A bulking and muscle-building diet go hand-in-hand, as those aiming to put on mass also want to put on muscle, so the diet also has high protein. But there’s more to protein and calories on this diet, and there’s a factor that affects your daily protein and calorie intake that I will discuss in this article, meal frequencies.

But here’s an overview of what a bulking and muscle-building diet should consist of.

High-Calorie

Since you must consume more calories than you burn to gain mass, your diet will be higher in calories than usual. However, this shouldn’t be calories from mostly fast foods and junk foods alone, but it should be calories from whole foods like avocados and nuts. These are calorie-dense foods.

Calorie-dense foods will be a staple in your bulking diet. These foods are low in volume but high in calories, so you can eat more of them without getting too full. These foods mostly come from fat sources, as 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories, which is the most out of all the macronutrients.

Fat sources:

  • Avocados
  • Nuts (almonds, cashews etc.)
  • Peanuts
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Peanut butter

Smoothies are also a staple on the bulking diet as liquid calories are easier to digest and consume, therefore you’ll be able to consume more calories. But they are NOT a meal replacement. These smoothies should always contain a mix of fats (peanut butter, nuts etc) to boost their calorie content and protein like milk and Greek yoghurt.

High-Protein

Muscle tissue comes from the protein you feed your body, so your diet must be high in protein. The more protein you consume, the more muscle you’ll build (up to a point). A good start would be consuming 1.5g of protein per kg of body weight, and working your way up to a consistent one like 2g per kg of body weight, or even 1g per pound.

However, the type of protein you consume matters too. Protein from legumes like nuts for example lacks some of the essential amino acids which is crucial for when your body converts the protein into muscle tissue. For example, legumes like nuts lack methionine and tryptophan which are essential amino acids. Without those amino acids, your body can’t convert as much protein into muscle tissue, therefore less protein is utilisable.

However, protein from animal protein sources like eggs and chicken have a better balance of the essential amino acids and don’t lack any of them which makes their protein more utilisable. Therefore, most of your protein should come from animal protein sources.

Protein sources:

  • Eggs
  • Meat (chicken, steak etc.)
  • Fish (salmon for example)
  • Milk

Meal Frequency

Eating too frequently may result in you sacrificing the amount you can eat every meal, whereas eating less regularly will sacrifice the opportunities you have to consume more calories. So you must have a good balance between frequency and portion sizes. Here are some eating frequencies to experiment with:

  • A: Meal 1, Snack 1, Meal 2, Meal 3
  • B: Meal 1, Snack 1, Meal 2, Snack 2, Meal 3
  • C: Meal 1, Meal 2, Meal 3, Meal 4

Now I’ll explain each meal frequency and the pros and cons of each of them.

A

This meal frequency is more relaxed, and you don’t have to eat too frequently. Your meal 1 may not be too heavy so that you have space to eat your snack 2 – 2.5 hours after meal 1. However, the rest of the meals will be generally heavier as you’ll have enough digestion time between meals 2 and 3. Here’s an example of the timings of these meals.

  • Meal 1: 7:00 AM
  • Snack 1: 10:15 AM
  • Meal 2: 2:15 PM
  • Meal 3: 6:30 PM

This meal frequency ensures you can eat the most you can for most of the meals meaning a higher calorie intake as there’s more digestion time. However, there may be the potential to eat more frequently to boost your calorie intake.

B

You’re eating constantly and there’s less digestion time between meals, so the meals will be lighter, as well as the snacks. Here’s an example of the meal timings:

  • Meal 1: 7:00 AM
  • Snack 1: 9:45 AM
  • Meal 2: 12:00 PM
  • Snack 3:15 PM
  • Meal 3: 6:30 PM

There are more opportunities to consume more calories since you’re eating more frequently, meaning you can consume more calories. However this is compensation for being able to eat less as since there are fewer digestion times, you’ll have less stomach space to eat more food, so your portions will be decreased.

C

You’re eating heavy meals all day round, but there’s a decent amount of digestion time for each. Here’s an example of the meal timings:

  • Meal 1: 7:00 AM
  • Meal 2: 10:50 AM
  • Meal 3: 2:45 PM
  • Meal 4: 6:30 PM

Since you’re eating 4 meals with nearly enough digestion time, you’ll be able to eat a lot while eating frequently throughout the day, meaning you’ll consume more calories. However, by waiting a bit longer between each meal, you may have the potential to eat even more.

Conclusion

Your bulking and muscle-building diet should be mostly based on protein and healthy fats, with some fast-digesting carbs like rice for energy so you can work out with enough energy. The protein you consume should be mostly animal protein, as it’s the most utilisable. Healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and olive oil should be consumed frequently, and even though peanut butter isn’t the healthiest, it’s not too unhealthy and it’s a popular addition in bulking smoothies.

How often you eat is your choice, as there are various pros and cons for each meal frequency and they each have their unique benefits. If you have a long day, you may prefer meal frequency B, but if you have a shorter day, meal frequency A. If you have a lot of meal ideas to prepare and you have more time in your day, you may prefer meal frequency c. Just ensure that the meals and snacks aren’t too heavy if you eat frequently and have less digestion time.