The good, the bad and the ugly of bulking
Cutting vs. Bulking
Off season. Growth season. Improvement season. BULKING. Whatever you want to call it, putting on weight is hard.
Not physically. No, that bit is really easy. I swear I can put on 1kg just walking past the pizza shop. The only thing slower than my metabolism, is me running.
Gaining weight and bulking is hard mentally. Especially for women. It’s ingrained in us that the scales should always be trending downwards and many of us legitimately fear weight gain. Regardless of whether it’s actually muscle or fat that you’re putting on, seeing the numbers on the scale increase can be really hard to deal with. I am no exception to this generalisation. I’ve spent the last few months in a solid growth phase and learning to deal with getting bigger and heavier again. Needless to say, it’s been a roller coaster of emotions.
But, recently I’ve made some huge improvements to my mindset. I’ve dedicated a lot of time trying to improve my internal self talk and have managed to get to a really good headspace about it all.
It started by recognising that gaining weight is a necessary part of the physique sculpting process. To build muscle we must eat in a surplus and eating in a surplus leads to weight gain! Unfortunately, I’m not genetically blessed, so I’ve also accrued a nice little bit of extra body fat along the way. However, coming to terms with the fact that this is all part of the process – a process which I fell in love with last year – has helped me appreciate my body in a new way and celebrate it for what it can achieve.
I also realised that the main factors upsetting me about gaining weight, were purely superficial. Once I put my ego to one side, the only real tragedy is that majority of my clothes (which I spent my hard earned money on) don’t fit.
For the first time in what feels like forever, I am satisfied with my body. It’s something I have to ‘practice’ daily but I’ve stopped focusing on the end game and what I want my body to look like. Instead I’m enjoying the journey. I’ve stopped comparing myself to others and instead I’m only focussed on me. I work hard to stop myself caring what people think and instead, I tell myself I am worthy.
However, I’m only human so I still have days where I feel uncomfortable. Or days where I feel unattractive. But CHOOSING to focus on the awesome stuff about improvement season has gone a long way to help me tough out the difficult days. And trust me, there are waaay more good points about bulking, than negative ones.
The good, the bad and the ugly of bulking
The Good
Having boobs again (praise be they are back!). Seriously, I’ve gone from an A cup (in prep) to a D. Not going to lie - it felt weird to get used to again. I swear they didn’t get in the way this much before?
Having energy again. Now I’m eating more and have put on a bit of weight I have so much more energy. No longer am I tired walking up the stairs (#preplife!). I actually have energy to hang out with my friends and push myself hard during workouts, particularly in my strength sessions.
Feeling and looking strong. I cannot begin to describe how good it feels to be back shifting some heavy tin again and not feeling like my soul is being crushed. I feel super strong and I’m excited to start testing lifts again. Additionally, I’m starting to SEE the muscle growth I’ve been working so hard on. This makes me excited about how much more I can grow before we start to strip it all back.
EATING EVERYTHING. Well. Not everything. But it feels like it! I’m eating the same foods as I did in prep, just in larger quantities. I’m also enjoying the ability to be more flexible and enjoy meals out as well as the odd treat. It feels good to relax a little and enjoy food (within reason of course).
The Bad*
Most of my clothes don’t fit properly. Everything is just a little bit tighter. Sports bras are uncomfortably tight, loose dresses have become a staple and don’t even get me started on trousers.
Feeling large and unattractive. Especially as I made the transition from weight loss to weight gain, there’s was this weird time where I just felt hyper aware of how big I was becoming. It didn’t help that all my clothes were suddenly a bit too tight, but I just felt ‘heavy.’ Also, when I put on weight, it always goes to my chin(s) first. My head is large at the best of times, now it’s also the roundest in all the land.
*The superficial stuff!
The Ugly
I split my pants the other day. Spandex leggins. I split a pair of workout pants made of stretchy material with my giant ass. #gains
My tips for dealing with a growth phase and necessary weight gain!
1. Split up your wardrobe into off season and ‘on’ season
I can not stress how simple but effective this is. One of the hardest things of putting on size was seeing all these gorgeous dresses that I (stupidly) bought during prep and not being able to fit into them anymore. Now I have split up my wardrobe into things I can wear when ‘shredded’ and things I can wear when ‘bulked’ so I don’t have to look at them constantly and get sad about it. Plus, I’m hoping that when it comes time to get them out it will be like putting on new clothes all over again!
2. Focus on performance-based goals
Make the most of the increase in calories and pick some performance based goals to work towards. With all the extra fuel you should be feeling strong and full of energy so it’s the perfect time to do a strength cycle and retest some old lifts. Giving yourself a different focus will take you away from solely fixating on the scales and your measurements, and allow you to celebrate the things your body can achieve.
3. ENJOY. FOOD.
If you want to have to donut. Have the damn donut. You obviously don’t want to go too crazy but this the time to relax and enjoy yourself a little. When you’re so restrictive it can be very easy to develop an unhealthy relationship with food, but in offseason you should be nurturing that relationship, like you would any friendship. I try to time my heavy lower body sessions on the days I know I’m going out for dinner. That way I feel more relaxed knowing that those calories are going to be put to the best use!
4. Be social
Similarly, now you don’t have to be so restrictive and you have more energy, enjoy time with your friends. Prep can be super isolating at times, but in off-season you can afford to attend more social occasions, go away for weekends and just enjoy life! At the end of the day, friendships and family are the most important thing in life. So, it’s important that you give back to those who you might not be able to dedicate a lot of time to when prep is in full swing.
5. Still take progress pics
Whether you take them or you coach does, I think it’s still super important to take progress photos and posing videos. You will find you still notice gains and changes – it might not be the same changes you notice as when you’re prepping and cutting but seeing growth and curves in different places starting to form and your physique starting to take shape is really motivating and exciting. Plus, you will build a wicked timeline to look back on when you reach the stage.
6. Talk about it
Don’t hide your emotions. If it’s stressing you out or you’re struggling speak up. Just like you would in prep. Speak to other competitors and you’ll soon realise you’re not alone in how you feel, which can be comforting. Speak to your coach, your friends or your family. Some may not understand what you’re going through, but just to talk it through is good therapy.
7. Don’t focus on the scales
Easier said than done, I know! It’s important to try not to get fixated on the numbers on the scales on your measurements. For instance I weigh almost 4kg heavier than when I started with my coach, Jared Hustler, but I look completely different. I also weigh 2kg heavier than I did at the start of the year. Yet my waist and hips are smaller, while my legs, arms and chest are bigger. As long as you’re sticking to your plan (and therefore, trusting your coach) and working towards your goals, focus on how you feel and the rest will fall into place.
Robyn xxx