Hi All, I know I haven't posted here is a while as I have been on a bulk since reaching my goal weight. I am now up about 15lb since my low and plan on spending the next 12 weeks or so going on a serious bulk. I am not going to log it but I want somewhere to post my thoughts, progress photos and transformation motivation.

I have a self image problem of feeling very small when I cut down to around 175lb and feel like my body is too small for my mighty massive cranium. So I want to add muscle before getting rid of my fat.

I have been putting on weight by eating about 3000 calories a day but have put on a bit of fat too.
I plan on eating around 3800-4000 calories and want to add 10-12 lbs in 10 weeks with 8-10lb being lean gains.
So hope to get to a little over 200lb.

I will then try to maintain the gains and maybe have another small bulk from Feb and march and then cut for summer.

I will update with photos, measurements, stats and diet/exercise from time to time but will not be posting daily.

Hope you can follow along and keep me honest during this bulk. You might think it is easy to add weight (and it is) but it is very hard to keep a bulking diet in check to gain lean mass and limit the amount of fat while bulking.

I will be taking some supplements while bulking and I hope they will have a big impact on the ratio of lean to fat gains but I will not really discuss them here as there is strong feeling about supplements here and I don't want to offend anyone.

Will update with before photos soon.

I will update with photos

I (and I'm sure many other ladies) will be waiting

You'll do awesome, Dave

I'm with Stina .. we *NEED* photos ...

Good luck Dave and I too look forward to seeing pictures! I mean Angie looks awesome and all, but not the way I swing...

Dave! Why can't we have a photo nooooooooooowwwww?! I am not above groveling; it's been so long since I've had a Dave fix! Even if you got a little budha belly- dont care because you're one hot mofo, and I would drizzle you in syrup and eat you for breakfast!

NOW, excuse me... I need to go calm down.

Hey Dave,

What supps are you going to take?
Whats your training split gonna look like?
I've been putting on a lot of mass lately, i need to cut but can't stay away from the big gains and the big eating!

lol, damn Angie, now I will have to wait to take the photos.....Nobody wants to see that.

I hope to take some on Wednesday after my run so, just for the ladies, I will work up a good sweat first

Matt, I will PM you the supplement info. I am going for a arms, chest, legs/shoulders, back, 2 on, one off, 2 on, 2 off split, 3 sets of main exercise for 10-12 and 3 sets 3-6. So on Monday/arms I will do a warmup set of dips then hang a 35lb weight and hit 10-12 reps to failure for 3 sets then 3 sets with 55lb strapped on for 4-6 reps. I will superset in alt DB curls hitting the same rep ranges. Then hit forearms, and more bi/tri work.
Still running but it is getting harder the more mass I add.

Matt, how did you overcome the mental resistance to adding BF%? I want to add lean mass but when I see how much fat I have added I automatically feel like I have to cut again but know I need to keep at the bulk in order to get to where I want to be. What is your end goal?

I find it hard to transition, Once i am on a cutting diet I am fine and I also enjoy a bulking diet but hate to change from one to the other. I hope that I will be able to hit maintenance by the start of summer (who the hell am I kidding, always striving to improve) but currently enjoying the gains and putting up heavy assed weight.

Funny how life changes is it not? Would of laughed so hard if two years ago you would of told me I would get so much enjoyment from lifting a weight above my head and then putting it down again and repeating. crazy.

A couple of photos from a few weeks ago while training in the backyard.

Yeah i hate adding the fluff, but when i see the strength gains consistently on the rise i deal with it, and once i feel like i need to take a little break, i'll start cutting. Of course i'd love to find that happy medium that lets me cut and gain at the same time, with smaller gains, but i think i'd be happy just maintaining during a cut phase.

Funny how life changes is it not? Would of laughed so hard if two years ago you would of told me I would get so much enjoyment from lifting a weight above my head and then putting it down again and repeating. crazy.

I hear ya brother! But man do i love that high when you squeeze out that last rep that you've had to use every ounce of strength that you had left in your body, breathing so hard, but feeling SO good. Can't get enough of that $hit!

hear ya brother! But man do i love that high when you squeeze out that last rep that you've had to use every ounce of strength that you had left in your body, breathing so hard, but feeling SO good. Can't get enough of that $hit!

Spoken like a true power lifter

feelsgoodman.jpg

OK so here are some photos of my buddha belly.

Also, today is about two years since I signed up at the gym. Here is my befores and today. Looking forward to spending the next 10 weeks adding 12lb of hopefully lean mass. Stoked and ready to go, so very very ready.

You don't even look like the same person. And, I think your head is perfectly proportional to your body... I don't know what all this fluff about your big noggin is all about.

I think you just want an excuse to be one of those Muscle Beach types.

I agree with Angie, you don't look like the same person! I mean, seriously, everything looks different, your face doesn't even look the same. Way to go, this is an AWESOME transformation!

I have to agree .. if I didn't know, I'd think those pictures were of 2 different people. You really look completely different now.

Way to go, and I am looking forward to seeing those progress pics!