when to increase cals?

**musclestack** · 04-15-2011, 11:22 PM

I want to get you guys' opinon on this. When you're bulking or on a lean mass gain diet, when do you justify adding more cals as far as strength gains go? With the exception of this past week, in the 6 weeks prior, I had put on and average of 60 pounds on all my heavy, main lifts. I'm sure it was due to my body being 'shocked' by the drastic increase in calories, coming off a 3 month cutting diet. Strength and weight gains are slowing now, but I'm still gaining slowly.

I don't plan to adjust my diet at all right now as I'm still gaining, albeit more slowly. I was just wondering, when you're bulking/trying to gain lean mass, what to do you expect each week in the gym as far as strength goes? For example, if you did 200 pounds for 5 reps on bench the week before, what do you expect yourself to do the following week? Same amount of weight for 6-7 reps? 205-210 pounds for 5 reps?? I realize that genetic potential play a major role in this....obviously, if you're close to your genetic potential, you won't see so much of a drastic change in strength/weight from week to week. But let's take the average joe for example who still has the potential to put on a significant amount of weight.

BTW-I am natural, no AAS at the moment.

If it matters, here are my stats:
5'9"
179 pounds (started at 165 pounds 8 weeks ago)
15%bf (started between 14 and 15%)

Just looking for different views on this....

**Nephets** · 04-16-2011, 05:30 AM

I am by no means and expert so feel free to take this with a grain of salt. If I were eating the same calories for 6 weeks and my gains were slowing I would add calories. Try upping it 300 per day and keep an eye on your body fat and strength gains. Use the extra calories to build muscle and if you notice a little extra body fat I would add some fasted cardio in the am. Eat over maintenance to feed muscle and use the fasted cardio to keep fat off. Just my .02.

**tbody66** · 04-16-2011, 05:39 AM

I don't know if you can expect to add gains every week all of your life and if you put that much on your core lifts you could be topping out. If you are adding muscle and burning fat you would need to recalculate your BMR/TDEE anyway which might tell you it's time to add cals now anyway. Some of the problem could be your body isn't fully rested, if you have been hitting the gym really hard for 6 weeks it might be time to take a week off from the gym and change your workout up to shock it into some more growth.

**gbrice75** · 04-16-2011, 06:59 AM

^ ^ all of these things factor in. Like stated above, people don't continue to make steady gains every single week, and it's not just about calories.

How long have you been training? It's possible you've hit a plateau. TB already said it - rest, changing of routine, etc.

It is possible though that your body composition has changed to the point that your caloric intake is no longer sufficient. Follow Nephets advice on that - add a few hundred calories, and give AT LEAST 2-3 weeks before you make any judgement calls. Give your body time to adjust, even to small changes.

**tbody66** · 04-16-2011, 07:19 AM

post some pics and we'll be better able to guide you.

**musclestack** · 04-16-2011, 09:06 AM

I appreciate all of the advice guys. It was mostly just a hypothetical question. Like I said, I am still gaining, even though it's much slower. And I can't expect to keep adding 10-12 pounds on all my lifts every week (although that would be awesome!!). I will keep on doing what I'm doing as far as diet and training go until I see a drastic hault in all gains. Then, yes, I will change up the routine and add some cals.

Tbody-I actually had a light week last week to give my body a break; it was much needed!! I will work on the pics. I have some available, but last time I tried to post them, I failed. I will try again.

Again, thank you all for your advice. I would still like to get a clear answer on the original question though. Basically, what would have to happen for YOU to see a need in more cals/change of routine? Would it be a complete hault in gains or just really slow gains? Like I said, I'm still gaining, so I'm not too eager to change anything just yet. Would just like to know approximately what to see, gain-wise in the gym each week, before resorting to changing it up. Am I making sense lol?!?

Cheers, guys.

**gbrice75** · 04-16-2011, 11:59 AM

A complete hault in gains for me. If i'm making gains, no matter how slow - well, don't fix what ain't broken. Adding more calories to a diet that's already yielding steady clean/lean gains might cause me to put on bodyfat.

**Nephets** · 04-16-2011, 12:03 PM

So would you do it over a couple workouts, just in case your having an off night. Let's say two strait weeks not adding any weight or reps to your squat.

**gbrice75** · 04-16-2011, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Nephets

So would you do it over a couple workouts, just in case your having an off night. Let's say two strait weeks not adding any weight or reps to your squat.

I personally would add calories and monitor my progress for 4 weeks. I will still continue to add reps/weight to my squat as that would be one sign of gains for me - that is if I can maintain that extra weight/rep consistently moving forward.

In the past I have jumped the gun too quickly with the "this isn't working" mindset, and it turned out to be disastrous.

Same deal with cutting; body composition changes and the need to adjust calories becomes necessary. I'll drop 200-300 and monitor my bodyfat and weight, as well as lifts.

**musclestack** · 04-16-2011, 12:25 PM

Thanks, GB. What you're saying makes sense to me. Down the road, if I'm making even slower gains, I may add some more carbs to my diet just to see how it affects me. If I have an increase in strength, I'll stay there; if I'm just adding bodyfat, I'll take it back down. I understand that it's more of a 'guess and check' when body composition changes.

Nephets-I know that it sounds like I'm answering my own original question (lol), but for me, I think I would want to give it a couple weeks before I change anything in my routine/diet.

**musclestack** · 04-16-2011, 12:27 PM

Guess I was typing as you posted that GB.........I think we can both agree on the 'guess (hypothesize) and check' mindset.

**Nephets** · 04-16-2011, 12:57 PM

That's what I was saying. I think I just wrote it poorly. Ha ha. What I was trying to say was, when you have been on the same calories for 6 weeks and your gains stop, would you wait for two consecutive weeks of no progress before adding calories. Just in case you were having a bad night. I hope that's more clear.

**tbody66** · 04-16-2011, 03:22 PM

I think to perform a drastic change in diet or routine you would have to be making no progress for two weeks straight, but you could still be burning fat and maintaining strength so maybe don't need a change up yet.