For many people, the idea of creating a diet plan is so intimidating that they are more comfortable passing the process along to someone else. They trust a complete stranger more than they trust themselves. Preparing a diet plan may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, the process is surprisingly easy, as long as it's taken one step at a time.
Here’s how you can plan a bulking diet to build muscle quickly without breaking the bank:
- Learn your body type.
- Calculate your personal caloric needs.
- Plot your surplus intake.
- Organize your micronutrient needs.
- Research the ideal foods.
- Make it fun.
- Consider supplements.
- Remember to hydrate.
- Wait, think, and recalibrate.
With a bit of research and care, creating a diet plan can be an empowering opportunity to get to know yourself and your body. Does bulking still seem intimidating? Check out these steps to learn just how easy it can be.
1. Learn Your Body TypeÂ
You wouldn’t leave something as important as the care of a child or pet up to a complete stranger, would you? Why, then, do so many of us trust complete strangers with the nutritional care of our own bodies?
While everyone trying to bulk up may seem to have the same overall goal, everybody is different. Before you learn what you need to eat, you need to know a little more about yourself first. Body types,also known as somatotypes, fall into one of three categories.
EndomorphÂ
If you’re an endomorph, you might struggle to lose “softness,” particularly around the stomach or hips. Because of your naturally slow metabolism, you’ll need to be extra careful when portioning out fats. Never fear; your stronger bone structure can handle the stress that comes with building muscle, so enjoy those heavier workouts.
EctomorphÂ
This body type is typically narrower in frame and can struggle to build muscle. Be aware that if you’re an ectomorph, you may struggle to see results as quickly as your peers. Knowledge is power, though, so keep up the hard work and you’ll definitely enjoy the payoff.
MesomorphÂ
If you’re a mesomorph, you have a medium frame and what is considered the most “athletic” of the builds. Your fast metabolism is going to be key in helping you gain muscle quickly and efficiently. By learning more about your body type, you can also learn more about yourself and your individual needs.
2. Calculate Your Personal Caloric NeedsÂ
While the general rule of thumb is that most people require around 2,000 calories to maintain their desired weight, actual caloric needs are far more complicated and depend on a variety of factors. This can get even more complex when you consider the added caloric needs of a bulking diet.
The quickest and easiest way to plan a bulking diet is to use a BMI and calorie calculator. Though “super athletes” may find the information in this chart inaccurate, a BMI calculator is the best way for the average person to learn more about their own caloric needs. For example, this chart reveals that the average American man requires closer to 2,500 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight.
Imagine if this same man blindly followed the 2,000-calorie rule. While he might think he was bulking up, he may have set himself up to actually lose weight and deprive his body of delicious nutrients.
3. Plot Your Surplus IntakeÂ
If you plan to make gains quickly, calculating your regular calorie intake is just the start. The best rule of thumb with bulking is to aim for 10-15% above your regular caloric intake. For most people, this means adding between three or four hundred calories per day to their regular diet. However, all calories are not necessarily created equal. It’s not just about how much you put into your body; it’s about what you put into your body.
4. Figure Out Your MacronutrientsÂ
Even most newbies know that protein is important in bulking up and gaining muscle. Protein, commonly found in meats, beans, nuts, and dark leafy greens, plays a vital role in keeping you full for longer periods of time and building up muscle after a workout.
While it’s true that unprocessed protein can be stored as fat,studies have shown that the average person can actually eat five times the minimum amount of protein as long as that diet is paired with a healthy amount of physical activity.
As you pack on the protein, remember that physical activity should be kept largely in the weight room, not the treadmill. Cardio is great for avoiding fat production, but the whole point of this extra protein is to gain muscle and get big.
Protein is objectively the biggest key to building muscle, but it's important not to fall into the trap of believing that protein is all you need for a balanced diet. Healthy fats are vital in providing the lubrication that joints need during a heavy workout, and carbs make up the backbone of our energy.
As with all things, macronutrients are all about balance. Track your food, and as you do, experiment with different combinations to see what helps you feel your best and make your gains.
5. Research Your Ideal FoodsÂ
If the core needs of a bulking diet were summed up in a single sentence, it would be this: eat as much as you can, as often as you can. Actually, scratch that. Eat as much of the right foods as you can, as often as you can.
Because your goal is to eat as much high-value protein as possible, you’re going to want to avoid traditional “diet foods” in favor of dense, high-calorie substitutes. When toning, you may want the filling effects of a massive bowl of kale, but when bulking, you’d be better off skipping the salad in favor of roasted garbanzo beans, grilled chicken, or hearty scrambled eggs.
6. Make It Fun
Let’s be honest. You know yourself better than anyone else. When researching your ideal foods, don’t forget to take your tastes into account. Any diet built on a set of foods you hate is destined to fail before it begins.
You’ve just been given a license to eat as much food as you want for a brief period of time. Use it! Take this as an opportunity to learn all the delicious, healthy options out there. Diets can be miserable; bulking doesn’t have to be.
7. Consider Taking Supplements
One of the best ways to make sure that you’re receiving the balance of protein that you need is by adding a supplemented shake or smoothie to your daily meals.
There are tons of options available for supplementing your diet, but try not to get bogged down in the weeks of research. When it comes to bulking, there arethree easy additionsyou can make to maximize your gains.
- Whey protein: This byproduct of dairy processing contains all nine amino acids vital to building up muscle. Not only that, it is known for being practically flavorless, meaning your shake doesn’t have to taste like chalk.
- Creatine: This supplement can be taken at any time of the day to improve general energy levels and gains.
- Vitamin D: Can you get this from the sun? Yes. Do most people lifting weights neglect to go in the sun as often as they might during regular cardio? Also, yes. So, take your vitamin D!
When you get down to it, there’s no supplement quite as powerful as the real thing. Try to get as many of your nutrients as possible from your food intake, but don’t be afraid to fill in those gaps when trying to get big.
8. Remember To Hydrate
Does this go without saying? Yes. Are we going to say it anyway? Absolutely. When lifting weights to build those muscles, hydrate, hydrate,hydrate!
9. Wait, Think, RecalibrateÂ
The process of bulking up is not one that takes place overnight, and neither should your diet plan. As you work out over the coming weeks, stay in tune with your body. The human body is an amazing instrument! If you listen to your own cues, you’ll find that your body will tell you its needs.
For example, if you find that, despite your athletic body type, you are struggling to put on muscle, it might be time to cut that last bit of cardio in favor of more protein shakes and weights.
If you are exhausted even after a full eight hours of sleep, try adding more carbs into your diet. Is your hair growing brittle and dry? Maybe add some more healthy fats to your lunches and dinners.
ConclusionÂ
When it comes down to it, you know your body better than anyone on the planet, maybe even better than you think. So, creating a diet plan is going to take a bit of research, but in the end, the effort is well worth the result. Listen to your body, evaluate your needs, and, most importantly, have fun with the process!
Sources:
Body Types: How to Train and Diet for your Body Type | NASM
Calorie Calculator | Calorie Calculator