So now that I'm in a bulking phase, basically trying to put on more muscle by lifting heavy and hard at the gym, I've had to bump up calories from 15-1800 per day up to 22-2400. I'm aiming for 2 to 2.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, which for me translates to about 1200 calories just in protein. It's a mistake many bodybuilders make to eat thinking about quantity of food and calories rather than quality: everyone knows at least one stereotypical bodybuilder who, in an effort to bump up to 4-5000 calories per day (not unheard of for male bodybuilders looking to bulk, especially those on steroids) will inhale McDonald's and other nasty junk into their bodies. The correct way to bulk, minimizing fat gain and giving your body optimal fuel for muscle growth, is to eat clean. Yup, same clean eating diet, just way more food. So my worknight dinner looks like this: 2 protein shakes with 50 g protein per shake, and a meal consisting of 9 oz pan-seared flap steak, a cup of asparagus, and a cup of sauteed mushrooms, pictured here:
Between the protein shakes and the meal I have enough to eat every couple hours, keeping my metabolism up and in an anabolic (muscle-building) state. Anyone can put the time in at the gym, even putting in maximum effort, and not get results unless they plan out their diet and eat with the same focus and determination they train with in their workouts.
