Lean Bulk Macros: How to Bulk Without Getting Fat – Fitness Volt

Bulking is one of the most popular ways to build muscle and gain body weight, especially amongst bodybuilders.

During a bulk, you train hard and heavy while in a significant calorie surplus. Eat big to get big, bro! All those extra calories fuel your muscle-building workouts and give your body the energy it needs to recover and grow, you can read more about bulking here.

As well as being an effective way to gain muscle, bulking is usually a lot of fun. That’s because you get to eat a lot more than usual and will probably feel stronger and more energetic, too. Your weight should increase more or less weekly, and your muscles will quickly start to fill out and look bigger.

Unfortunately, bulking has a downside – a lot of the weight you gain will be fat.

Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!

That extra body fat will obscure your muscle definition and separation, leaving you looking more like a hefty powerlifter and less like a shredded bodybuilder. You may even become dangerously overweight if you bulk for too long.

That’s why most lifters follow a bulking/cutting cycle. They gain muscle and fat during the bulk, and then diet (or cut) the fat away.

However, as well as losing fat, you’ll probably still lose some hard-won muscle during your cut. And, let’s be honest here, cutting diets are no one’s idea of fun. Losing a lot of fat requires a strict nutrition plan, plenty of clean eating, and training while you’re in a calorie deficit, which can be exhausting.