Bulking diet makes me feel like I'm overeating. This normal?

[Stupendous]

I'm 5'11 and 143lbs. I'm currently bulking. I'm trying to consume 2500 calories (40p/40c/20f) a day but its making me feel like I'm overeating. I eat 5 times per day. After every meal I'm extremely full. I'm not even hungry by the next time I'm supposed to eat but I'll eat anyway. Is this normal and will I get over it eventually? Or am I doing something wrong? And then there is all this water I'm drinking. My stomache is always like bleh.

One other question. I workout MWF. On my off days do I still consume the 2500 calories to constantly supply my body with the nutrients it requires or do I not consume as much on my off days?

Thanks

[Gooseneck]

That is normal when bulking. Your body will adapt to the amount of calories and food intake over time, actually making your stomach bigger. It's just the opposite of not eating for a long time and your stomach shrinking in size, thus feeling full on half a serving. Just suck it up and remember why your doing it. Good luck.

[Jakanden]

Yes - it happens to most people when they start bulking. I am same stats as you (Height/Weight) and I eat about 3000kcal a day when trying to put some weight on heh. WHen i first started I was only eating about 1800-2000kcal a day and I had to slowly build it up. Just take your time and you will be fine.

[pmcgough]

since you are bulking, you should still consume the same calories...maybe like, 200 less at the most...but your stats make it sound like you are a high metabolism person, so work your way up and you'll start gaining weight

[CliffStamp]

On your off days you don't need to eat as much because protein synthesis is lower, thus there is no need to supply as much energy

If you are bloated and feeling uncomfortable, then you are probably eating too much calorie wise, or simply too much volume, trying to eat 1000 calories of lettuce would block you up readily for example.

There is also no need to bulk to tremendous amounts, it is not like you can gain muscle at extreme rates, you are looking realistically like maybe a 1/4 lbs a week if you are lucky.

Try to eat 10% more than you normally would to maintain, then adjust as necessary to get results.

-Cliff

[Jakanden]

Originally Posted by CliffStamp

There is also no need to bulk to tremendous amounts, it is not like you can gain muscle at extreme rates, you are looking realistically like maybe a 1/4 lbs a week if you are lucky.

That is a kind of low estimate. I know plenty of people who bulked and gained 1lb or so week of muscle without increasing thier body fat much. Im not talking about initial gains either I am talking over all (Initial gains were more like 2lbs a week)

[pmcgough]

my post was what to eat on nonworkout days..........but you can gain more than 1/4 lb a week of muscle........ronnie coleman gained 45 pounds in between olympia '02 and olympia '03, and was the same percentage bodyfat.......he went from 265 offseason to 325 offseason, and then went to 287 contest

[CliffStamp]

Ronnie Coleman could indeed gain that much mass, as could most people if they took similar drugs. However natural athetles, even the gifted ones can't go near that, unless you are coming off a severe diet, or otherwise rebounding, even 1/4 lbs of muscle a week isn't likely. Just consider that is 12-13 lbs of muscle a year, for perspective that is *SIX LITERS* of muscle. Put that much pop bottles on the table in front of you and realize what it would mean to pack that much muscle on you. Now repeat it for another year. Do it for one more year and you are now more developed than Reg Park and the greatest of the pre drug era body builders. It also took Park more like five years, to put on his thirty pounds, and he was freaky gifted, which a huge bone structure and tall, and had an intensity and workout ethic like no other.

-Cliff