How to Achieve a Clean Bulk as a Beginner?

A lot of fitness lovers and athletes are interested in increasing their body weight to boost muscle strength and volume. The key to do this is by advancing your calorie intake and converting the surplus calories into fat and muscles.

In this quick blog, you’ll discover ways to do clean bulking and learn about foods like peanut butter, grams, eggs, and more to level up your bulking game. Swipe up!

Difference Between Clean and Dirty Bulk?

Clean bulking is about controlling your calorie consumption to gain more muscle without too much fat. Dirty bulking, on the other hand, is consuming anything to gain weight quickly, even heavily processed and sugary foods. So, while on a clean diet, you keep a tight leash on your urges and only eat certain foods.

How to Start Clean Bulking?

First, you need to calculate your regular calorie intake. Increase your calorie intake by 10% to 20% to remain in a calorie surplus.

Everything you eat (carbs, fats, or protein) contains calories. To build more muscles, you need to consume calories from protein-rich sources. It is recommended that you take 1 g of protein for each kg of your body weight—the rest of the calories can be obtained from the carbs and fats.

Foods that Can Help Clean Bulk?

For clean bulking, highly processed and sugary foods are to be reduced. Only have these in moderate amounts. The foods that should take up a lot of your platter have a healthy composition of fats, protein, micronutrients, and complex carbs. These are listed below:

• Lean Protein: These include low-fat protein sources such as chicken skin, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, whey protein, tofu, and tempeh.
• Legumes: The best plant sources for protein are beans, legumes, and lentils. Your options are kidney beans, chickpeas, pulses, grams, etc.
• Complex Carbs: Carbs are needed for energy production for day-to-day tasks and for improving your workouts. The best sources of slow-releasing carbs are oats, quinoa, wholewheat, and sweet potatoes. These do not lead to blood sugar spikes and help sustain energy levels.
• Healthy Fats: Fatty acids like omega-3s are essential for metabolic health and boosting your bulk. You can have almonds, cashews, figs, chia seeds, walnuts, peanut butter, and more.

Tips to Maintain the Bulk

While you eat all these foods, storing the calories obtained from them and sculpting your body is also essential. Here’s how to maximize weight gain and maintain the weight gained:

• Do workouts like strength training. It helps store muscle mass and gives you a bigger physique. You can take supplements like creatine or caffeine to pump up your exercises and increase the bulk.
• Avoid too many weight-burning exercises like cardio, running, and pilates. Instead, do the lifting.
• Avoid staying hungry for too long. Consume healthy snacks like protein bars, popcorn, sprouts, etc.
• Take proper rest. Sleeping improves your body’s ability to store weight and can help you gain weight.

Conclusion

If you want to do clean bulking, increase your calorie intake with healthy protein-rich foods like chicken, eggs, protein powder, nuts & seeds, etc. Sustain the bulk by doing a workout so that your body can store the calories in your muscles. If you are unsure how to get started, consult a dietician or nutritionist to help you healthily manage your calorie intake and reach your bulking goals.