You’ve likely seen the memes or overheard the chatter at your local gym. ‘Bulking season’ is a phrase that’s banded around the fitness community and social media, but what does it actually mean?
“In really simple terms, bulking is just consuming more calories than the body requires in the pursuit of muscle gain, explains Pelé Zachariah, Fitness and Wellbeing Specialist. “The main reason someone is going to be bulking is to expedite the process of building muscle. It allows the body to be in a daily calorie surplus to give it the fuel it needs to build muscle quicker than at maintenance or in a calorie deficit”.
He stresses that this should go hand in hand with training. “It doesn't matter how many calories you can consume without training in a progressive way. You need to give the body the required stimulus to build muscle”.
While many of us would relish the opportunity to consume as many calories as we can, channelling Matilda’s Bruce is not considered a healthy course of action – much to our chagrin. Pelé reveals “People generally think that bulking is eating whatever you want and as long as you gain calories then you're all good, but that is definitely not healthy”.
He continues. “If you ask a bodybuilder, they might say that it is just part of the process. ‘You've got to bulk and you've got a cut to get in peak condition’. But, when you're consuming more calories than you need, oftentimes people forget what foods are building blocks. A bag of Oreos has lots of calories but hardly any nutrients, minerals or vitamins. On paper, you are ticking the box but you’re increasing your risk of long-term health issues. Your overall health, like your sleeping patterns, is going to be skewed if you're consuming loads of sugar or processed foods. Your mood, skin and even your bowel movements are going to be hindered”.
Switching out a volcano chocolate cake for calorie-rich snacks that are rich in nutrients and vitamins is a way in which you can take a healthier approach to bulking. He also recommends not being too aggressive with the process. “If the goal is like six or 12 months as opposed to a short-term, it can be done as a more staggered process, which means you can increase your calories over the course of weeks, months and maybe years without having to eat foods that are unhealthy and super processed”.
You can also pack your diet with protein in order to support muscle growth. Mark Gilbert, leading nutritionist for the 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan stresses the importance of protein. “Protein bars can be good for pre-workout if the goal is to help with muscle repair and growth. Protein before, during and after exercise has been shown to improve muscle-building activity. Make sure it contains a ‘quality’ protein source – proteins from dairy (whey or casein), meat, and soy are best. Lower-quality proteins don’t have enough of the essential amino acids that are required for muscle repair”.
Pelé opts for protein shakes with “a good quality protein powder, a banana or two, some oats and half an avocado that will give you a balanced meal”. He also favours snacks like peanut butter and rice cakes and foods that are higher in healthy fats like nuts and seeds.
The most important takeaway is that bulking need not sacrifice your well-being. The fitness expert concludes “People often get sidetracked by the aesthetic goal and they forget about their health but the physique of your dreams can be achieved while being healthy, feeling great, feeling strong and performing well in the gym”.
To aid you in your bulking journey, see the best snacks below.
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Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes
Calories: 27 kcal per rice cake
Spreads at the ready. Rice cakes are a versatile pick to dress up as you please. Whether topped off with a fine layer of crunchy peanut butter or Marmite, these treats are sure to tickle your taste buds. Suitable for vegans, veggies and gluten-free munchers.
Buy now £1.60, Waitrose
ManiLife Original Roast Smooth Peanut Butter
ManiLife is made entirely from natural ingredients with no added sugars. Instead, you'll have a creamy, smooth spread that pairs well with the likes of rice cakes, bagels or toast. It's rich in protein and high in good fats.
Buy now £3.75, Sainsbury's
Deliciously Ella Cacao & Almond Oat Bar Multipack 3 x 50g
Calories: 218 per bar
From the kitchen of Deliciously Ella comes this triple pack of high protein oat flapjacks flavoured with cacao and almond. Chewy and moreish, the vegan snack is gluten free and will leave you feeling satisfied until your next meal. Also available in apple and raisin flavour.
Buy now £2.79, Holland & Barrett
HERMOSA Whey protein
Best for: the celeb protein
Per 30g serving:
Protein 22g
Carbohydrates 3.9g
Fat 3g
Calories 131kcal
If you’ve ever had a protein shake after a session at Barry’s Bootcamp then you’ll know the hype is real about HERMOSA. Beloved by the A-list (think Harry Styles and David Beckham) as well as fitness fanatics, founder Erika Tamayo decided to launch HERMOSA after Barry’s made the powder such a sensation.
Made with super-clean ingredients including whey protein from grass-fed cows in the Lake District, the vanilla powder also features natural sweetener sourced from South America.
The gluten-free powder, which has tons of amino acids, 20g of protein, and only 4g of carbs, is also super soluble in powder - and tastes great. The powder comes in a glass bottle, which can be reused or recycled for more protein powder.
From £32 for 420g
Buy now £32.00, Hermosa
Barebells Cookies & Cream
Protein: 20g
Sugar: 1.7g
Contains gluten and dairy
If you consider protein bars to be a tough and unpleasant experience, Barebells is here to tell you that you are sorely mistaken. The brand offers a range of completely delicious bars and shakes that make it tastier than ever to reap the benefits of the appetite-curbing post-workout snack.
The functional food label has many flavours of bars, each as delicious as the next. Hazelnut & Nougat, White Chocolate Almond, Salty Peanut, Caramel Cashew, and our favourite — the Cookies & Cream.
With all the bars, but particularly the latter, you really wouldn’t know it was a protein supplement. Not overly heavy or chewy, but very filling and enjoyable to finish. As a low-sugar, high-protein option — this is a tough one to beat.
If shakes are more of your thing, the brand has newly launched a range of creamy options in Vanilla, Strawberry, Banana and Chocolate that will rival your favourite Nesquik.
Can’t decide? Opt for this variety pack.
Buy now, Amazon
Grenade High Protein, Low Sugar Bar - Jaffa Quake
Protein per 100g: 33.8g
Grenade is one of the most popular protein bar brands and you’ll see them at the counter of most gyms. The eye-popping packaging is immediately recognisable but if you’ve ever taken a bite, you will no doubt associate it with an extremely sweet flavour.
We felt the same until we tried Jaffa Quake. This combination makes for a tasty treat – and it’s packed with 22g of protein per bar too. The offset of the chocolate with the zesty orange is welcomed.
Honourable mention goes to Cookie Dough too.
Buy now £19.79, Amazon
Nature Valley Protein Peanut & Chocolate Cereal Bars
Protein per 100g: 25.6g
Nature Valley is a brand that has played a starring role in lunch boxes worldwide. Its grainy snacks are a filling element that are packed with nutritional benefits. This is true too of its protein range, where the enjoyable taste remains, yet the ingredient list has been souped up with more of the recovery essential.
This bar is high in fibre, while also providing 20 per cent of your daily protein needs. It’s the official snack bar of LTA British Tennis. Peanut & Chocolate is our favourite but Salted Caramel Nut and Chocolate & Berries are available too.
Buy now £3.00, Ocado
Huel Black Edition
Best for: fast fuel
High protein, low carb and 100 per cent plant-based, Huel Black Edition offers nutritionally complete meals that time-pressed diners in particular love (it takes just one minute to prep a bottle).
Each serving contains 400 calories with 17 meals per bag - so one should last you the better half of a month, if you only have it to replace one meal a day (which we strongly recommend).
Tastewise, these powders are more palatable than others of its ilk and are ideal for breakfast and lunch, although you may want to think about something more substantial for dinner.
The menu includes vanilla, salted caramel, cookies & cream, chocolate, strawberries & cream, cinnamon swirl, banana and coffee caramel - although there is an unflavoured and unsweetened option too if none of the above appeal.
One bag costs £28.50, which, with 17 portions in each bag, works out to £1.68 per meal, so it's easy on the wallet too, especially with food prices as they are. It may not be the most joyful-looking option, but the low calories, decent taste and legions of faithful fans make it a real contender to help weight loss efforts - but only when paired with a sensible, healthy diet and fitness regime.
Buy now £28.50, Huel
Bulk Vegan Protein Powder
Here’s the thing about Bulk Powders vegan line, hands down it’s the best strawberry flavour out there - after a month of mixing and shaking our way towards a healthier lifestyle we can safely say this one takes the non-dairy berry cake. Free from soy and gluten, this low-sugar vegan option has a consistently smooth and silky texture. Add frozen strawberries and suddenly it feels like a dessert.
Not only did it knock out our late afternoon sugar cravings but for a special at-home treat, we used frozen almond milk from our ice tray to blend one heck of a healthy dessert, topped with a bit of vegan rice whip and
Priced at £16.99 for a 500g bag, this is one of the best top-quality options you can afford to get each month.
The contents include Pea Protein Isolate, Quinoa Flour, Brown Rice Protein, Pumpkin Protein and Flaxseed Powder
Buy now £16.99, Bulk
Kellogg's Special K Protein Nuts, Clusters & Seeds
Start off the day strong with a nationwide classic, Special K Protein is filled to the brim with fibre, vitamin B12, iron, vitamin D - and of course - lots of protein. These crunchy, multigrain flakes contain clusters of seeds and nuts which give this cereal an almost granola-like texture.
Buy now £3.00, Ocado
Supergood Wakey Wakey Protein Pancake Mix
Even the most reluctant early birds will feel a little more inclined to step out of bed when they know that Supergood’s Wakey Wakey Protein Pancake Mix is on the menu. Vegan-friendly, organic, dairy-free and gluten-free, these soft, fluffy pancakes bring together everything you need with a dash of plant power in the form of soy protein.
Buy now £5.00, Ocado
Innermost The Health Protein
Best for: helping the immune system as well as your muscles
Per 40g serving:
Protein 31g
Carbohydrates 2.5g
Fat 1.4g
Calories 149kcalâ
Innermost is quickly becoming one of the go-to brands for tasty protein. This is the health version, which helps to support the immune system, as well as build up muscles. The vegan protein is high in protein and low in calories, helping you stay more satisfied and for longer.
Available in vanilla and chocolate flavours you can add it to your fave plant-based milk, along with some tasty fruit or vegetables or even your morning porridge.
£29.95 for 520g
Buy now £29.95, Innermost
Bio&Me Cashew & Almond Gluten Free Gut-loving Granola
Bio&Me’s gut-loving granola is packed full of goodness. Not only is it gluten-free, but it’s vegan and low in sugar. Enjoy a textural blend of smooth nuts, dates and seeds, especially when paired with yoghurt or plant-based milk.
Buy now £3.99, Bio&Me
Biona Organic Pure Oaty Granola
Another cluster-full granola option, this time as pure and simple as it gets. Certified organic and GMO-free, Biona’s granola is made from rolled oats, rice syrup, extruded rice, malted barley flour, puffed spelt and a sprinkling of coconut. Enjoy this as a classic crunchy cereal alternative or sprinkle it over some kefir yoghurt for a wholesome, zero-fuss and healthy start to your day
Buy now £5.00, Ocado
Bio-Synergy Lean & Green
A favourite with professional athletes including David Coulthard and James Cracknell, Bio-Synergy has been creating sports supplements and well-being products since 1997. They have since supplied everyone from the Commonwealth Games to the British & Irish Lions so you’re in good company as you sip.
The vegan protein powder is unlike many others as it’s entirely free from soya and hemp but packs in 22g of protein from pea, buckwheat and brown rice proteins. Each 30g serving also has 2.3g fat, no sugar and just 104 calories, with L-glutamine for its amino acid profile. Available in peanut, chocolate and mint and butterscotch flavours, it smells so good, we found it hard to believe it wasn’t chock-full of calories. The mint chocolate (almost!) made us feel like we were tucking into ice cream but we found the peanut the most versatile, particularly in smoothies and even in baking. If you’re not keen on drinking protein powder mixed with water, this is a game-changer.
Buy now £29.99, Amazon
