How to Bulk and Not Feel Bloated

Getting to your peak means utter dedication, pushing hard out of your comfort zone, and adopting healthy eating habits to fuel you through the journey. 

If you’re not properly fuelled, you can quickly crash, and your efforts will be wasted. If your idea of fuel is to eat as much of whatever you want, you might want to think again. Making the wrong move with your diet can disrupt your bulk more than you think.

You might think it’s easier to bulk up on the “forbidden” food. There’s so much choice, it needs less thought, and it’s all so tasty. But your health is likely to suffer, and so is your bulking journey. 

If you want to bulk, you need to be in a serious calorie surplus, but you have to carefully watch what you’re consuming. 

Digestive issues will be disruptive to your bulk. Pushing through your comfort zone when you haven’t got the right nutrients in your system will cause your energy to sap, and the discomfort you’ll feel will affect your concentration too. 

So, how do you bulk without the bloat? We’ll show you how right now.

Why do you feel bloated when you bulk?

When you bulk up, especially for the first time, you’re likely to eat more than you have done before. This sudden change in your diet can be a shock to your system: More food, more fibre, more fat, and way too many calories than you’re used to.

This can be too much for your digestive system to handle all at once, and it can cause adverse reactions like gas and bloating. 

When you’re packing in more food than before, as if it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet, your digestive system might not be ready for the strain, and eating high-fat, processed foods will cause issues to all but the most robust stomachs.

Bulking without some kind of digestive problem can be especially difficult if you have a small frame. Ectomorphs (skinny guys) tend to have the most difficulty with bulking as there is less room in their stomachs. 

What can cause bloating?

The first thing to look at is the causes of bloating so that we can address how you can deal with it and eliminate it. There can be several reasons why you feel bloated, so let’s dig deeper and see which one applies to you.

Bulking too quickly

Going too hard, too fast comes with a number of potential health issues, and trying to get to your goal before your body is ready is dangerous. 

Bloating is likely to occur when you’re eating too much food of the unhealthy variety to try and gain weight rapidly. This happens most often with ectomorphs who try to rapidly gain weight by making high-calorie food choices. 

When you start to rapidly increase your calorie intake—especially through unhealthy food choices—your digestive system isn’t revved up and ready.

For one thing, your stomach isn’t the size it needs to be to cope with the amount of food being consumed. 

This gives you an uncomfortable feeling of being overly full. It will cause bloating, and gas, and will make working out harder. 

And forget about pushing yourself hard. Without the right amount of nutrients in your system, you won’t have the energy. 

Eating too much too soon will make digestion harder, and you’ll likely feel tired for hours after eating. Acid reflux is likely, especially if you eat an overly large meal later in the day.

Not getting enough variety in your food

One of the big mistakes you can make when you bulk is to eat too much of the same food. Yes, you want to increase your weight, but it’s important to remember that your body needs a variety of nutrients if it’s to function properly. 

Simply concentrating on the “weight factor” isn’t enough. If you don’t consume a variety of essential nutrients you’ll simply put on weight, will have difficulty bulking up, and are likely to suffer some health issues along the way.

Food intolerances

Knowing your food intolerances is important if you want to fuel yourself properly. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can bulk yourself up on food you know will cause issues with your body. 

For example, if you’re lactose intolerant, choose non-dairy products to bulk you up. Being aware of the food that you don’t get in with is important, and if you can eliminate these from your diet, it will be a huge step forward.

Gulping

Swallowing or gulping down a drink can trap air and cause issues with your digestive system, such as bloating and gas. 

Chewing too quickly, smoking, or drinking through a straw are other ways that air can get trapped in your digestive system. Habits like eating too quickly, chewing gum, drinking through a straw, or smoking can lead to swallowing excess air which gets trapped in the digestive system

Medical conditions

Certain conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other digestive conditions can cause bloating. In this instance, it’s a good idea to consult a medical professional for advice. IBS is a collection of intestinal symptoms, which often include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhoea.  Adjusting your diet to include probiotics and prebiotics can help, as well as eliminating foods that act as triggers to your condition. 

Choosing the wrong type of supplements

Supplements play an important role in our progression, but choosing the wrong ones can derail the whole process. Choosing a supplement that contains only natural ingredients is important as there are likely to be fewer side effects. 

How to reduce the chances of bloating

If you want to bulk up without digestive issues you need to make strategic changes in your diet to accommodate your own personal tolerances, as well as adopting sensible eating habits. Here are some great ways to get you on track.

Increase your food intake gradually

A sudden increase in food intake is likely to cause stomach problems, so it’s essential that you increase slowly so your body adapts to it. To make it easier on your body, start with foods that are easier to digest. 

Incorporate easily digestible foods into your diet

Rather than trying to go in hard with the red meat protein, try poultry instead. It’s easier to chew and digest and still packs a huge percentage of protein. Other foods that improve digestion include yoghurt, cheeses, and bananas. 

Know your food intolerances

It’s important to be aware of the food that agrees with your stomach and to make simple substitutions. If you’re allergic to specific foods, don’t try to eat them regardless, thinking that you can simply “work it off”. Your health should be a top priority at all times.

Warm up before working out

You should always leave at least an hour after a meal before taking on exercise. But during that time, it’s okay to take in some light exercise such as walking. 

This will raise your heart rate slightly and get the digestive process moving along more quickly. You sometimes feel like lying down when you’re full after a meal, but it’s a much better idea to stand up and move about slowly.

Chew more thoroughly

Chewing is a much-underrated part of the digestive process and, particularly when you’re in a hurry, you can find yourself chewing your food less. 

Make sure you’re chewing thoroughly to give your digestive system less work to do. Smoothies are also a good idea if they are packed with essential nutrients.

Clean bulk

The safest way to bulk is to do it “clean” and the good news is—it’s also the best way to bulk to reduce the chances of bloating. 

To clean bulk you need to be in a calorie surplus by eating food that will promote nutrition as well as calories.

The food groups you should concentrate on are high-protein foods such as lean meats, dairy products, and eggs, as well as plant-based protein. Which of these you choose should be dependent on your ability to tolerate them.

The same goes for calories, which should be munched down in the form of carbs such as fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.

How to do a bloat-free bulk

Getting your digestive system working to its optimum level is essential when bulking, and you should be looking to…

• Avoid food intolerances
• Don’t rush your bulk
• Clean bulk
• Warm up properly
• Chew your food thoroughly
• Increase easily digestible foods gradually
• Use natural supplements
• Avoid gulping
• Introduce variety into your diet

Working with your body and knowing your digestive tolerance levels will help you to move more quickly with your bulk. Getting the right amount of essential nutrients in a calorie surplus will steer you in the right direction.

Check out Crazybulk’s extensive range of bulking supplements, made entirely with natural ingredients to support your bulk and digestive system in a healthy way. Go get some.