Bulking is the process of consuming more calories than you burn to gain weight and build muscle. The goal of clean bulking is to minimize fat gain while maximizing muscle growth. Clean bulking is a term used to describe building muscle while minimizing fat gain.
Why Clean Bulk?
Clean bulking is important for several reasons. Firstly, it aims for more sustainable progress toward building muscle. Furthermore, clean bulking also aims for better body composition. By keeping your calorie surplus small and focusing on nutrient-dense foods, you’re more likely to build lean muscle mass than excess body fat. As clean bulking should help you gain more muscle and less fat, it may also lead to improved physical performance.
Clean Bulking vs. Dirty Bulking
Not all bulking strategies are created equal. From our experience, people tend to fall into one of two camps:
- Clean Bulking: Clean bulking focuses on high-quality, nutrient-dense foods. The goal is to gain lean muscle with minimal fat gain. You’ll be eating whole foods, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats while carefully managing your calorie intake.
- Dirty Bulking: Dirty bulking is all about consuming as many calories as possible, often from fast food, sugary snacks, and processed meals. This method may result in faster weight gain, but it often comes with excessive fat accumulation, sluggishness, and digestive issues.
Clean bulking is the way to go. It provides long-term, sustainable muscle gains while keeping your body healthy.
The Principles of Clean Bulking
To clean bulk effectively, focus on the quality of your food choices. This means opting for whole, nutrient-dense foods such as lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Track your calorie intake and make sure you’re consuming a slight surplus rather than just eating as much as possible. This will prevent excessive fat gain and allow for more controlled progress.
Read also: Gut Health and the Clean Gut Diet
While clean bulking may not result in rapid weight gain like traditional bulking methods, it’s a more sustainable and healthier approach.
Calorie Intake
The first step to clean bulking is eating enough calories. You need to eat enough to support muscle growth, but not so much that you gain a lot of fat. A general guideline is to eat 18-20 calories per pound of body weight if you’re trying to build muscle.
Macronutrient Balance
A solid bulking meal plan will have the right balance of these macros to optimize muscle gain without excessive fat accumulation. Here’s a good starting point for bulking:
- 40% carbs
- 30% protein
- 30% fats
Protein: Protein is essential for muscle growth, so make sure you get enough. A general recommendation is to consume 0.7-1 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Protein is one of the most important nutrients for building muscle. Lean meats are an excellent source of high-quality protein. Most importantly, this type of meat is relatively low in fat. This is important as too much dietary fat can contribute a lot of calories and lead to fat gain.
Carbohydrates: Carbs are important for energy and muscle growth, so you need to make sure you eat healthy complex ones. Carbs are an important fuel source for your muscles. So, don’t be afraid to include healthy complex carbs in your diet.
Read also: Is clean keto right for you?
Fats: Fats are important for hormone production and other functions, so you need to make sure you eat healthy ones. Fat is an essential nutrient our bodies need for various functions. The type of fat you eat is more important than the amount. You should focus on consuming healthy fats such as omega-3s and other poly- and monounsaturated fats.
Meal Frequency and Timing
While you’re clean bulking, you may eat as many or as few meals as you wish, as long as your total calorie and nutrient intake remains in line with your goals. One important factor you should consider when determining meal frequency during clean bulking is protein distribution. It’s recommended to spread protein intake evenly throughout the day, consuming around 20-30 grams of protein per meal.
Another consideration is meal timing in relation to workouts. The most important aspect of clean bulking is meeting your daily calorie and nutrient needs, rather than strict adherence to a specific meal frequency.
What to Eat and Avoid on a Clean Bulk Diet
A clean bulk diet should consist of mainly whole, minimally processed foods such as lean meats, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and healthy fats.
Foods to Prioritize
- Lean Proteins: chicken, fish, turkey, beef, pork, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, reduced fat cheese, protein powders, tofu and tempeh, and eggs and egg whites. Lean meats are an excellent source of high-quality protein. Most importantly, this type of meat is relatively low in fat.
- Vegetables: Vegetables are an important part of a clean bulk diet for several reasons. Firstly, they’re a great source of vitamins and minerals. Vegetables are also low in calories and high in fiber. This combination can help you feel full and satisfied after meals, which prevents overeating.
- Fruits: Fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. As with vegetables, fruits are low in calories and high in fiber.
- Healthy Fats: olive oil, avocado, nuts, nut butters, fatty fish, and seeds like chia, hemp, and flax seeds
- Legumes: all beans, including chickpeas and kidney, navy, black, and great northern beans
- High-Quality Carbs: oats, quinoa, whole grain pasta, white and sweet potatoes, and white and brown rice
Foods to Limit or Avoid
When clean bulking, you should limit ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats. You should also avoid excessive amounts of alcohol. Junk food is high in calories but low in nutrients, so it’s best to limit or avoid it when you’re clean bulking.
Read also: Weight Loss with Clean Program
- Highly Processed Foods: fried foods, canned soups and stews, sugary cereals, chips, fast food, and full fat ice cream, plus packaged pastries, cakes, and cookies, and processed meats like bacon, sausage, ham, salami, and pâté
- Proteins: fatty cuts of beef or pork, as well as processed pork or beef sausage
- Saturated Fats: margarine, butter, and certain oils
- Beverages: soft drinks, sweetened coffee, sweet tea, lemonade, and other sugary drinks
Sample Clean Bulking Meal Plan
Here’s an example of a clean bulking meal plan that can help you build lean muscle mass.
Day 1
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with spinach and whole-wheat toast.
- Snack: Greek yogurt with almonds and honey.
- Lunch: Grilled chicken with quinoa and roasted asparagus.
- Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter.
- Dinner: Baked salmon with sweet potato and steamed broccoli.
Day 2
- Breakfast: Protein pancakes with blueberries.
- Snack: Hard-boiled eggs with hummus.
- Lunch: Turkey wrap with avocado and whole wheat tortilla.
- Snack: Protein smoothie with banana and spinach.
- Dinner: Grilled steak with brown rice and stir-fried vegetables.
Day 3
- Breakfast: Overnight oats with chia seeds and berries.
- Snack: Rice cakes with peanut butter.
- Lunch: Quinoa salad with grilled shrimp.
- Snack: Protein bar and nuts.
- Dinner: Ground beef stir-fry with brown rice.
Day 4
- Breakfast: Avocado toast with poached eggs.
- Snack: Cottage cheese with pineapple.
- Lunch: Grilled chicken with quinoa.
- Snack: Rice crackers with guacamole.
- Dinner: Baked cod with roasted Brussels sprouts.
Day 5
- Breakfast: Protein smoothie bowl with banana and almond butter.
- Snack: Almonds and a protein shake.
- Lunch: Turkey meatballs with whole-wheat pasta.
- Snack: Veggie sticks with hummus.
- Dinner: Grilled chicken skewers with quinoa tabbouleh.
Day 6
- Breakfast: Tofu scramble with whole wheat toast.
- Snack: Greek yogurt with granola.
- Lunch: Tuna salad lettuce wraps.
- Snack: Protein smoothie with mango.
- Dinner: Baked turkey breast with roasted sweet potatoes.
Day 7
- Breakfast: Protein waffles with mixed berries.
- Snack: Hard-boiled eggs with cherry tomatoes.
- Lunch: Grilled shrimp with brown rice and vegetables.
- Snack: Greek yogurt with cinnamon and almonds.
- Dinner: Baked chicken thighs with quinoa salad.
Bulking Meal Prep Tips
Bulking meal prep is essential for building muscle efficiently while keeping nutrition on track. Without a solid plan, it’s easy to under-eat, overeat, or choose the wrong foods, which can lead to fat gain instead of lean muscle growth.
- Cook In Bulk: When it comes to high-calorie meal prep, cooking in bulk saves time, reduces stress, and ensures meals are ready when hunger strikes.
- Plan Your Grocery Shopping: Heading to the grocery store with a plan ensures that every meal is built around high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients.
- Invest In Storage Containers: Good meal prep starts with proper storage. Investing in high-quality, BPA-free meal prep containers keeps food fresh, organized, and easy to grab.
- Use Healthy Fats To Boost Calories: Healthy fats are a simple way to add extra calories without drastically increasing meal volume.
- Don’t Skip Veggies: Vegetables are just as important as protein and carbs in a bulking meal plan.
Additional Tips for Clean Bulking Success
- Lift Heavy Weights: During the bulking phase, you’re expected to go hard on your workouts. Lift heavy, as this is the only way you’ll build more muscle. Lifting heavy weights is essential for muscle growth.
- Get Enough Rest: A heavy lifting schedule is not effective without enough rest. Aim for 8 hours of sleep every night and take a nap during the day if possible.
- Consider Supplements: Supplements can help you reach your goals by providing you with extra nutrients.
- Stay Hydrated: Water is important for many functions in your body, including muscle growth. When you’re clean bulking, make sure you drink plenty of water. A good rule of thumb is to drink 0.5 ounces per pound body weight.
- Eat Frequently: Another way to make sure you get enough calories and nutrients is to eat often.
- Track Your Progress: The best way to know if you’re making progress is to track it. Every week, weigh yourself and take measurements of your chest, waist, hips, and thighs.
- Be Patient: Building muscle takes time, so you must be patient. There will be times when it feels as if you’re not making any progress. This is normal, and it happens to everyone.
- Allow for Flexibility: One of the best things about clean bulking is that you can have a cheat day. This allows you to enjoy your favorite foods while still making progress. On days where you don’t workout, you don’t need as many calories.
How Long Does It Take to See Results?
Clean bulking may take more time than dirty bulking because you need to be more careful about what you eat. As you’re not eating as much and gaining less fat, you may not see results as quickly as you would with dirty bulking. When bulking, expect to not see lean muscle gains for one to two months. Though, it could take several more months before really increasing muscle strength or size. Your results depend, in part, on how much and how hard you exercise.
FAQs
Is 2,900 calories enough to bulk?
2,900 calories may be enough to bulk for some people, depending on their individual calorie needs and activity level. It’s recommended to start with a slight calorie surplus of 5-10% above your maintenance level and adjust from there based on your progress. Tracking your calorie intake and progress is important to determine if 2,900 calories is enough for you to bulk. If you’re not seeing the desired results, it may be necessary to adjust your calorie intake accordingly.
Is rice good for a bulk?
Yes, rice can be a beneficial food to include in your clean bulk. It’s a complex carbohydrate that provides energy for your workouts and helps with muscle recovery and growth. Brown rice is considered the whole-grain option as it contains more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than white rice. Other rice varieties such as wild rice, black rice, and red rice also offer various nutritional benefits and can be incorporated into a clean bulking diet. When you incorporate rice into your clean bulk diet, choose whatever type you prefer or is accessible to you in appropriate portion sizes to meet your calorie and nutrient needs.
Can you have a cheat day on a clean bulk?
You can have a cheat day on a clean bulk, provided you understand that moderation is very important. However, it’s important to keep in mind that a cheat day should not turn into a binge-eating session. For example, rather than eating a whole pizza, eat just a few slices and pair it with a side salad for balance. If you’re struggling to moderate cheat meals, your diet may be too restrictive.
Can I eat junk on a clean bulk?
You shouldn’t eat junk on a clean bulk; it defeats the purpose of clean bulking. While it’s okay to have occasional treats in moderation, filling your diet with mostly ultra-processed and unhealthy foods can lead to negative effects on both physical performance and overall well-being. Instead, you should focus on incorporating whole, nutrient-dense foods such as lean protein sources, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables into your diet. Homemade versions of your favorite “junk” foods can also be a healthier option. For example, making homemade pizza with whole-wheat crust and lean protein toppings or baking your own lower-sugar desserts.