Before adding any supplements to your routine, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional to ensure they fit your individual goals and health needs. Creatine monohydrate is another proven supplement that helps boost strength, power, and endurance. Protein powder is one of the most popular choices for building muscle. They’re especially useful for filling nutritional gaps or supporting intense training routines. Just another thing I must mention, do not pick a meal plan with excessive calories. For example, if you were changing Tinned Tuna for Pork Loin Steaks, you must make sure that the protein/carbs/fats content remains about the same. Looking at the meal plans provided will show you how a day of eating look’s, and how to structure a meal plan using around 35% Protein / 45% Carbs / 20% Fats macronutrient ratios. A quick and protein-packed 10-Minute Tuna Melt is a perfect option for lunch on a busy day. Start your morning with the familiar and satisfying protein shake from your first and second days. This Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole is a hearty and satisfying dinner that delivers protein and comfort to end your day right. Reheat a portion of the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s steaming hot and serve right away. The chart below shows how timing your meals can help you maintain a muscle-building state throughout the day. On the other hand, fasting or eating low-carb meals can result in a catabolic state and the breakdown of muscle tissue. Protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories per gram. The priority should be to gain a slight calorie surplus rather than overeating, and this will help with avoiding unnecessary fat gain.These types of fat can help improve heart health, lower cholesterol, and reduce inflammation (2).With this approach, roughly 15 to 25 percent of your caloric intake should be from healthy sources of protein.Just think of how the cutting phase will be when you have so much fat to shred.If it's time for you to get bulked up with some serious, lean muscle mass, you've come to the right place.That means you can slam down more food without feeling like a balloon about to pop – one of the reasons many bodybuilders pick rice as their number one carb source when bulking.Dirty bulking is all about consuming as many calories as possible, often from fast food, sugary snacks, and processed meals.However, rather than call it bulking, most would refer to it as “recomping” (body recomposition).Spacing meals every 2–3 hours helps maintain steady energy levels, keeps you feeling full, and supports continuous muscle growth and recovery throughout the day.In short, salmon (and other fatty fish) is one of the best bulking foods—and it’s healthy food, too! For this reason, I recommend determining your protein intake based on a percentage of your calories. This rule can lead to an overweight person consuming too much protein, while a skinny hard gainer would not be consuming enough. However, the rule of thumb to consume one gram of protein per pound of body weight is too simplistic. It’s common knowledge that getting enough protein is essential for gaining muscle. If you notice you are gaining too much fat, cut back on the calories a bit and/or do a little cardio (2 times per week). Total daily calorie expenditure is the amount of calories your body consumes each day. Overall, you need to make sure your diet is balanced and you are getting enough calories each day. The slower and cleaner your bulk (i.e. aim to gain 0.5-1lb of muscle per week), the better. Support from like-minded individuals—whether through a coach, training partner, or online community—can provide the encouragement needed to maintain motivation and purpose. However, if progress stalls despite eating what worked before, it may be due to increased non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) or digestive efficiency. Metabolic adaptation is the body’s natural response to sustained changes in energy intake. Zinc, for example, is crucial for testosterone production and immune function, both of which influence recovery and muscle building. In contrast, strength-based or powerlifting routines may demand slightly higher fat intake for hormonal support, while still maintaining adequate carbohydrates. You can enhance digestion by including fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi, which naturally provide probiotics to support gut health. Always listen to your body’s hunger cues, recovery status, and digestion patterns to fine-tune your approach. It also helps maintain a positive nitrogen balance, which is crucial for muscle preservation and growth. Both are quick and convenient ways to boost your protein and calorie intake, especially after workouts and between meals. While grains aren’t the heaviest hitters on the calorie front compared to fats, they are still calorically dense, making it easy to get your much-needed extra calories. However, as long as you don’t base your entire protein intake on nuts, your body can pair them with other foods to create a complete protein that contains enough of all essential amino acids. Extra calories inevitably comes with a surplus of carbs, which if unused during the day, will be stored for energy in the form of fat. To build muscle, you must eat more calories than your body uses. An advanced lifter can, AT ABSOLUTE BEST, expect 0.25% to 0.5% of their total bodyweight gain as fat-free muscle per month. However, the cleaner your diet, the less fat you will gain along with your newfound muscle. Like cutting is about losing fat while minimizing muscle loss, the real purpose of bulking is to maximize muscle while minimizing fat gain. Meal planning helps you stick to a budget and keep you on track with your nutrition goals Prepping veggies in advance—whether roasted, steamed, or raw—makes it easier to add them to every meal. Investing in high-quality, BPA-free meal prep containers keeps food fresh, organized, and easy to grab. Good meal prep starts with proper storage. Smart shopping makes meal prep easier and more cost-effective. A bulking diet refers to a balanced diet with increased calorie intake (15-20%).Our plan will mix both rep ranges, which is essential for a bulking plan.Carbohydrates are your body's primary fuel source, and they're crucial for powering your intense workouts and helping you recover.By sticking to a clean bulking diet, you’ll build quality muscle, support long-term health, and minimize unwanted fat gain.It takes an intelligent nutrition strategy and optimized meal plans to gain dense lean muscle mass.The goal is to gain lean muscle with minimal fat gain.Let’s go over the best bulking food sources for protein, carbs, and fats, then good supplements to take. This method may result in faster weight gain, but it often comes with excessive fat accumulation, sluggishness, and digestive issues. Not all bulking strategies are created equal. By incorporating SARMs from MuscleChem, whey protein, and creatine into your routine, you’ll enhance your muscle-building efforts and see faster results. If you want to speed up your bulking progress, incorporating bodybuilding supplements can be very effective. These protein-rich foods provide essential amino acids for muscle repair and growth. One of the main benefits of turning to milk when bulking is that it’s an easy way to add a significant amount of calories without feeling stuffed.Another consideration is meal timing in relation to workouts.However, beginners could get away with 3 days per week.Other rice varieties such as wild rice, black rice, and red rice also offer various nutritional benefits and can be incorporated into a clean bulking diet.So, your total calories on the day should be made up of the above percentages.They are calorie-dense and can easily be incorporated into meal prep to help you hit your daily calorie goals.Even white pastas are fine if eaten at the right time (i.e. early in the day for energy needed or after a workout).Bulking is generally a term you hear in bodybuilding. Unimeal does not diagnose or suggest treatments. A bulk-up period alternates with the lean-out stage. A set of muscle masses occurs when the energy level received with food is higher than that spent during the day. We've put together a weekly meal plan with easy-to-cook recipes to make things easier for you. Also, if you want to have snacks between main meals, it can be either fresh and dried fruits or dairy products. This person would be doing their weight training session in the early evening (i.e, 4-6pm), which is when you will be strongest during the day). You may also want to look at meal replacement shakes to help get your macros in; you just need to make sure you’re using one that suits your current plan. Nitric Oxide has gained a lot of attention in recent years among pro bodybuilders as it is said to increase nutrient delivery to the muscles. Creatine ensures your muscles are fueled to lift heavy weights. As with vegetables, fruits are low in calories and high in fiber. Most importantly, this type of meat is relatively low in fat. They also contain other nutrients such as amino acids and iron that are essential for muscle growth (4). It is a top carb choice for athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts, both when bulking and cutting. The goal is to gain mostly muscle, with as little fat as possible. Note that this article is mainly about the best bulking foods. A daily intake of 2–3 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight helps fuel training and replenish glycogen stores.These exercises engage multiple muscle groups and promote maximum muscle growth.Learn essential foods, meal planning tips, and practical advice for a successful bulking phase.This is particularly beneficial for athletes who need to be strong and lean.Eating 3,000 calories can be a lot or just right for bulking, depending on your age, weight, activity level, and metabolism.Ultimately, great bulking meals support physical performance while fitting into your personal tastes and lifestyle habits. Be that as it may, you still will need to eat over your energy maintenance level. We believe it is possible too, depending on the individual and diets. It leads to excess fat (which comes with a whole host of health problems), poor gut health, hormonal imbalances, bad habit formations, likely poor micronutrition, and high inflammation. Even 4 weeks for people who easily get fat would not be good. However, if you follow the above clean bulking tips, you’ll be on your way to building the lean and muscular physique you desire. For example, making homemade pizza with whole-wheat crust and lean protein toppings or baking your own lower-sugar desserts. These foods often lack essential nutrients and can contribute to fat gain, inflammation, and other health issues (14). However, it’s important to keep in mind that a cheat day should not turn into a binge-eating session. Most people benefit from 1–2 scoops per day, depending on their protein needs. It helps increase daily protein intake and supports muscle repair after workouts. These foods replenish glycogen stores, fuel your training, and aid recovery between sessions. Healthy fats are vital for hormone production, nutrient absorption, and overall health. Protein supports muscle repair, growth, and recovery, which are essential for progress during a bulk. The primary objective is to add as much muscle as possible while recognizing that body fat will also increase. The reason behind this is that the most significant transformations occur when you concentrate on either muscle gain or fat loss, not both. All you need to do is train hard and eat according to the diet plan. Ready to take your bulking journey to the next level? Carbs are important for energy and muscle growth, so you need to make sure you eat healthy complex ones (12). This often led to them gaining a lot of fat together with muscle. It’s generally recommended to consume a meal that contains carbohydrates and protein 1-2 hours before and after your workout to support muscle repair and growth. Let this creamy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Protein Shake kickstart your day with fervor.Good sources of carbs include starchy vegetables, whole grains, and beans and legumes.If you want, you can move both rest days to day 6 and 7 so you have the weekend off!For women, the acceptable body fat percentage range is from 24-31%, but most women who have been training seriously for a while will be sub 24%.You’ll have a much easier ride (although still not easy) reaching your genetic muscle mass potential with weight lifting.Simple carbs spike glucose levels as they absorb quickly...But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat some simple carbs.It’s unlikely that the number of calories you need will precisely match the meal plans.If you end up deciding against cardio and you notice you are putting on a lot of fat, definitely add it into your weekly routine! Rice, a hugely popular bodybuilding and fitness food, has already had its time to shine earlier in the article, but it is not the only grain you should consider when bulking. Whether bulking or cutting, it’s hard to go wrong with chicken. They are packed with healthy fats, and versatile enough to fit into any meal or snack. Tracking progress through strength gains, measurements, and photos—not just the scale—can help you stay focused on what matters. These satisfying dinners contribute significantly to your total daily intake and help repair and build muscle overnight. Add a side of Greek yogurt or a whey protein shake to increase the protein content. Egg-white omelets with vegetables and toast can also make an excellent post-workout meal. For example, a man with a lean body weight of 152 pounds might have a daily calorie requirement of 2800 calories. Once you know how many calories you should be eating each day, choose a mail plan that closely matches your daily requirements. It is important to understand that there are many different fats and that healthy fats are not to be among the others when considering a diet for lean muscle. Out of your 5 daily meals, some might have 30g or 50g of protein, some might have 60g or 70g of carbs, and some might have 5g or 20g of fat. You can turn your morning coffee into a calorie-loaded beverage by adding 1–2 tablespoons of MCT oil or butter for a 200–300 calorie start to your day. Coconut oil is a bulking buddy—add it to anything you sauté. If you’re being responsible and eating your veggies, drizzle some olive oil or avocado oil on them. But, most would agree anywhere around the 1g/lb is more than sufficient in a bulk. A 500 calorie surplus is the general rule of thumb. If you are starting from scratch, it's ok to just get right into your bulk. Both a cut and a bulk should be followed by a maintenance phase, which can be 1-4 weeks (or longer). And you also won’t just jump from a bulk to a cut. The longer your bulk, the more deload weeks and rest periods you’ll have in-between, but regardless, the macrocycle’s focus and goal is on bulking. Your body is good at overeating and responds well to it. There is a huge difference in consuming more calories than your maintenance level and consuming less. Unlike cutting phases, bulking phases are much more sustainable. Our clean bulk workout program below includes this type of cardio. Fats are super helpful for bulking, providing more than twice the calories per gram (9 kcal/gram) compared to proteins and carbs (4 kcal/gram).Prepping veggies in advance—whether roasted, steamed, or raw—makes it easier to add them to every meal.Prioritizing whole foods like leafy greens, sweet potatoes, avocados, and seafood ensures that your bulking diet program supports both macro and micronutrient needs.Get tips, meal ideas, and expert advice for a healthy pregnancy.Creatine isn’t just something you scoop into your shaker bottle—it’s naturally occurring in beef.Without enough carbs, you’re more likely to run out of steam when lifting weights, especially during high-volume bodybuilding-style sessions.In fact, nutrition labels can be off by 20%, so you’re never going to be “bang on” – no matter how hard you try. It’s like hiring a full construction crew for your muscle gains, not just a couple of guys with hammers. It is a “complete” protein, meaning it contains enough of all nine essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own. It’s a good source of protein and one of the most nutritious foods out there. Just remember to pace yourself if you’re trying the GOMAD method unless you want to bulk up your toilet time, too. Fortunately, lactose-free milk products can keep you in the bulking game without turning your stomach into a battleground. To support muscle growth, add a calorie surplus of 250–500 calories above maintenance. Start by determining your maintenance calories, which are the number of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight. This approach supports steady muscle growth while keeping body fat under control. It’s important to determine how many calories you need for bulking by calculating your maintenance calories and then adding the surplus. Remember, we’re trying to get away from the old “dirty bulking” and achieve an optimal state with these “lean bulking” diets. Consistently lifting weights or performing other strength training exercises will help you gain muscle, but it’s not the only component. The 14-day meal plan for gaining weight is designed for healthy weight gain. Achieve your weight goals with our 14-day meal plan for gaining weight. Alternatively, a small bowl of oatmeal with cottage cheese and a sprinkle of cinnamon makes for a cozy and effective nighttime snack. A bedtime smoothie with casein protein, almond butter, banana, and flaxseed provides a slow-digesting, nutrient-rich option. However, they too must monitor progress and make adjustments based on how their body changes. Vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, and vitamin D are essential for hormone regulation, energy production, and muscle function. Nuts and nut butters are grab-and-go foods, perfect for bulking on the fly. A typical serving of salmon has around 200–300 calories, depending on the portion size and how it’s cooked. Moreover, omega-3s boost insulin sensitivity, which means your body can shuttle more nutrients into your muscle cells instead of storing them as fat.11 Research shows that salmon protein stimulates muscle protein synthesis, the process your body uses to build new muscle tissue, as powerfully as pure amino acids or a protein shake.8 Ectomorphs, or naturally lean individuals with high metabolisms, may require more aggressive calorie increases and frequent meals to gain weight. Aim for at least 25–35 grams of fiber per day by incorporating foods such as oats, lentils, broccoli, apples, and flaxseeds into your bulking meal plan. Synchronizing your bulking foods with your circadian rhythms—your body’s internal clock—can enhance metabolic efficiency, hormone regulation, and muscle protein synthesis. Generally speaking, you will bulk when you want to build muscle and your body fat percentage is in the healthy or lean range and cut when your body fat percentage starts to get too high. If you are a true hard gainer, it’s probably best to not do cardio at all, as you will already have trouble getting enough calories and will likely be lean as is. A bulk is necessary for gaining muscle because it ensures you are feeding your body with the nutrients and proteins needed to grow. How to budget on this meal plan You will see how we achieve that in our bulking workout plan. Our plan will mix both rep ranges, which is essential for a bulking plan. Our bulking workout plan below is geared towards intermediate or even late-beginners as obviously they are most likely to be reading this. When it comes to bulking, you are mainly going to focus on weightlifting, but cardio is optional depending on the individual. Tamika Tucker is a fitness and lifestyle coach & bodybuilder based in Miami, Florida. By choosing high-quality sources, we make sure that all articles on the Unimeal blog are reliable and trustworthy. For this aim, athletes combine it with regular weight workouts. We suggest aiming for 4–6 meals daily by combining protein, carbs, and fats to keep your energy levels steady and prevent bloating. Fats are super helpful for bulking, providing more than twice the calories per gram (9 kcal/gram) compared to proteins and carbs (4 kcal/gram). It gives you all the nutrients, calories, and muscle-building goodness without the greasy pitfalls of some other bulking foods. Its combination of protein, creatine, fats, and essential vitamins makes it an ideal food for building lean muscle while keeping you strong and full of energy. Each meal should contain a robust source of protein (at least 25 to 35 grams), a complex carbohydrate for sustained energy, and a moderate amount of healthy fats. Protein supports muscle protein synthesis, carbohydrates replenish glycogen stores, and healthy fats regulate hormones crucial for growth. If you're serious about bulking, it’s not just about hitting the gym; it’s about fuelling your body correctly. Get personalized meal plans to help you burn fat and build muscle. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days... You can bulk with just bodyweight training, but it will be more difficult to progressive overload. Only after you have laid the foundation should you use dietary supplements to fill in the cracks.Egg-white omelets with vegetables and toast can also make an excellent post-workout meal.You can eat anywhere from 3 large meals, to 7 smaller meals each day.A complete bulking diet program considers your individual calorie needs, macronutrient distribution, and daily schedule.If you have any questions about our bulking program, please reach out to us!Maximize your gains and build the body you want with our guide on the best exercises for every muscle group.Always try your best to avoid simple, or “sugary”, carbs and stick with whole grains, fruits, and veggies.Eating frequently ensures a steady supply of nutrients for muscle recovery and growth. The same goes with your calorie intake as a whole. You’ll want to get something like 20-30g per meal. You can’t absorb 200g of protein in one sitting. A front-loaded eating pattern with balanced breakfasts and lunches supports a more anabolic hormonal environment. Emerging research in chrononutrition reveals that when you eat may be nearly as important as what you eat. Their portability also makes them ideal for busy professionals and students who may not have time to prepare a full meal. Probiotic-rich foods like kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt support gut microbiota balance, improving immunity and inflammation control. Remember, food is fuel, and building muscle is a form of self-respect that takes patience, strategy, and self-compassion. If you can’t stand the taste of fish then change it for chicken or another lean protein source from the protein foods list. I state the weight of the food listed as “raw” or “cooked” so you can see the calorie and macronutrient profile of the food in whatever state it’s in. Chicken and other foods will lose water when cooked, so you need to bare this in mind when preparing your meals. Example Bulking Meal Plan And if you decide to do your own thing, the information below will still be useful for you as we go over key factors for both dieting and working out when bulking. If it's time for you to get bulked up with some serious, lean muscle mass, you've come to the right place. The general guideline is to consume 1.0–1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily. Remember to stay hydrated, limit alcohol, and prioritize nutrient-dense foods to get the most out of your bulking phase. Healthy fats are calorie-dense and essential for hormone health, but you don’t need to buy them in large quantities. In addition, make sure to prioritize resistance training and aim for progressive overload in your workouts to stimulate muscle growth. Track your calorie intake and make sure you’re consuming a slight surplus rather than just eating as much as possible. How do social and psychological factors influence adherence to a bulking diet program? This dynamic process underscores why even the best foods for bulking require periodic reevaluation. Monitoring body composition using skinfold calipers or DEXA scans can help track whether your weight gain is primarily muscle. As you commit to a bulking meal plan, keep a food log or use an app to track progress and make necessary adjustments. Rotate meals to prevent palate fatigue and include a wide range of foods to ensure vitamin and mineral diversity. Cook proteins and carbohydrates in bulk, portion meals in containers, and have snacks readily available. Eating five to six meals a day, spaced three to four hours apart, helps keep energy levels high and muscle-building signals activated. Shoveling down junk food might make it easy to get the calories you need, but they won’t be quality calories that promote muscle growth. A tablespoon gives you around 120 calories, plus it’s high in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which convert into energy your body can use faster than other oils. Adding calories with oils is like sneaking in extra gains without feeling like you’re shoveling in a ton of food. Leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and colorful produce should be included in meals to support overall health and performance. Fats also play a key role in hormone production and overall health, making them essential for effective bulking. Avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds provide essential nutrients while keeping meals satisfying and flavorful. Using airtight containers also prevents food waste by keeping meals fresher for longer. Finally, I should point out that these meal plans are not just for men. Again, there are three recipe options for each meal from which you can choose. Here’s a 1-minute video showing you how to make the protein oatmeal recipe. Here is my list of the top bodybuilding supplements that are proven effective for building muscle. Maybe you’re a great cook… I’m not, so you may want to create your own daily diet plan from scratch. Meal #5 of the 3,500 calorie meal plan is lean ground beef and sweet potato. There are simply a list of foods and quantities to eat for each meal, but it’s your choice to prepare each meal to your taste preference. Simply adding one slice of wholemeal bread and one large egg to the 2500 calorie meal plan would bring the number of calories up to around 2750, ideal for our 152lb man. It’s unlikely that the number of calories you need will precisely match the meal plans. He lifts weights five days per week but has a desk job and doesn’t get much activity outside the gym. This strategy allows you to make the most significant gains possible by aligning your nutrition and training. I’m here to provide you with a detailed program to help you pack on lean muscle mass. Chicken & Bacon Bulking Salad High-Protein & 1,350kcal While intermittent fasting is popular these days, don’t do it when you are trying to bulk. This will allow you to use up your carbs for energy, rather than storing unnecessary carbs as fat, and you will be able to best absorb your daily macros. Aim for 5-6 meals and you will get the best results. Be sure to spread out your protein intake over the course of the day. So, if you are 200lbs, get 200g of protein per day. Buying in bulk, meal prepping, and choosing cost-effective protein sources such as canned tuna or chicken can help you build muscle without overspending. For many active individuals aiming to gain muscle, it’s a common calorie target. Bulking meal prep is one of the best ways to stay consistent, hit your calorie and macro goals, and fuel muscle growth efficiently. Everyone I talked to was touting bulking diets as the best meal plans for building muscle mass, fast. Bulking involves eating a calorie surplus and doing intensive strength training to gain weight and muscle mass. So dive into this article to learn more about the lean bulk meal plan, along with a sample high-protein diet that can help you structure your own routine. A balanced diet filled with quality foods is the foundation of a bulking meal plan. Based on this information, Tony burns about 2,750 calories on days he works out, so he should eat around 3,160 to gain muscle (15% surplus). Sample Bulking Meal Plan By implementing the bulking strategies, foods, and meal plans outlined here, you’ll be well-equipped to maximize gains and fuel long-term success. Consistency is the cornerstone of a successful bulking diet plan, and that requires meals that are not only nutritionally dense but also enjoyable, convenient, and satisfying. The key to success lies in balancing your energy surplus—usually 250 to 500 extra calories per day—so that you support muscle growth without encouraging fat storage. Hydration is often an underestimated factor in muscle growth, but it’s critical in maximizing the benefits of any bulking diet program. Vegetables are just as important as protein and carbs in a bulking meal plan.Our bulking workout plan below is geared towards intermediate or even late-beginners as obviously they are most likely to be reading this.However, if you follow the above clean bulking tips, you’ll be on your way to building the lean and muscular physique you desire.You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.Healthy fats are a simple way to add extra calories without drastically increasing meal volume.Water supports muscle function, aids digestion, and regulates your metabolism.Avoid spending on junk food and sugar-sweetened beverages, which add calories but little nutrition.It involves alternating between training phases that focus on strength, hypertrophy, and recovery.What’s more, being cyclical about your bulking and cutting is actually good for your metabolism, which will keep you leaner year round, and breaking or avoiding plateaus. Remove from heat and top with bread crumbs, then bake the casserole for 30 minutes in the oven at 425°F for 25 minutes. Add the chicken with thyme, pepper, and salt in a separate pot, simmering gradually in water until it’s fully cooked. You can even eat them straight from the bag for a convenient and filling snack while on the go. A simple, satisfying snack to boost your calcium and protein intake. Add the rice and reduce the heat, simmering until the rice is tender. Start with a 15–20% calorie surplus and aim to gain 0.25–1% weight per week. Add a banana or a scoop of mass gainer if you need more calories. Plan meals that digest well around training. Rotate proteins and carbs across the week so your diet stays flexible and easy to follow. Aim for carbs at 55–60% of total calories. What should I eat when bulking? A successful bulking meal plan involves consuming more calories than you burn, emphasizing nutrient-dense foods to fuel muscle growth and recovery. Through our practical knowledge, we’ve found that this dietary plan helps you gain weight and build muscle by eating more calories than you burn. This is because you’re eating the right foods and getting enough high-quality protein and calories to support muscle growth (3). While you’re clean bulking, you may eat as many or as few meals as you wish, as long as your total calorie and nutrient intake remains in line with your goals. Creating a successful bulking meal plan involves careful selection of nutrient-dense, whole foods that are rich in both calories and micronutrients. You really won’t be sacrificing muscle gain if you do it in moderation. If you end up deciding against cardio and you notice you are putting on a lot of fat, definitely add it into your weekly routine! Low intensity will be untaxing, so you should have no issues with it when on a 5 day weight lifting routine. You are just eating at a calorie surplus and lifting heavy. Here are some of the most common questions we get about bulking... Macronutrients are the building blocks of a successful bulking plan. Do not think that massively increasing your calorie consumption is going to lead to more muscle, it’s not! The meal plan you construct must closely match your daily calorie requirement using the number you got following the formula at the start of this guide. You can have a cheat day on a clean bulk, provided you understand that moderation is very important. Other rice varieties such as wild rice, black rice, and red rice also offer various nutritional benefits and can be incorporated into a clean bulking diet. This may mean increasing or decreasing your calorie intake depending on whether you’re gaining muscle and strength. How many calories you need to consume to bulk will vary based on factors such as age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. Whether you like them scrambled, fried, boiled, poached, or turn them into an omelet, eggs keep your bulking meals exciting and your meal prep easy. Egg protein provides plenty of all the essential amino acids your body needs to create new muscle tissue and kickstart muscle protein synthesis after an intense workout. For bulking, you want food that’s easy to prepare in large quantities and can be adapted to various meals. Without enough carbs, you’re more likely to run out of steam when lifting weights, especially during high-volume bodybuilding-style sessions. “Barry, exactly 47g of protein per meal, and exactly 60g of carbs, and exactly 12g of fats, that’s going to be really difficult to pull off” Those calories are going to come from macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates, and fats, in the following ratios (give or take 5% either way). Let’s say that you should be eating 2,686 calories per day to build muscle. Let’s get started creating your lean muscle building meal plans, shall we? Tracking your calorie intake and progress is important to determine if 2,900 calories is enough for you to bulk. 2,900 calories may be enough to bulk for some people, depending on their individual calorie needs and activity level. This will help you see how much muscle you’ve gained and how much fat you’ve lost. Unlike preparing complex meals, a glass of milk is as easy as opening the fridge. And you get the muscle building effects of milk protein at the same time. In addition, there is nothing better than milk to rehydrate after training and sweating. So, a bulking diet is a diet aimed at increasing body weight without excess fat and with building muscle. If you’re aiming for lean muscle gain, we recommend the clean bulk meal plan as the healthiest and most sustainable route. Continuing our example, Tony is targeting 3,160 calories for bulking and wants to aim for 30% protein, 50% carbs, and 20% fat. A bulking meal plan is a diet and workout program focused on muscle growth. High in lean protein and fiber, this turkey wrap supports satiety and muscle growth while being light enough for a midday meal. When you’re bulking, your daily goal is to get in more calories than you burn, and nuts help you hit that surplus without feeling stuffed. In short, salmon (and other fatty fish) is one of the best bulking foods—and it’s healthy food, too! As you know, protein is king when you’re training for muscle growth, and salmon delivers big time. Whether it’s grilled steak, burgers, or stews, beef fits into all kinds of meals, making bulking enjoyable instead of a chore. When you’re bulking, you’ve got to get in some extra calories, and beef delivers. In addition, healthy fats reduce inflammation, increase heart health, and lower blood cholesterol. Be sure to stick with lean proteins such as egg whites, fish, white chicken and turkey mean, and whey or soy isolate supplements. But first, let’s take a look at some of the best food choices for preparing a muscle-building meal. Reframing bulking meals as tools of empowerment rather than a source of anxiety allows you to maintain a healthy relationship with food.Alternatively, a small bowl of oatmeal with cottage cheese and a sprinkle of cinnamon makes for a cozy and effective nighttime snack.The number of calories you need to eat is dependent on several factors, including age, weight, activity level, and muscle-building goals.In short, if you’re serious about bulking, you should definitely consider adding beef to your plate.Emerging research in chrononutrition reveals that when you eat may be nearly as important as what you eat.Vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, and vitamin D are essential for hormone regulation, energy production, and muscle function. Fruitarian Diet Plan Another powerful option is a hearty breakfast burrito loaded with scrambled eggs, lean ground beef, black beans, and cheese, all wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. Snack times should not be overlooked; items like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese with fruit, and high-protein smoothies can keep the anabolic engine running throughout the day. Meal planning and prep become central elements in sustaining consistency and ensuring dietary adherence. In order to create a personalized diet plan, consider your goals and parameters, and consult with a nutritionist if possible. Men usually need at least 3000 kcal per day for muscle growth; women - about 2500 kcal. A bulking diet is comprehensive, which means it can work then and only if you mix products from different food groups. If you've been cutting for a while, consider reverse dieting before moving on to maintenance and bulking. Since the goal is to build muscle, you need to be consuming more calories than your TDEE. So, this is nothing to worry about on a bulk, but ideally, you want to keep the fat increase to a minimum and make sure you are using as much of it for energy each day. Here is a good example of one day of eating for someone on a bulking plan. Moreover, carbs are an easy source of calories, and you need to be in a calorie surplus to gain muscle. Use a food calculator or app to input each meal so you know how much calories you’ve eaten on the day. Take Supplements But there are practical downsides to eating more food than your body really needs, especially if you’re trying to keep your diet relatively clean. Let’s take a deep dive into the 11 best bulking foods for building muscle, not just fat, in no particular order. Once you’ve built enough muscle or feel uncomfortably fluffy, you can start a cutting phase (eating fewer calories than you burn) to strip off the fat and reveal the muscle you worked for. You can minimize fat gain by not overdoing the surplus (stick to a modest 300–500 extra calories a day). A Berry Street dietitian for your general well-being can design a bulking meal plan tailored to your preferences and needs. Rich in protein, potassium, and healthy fats, this protein shake supports muscle recovery and provides you with sustained energy throughout the day. Below, we’ve outlined a three-day bulking meal plan, complete with recipes and nutritional breakdowns. Frequent meals can help you reach your calorie targets for bulking up without feeling overly full. During bulking, you should be consuming at least 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. These foods will provide your body with the necessary nutrients to support muscle growth while minimizing fat gain (1). Clean bulking is a term that is used to describe the process of building muscle while minimizing fat gain. Bulking is the process of eating more calories than you burn in order to gain weight and build muscle. Obviously, certain days will have a higher TDEE and some days less (i.e. rest days), but overall it averages out and works quite well. Of course, it is not going to be exact, but generally it is quite accurate, so it’s the way most people decide on their maintenance level. The TDEE calculator will take all things into account, such as your gender, age, height, weight and activity level. As such, timing of carbs is somewhat important. If you’re unsure how to modify your plan safely, consult a qualified healthcare or nutrition professional for personalized guidance. Tracking your progress is essential for a successful bulking phase. Remember, supplements should complement, not replace, a diet built on whole, nutrient-dense foods. Choosing the best bulking meals composed of lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats helps keep blood sugar stable and promotes lean mass accrual. This means eating protein-rich bulking meals within 60–90 minutes of waking up and again after training can maximize muscle-building potential. When paired with a consistent resistance training regimen, expert-approved bulking meals can be the difference between lean muscle gains and unwanted fat accumulation. Without a solid plan, it’s easy to under-eat, overeat, or choose the wrong foods, which can lead to fat gain instead of lean muscle growth. Unlike muscle growth that has a limit and stops, fat storage doesn’t – that’s why you need to adopt a “lean bulking diet” plan if you want to build lean gains in muscle. It's full of antioxidants and healthy monounsaturated fats, making it a better option than milk chocolate. This is especially helpful if you struggle to eat enough to reach your calorie surplus. They are calorie-dense and can easily be incorporated into meal prep to help you hit your daily calorie goals. Lean beef is also high in heme iron, a type of iron that's much more easily absorbed by the body than non-heme iron, which is essential for hard training. Do this and your body will use more of the added calories for muscle, not fat. Keep the numbers simple and repeat meals you like so the diet is easy to follow during a bulk. But even so, a little fat gain is ok when bulking and it’s not something to worry about so long as it is minimal. A bulking program like we provided above will do better to maximize muscle gain, but it will come with some (can be very minimal and maybe even none for certain individuals) fat gain. While both a dirty bulk and a clean bulk will allow you to pack on muscle mass, a clean bulk is obviously the best choice as it comes with significantly less fat gains. We have a meal plan breakdown a little further below that will give you a good look at your 40% P, 40% C, 40% F diet. Bad fats are found in snack foods, sweets, vegetable oils, fried foods, etc. That said, many foods have both saturated and unsaturated fats, so don’t worry too much about all this. Here’s an example of a clean bulking meal plan that can help you build lean muscle mass. When clean bulking, you should limit ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats. While clean bulking may not result in rapid weight gain like traditional bulking methods, it’s a more sustainable and healthier approach. Of course, even with that, you won’t get newbie gains ever again without the use of steroids. As you become more advanced, building muscle is trickier and not perfectly linear. But a beginner can really go quite a long time with linear gains, unlike intermediate and advanced lifters. On a more macro time frame, like 6-12 months, it’s really hard to say. Although there is no “bad” protein like there is with carbs and fats, not all sources of protein are good. Also, don't forget to save some of your allotted calories for your post-workout meal, which will help support your muscle-building goals. Here is an example of how you’d eat 3,000 calories in a day. So it’s easiest to jump into some examples showing you s real-life bulking meal plan example. Once you have calorie needs, macro ratios, and food choices dialed in, nutrient timing is the final piece of the bulking meal plan puzzle. High-density foods are rich in calories, vitamins, and minerals per serving, making them an excellent choice for bulking. Dirty bulking is all about consuming as many calories as possible, often from fast food, sugary snacks, and processed meals. This sample meal plan is designed to help you achieve optimal muscle growth while ensuring your body is well-nourished and energized throughout the day. They may not be as critical as protein in the chemical process of muscle growth, but because they still affect our bodies, fats and carbs are still worth your attention. This article will provide an overview of bulking to gain muscle, discuss a few general concepts you’ll need to build muscle, and provide some advice for helping you craft your own bulking meal plan. You can also play around with volume, but as a beginner or intermediate lifter, simply focusing on increasing your weight load when you reach maximum reps in the given rep range is best. Progressive overload simply means that you are increasing the intensity of your workouts over time so that you are always adequately overloading the muscles to force adaptation. As for total volume, it depends on your level, but the overall goal is to hit sets for each muscle group per week. As such, you will take the rest time needed to hit your target reps with the appropriate weight load. The great news is, you can build pure size in any rep range from 1-16 reps. It really depends on how long you are bulking for. So, if you've just got off a cut, do a short maintenance phase, then you can start your bulking phase. If you eat at your TDEE, then you will simply maintain your weight. First, we are going to cover the entire diet plan and then we will get into the workout plan. There are 4 main aspects of a good clean bulk... It’s typically best to aim for 0.5-1lb of lean muscle gain per week as this will allow for less fat gain. Check out our list of best food for muscles for the healthiest, cleanest foods you can eat. The only downfall to bulking is you will inevitably gain some fat. While bulking and cardio don’t seem to go together, cardio can be done in a way that specifically hones in on fat loss without any muscle loss. This means discipline and avoiding regular cheat meals is important. A beginner will be able to pack on 10-30lbs of muscle in their first year on a “bulk”, which is not so much a bulk as it is just eating enough and lifting. In fact, if you have a really good diet, you can put on muscle while losing fat as a beginner. For beginners, you can put on quite a bit of muscle over the course of 6-12 months with very negligible fat gain. What’s more, being cyclical about your bulking and cutting is actually good for your metabolism, which will keep you leaner year round, and breaking or avoiding plateaus. Moreover, consuming high-fiber bulking foods increases your hydration needs to prevent constipation and maintain regular digestion. During a bulking phase, where protein intake and thermogenesis are elevated, your kidneys require even more water to process excess nitrogen. To minimize bloating and discomfort, it’s important to space your meals strategically and avoid overloading your digestive system in a single sitting. Digestive efficiency often becomes a challenge during a bulking phase, especially when meal volumes increase significantly to meet caloric targets. Over time, your body will respond with increased strength, muscle size, and improved training performance. It’s a popular practice, but not a practical one for the average guy or girl looking to add muscle and get in shape. Get tips, meal ideas, and expert advice for a healthy pregnancy. Includes portion sizes and meal ideas. Try it free for 7 days.Cancel anytime. Aim for at least 3 liters per day. Another way to make sure you get enough calories and nutrients is to eat often. Water is important for many functions in your body, including muscle growth. On days where you don’t workout, you don’t need as many calories. Protein is one of the most important nutrients for building muscle. Firstly, it aims for more sustainable progress toward building muscle. With 2 years as a clinical dietitian in an inpatient setting, 2… Over her 8 years of experience in dietetics, she has made significant contributions in clinical, community, and editorial settings.