Bulking and cutting are big debates in the fitness industry. Should someone start bulking, maintaining, or cutting? Today we will debunk if you should bulk and cut.
What is bulking?
Bulking is when an individual like yourself eats in excess of calories. A bulk can be differentiated by the way you tackle it, meaning it can be a dirty bulk or a clean bulk.
A dirty bulk is when you don’t eat “clean,” meaning you eat a substantial amount of junk food and only care about the macros you are taking. A clean bulk is when you eat a lot of good, healthy food. This way, you can track not only the macronutrients but the micronutrients as well.
Both types have their own benefits and negative sides, but today we will debunk them so you can better understand what kind of approach you should take.
Benefits of a dirty bulk.
When on a dirty bulk, you eat as much junk food as possible without concern for the world, meaning that you can eat endless amounts of tasty food knowing that you will go on a cut. A dirty bulk is much easier than a clean bulk.
When on a dirty bulk, you actually eat less food in quantity compared to a clean bulk while getting the same macronutrients. Meaning a dirty bulk is easier if you don’t have such a large appetite and if you are peckish.
When on a dirty bulk, you will always be hungry because you won’t be getting sufficient amounts of fiber, so remember, you will always have a big appetite.
The negative side of dirty bulking.
Now that all the positives are out of the way, we can get to business with the negatives of dirty bulking. When you go on a dirty bulk, not only will you get fat, but you can also damage your health pretty badly.
Meaning you will increase the chances of cardiovascular failure, feeling sluggish or unmotivated to go to the gym, feeling depressed, and many other negatives.
Also, when you go on a dirty bulk, gaining fat is almost four times as high compared to a clean bulk.
Benefits of a clean bulk.
Being on a clean bulk means you will be mainly lean throughout the year, even though you are on a bulk.
Gaining muscle is a guarantee, and not gaining much fat is also guaranteed. When you are on a clean bulk, your body will thank you; it will get all the benefits of a normal diet while simultaneously gaining size and strength.
Also, if you have won the genetic lottery, when on a clean bulk, you will do the opposite of gaining fat, meaning you will be losing fat while still getting all the benefits of being on a bulk.
Your overall health will skyrocket compared to the dirty bulk variation, where your health deteriorates.
Negatives in clean bulking.
When considering doing a clean bulk, you must keep in mind that clean bulking is not as cheap as they make it seem. Healthy food isn’t always more expensive, but most of the time it is.
For example, foods like chicken and rice are very cheap, but they do not provide you with enough nutrients, meaning you will need a variety of foods. Fish and beef are a lot more expensive and can hurt the budget a bit, but if you have money, go for it.
Another negative is that you eat a lot of fiber, which will make you more full. This is good for going on a diet, but when you eat in bulk, it’s the worst thing you can get.
Should you bulk, and what should you expect?
From my experience, bulking is necessary if you want to gain a lot of size in a short period of time. But you should always remember that when gaining a lot of size, you also gain a lot of fat, regardless of whether you have clean or dirty bulk.
So my advice is that you should give it a try, and if you like it, go for it!