Efficient Bulking Strategy

Counting Calories: Also Useful While Gaining Weight

Some people struggle with weight loss, while others face challenges with gaining.

During a diet, it doesn't matter whether you are in a deficit of 500, 1000, or 1500 kcal – you will likely lose fat, especially if your protein intake is high, preventing muscle loss. In contrast, during a bulk, there is a risk that a too high caloric surplus could significantly increase the proportion of body fat. For this reason, I consider it equally important to monitor calorie intake during the bulking phase as during a diet.

However, we will now take a closer look at how much of a caloric surplus is necessary, if at all.

For information on structuring your training, click here: Strength Training
And you can find workout plans here: Workout Plans

Muscle Building without Caloric Surplus

It's not strictly necessary to have a caloric surplus for muscle building, at least not in all cases. The need for a caloric surplus depends mainly on your strength levels and body fat percentage (BF%). Muscle building is possible to a certain extent even without a caloric surplus.

Especially beginners can build up to 5 kg of lean muscle mass (depending on genetics) through strength training and sufficient protein intake, even while maintaining calories or having a slight caloric deficit.

In contrast to the traditional bulking phases where a lower BF% is advantageous, it's best for beginners if BF% is over 25% in men and over 35% in women. This range creates a hormonal environment conducive to muscle building. However, even if your body fat percentage is low, you don't necessarily have to enter a caloric surplus right away. Instead, stick to your usual calorie intake and start with strength training.

This way, you can practically build the first 5 kg of muscle mass almost fat-free. Measure your progress by consistently increasing strength in your training.

Once you are satisfied with your body, continue training as usual and stick to maintenance calories (or a deficit if you want to lose some fat). If you want to build more muscle mass, you can transition to the traditional bulking and cutting phases.

Bulking and Cutting

If you opt for the classic bulking approach, you will inevitably gain additional fat as it requires a caloric surplus. In the subsequent cutting phase, the excess fat is then reduced while retaining the previously built muscle mass. The decision to start with the cut or bulk phase depends on the initial body fat percentage (BF%).

Ideally, a man begins bulking when his body fat percentage (BF%) is around 10%. During bulking, he increases his BF% up to 15% and then transitions to the cutting phase to reduce excess fat while preserving the built muscle mass.

For women, it's recommended to start bulking when BF% is around 20%. During bulking, they increase BF% up to 25% and then move to the cutting phase to lose the additional fat while maintaining the built muscle mass.

Determining Body Fat Percentage (BFP)

There are various methods to determine BFP. The most accurate, albeit somewhat costly, methods include the Dexa scan or the underwater weighing method. Fortunately, this is not necessarily required. In most cases, a glance in the mirror is sufficient, and you can effectively estimate your BFP by comparing it with reference images that you can find through search engines.

If you have difficulty estimating, there are additional methods available. You can use either a body fat caliper or a regular tape measure. You just need to take a few measurements, and with the help of my BFP calculator, you can determine your BFP value. Due to different calculation methods and measurement accuracies, your value may vary slightly. If you want to apply multiple measurement methods, then rely on the average of your results afterward.

Calculate Caloric Expenditure and Adjust Macronutrients

You can determine your caloric expenditure using the TDEE calculator or rely on a fitness tracker. In cutting phases, you then reduce calories, and in bulking phases, you add more calories. (more on that later)

The quantity and distribution of your macronutrients also vary depending on your current goal (cut or bulk phase). You can use my Macronutrient Distribution Calculator to determine macros based on your calorie intake. In general, the following macronutrient distribution is recommended:

The values refer to Lean Body Mass, which is your fat-free body mass. You can approximate your lean body mass using my Lean Body Mass Calculator. This is particularly relevant for heavily overweight individuals, as beyond a certain point, it would not be beneficial to consume more protein due to increased fat mass.

Cut Phase: Reduce Body Fat and Effectively Prepare for Bulking

If the body fat percentage is above 15% for men and 25% for women, it is advisable to start with a diet. This is achieved through a calorie deficit, staying about 500 to 1000 kcal below the TDEE. It is important to maximize protein intake to around 2.5g per kg of body weight. Of course, training should continue just like during the bulking phase. If strength values remain stable, you can be confident that you are not losing muscle during the diet. Once you reach your target body fat percentage, you can transition to the bulking phase.

Bulking Phase: Ideal BFP and Strategic Caloric Surplus

The ideal range for the bulking phase is within the BFP range of 10 to 15% for men and 20 to 25% for women. In this range, the ratio of muscle to fat gain is optimal. To promote lean muscle growth, the caloric surplus should be kept as minimal as possible. It is advantageous if you have experience in counting calories and ideally know your exact caloric expenditure.

Every online calculator, including mine, serves as more of a rough guideline, and the actual expenditure can vary. In this case, you need to experiment and adjust the calorie intake accordingly. As long as progress in strength training is possible, you are on the right track.

The caloric surplus should be around 100 to 250 kcal. Extreme overeating with maximum calorie intake only leads to unnecessary body fat gain. Protein intake during the bulking phase should be in the range of about 1.8 to 2.3g per kg of body weight.

250 kcal x 31 days amount to 7750 kcal, which would mean approximately 1 kg of body fat gain per month without strength training. However, with optimal strength training, a portion of the energy is used for muscle building.

Depending on strength values, initial BFP, training plan, recovery, and genetic factors, the proportion of 1 kg of muscle mass and the amount of fat gain vary. With advanced strength values, after beginner gains are established, about 0.3 to 0.5 kg of muscle mass per month is possible under optimal conditions at the beginning.

The Duration of a Bulking Cycle

The duration of a bulking cycle depends heavily on genetic factors, individual goals, the chosen caloric surplus, and the training routine. A typical bulking cycle could last approximately 2 to 4 months for beginners or 4 to 6 months for advanced individuals. The orientation can be based on body fat percentage or personal well-being. Once the body fat percentage becomes too high, it is advisable to switch to the cut phase.

If you feel that it is progressing too quickly, opt for a smaller surplus in the next bulking phase. However, don't stay in the bulking phase for too long overall, as a too-high body fat percentage can lead to building a higher percentage of fat than muscle mass. This would prolong the cutting process.

Strength Gains as Success Indicators in the Bulking Phase

You can gauge the success of the bulking phase by consistent increases in strength training. Over time, this progression will naturally slow down, but it serves as a marker of progress. The same applies to cutting phases. If you can maintain your strength values during the diet, you are on the safe side, primarily losing fat and not muscle.

It's worth noting that the strength training regimen remains the same during both the bulking and cutting phases and should not be altered. Whether you gain or lose weight is solely controlled by calorie intake and macronutrient distribution.

Tips for Eating More Easily During Bulking

If you find it challenging to consume an ample amount of food during the bulking phase in bodybuilding, consider spreading your meals into several smaller portions throughout the day. This makes it easier to meet your overall calorie intake.

Please note that "eating a lot" should also mean "eating balanced." While you can engage in intense training, meet your protein requirements, and then fill the rest of your calories with high-calorie, micronutrient-poor foods, this approach may work for some, but a balanced and healthy diet looks different.

When it comes to a diet rich in micronutrients, including sufficient fiber and unsaturated fats, eating during the bulk phase can become challenging.

If you've already optimized your nutrient intake, there's nothing wrong with supplementing the remaining calories with various sweets or other low-nutrient snacks. If that means having a pack of gummy bears every day, go for it.

Another consideration is incorporating more liquid calories. For example, a liter of soda can provide more than 400 kcal. If you still want to stay on the nutrient-dense side, you could enjoy energy-dense snacks like nuts in between. 100g of nuts contain over 600 kcal.

Here's how a typical bulking day might look like:

Health Aspects

The most important factor is to ensure that the body fat percentage (BFP) does not rise too high. Besides potentially prolonging the cutting phase, a higher BFP also poses an increased risk of health issues. An increase in blood pressure can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Additionally, there is an elevated risk of diabetes and unfavorable cholesterol levels. So, remember: More weight always means a higher risk of various diseases. Therefore, I recommend everyone looking to gain weight to monitor vital parameters and not overdo it.

Closing Words

Whether you aim to lose or gain weight, effective calorie management always plays a crucial role. This helps prevent excessive fat accumulation during the bulking phase.

Update Status:
Originally created post: 05/2010
Last updated: 05/2025