Bulking Phase And Weight Gain
by sherif
(Los Angeles )
Question: Bulking phase and weight gain... My stats are 5'9'' 184 pounds 24 years old. Mesomorph body type.
4 weeks ago I started a cutting phase and immediately began a bulking phase. I started my diet immediately for a bulking phase and my training was heavy from day 1.
I eat 6-7 meals a day and train 1 body part once a week really heavy and do abs and cardio twice a week. I don't count my calories but I know my portions on the plate come meal time.
I weighed myself 3 weeks after my start in the bulking phase and found that I went from about 176 to 184 in 3 weeks.
Although I've gained quality muscular gains around my body, I find that my stomach has lost the 6-pack and that it protrudes just a tad bit.
Standing sideways, it protrudes just a bit. If I flex, my 6-pack it is there, but if I lean forward at the hips sitting or standing, it fold into a few rolls and looks a bit pudgy.
I know you are supposed to gain a bit of fat when on this phase and that is where I am comfortable, but what I think is a problem is that I gained this weight in just 3 weeks and even though there are good muscular gains, I don't know if this gain in the stomach is supposed to be a natural thing especially if only in just 3 weeks considering I still have 3-4 months to go.
I do not count my calories but I know just about how much to take in accordingly throughout my 6-7 meals and post workout.
Is it normal although I see my abs through the pudge and the fat when I flex or is it excess fat gained from eating too many calories coming right off a cutting phase?
Answer: It sounds like you've gained a little bit of body fat, and you could be holding onto a little water weight as well.
Anytime you eat more than you are burning off, you are bound to put on a little fat. But don't fret, just add a short walk each night or a light jog and that stomach will go down.
Decrease sugar and salt intake as well. This will help speed up the process of helping you lean the stomach.
Here's a short video that may just answer some more questions on bulking and cutting:
Lean Hybrid Muscle. It'll put you on the right path and answer a lot of questions for you.