Nausea Problems with Bulking

[Primal]

Hello everyone! I've been training for a little over a year and a half now and since I've first started, I have always been in a caloric increase. So far, this bulk has worked out quite well as I went from 153 lbs to 200 lbs in the time of my training. My abs are still visible, but only slightly and I still have some definition on my arms and back so I think I have put on some good mass! My problem is that recently in around October of 2013 I started having some bad nausea problems where I would find it hard to eat the rest of my food on my plate. During my time with the bulk, I haven't counted my calories because it varies so much day to day. I always ate until I was full however so that's how I was sure I was getting my calories in. During this time (before October of 2013), I had no problems with nausea and I over ate lots of the time and didn't feel sick to the stomach at all. Bloated, but never to the point of nausea. So I am very confused as to why this is happening to me now!

If anyone has ever had a problem like this and has gotten around it, I would really like to hear about it and hopefully get a few tips! Thanks for reading all of this!

-Primal

[Praetorian]

Quite normal....you should do a number of things to make improvements.

1. Weigh your protein sources (cooked) ie. cook your steak and measure out 7 oz with a food scale when its fully cooked and only eat that amount per meal.
2. Have six full meals...three of which can be protein shakes with protein powder and added fat such as coconut oil or olive oil or almond/peanut butter
3. Measure your carbs and see how much you are eating...probably too much and that is usually what causes the nausea....cut back to carbs in only three of the meals and add more fat to each that you removed carbs from
4. Try to have your carbs around training...ie before, during, after
5. Start measuring your food so you know how much protein, fat, carbs you are eating per meal and per day otherwise how can you make adjustments.
6. Start doing some low intensity cardio ie. walk on treadmill about 3-4 times per week on empty stomach preferably and 25-30 min per session

P

[Primal]

Hi Praetorian, thanks for the reply! I have a few questions about some of the suggestions you gave me.
1. First off, I'll definitely try to get a food scale. I see that there are a few at Canadian Tire and such. Would you recommend a regular scale like this (Starfrit scale)? Or would a more accurate/precise one be needed for these meals?
2. I do have six meals a day already but they are mostly leftover food from yesterday that I had the day before (ie. chicken, pork chops, pasta e.t.c). Is this food alright to eat? Three protein shakes a day? If I may ask, why so many protein shakes? I only use protein shakes when I have to run somewhere really quick after a workout and don't have enough time to eat some food. I also eat lots of meats, almost every day. Wouldn't I be getting my protein from these foods?
3. After I measure my carbs (and see that I am probably eating too many of them) I will cut down on them. I am just wondering about adding the fat however. I also noticed that you suggested I put the extra fat into my protein shakes as well. What will this do to help my bulk? I'm just really concerned about putting on too much fat so that when I bulk down, my skin will looked wrinkled...
4. Will do for sure!
5. Will do this too! Do you also suggest calorie counting? Is it also useful to do on my bulk?
6. Unfortunately, I really only have enough time to work out in the morning for about an hour... Long story short, I'm a student in university and all of my classes start quite early in the morning. I already get up for six in the morning just to get to the gym and have enough time to get it in right before classes. I can't go at night because the gym is way to packed (literally the whole dumbbell rack is MIA) and the afternoon I usually devote to eating 3 meals. I do walk around campus a lot though. At least for 30 mins each day.

Sorry for the bombardment of questions! I just really want to get to learn how to bulk correctly! Thanks for reading.

-Primal

[Praetorian]

1. i prefer a digital scale for accuracy...$20 at Canadian Tire
2. Left overs are perfectly fine as long as you measure them to make sure of your protein content, shakes are easy to use as many people prepping six meals is difficult but it really doesnt matter...whole food is great too. Adding fat to shakes slows the transit time of protein so you get an even amino acid drip as opposed to all at once and then nothing for an hour or two. It also ups calories which youll need if trying to gain muscle....fat and protein are essential to build muscle...hence the terms essential amino acids and essential fats. Carbs on the other hand are used for energy only to power you through your workouts and to provide an insulin spike to drive nutrients into the cell during and after training. Read this twice...FAT does NOT make you fat...over eating CARBS DO! If your fat is too low you wont build any appreciable muscle....doesnt matter if protein and carbs are high. So the two most important macros are protein and fat. Carbs are used around your training....depending on how sensitive you are to insulin will determine hw much carbs you can eat and not get fat.
5. I dont calorie count per se but I do make sure how much protein and fat i eat per meal and then add carbs in around training. Knowing your cals is a good thing however to understand where you are and where to make changes.
6. CArdio at any time is better then none.

P

[Primal]

Oh wow! Didn't know that the carbs were the culprits to make you fat! Thanks for that info, will definitely be adding some peanut butter to every protein shake I have from now on.
Thanks a ton!

-Primal

[tt_tom]

When I bulk I usually have 2 or 3 protein shakes a day. I'm just too lazy to cook. Also after buying food scales I've noticed that both bulking and cutting became more effective. I don't do any cardio while bulking. My bad(( Thanks for great advices Praetorian.