The Most Effective Way To Bulk For Muscle Growth (clean vs dirty bulk)

[@monkedonkey8095]

im 567 lbs 78% bodyfat and im gonna start a clean bulk after this video

[@ULTRAOutdoorsman]

and then monkedonkey lost 350 lbs

[@wigletron2846]

700lbs ripped

[@berka8587]

Im 78 lbs 567% bodyfat and im gonna start a clean cut before this video

[@DiskoKDiskoL]

Maingain to 100% then have a sick cut to 8% SSJ3

[@YMCLilRodney]

Brothers gonna need 500 grams of protein per day

[@Keeby547]

“Dieted myself out of having any friends” felt like a personal attack 🤣🤣

[@PrincessDogeBRUH]

So real

[@adentett3820]

Thank you for proving my point Dr. Mike I'm now gonna missreference this video in my arguments

[@Guys_Love_Each_Other]

00:01 Clean bulking focuses on healthy food choices, while dirty bulking involves consuming junk food. 02:28 Clean bulk vs dirty bulk definitions 06:40 Clean bulking helps prevent overeating and improves gym performance. 08:48 Clean vs dirty bulk for muscle growth: advantages of clean bulking for massing and fat loss phases 12:30 Transitioning from dirty bulk to clean bulk 14:13 Eating junk food can help with weight gain but may not be ideal for bodybuilding 17:59 Clean vs dirty bulk: which is better? 19:42 The effectiveness of clean versus dirty bulk 23:24 Focus on 75% clean meals and add some cheats for faster muscle growth 25:19 Importance of material possessions for happiness --------------------------------------------- Clean bulking focuses on healthy food choices, while dirty bulking involves consuming junk food. - Junk food is often high in salt, sugar, and saturated fat, and is highly processed and palatable. - Healthy food consists of lean meats, veggies, fruits, and whole grains, promoting overall health and well-being. Clean bulk vs dirty bulk definitions - A clean bulk involves intentional weight gain with only healthy food. - A dirty bulk involves hypercaloric diet with some unhealthy food included. Clean bulking helps prevent overeating and improves gym performance. - Clean foods are less palatable and harder to overeat, reducing the risk of gaining excess fat. - Healthy food leads to better gym performance, recovery, and overall well-being. Clean vs dirty bulk for muscle growth: advantages of clean bulking for massing and fat loss phases - Clean bulking builds better habits for fat loss phase - Dirty bulking requires switching to a healthier diet during fat loss phase due to difficulty losing fat with unhealthy foods - Clean bulking involves eating healthy food all the time, making it easier to maintain during fat loss phase - Dirty bulking involves mostly unhealthy foods, making it harder to switch to a healthy diet during fat loss phase and increasing the likelihood of falling off the wagon - Almost all pro bodybuilders try to clean bulk due to potential health issues from uncontrolled calorie intake in dirty bulking Transitioning from dirty bulk to clean bulk - The initial appeal of dirty bulking is the fun and novelty of indulging in junk food after a period of strict dieting during a fat loss phase. - However, the appeal of junk food diminishes over time and there is a near zero chance of not gaining weight. Eating junk food can help with weight gain but may not be ideal for bodybuilding - While eating junk food may help with weight gain, it may not be ideal for bodybuilding due to health concerns. - To gain weight, meeting protein and calorie amounts without going over them can help, even with the inclusion of some junk food. Clean vs dirty bulk: which is better? - Clean bulking involves eating only healthy foods during a bulk, leading to less weight gain and fewer negative health consequences. However, it can be more difficult to consume enough calories to build muscle. - Dirty bulking involves consuming a large number of unhealthy, calorically dense foods during a bulk, leading to significant weight gain but potentially faster muscle growth. It can be easier to consume enough calories but may have negative health consequences in the long term. The effectiveness of clean versus dirty bulk - Training needs to be hard and smart to grow the most - No need to be dogmatic about clean or dirty, mix both based on phase Focus on 75% clean meals and add some cheats for faster muscle growth - Stick to 75% clean meals for overall health and nutrition - Add in some cheat meals to increase calorie intake for muscle growth Importance of material possessions for happiness - Feeling incomplete without material possessions - Believing that wealth will bring happiness

[@KizuJJ]

thanks man

[@sadeedkhan4867]

ur a legend bro appreciate this

[@BuNnyDuDeDaRoO]

Damn what a loser

[@SawItWithMyOwnEyes]

put the phone down and Step away from the adderall

[@PerryDay-ri1kl]

Bro you litterally took the words out of my soul ​@@SawItWithMyOwnEyes

[@KongQuestCo]

My Taco Bell PR sober is probably 6; 14 on medicinal lettuce

[@rockyevans1584]

I've definitely never had tb sober lol

[@tomisaacson2762]

​@@rockyevans1584you're doing it right

[@robirobi5950]

Ive always had taco bell when i was sober. Every single time after the first 5 bites or so i would black out and wake up in the middle of a dumpster with a gigga hangover, a right arm pump and a maSIVE desire for the shits

[@dustinirwin1]

@@rockyevans1584 2x $.99 bean burritos for lunch got me through college

[@DarthGabejpg]

I'm about to end my bulk in January. I cam say 80 percent of my bulk was Taco Bell Chalupa Supremes I'm being serious too hha But I'm getting hugee

[@PrestoninFranklin]

Dr. Mike is the only reason I’ve finally done a proper bulk phase and I’m finally seeing some serious muscle growth.

[@1cpcook1]

When i was hungover in college i would order a second drink at the drive thru so it would seem like i was ordering for 2 people

[@dustinirwin1]

Perfect timing! I just finished a cut to 12% BF and am ready to bulk but haven't felt very confident in how to go about it. The main issue for me is counting calories. During a cut I am highly disciplined to do so, and have no problem doing it. But meals that you can effectively count calories for will inherently be very simple and quite boring. And many healthy meals can have a variety of ingredients for which counting calories accurately can be very difficult. Homemade chicken soup, for example, I haven't the slightest clue how many calories are there. Or delicious Hot Pot. Or many chinese dishes that my partner makes. So my approach will be something like this: - hit my daily protein target, and then eat generally healthy food until I feel more or less full - enjoy 1 moderate snack per day - enjoy 2 cheat meals per week

[@00xojojo]

I’d say get to 10%, then bulk

[@Pico141]

@@00xojojo but... why?

[@pouyaraha]

you can wieght all the ingredients once, that will give you a gauge of the calories and then when you have the total for the dish you can estimate how many portions it is and how much it is your eating. I use to cook and track alot, its very tedious when cutting so i just eat simple food now but when bulking theres not really much other choice, if you want to track

[@khalilhannah4005]

2 cheat meals is really cheating …. Go to one 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾

[@dustinirwin1]

@@00xojojoI’m not opposed to being leaner, but my cut has been 7 weeks, and now starting to feel flat, I fear going any lower risks losing muscle that I worked hard to gain. In another vid, Mike advised limiting a cut to 8 weeks max if you want to minimize muscle loss. So I’m planning a 12-week bulk, then another 6-8 week cut. And I’m already quite lean at 6’ 175, so retaining muscle is a priority for me!

[@LAK_770]

What's been realistically sustainable for me is hitting protein, making a point to eat a good amount+variety of vegetables, and then just filling the rest of the calories with whatever, keeping it clean when my discipline allows for it but not sweating it otherwise. I'm a chronic undereater with very high NEAT and I just need to make it work.

[@llianehunter]

I'm the same way and follow the same process ❤

[@VrKx]

Exactly what im doing now its working great

[@Miikhiel]

What is NEAT?

[@samueletheridge2512]

Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis(NEAT)- The calories your body naturally burns when not exercising. Your organs use a large fraction of the calories you eat; which means that you’re “burning” calories when doing nothing at all. But things like tapping your foot or walking or pacing will burn calories too. Those would be considered NEAT.

[@rustyshackleford1011]

I did the same for a long time and undervalued carbs, until i started really hammering down carbs i havent felt this great in a long time. You will tell yourself your not going to eat 3 cups of rice a day until you realize your only going to meet your goals by eating 3 cups of rice a day. Then it isnt to bad.

[@shmuckling]

Bulking right now, first time in many years. It's a little scary, I've been overweight on a few occasions before. Strength is definitely going up though, recovery time is noticeably better and improving, I've now basically added around 50% volume to everything. Gaining weight a little too fast, hoping some of it is water retention from the added salt.

[@RelaxAndSmokeMeth]

it's water, tub and muscle

[@jacoballen5837]

It’s part of the process. Enjoy eating yummy foods while you can! You’ve lost the weight before and you can do it again when the time comes

[@beatrizr9673]

Dirty bulking has its place in the fitness path of people recovering from a restrictive eating disorder imo. I'm a girl and when I started to recover from anorexia this very year I just couldn't stop eating in recovery. Clean vs junk food weren't even options for me, food was food and I also I had to relearn how to eat hamburgers and oreos without feeling so guilty. Working out really helped during this process and I gained a lot of muscle. I also gained a lot of fat, but considering I would have gained the weight anyway because of extreme hunger, I just embraced the dirty bulk lol. Now it's been 6 months and I'm feeling ready to start prioritizing clean eating, but I don't think I'll ever want to strictly clean bulk because it's way too restrictive for me.

[@strider5119]

I think dirty bulks for ED are perfectly acceptable. Or people who simply cannot gain weight. It'll help you get to a point that you can then try maintain. So exactly that, you can now clean it up a bit, but still have some snacks etc

[@luxurybuzz3681]

Whatever works for you

[@tranquilmind8487]

this dude is funny and doesnt even try to be, take my thumbs up

[@colton7321]

I always appreciate Dr Mr Mike's analogies and examples. They always are incredibly specific yet incredibly close to my own experiences ❤

[@NaBeenz]

Me reading this comment as Dr Mike talks about getting beat up by cops for rubbing cheesecake on his lips...

[@MarxMaster69]

I know right! He almost pinpointed that body I left in Vegas!

[@theitchiestwitch]

This intro is.... amazing. Mike singing Dirty is what I needed to get through this work day

[@HumbleDictator]

Just when I'm about to finish my cut and start bulking in a couple weeks. Perfect timing :)

[@darryl8079]

I always love the best practices part of Dr. Mike's videos: taking the best, discarding the rest from each side of the equation. Gold!

[@sandysguitarlounge5562]

Starting my first bulk after a long (too long) cut. Thanks Dr. Mike!

[@jgoldian47]

been there and done that lol, spent almost 8 months ina cut to get shredded and by the end i felt like ass my hormones were in the gutter and my sleep was terrbile. Transition 3 months aftewards i put on like 25lbs way too fast

[@BakiFit2003]

​​@@jgoldian47same but after getting those pounds back it looks way batter. I didn't have quad feathers when I had 88kg. Now I do 😊

[@jgoldian47]

my man @@BakiFit2003

[@sandysguitarlounge5562]

@@jgoldian47 my cut went just over 7 months before my metabolism started really fighting back haha. Lost 53 lbs, but I have incredible diet fatigue now. Trying to find that caloric "sweet spot" now so I can bulk without overdoing it. But I could really smash a couple of pizzas about now 😂 Good luck on your journey!

[@MrDan3808]

love the reinforcement of good habits but being practical about the psychology. a valuable perspective on diet...variety is the key...for a multitude of reasons. Just be in control of that variety!

[@IsasHappyHour]

why do we never talk about dirty cutting? waiting to eat until 8 PM and then ordering 1,100 calories worth of wingstop and washing it down with a room temperature muscle milk is UNPARALLELED

[@Al7arethh]

Cuz you’re gonna lose more muscle this way “I’ve been there done that lmfao”

[@shreywayy]

i mean i guess it would work but 1100 is too little you wont be able to get enough protein from wingstop

[@SpelingMisteks]

This is the way 💀

[@VrKx]

Started semi dirty bulking a couple months ago and it is the only time I have ever made progress in the gym. I am 6’5 and I was at like 155. It was really hard to eat enough to gain weight but throwing in a couple cookies every day really helped me get into a decent surplus. Been lifting for 3 years but i feel like im finally getting my noob gains lol

[@nomad9584]

6'5 155? You need a 4 year long bulk brother

[@BensCanyonAT4]

same bro literally same

[@VrKx]

@@nomad9584 fuck yeah i do

[@theKashConnoisseur]

A few suggestions to help pack in extra calories with limited discomfort: 1. Liquid calories are way easier to digest than solid foods. Mass gainer shakes are a useful tool in this regard, and they also provide a decent source of quality protein. 2. Fat has more than double the calories of proteins and carbs, so choosing foods with higher fat content can sneak in a LOT of calories for the same general serving size. For instance, choosing dark meat chicken over breasts. Or choosing a fatty cut of beef over a lean one. Picking full fat dairy and dressings over reduced fat and fat free options. And so on. 3. Fatty meals slow gastric emptying, so it can be VERY beneficial to save your fatty meals for your final meal of the day. 4. Meals composed of simple carbs will tend to increase hunger levels due to how they affect insulin. Essentially, they spike your blood sugar, which spikes insulin. This causes blood sugar levels to rapidly crash, which signals your body to release hunger hormones in order to entice you to eat something to bring blood sugar back up again. TL:DR; You'll be able to eat more calories, more often, by having liquid meals rich in simple carbs during the day, transitioning to solid meals higher in fats later in the evening. Having a moderate amount of protein per meal, evenly spaced throughout the day, is beneficial for muscle protein synthesis. Good luck on getting huge!

[@VrKx]

@@theKashConnoisseur yeah i have been drinking 1k cal smoothies every day and even then it was still hard to get my food down at night. Like i said i eat 2 cookies from target every day to get in another 400 ish cals and only now have i started seeing progress. Kind of silly but if it works it works

[@mansansmorals1471]

Been dirty bulking for 4-5 months, can definitely attest to feeling significantly worse during my cardio.

[@solm.6184]

how long are you supposed to bulk? i started november 17. do i just bulk until spring time? lol

[@mansansmorals1471]

@@solm.6184 up to you. A lot of people will bulk for fall and winter and then cut in spring, so they’re looking their best when they’re dressed in their summer clothes. Also bulking over holidays makes it easier to eat with family during Thanksgiving/Christmas without feeling like you’re being a killjoy.

[@solm.6184]

@@mansansmorals1471 is 2lb in a month good progress? i’m on a fairly clean diet so far

[@franbatista9062]

Dirty bulking is just an excuse to eat unhealthy and not wanting to count calories almost every time

[@Weimerica8841]

​@@solm.6184 just bulk until you have tits

[@MRAIClassroom]

I’ve been lifting now for 9 months for the first time in my life. I was skinny fat, and I appreciate your videos on that specific. But I went from 185 to 205 of muscle! I’m still leaning towards bulking more; but doing it clean. Lots of chicken and rice, but honestly with some good seasoning it tastes better than the crap I used to eat!

[@davii2663]

starting my first bulk after weight loss!! perfect timing!!!

[@thetieguy4961]

same here. trying to fill some of that loose skin and get really huge, was overdieting and getting nowhere because affraid of food

[@hedjuk]

I ate ten 7 layer burritos in like 45 minutes after a fat loss phase came to end at 148 lbs body weight and 3 steak quesadillas. I remember waking up to the wrappers on my bed like it was yesterday. It was glorious.

[@CalWilletts]

I usually eat mainly whole foods and healthy up until my maintenance cals then add roughly 300/500 cals of treat foods in the evening to take me into my surplus requirement on a bulk...probably not ideal but works pretty well for me. Great video...cheers Doc 🤜

[@jujuba117]

I actually like the Idea ! And it should make it very easy to cut some food on a caloric deficit. I'll give it a try !

[@CalWilletts]

​@@jujuba117yeah exactly...and it's also a nice little reward at the end of the day when you've eaten your good foods and got all your macros in..and also because you've been eating whole foods and good things you feel pretty full so less chance of binging on junk and also keeps them cravings in check as your having a little treat each day... works well for me anyways. Its the 80/20 rule I think basically...but I save it for the evening munchies 😅

[@strider5119]

I'm currently bulking and I'm just eating a fairly normal amount of food, but using clean carb shakes to take me into a surplus. When I'm done bulking, I'll simply stop the carb shakes or replace them with protein shakes. It's easier to drink those extra calories than eat them, at least for me.

[@WoodsGhost]

I'm on month 108 of this bulking cycle.... oh wait that's just about how long I've been a lazy fat ass. On a serious note, I appreciate your content 👍🏼I'm starting to use the information I've been gleaning from your videos to make some changes and get back in shape. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@andrewb9595]

Just started bulking and working out last week. I've been 135lbs @ 5' 10" my whole life; now 32yrs old. I'm eating pretty clean at 2700c (to ease into the increased volume) and I've allowed myself to cheat a bit on the weekends, since I only meal prep for 5 days. Hopefully i can stick with it. I might add another 500c if/when my appetite increases.

[@KeenenBlake]

I just finished my first coaching programming. 3 months, went from 200 to 177.1lbs. Looked great! Felt horrible towards the end with the cardio and how deep the deficit was. Immediately after it finished it was my birthday and thanksgiving, and I just bought and ate everything I wanted in 3 the last months. It took me two weeks to get back up to 200… I regret it all. I look like shit and feel even worse. I’m going to try and cut back down to the 180s and do my best to slowly introduce extra calories and put on some lean size

[@lashedandscorned]

Do a slow cut instead. A really slow one, eating at a deficit of 200kcal over the course of a lengthy period of time. Try losing 15lb in 6 months instead of 3. That way you won't feel like shit & as if you can't eat anything. Obviously as you get lighter you'll have to adjust your deficit due to having a lower TDEE.

[@mikafoxx2717]

​@@lashedandscornedunless you weight train, your metabolism may go up over time, and the more fat to lose, the more muscle you can put on while in a deficit.

[@tomwaitsfornoone1182]

so after your cut ends... you just eat the same foods you were cutting with but eat more of them, to reach maintenance. then once your propensity for regain has been minimized you slowly introduce your normal foods again. just be concious that your body WANTS to rebound after the cut.

[@StormHornet56]

Hey that's ok! You got a lot of amazing experience with that cut. Do you gained it back; that's ok. You have more skills to apply to the next time you lose weight, and now you have some thoughts on how to avoid the gain process once you're done with the cut! Don't look at it in terms of regrets or lost/wasted progress. Proper diet and exercise maintenance is a genuinely hard skill that's learned over the span of your life. No one becomes a master in their chosen craft on the first try.

[@theKashConnoisseur]

YOu went too hard with it man. The key is to lose it gradually. Lose 10 lbs, eat at maintenance for a month or two. Lose another 10 lbs, maintain for a month or two. Repeat until trim, maintain for half a year to attain a new setpoint, and THEN go on your first bulk.

[@danherrin7691]

I've been bodybuilding since age 15. I'm almost 50 years old now and I just can't get away with dirty meals like I used to when I was younger. I feel so much better and have more energy eating clean. Young guys should know that eating like shit will catch up with you the older you get so it's best to learn healthy, clean eating habits while you're young. 15 tacos from Taco Bell in one sitting for me 😁

[@SaturdayNightSlamMaster1980]

Same, 43 y/o. This man is telling the truth. 💯

[@vasyls1767]

Taco bell??? Your toilet must've had a Stalingrad battle of its own😂

[@caseyrobinette805]

Good advice. I’ve implemented this and quit being so strict about eating clean foods.

[@K0ly61]

ive spent $27 at taco bell and housed it before i got home. cheers dr mike.

[@jakeharrell7415]

how does one simply spend ONLY $27 at taco bell

[@doughamilton1810]

That would be impressive in 2016

[@FerintoshFarmsPhotography]

I was at my GMA's recently and she was feeding me as they do, and I remembered Mikes wisdoms about GMA's so allowed her to feed me 5 ginger snap cookies. They were awesome.

[@chrono8233]

I remember years ago I did a 2 year clean bulk. I was so obsessed with my caloric intake that I would gain one pound exactly every 30 days. I gained very little fat and gained about 18 lbs of solid muscle in those 2 years. My diet was Chicken, Lean steak, oatmeal, rice, sweet potato, veggies and fruit. I just rotated those. I also had a cheat day once per week. I no longer do cheat days just because they make you feel like crap and I enjoy feeling good. I haven't had a cheat day now in over 2 years. I will have sushi once ever few months though if I crave it, I don't really crave things anymore though. I focus on how I feel instead.

[@silverhost9782]

Who are you? John Wick?🤣

[@pballer2005]

I’ve come into a similar space. I CANT cheat anymore because I will feel like absolute shit, diarrhea, heart burn, acne flairs up, sometimes I would like to be able to enjoy some junk food but I know I’m just borrowing happiness from tomorrow.

[@DavidDavis311]

People don’t realize that if you stay away from junk food and fast food long enough you don’t crave it and when you do eat it it doesn’t taste that great.

[@murmenaattori6]

I have achieved a similar state. Sushi and hazelnut chocolate are my cheat foods. I don't crave sweets anymore, and if I do cheat I usually follow up by fasting or vegetables only for the night.

[@capcomfan82]

Finally someone who understands bulking takes years not months

[@christophero3869]

I did a dirty bulk once, in 2018. I just now finished losing the weight from it

[@ogdrillaa5045]

im on my 4th month of bulking after being 12% bf for 2 years and not growing. dirty bulk helped me a lot

[@CalWilletts]

So would clean bulking...probably even more with better energy levels 👊

[@ogdrillaa5045]

@@CalWilletts true but im 6f5 i need a lot of calories. clean is just too much food for me XD

[@CalWilletts]

@@ogdrillaa5045 😂😂 in that case enjoy some tasty foods and just hit your protein and calorie targets 👊

[@kumbya]

@@ogdrillaa5045it’s true, the sheer volume of food feels impossible. I’m shorter than you and prbly have a lower maintenance, but I just don’t have the hunger for a clean 3700cal and 200g protein. 😢

[@chaoticprogress]

I'm glad you explain it the way you do. People misunderstood food and calories so much. I'm glad you point out, the composition of the food has a small health impact, yes. But it's very small, if you're controlling your intake - it's mostly the volume of calories and that's it. Excess calories are stored as fat, whether that's excess calories from vegetables or cakes... it doesn't matter. Fat is fat. And your body doesn't go 'ooh good calorie... ooh bad one'... Anything under maintenance = is burned off, it's fuel. So it doesn't matter whether it's a cookie or an apple, other than the added benefits you get from good foods yes aka a cookie won't have this added mineral and vitamin etc. but let's say you're getting your required nutrience overall anyway and controlling your intake, and say aiming for x calories to bulk... it doesn't fkn matter where it comes from. Excess is excess, you need enough calories to carry enough protein and water to the muscle repair site - end of. Your body doesn't give a shit whether that calories is from cake or tuna.

[@chrisplummer4391]

I just finished a 12 week bulk where I started off really consistent and clean for the first 8-ish weeks, then started to add some junk in towards the end, and I noticed a pretty big difference in the quality of my workouts going from like 5% junk food to 40% junk food. Noticeably less energy and I'm pretty sure the last couple pounds I gained were just fat

[@jackpalicki2990]

How did you stay clean so long? I’m on my second meal of chicken and rice and I already hate it

[@sickfoo5506]

​@@jackpalicki2990 if you're bulking then seasonings are your friend.. kinders chili garlic salt is my go to that shit is fire

[@matthewbusse1059]

@@jackpalicki2990 try some different types of protein. There are plenty of delicious animals on this earth to consume with various sauces and seasonings that add very little to your total calories if used in moderation. If you hate it you won't stick to it, so may as well find something you do like.

[@zerrodefex]

​@@jackpalicki2990you stick to it by learning how to cook more than chicken and rice.

[@chrisplummer4391]

I put olive oil on almost everything, easy healthy calories and I love the taste. Pan fried most of my meats, which i think made them taste a lost better. Lean cuts of steak and fatty fish like salmon to mix it up and add some omega-3s, so it's not chicken every time. Low fat dairy, skim milk with protein shakes, greek yogurt with honey added and walnuts is some easy calories. Stuck to only my favorite vegetables, usually roasting them with olive oil, which helps them cook better and adds calories. Sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts, and carrots always turned out really well like that. I think my job helps, too, i do 12-hour shifts on my feet, so when lunch rolls around the same shit over and over is like gourmet every time. And on my off days I do a lot of cooking, which ends up tasting better than meal prep @@jackpalicki2990

[@RaysOfPivot]

I've got 5 weeks left on my cut, but I'm very excited for my bulk. An extra 1k calories is going to be soooooo nice. Plus lifting more is going to feel GREAT.

[@JimBaker-ks4io]

How is the bulk going mate? I'm currently cutting until November 1 and will start my first ever bulk that day. Pretty excited about it too!

[@RaysOfPivot]

@@JimBaker-ks4io oh it's glorious. Food is amazing and I'm stronger than ever. Still have a six pack. Bulking til Jan then I'll cut for 2 or 3 months

[@mufticheesecake4532]

Some other overlooked important factors I think are price, time, and education/changing habits. Healthier foods will often cost more, if not pound for pound, then in the time and energy put in. Eating healthier means cooking yourself, often meal prep. Healthy restaurants are few and expensive. The average person doesn't know what healthy meals are, so they go online and see all these health trends that call for eating avocado, quinoa, etc., often foods that are more expensive than what they normally eat. I'm sure global demand for avocados and quinoa have skyrocketed in the past half decade because of "healthy recipes" online.

[@limitisillusion7]

I refuse to accept the argument that healthy foods cost more. Unless you're eating a lot of organic/pasture raised/grass fed stuff, clean eating is cheaper. Boxed up/processed food is not cheaper than whole foods - fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and lean meat. I eat ~3400 calories at $12 a day in Northeast Ohio, about 90% whole foods. Location is probably irrelevant anyway, as the cost of living differences are likely uniform between groceries and prepped food. You do have to put effort into shopping. You can't just buy whatever you want all the time. Eat according to what's on sale and stock up on the shelf/freezer stable stuff.... Rice, pasta, meat, etc. Food preparation time is definitely something to consider, however, once you get good at cooking, you're going to be saving money. You have to consider the fact that when you buy prepped food, you're paying for the cost of the food, the wages of the people making it, plus all the other expenses of a food business. Unless you make significantly more than the business you're buying food from, then you'll absolutely be saving money if you're cooking in bulk. You're usually not ordering from the catering menu to eat all week like you would with meal prep, so you're paying for all that extra time that others spend to make your food. And if you are making that much money, you probably wouldn't be complaining about the price of food anyway. You either work more hours to buy prepped food or learn how to shop/cook and work less.

[@arihaviv8510]

Rice and beans is much cheaper than most of the junk that's out there. Sure, adding "superfoods" such as kale would be better but even just whole grains and legumes will be far ahead than most junk

[@mufticheesecake4532]

@@limitisillusion7 your last paragraph is basically my point. Its going to cost you more, whether that's in money, time, effort. Think about the average person that's trying to build muscle and get in shape, young guys who are busy with work or school, they don't have the time to spend an hour to cook and eat for every meal, they'd rather get something quick from the pantry or order Uber eats. Are they going to give the effort to spend their whole Sunday to shop and meal prep? Just saying they're real factors to think about. Ultimately the best plan is the one you do consistently, if that means eating dirty, then so be it.

[@limitisillusion7]

@@mufticheesecake4532 You must not have read my last paragraph.

[@nolanhill77]

Never misses. Love u dr. Mike

[@aidenfraatz3971]

7 Quesadillas in one setting XD

[@patrickmcgarry4644]

This has to be one of your funniest videos I’ve seen! 😂 loved it

[@harryHensum]

Clean bulking didn't work for me. I was exhausted eating 3700 calories of "healthy" foods, tracking everything and incrementally adding calories. It's when I started eating a lot of highly processed foods, on top of my normal 4 meals, before I finally added some weight.

[@anthonycarr6732]

Gotta do what you gotta do

[@soonahero]

Anything is possible when you disregard your health

[@gur262]

Don't get it. I think some salami, fatty cheese or nuts aren't unhealthy though they sure will get the calories up there. Whole milk not 0.3 percent fat milk. All that.

[@harryHensum]

@@gur262 I ate a bag of 200gr mixed nuts each day , ate them as a snack or addedwith full fat kwark (Dutch fatty yoghurt). I also ate a jar of 100% peanut butter each week. Whole milk and peanut butter I added to my post lift shakes, and I ate 2x chicken thighs rice and veggies premade meals at around 800kcal each.But that stuff filled me up I was so full all the time but wasn't gaining any weight. Now I eat 3 brownies 900kcal in total and I'm hungry again an hour later. It just makes more sense if you have fast metabolism.

[@kek8230]

​@@harryHensumFucking hell

[@jonjensen4514]

Even on a cut, prioritizing protein over calories (while still keeping calories as low as manageable) has been key for me!

[@RobertN734]

It's always so nuts to hear about "just eat 3000+ calories to get big!" Meanwhile my maintenance is barely 2k and I have to constantly fight to stay lean. I can have a few apples as dessert, everything else is chicken and egg whites and milk. Cliff Builders bars are my binge candy.

[@soonahero]

Do you want to be big or stay lean. Like you could just get to 30 bmi forever and be big and train

[@RobertN734]

@@soonahero I was 250+lbs as a teen. I got that all off in 3 years. It's been a decade and I am never, ever going back. Doesn't matter how much slower I put on muscle now.

[@RobertN734]

@maltheri9833 For sure, it's definitely something I've thought about. I've had bulking periods where I got over 2500 and still lost weight, but my maintenance still goes back to 2k. Right now I want to defeat the last bit of fat on my core once and for all. After that, we'll see.

[@soonahero]

@@RobertN734 if you want to be small you could be a marathoner

[@gur262]

​@@soonaheroI'm at 30bmi. After starting this year at 36. Ehm. Fat influences hormones. That much fat could mean that my t levels are higher now than then. And will be even higher if I lose some more fat.

[@ryguy9990]

I love how this video dropped just in time for lunch. Great to have a near 30-minute video to watch while I eat.

[@Ratboycure]

New to fitness going well so far. As a lifelong lean fellah dirty bulking certainly seems to be working but honestly seeing the fat starting to coat me us a bit unsettling though I don't see how it would be any different with healthy food. Externally anyhow I am sure the inside of my veins look like sewer pipes after tipping a gallon of bacon grease down them. Thanks for the info

[@Ray_MondOS]

I 100% relate to eating very clean and finding it hard to eat in a surplus. I also found it mentally taxing to math out all the calories and macros everyday after a few months. I also 10O% relate to craving healthy food after a long junk food stint. Taco Bell record: idk like 6-8? But I was young and an actual athlete.

[@NINJAxBACON]

0:45 what is blud talking about 💀

[@HempPlant410]

That’s why I love this shit

[@israelipanda6096]

ive just done my first show and youre absoulotly right sticking to a clean diet makes life suck much more and ruin social event. i think a good approach is to have your diet consist of mainly clean foods and set yourself with some 'free calories' in wich you can have something tasty. i eat 3000 calories and my snack is like 300 so i find it ok and i can control my weight that way. also i believe that when you control your weight and plan ahead so that you wont gain to much per week/month it is clean bulking and youre good to go

[@TypicallyUniqueOfficial]

I’m into my bulk for a month now. At the end of my cut I was averaging 2k calories and somewhere around 9-10% bodyfat. I’m bulking on 3k calories (slowly reversed up 3 weeks then added 400 cals to maintenance) and I’m maintaining my weight 😂. My metabolism is hella funky, I start twitching and shit when I’m in a surplus and I my NEAT goes haywire. I can’t sit still for 2 seconds. Cursed.

[@einsteinx2]

Dude same. I cut on around 2000-2200 cals losing a 1-2lb a week. But as I up calories I just maintain/recomp all the way up to like 2750-3000 cals. I need to eat around 3300-3500 to actually gain weight it’s crazy. Same issue with NEAT.

[@TypicallyUniqueOfficial]

@@einsteinx2 does your sleep start getting funky too? I was sleeping like a BABY eating 2k calories for 8 hours a night. Now I lay in bed thinking about the most random stuff sometimes for up to an hour before dozing.

[@TBCjls]

Same, losing weight on almost double my cutting calories after reverse dieting 😂

[@TBCjls]

16:50 😂

[@einsteinx2]

@@TypicallyUniqueOfficial I actually have trouble sleeping on 2000 cals because of hunger I think. When I’m bulking I have to be really carefully to split the calories through the day in the right way (not necessarily evenly) or I’m super tired/lethargic all day and fall asleep way too early (but then wake you super early so don’t actually get more sleep)

[@willpowerstrengthandfitnes6773]

Thanks for this. I've kept it in between for the past several years, keeping my weight between 280 and 285. It's helped my strength a lot.

[@trumpdrago517]

20% isn’t an “insignificant amount” Also, you can absolutely feel 1 week clean eating. ABSOLUTELY. How u say u cant is baffling to me

[@soonahero]

20% from your diet. It doesn’t include other habits like sleep, socialization, stress, exercise (cardio and resistance training) Diet is 20% from the 20%. So like 4% overall

[@trumpdrago517]

@@soonahero HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY doubt 3000ckals a day of protein shakes and sugar for a year vs 3k cals of steak for a year only nets 4%. I actually doubt the original 20%. I think it’s opposite actually. I think diet is 80% and training is 20%

[@soonahero]

@@trumpdrago517 well yeah the shakes and sugar are definitely healthier than steaks. Since it has carbs. Also whey is pretty nutritious. Also sleep is by far more important than training. And there’s many factors of health beyond nutrition and training. The three main things how diet affects health are weight, nutrition, and artherosclerosis. Whether it’s dirty or clean, calories are calories. Let’s pretend we weigh the same in both examples. Nutrition, man under nutrition is rare when food is so plentiful. And getting kidney issues from over nutrition simply isn’t common. Everyone is fat, very few people have destroyed their kidneys by chugging multi vitamins for example. Lastly, artheroscletosis yes is affected by clean food. But if we control for everything else, you are in an appropriate weight, you’re trained to near your genetic potential, your kidneys are fine like dang near all fat people, you’re eating anything and anything and get plenty of micros, the chances of a trained person getting heart disease from food quality is simply low. Hence 4% We will literally find out. Obesity meds curb appetite but don’t make diets cleaner. We might dang near eliminate cardiovascular disease without making our diets cleaner whatsoever so far less than 4% Imagine if literally all fat people were 19 bmi, would we have a crisis? I douby

[@trumpdrago517]

@@soonahero don’t agree but ok ✌️

[@CycleCalm]

Very skinny guy here who started to lift and try and bulk recently. Binge watched a ton of RP videos lol I'm tall and have a high metabolism (and lost even more weight a few years ago from a bout of hyperthyroidism), and not only that but cycle for my job, so gaining weight is haaaard. I have gone from 55kg to 58kg over about 4 weeks though. Portion sizes in the UK are smaller than the US so if I just have a "normal" portion of breakfast cereal, lunch and dinner, it's often not even 2000 kcal, which really woke me up to how much more I need to eat since I started tracking it. I like to think of my diet as "semi-clean" at the moment to reach about 3000 kcal. I have an extra 400 kcal or so from a couple fruit and nut bars, and another 600 from a shake made with meal replacement powder, protein powder and oats, cashews and olive oil. Also sometimes microwave ready meals which can have a decent amount of veggies but also often loads of salt and saturated fats. I will admit I've been trying to go to places like subway or taco bell more often though because there's a lot less eating throughout the day required when lunch is 1000 kcal instead of the usual 600 meal deal! Hoping that since most of my extra calories is from snack bars and a shake, if I want to cut (been skinny all my life and never enjoyed food hugely so it's funny even contemplating), I can just continue with my normal meal habits and just stop having those extras.

[@ImTheSaiki]

Perfect timing! I'm on my first bulk and I need all the help I can get.

[@justinian420]

I think a cheeseburger, particularly ones with a lower cal/protein ratio is a good tool for a bulk. It's palatable, without being as insanely hyper palatable as say a pizza. Get good rolls/buns, make it at home. Greek gyros sandwich is also a good option.

[@anuragd948]

Some great info this video. Cleared several of my doubts. Thanks Dr. Mike.

[@GrimpaGrim]

My buddy got kicked out when he was 18 because his mom gave him money to pay electricity bill and he spent it on $80 worth of dabs (not the dance) and $40 worth of jack in the box tacos. He didn’t finish them all that day, but he would regularly spend $20 and finish all ~35 tacos during lunch in high school. Dude was jacked too. 35 tacos in the 50 minutes between 4th and 5th period. Truly one of god’s own prototypes, a high powered mutant.

[@viejozorrex]

I started bulking methodically for the first time and I'm able to do it so thanks to RP diet app. It's way easier to keep yourself on track if something tells you how much to eat. At this point I have to eat so much f...king food that the snicker bar sound like a great idea to easy the weight of eating. Thanks Mr. Dr. God Mike

[@bram111]

my clean bulk and cut are the same year round..fruit, veggies, meats, nuts,milk, white rice, potatoes. Ofc i drink a beer time to time and enjoy a cheat meal.

[@jonsmith9728]

happy winter bulking season dr. Mike

[@robertrub5503]

Mike's tangents are the bestest

[@asbrandonsconcerned]

1) Haven't had Taco bell in years. Really any fast food frankly. Fast food to me is a sub or pizza. 2) Protein shakes and oreos are the goat. And cereal. Cinnamon toast crunch 👌 3) I'm just finishing a dirty bulk. About 10 weeks. Started out tracking and sticking to 4000 calories after eating only

[@Dr.MikeGranato]

80:20 rule works best for me. 80% “clean” and 20% “fun/IIFYM” by calories. On 4k calories, a scoop or 2 of ice cream or a few Oz of syrup on my cereal (don’t judge) is all I need. Gets the job done, and is a sustainable approach for cutting too

[@GC3FIT]

I lost it at shut up Betty! Keep it up coach, always learning something new here

[@tristanwegner]

That muffled burp at 8:10 when talking about over eating had perfect comedic timing

[@xommul79]

So I am 6’7”, weigh 235lbs and am a vegetarian. I’ve been on 2.2k cals in a cut and have lost a decent amount of fat. All the calculators I’ve used tell me to maintain weight I need 3.2-3.4k cals so to bulk I need 3.5-3.8k. When I begin to increase mass I will do my best to stay clean but it’s nice to know I can chuck in the odd bit of junk here and there to make it fun, tasty, social and achievable. Thnx Dr Mike

[@jassemsamir507]

I learned so much since I am watching your videos and also my body changed a lot -

[@d.s.7984]

I ate 20 tacos of al pastor in a single sitting. Just when I was finishing the last bite, the taco guy asked if I wanted it to go. Granted, if you know, they're not that big but he was impressed nonetheless that I finished so much by myself.

[@Matthew.E.Kelly.]

Oh my God, al pastor are my favorite 🥹

[@geoffball9547]

The best video on the entire internet!!!!!

[@davidlane6758]

I think a lot of people don't mean exactly what Mike means when they say "clean" vs. "dirty" bulking. It seems less about the quality of food, whether it's "processed" or whole foods, and more about whether you are tightly controlling your macros and overall calories and eating at a small to moderate surplus, vs. just making sure you eat enough protein then eating a ton of whatever you like without regard to the other macros or overall calories you are taking in, such that you tend to be in a more extreme surplus by eating more fatty/sugary, calorie dense foods, thus gaining more fat with your muscle. On this definition, if you look like a blimp post-bulk you were dirty bulking, regardless of whether you overdid it on organic natural peanut butter sandwiches or chips and Oreos.

[@_theoriginalb4handles_Genflag]

Its funny hearing Dr. Mike call out logical fallacies at the end while using appeal to authority in his argument for using canola oil. He's good at workout advice, and 60yrs behind on his nutrition advice.

[@aaronpaguirigan4549]

PERFECTTT currently trynna bulk and I always had trouble, lol lost 5lbs on a meal prep 4 meals a day 3 meals are within 900-1300 calories. Added another meal for this week, lol I barely eat Taco Bell but I have eaten 2 combo 2's from bourbon st. grill and a foot long sub from subway within 45 mins lol

[@RaysOfPivot]

Im planning on a mixed bulk. 2400 maintenance, so I'll be doing 2800. Very excited

[@spicy7724]

Hey great advice like always! Regarding your advice on building muscle, many individuals are saying promoting high volume is bad and higher intensity (to failure) with less total weekly volume is the way to go. There's a lot of people like Paul Carter saying "he doesn't understand these concepts" and it seems many people are questioning your advice. Of course there is a happy median between the two, but I would love to hear your response to these counterarguments.

[@danlee9049]

This is perfect timing. You guys are getting good at this! 😂

[@johnnydalvi3978]

Mike, have you ever thought about making a Udemy course on biomechanics focused on bodybuilding? Showing with models/graphs which muscle is responsible for each movement and how different angles changes the focus. Many of us would love to buy a course like that. Nowadays the information about biomechanics is quite sparse for whom don't want to work in the field but at least want to have a good grasp of how to use it to improve their workout routine. You could even team up with Greg xD

[@MartinezFITGroup]

Yeah. This stuff is great. I dropped 180 pounds this year. From Jan. And think I need to mix things up. But I’m lost in bulk vs main gain. This is super helpful. Keep up the great work. ❤I Keep sending people here. So keep up the 🔥 content.

[@DeanKennyMusic]

Immediately had to pause this video and listen to Dirrty again. What a tune

[@ethancryder8570]

I went from 142 lbs to 165 lbs in my first 2 years of bodybuilding training and while I still feel like I’m gaining more refined muscle, I’ve hit a plateau in size and strength and I realized that it’s my diet, and I need to eat more. Increasing my normal 3 meal and 1 protein Shake a day to now 4 meals a day and 2 protein shakes has done a lot of good for me, I’ve been staying relatively lean but the scale and muscle size and strength has gone up like crazy, sitting at 170 lbs avg now. 4 weeks in and steady climbing

[@mu5mu595]

Are you counting your macros? 3 meals and one shake probably didn't get you the protein that you needed, especially if you're very lean.

[@everydaynemo1041]

Literally LOL when you described talking to a friend's dad about bodybuilding!

[@dashingduff2985]

Aaàaaaahhhhh man i love your imagination in story telling and scenarios 😂

[@kingrueben1211]

Idk what's better. Mike's Information or his random rambling 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@wilfriedvomacka1783]

Thanks for the tip My 600 pound life. It is really hard for me to gain weight. And learning from the best of the best is great idea.

[@myrmidononyx5961]

I did diet myself out of having any friends looool. Mr Mike. U won internet for me today

[@GregPaxson]

Dr. Mikes, Betty impression was killer.

[@khalidmahmoud4975]

12:14 I’ve eaten junk food for 47 years straight and I feel great

[@MarcoFeldman]

I go for the clean bulk approach 💪🏻🦍

[@1TieDye1]

Video reminds me of my first real bulk, as a freshmen in college. Having access to the dining hall makes it a lot easier lol I did the combo clean/dirty bulk. Every meal I’d start with something healthy, meat, a carb, and veggies. Then i’d promptly get a second meal of whatever, usually pizza or a burger, and a couple dessert items. Gained about 35 lbs that year. A lot of fat and a lot of muscle. Lost 100% of it that first summer lmao

[@nomaderic]

My taco bell pr is 2 taco party packs (24 tacos) Or 10 beefy melt burritos (one burrito is 620 calories)

[@StaticHumBuzz]

One sit down I could hit 4 or 5 at one point: Crunchwrap, grilled cheese burrito, fiesta potatoes, and some nacho fries a drink that may or may not be finished… Within 2 hours would be 12 pack party tacos (all of them) Beefy 5 layer, chicken chalupa, and a drink So 15 (smaller items)

[@jaredthegymrat]

i do a mix. most of my dinners are on the cleaner side. a lot of chicken and rice or a pasta with chicken. Breakfast I always do french toast, eggs and blue berries. But i’m not afraid to have a caniac combo from canes or some chick fil a. I always sucked at bulking bc I hated the way I would look when i out on weight. I found the magic solution… wearing sweatpants and a hoodie all the time for the next 6 months lol

[@n.c.7028]

Hey yo. I feel the same way. Felt miserable while looking a little round on the mirror but I discovered that with bigger clothes i keep my brain calm

[@crticeone]

Thanks again for the awesome video! Very informative and very helpful. You are also pretty frick’n hilarious in your videos! Thanks again and keep making more videos plz…. 😁👍🏻

[@jeffersontugboat8115]

5'8 170lbs PRs Squat: 345 Bench: 275 Deadlift 455 Taco Bell items: 3 beefy potato burritos and 2 chicken quesadillas.

[@ConkerTampon]

I prefer this video format with the slides.

[@mjames7674]

I've discovered that if you make some plain oats with lowfat milk, cook that, mix in some vanilla protein powder and cinnamon, then add some nonfat, high protein Greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, and berries, you have a *_FUCKING DELICIOUS,_* high calorie, extremely high mix of fast and slow digesting proteins, low sugar, very healthy parfait. It literally tastes like a desert but it's super healthy. I'll make a bowl after my workout, and it's got about 64 grams of protein and about 640-650 calories. *EDIT:* Add some protein granola on top for added texture, flavor, protein, and calories. The only thing is that granola tends to have more sugar than I'd like in it. Not a ton, but more than I like.

[@tonyshoeball7759]

After a wrestling comp in HS after cutting 13lbs, I ate 6 1/2lb burritos, 2 crunch wrap supremes, 2 soft shell, and 2 hard shell tacos. With 4 large Mountain Dew Baja Blasts(I refilled the cup)

[@streetdogg8206]

I basically do calorie (and macro) counting as it's own hobby for funsies, weighing everything and filling up a gigantic Excel file with graphics and everything. It pretty much solves this problem here as a byproduct. I eat clean and dirty mixed together, as long as I hit my targets. If I eat something fatty and/or high calories, I just pick mostly low fat stuff for the rest of the day and there you go. My Excel is full of documented options that fit all situations by now and it also says what's actually in the fridge. Somehow it's super convenient and also super impracticle at the same time, but since I actually enjoy the weighing and writing down things and all that (and my lifestyle/personal situation allows me to do it fully for most days), it's just good (for me). ^^

[@pavelbratan4525]

By any chance are you on the spectrum?

[@GLOKD]

One of the strongest arguments for a dirty bulk is that you're less likely to accidentally slip into calorie deficit. Since we know that a) calorific deficit is a horrible environment for hypertrophy and getting stronger and b) calories themselves are notoriously difficult to measure - the only SAFE way to really make progress in the gym is to dirty bulk. Expecting the average lifter to be able to clean bulk in a small surplus is asking too much. Most people don't have time to measure food, and most people will rely somewhat on the calorie listing on food packaging which can be inaccurate. I'm an intermediate lifter and very consistent, and I find dirty bulking the entire Winter and trimming the fat off come Spring a pretty easy way to make gains.

[@strider5119]

The first time I bulked was dirty. I saw fast growth, but always felt full and lethargic. I also found it difficult to reduce portions and the types of food once I stopped bulking. I'm currently trying to clean bulk, it's slower, but I feel way better. I also now realise that I'll have better control over my meals, the portions and types of food, because I'm already controlling it now.