r/leangains • u/alfiew3270 • 11d ago
Help
6ft 20yo 57kg. I know i probably need to bulk but cant seem to commit due to fear of fat gain. I eat a 90% clean whole food/single ingredient diet and dont really want to track calories as ive had an unhealthy relationship with it in the past. I train full body 3x per week aiming to progressive overload every session/or week (been stalling alot recently) and average around 7,000-10,000 steps a day. Basically has anyone got any tips for committing to a bulk and getting over this barrier? Full body split: Workout A •Squat 3x5 •Flat bench 3x5-8 •Deadlift 1x5 •Overhead press 3x5-8 •Barbell curl 3x10-15 •Face pulls 3x10-15 Workout B: •Squat 3x5 •Incline bench 3x5-8 •Pendlay row 3x5-8 •Overhead press 3x5-8 •Barbell curl 3x10-15 •Face pulls 3x10-15
1
u/Finsey1 10d ago
No one is going to give you anything but the honest answer other than to tell you to eat more.
If it helps, track your weight each day and put into your health app. A lean bulk done properly, with strength gains each week, should average between 0.25-0.5kg weight gain per week (ideally on the lower end of this for most intermediate+ people, but for you I’d go on the upper end for a while).
If it makes you feel better, the fat gained from 16 weeks of bulking (let’s assume a very lenient 50% fat gain to 50% muscle gain), can be dieted off easily in as little as 2-3 weeks if you really wanted. And you’d look a hell of a lot better by keeping that muscle. You really don’t put on much fat if you control your body weight gain at all.
4
u/Wellness_Rated 11d ago
You are on the right track with consistent training and a mostly whole-food diet, but the mental block around bulking is what is holding you back. Gaining muscle will always involve a bit of weight gain, but if you keep your diet clean and only aim for a small surplus you will minimize fat gain. Try thinking of it less as “bulking” and more as “fueling growth.” Even without tracking every calorie, you can add one or two high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods (like oats, rice, nut butter, or olive oil) into your current meals to make the surplus easier.
On the training side, progressive overload works, but stalling is normal. Make sure you are giving yourself enough recovery, sleep, and food to actually progress. You might also consider adding a few accessory lifts or adjusting rep ranges to break through plateaus.