body to fail"
-Arnold

 

[brk_nemesis]

Been there once before, my fat distribution pattern is horrible.

Mine is horrible lol. Which is the reason why on every cut except 1, ive stopped 1/2 or 3/4 the way through the cut b/c I was not pleased with the results. I deposit fat in the lower chest, love handles and lower abs. They are the very last place I loose fat, to the point where I know I am 7% bf or lower when my nipples start to point downward :laugh2: Oddly enough my upper and mid abs dont hold nearly as much fat, so when I cut up, it looks,... well, rather weird. Its not til I get to the finished product 7-8% that i look good. Between that and the muscle lose is why I am waiting to do a full cut once more. So my goal is to stay at what BF I am now,... continue to pack on the muscle, skip a cutting session next summer as well, and once I hit 260ish, then cut that sh!t up. :147:

 

[John Smeton]

agreed. It depends on what your definition on "abs all year round" is JR. Like I said before I am prolly around 14-15, and I have visible abs when flexed. I usually have tested around 10-12% in the past off seasons, but I didnt cut up this summer as I usually do. I personally cannot gain muscle at all w/o a big surplus of extra calories. Same with bb'ers in the off season. There are a few exceptions, Dexter Jackson being one, who states he is ripped year rd. The reason for this is getting the most muscle in the smallest amount of time. If you dont care about this, cut up, and maintain what ya got.

It all depends on your goals. If you think you have enough muscle right now, and dont mind slower, and a gradual increase in mass over time,... increase the cardio, keep diet clean.

I agree with brk. That is the reason I do not stay lean year round. In addition to not moving as heavy weights risk of injury is greater due to having not enough water(due to carbohydrates) and low body fat levels

Q. How do i deal with it?

A.I do not allow body fat too high about 15 % percent at the most(give or take), and always do my cardio on off days .

At the end of lets say a three month all out bulk of surplus calories I reduce calories(mainly carbs) and maybe take a fat burner. (EC/ECA stack or maybe some green tea, sesamin, lean extreme, close to non stimulants as possible, whatever works for you..or maybe not even take any fat loss product) i might do this for 6 weeks but not dropping calories to low, maybe maintence.

after this I may go on another surplus calorie diet. this also keeps insulin levels in check and is better for gains than say an all out bulk for the whole time.

also remember when body fat gets too high like 18-20 % or higher men start having problems with armotise-however it is spelled..which causes excess estrogen. i made this mistake last year so keep your body fat at least presentable.

"the mind is the first part of the body to fail"
-Arnold

Hey Bud. still doing the ECA ?

 

[swollwilliams]

i think you just have to consider your long term goal which is ultimately to put on as much lean muscle mass as possible, as fast as you can. to do this you have to let the bf % go a bit, put on that extra weight- which usually leads to strength gains= more muscle. when the vascularity and definition start to fade, stay focused on your goals. with the cooler weather, it's the perfect time to pack on some size..when you cut up, you will look the better for it.

 

[John Smeton]

i think you just have to consider your long term goal which is ultimately to put on as much lean muscle mass as possible, as fast as you can. to do this you have to let the bf % go a bit, put on that extra weight- which usually leads to strength gains= more muscle. when the vascularity and definition start to fade, stay focused on your goals. with the cooler weather, it's the perfect time to pack on some size..when you cut up, you will look the better for it.

well said! repped you know your stuff on how to get big.

it is so basic yet I know so many guys who eat no more then 2,500- 3 k or less and expect to gain.

this is something I have learned not too long ago so I get excited over it

I have heard one guy in my gym complain i hate guys that get big and have genetics. what he does not understand any one can eat their way up in size they just have to put their time in the table.(and it costs $$ to all the food$)

now genetics muscle bellies that is a whole different thing

 

[KgTomCat]

I agree with brk. That is the reason I do not stay lean year round. In addition to not moving as heavy weights risk of injury is greater due to having not enough water(due to carbohydrates) and low body fat levels

Q. How do i deal with it?

A.I do not allow body fat too high about 15 % percent at the most(give or take), and always do my cardio on off days .

At the end of lets say a three month all out bulk of surplus calories I reduce calories(mainly carbs) and maybe take a fat burner. (EC/ECA stack or maybe some green tea, sesamin, lean extreme, close to non stimulants as possible, whatever works for you..or maybe not even take any fat loss product) i might do this for 6 weeks but not dropping calories to low, maybe maintence.

after this I may go on another surplus calorie diet. this also keeps insulin levels in check and is better for gains than say an all out bulk for the whole time.

also remember when body fat gets too high like 18-20 % or higher men start having problems with armotise-however it is spelled..which causes excess estrogen. i made this mistake last year so keep your body fat at least presentable.

couldn't have said it better!!!

Hey Bud. still doing the ECA ?

no sir, do it for too long (7 or 8 weeks) but Im glad, cuz I learned alot, Im currently doing a Oxyguno/Furaguno stack. the gains have came reallllyyy slow, but now they are coming everyday, too bad its the last week but overall Im happy

 

[Zaneseed]

i just read that. cracked me up

x2 haha.
i was having the same difficulty with getting used to bulking but i just focussed on my goal which is to pack on size to win my next comp and it really cleared up my priorities for me. you just need to focus on your goal and take the necesssary steps. you wont like all the steps but they're the times when you see how important it is to you

 

[John Smeton]

x2 haha.
i was having the same difficulty with getting used to bulking but i just focussed on my goal which is to pack on size to win my next comp and it really cleared up my priorities for me. you just need to focus on your goal and take the necesssary steps. you wont like all the steps but they're the times when you see how important it is to you

Well put.

 

[TheLastRonin]

I don't deal with it when I have bulked. I enjoy the crap out of eating major amounts of food while lifting heavy ass weight. That makes me feel good. Who cares about being ultra ripped in the wintertime anyway? Thats straight up eating/sleeping and working out hardcore time. I could see feeling insecure in the summer/shirtless time if you have a mental thing about it...but schedule around it so you look your best when the shirt comes off.:ninja:

PS Swole your a beast.