4 Dangers of the Wrong "Bulking" Diet

I have done a bunch of research on Bodybuilding/weightlifting diets and I have found so many websites talking about "bulking" diets and glycemic indexes, etc. But I found that many of them kept throwing up the same red flags to me, and as I looked, it kept happening. Even though most of them mentioned the carbs and proteins and suggest "good leafy green veggies" they really do not explain things as well as I think they should and I was honestly worried that there may be many people that do not know enough to realize the dangers of packing on the protein in egg, chicken, and beef forms with their protein shakes and eating rice and broccoli, it will make it hard to stick to and when they are asking you to try and clear 200+ grams of protein a day, I really felt the need to go over some of the risks of heavy protein, or "bulking" diets. 


    4 dangers of the wrong “bulking” diet
        
1. Heart health Risk
            Too much cholesterol and not enough fiber can lead to heart disease risks and higher blood pressure which can risk damage to heart and even inhibit effective lifts.
        

2. Colon Health Risk
            Too much bulk and not enough calcium, vitamin D, and good fiber and veggies, can lead to a toxic intestinal tract and lead to colon issues, which could include but not be limited to cramps, bloating, diarrhea, and even increased risks of colon cancer.
        

3. Bone Health Risk
            Not enough calcium and vitamin D can lead to week internal bone density and when building large muscles can add to the strain on the bones.
       


4. Joint Health Risk
            Making sure that you have enough natural, and maybe even supplementing, good glucosamine can ensure good cushioning for the joints. When lifting very heavy weights or doing heavy repetitions, the joints need to be well cushioned to not get injured.
 


How to make sure your diet has what it needs:

1. Cholesterol is higher in red meats and dark meats such as duck. Cholesterol is absorbed into the blood stream by saturated fats that are found in all animal products and some non animal products. In a “bulking” diet it is very hard to avoid saturated fats or cholesterol so you need to up the intake of solulable fiber. 
This is found in all fruits and veggies, as well as oatmeal. The inside (or meat) of an apple or pear, oatmeal, mushrooms, spinach, all green leafy veggies, broccoli, carrots, brussel sprouts, and all beans. Also the fibers in citrus fruit are very good sources of fiber as well. :)
Making sure that you eat mainly these as your vegetables for the day will help keep your LDL (bad cholesterol in your blood) at a lower level and keep your heart healthy and your blood pressure at a healthy rate. 
Experts are saying that normal people are only getting around 11g of fiber a day, and they recommend 20-30g of fiber a day for normal people to stay healthy. After reviewing the style of diets needed for bodybuilding and weight training I would lean more towards 40-60g of fiber a day. Since the recommendation is based on a 2000 calorie daily intake and most body builders are ranging in 2500-3500 calories a day from high protein sources. 

2. Colon health is base mostly on toxicity. Eating Insolulable fibers are like brushes that help clean out your intestines regularly and keep it from “gunking” up and becoming toxic. Insolulable fiber can be found in the outside pealings of apples and pears, the outside husk of oatmeal, the outside of beans, broccoli and asparagus stem fibers, etc. These help clear out your intestines at a regular interval so that your ph and toxicity levels stay at a healthy rate. I also would include that calcium and vitamin D aid in the health of your intestines to help keep them strong, enough water helps keep them saturated, and good probiotics can help keep them healthy as well. Including yogurt in your diet can help with all of these aspects in one simple step. 

 









3. Bone health is mainly due to Calcium and vitamin D, and those are easiest to get from Milk. It has a great source of calcium and is fortified with Vitamin D. Whole milk (or raw milk if you can get it) is very good for you, this includes both Goat and Cow milk.

The fat content of milk is lessened by heating the milk and skimming the fat off as it floats to the top. Sadly, once you get past 2% milk they then have to add chemically produced milk fat protein powders to the milk to turn it white again because naturally it is a clear bluish color. So stick to the whole milk or 2% and just drink a little less of it if you are worried about the fat content. 

In “bulking” diets they normally tell you to avoid all dairy product, and then take a calcium and vitamin D supplement. I will allow everyone to make up their own mind about the pros and cons of dairy, but I think it does more good then bad.  This can also include yogurt and cottage cheese.



Health Guide magazine did an article about the 11 best foods for bone health and half of them were dairy. The other half included high Vitamin D foods such as collard greens, spinach, sardines, tuna, salmon, and eggs. :)

 

4. For Joint Health you need Glucosamine.  This is one of the only things that I allow, and even encourage, people to supplement for. Glucosamine is found in the shells of shellfish and the internal organs of all mammals. So unless you have a hankering to eat liver or offal then you should take a supplement. For my own personal reasons I would like to research where the supplement comes from. There are a few companies that say they get their powder or pills from a natural source. I am looking to find a good company that uses the shells of shrimp and crab that might be discarded from the market of frozen seafood. This is a back burner search for me, so let me know if you learn or know of anything to help in this search. :)

I hope that my studies have helped you recognize some of the red flags of "bulking" and help you know how to avoid the potential problems from it as well. Body building is considered a "body modification" and not considered a "normal healthy body" when you get to the point of lifting over 125% of your body weight regularly according to nutritionists as so learning to be a nutritionist for these type of individuals has been a learning experience for me, but every time I learn more and grow more in my practice and study I am loving it more as well. If you have any questions, or have anything to add, please feel free to let me know. I am not claiming to be an expert, just someone that is continually studying this and always welcome more information. :)

Happy "Bulking"!! And get Huge!!  ;)

Image courtesy of: Pamela Perry Acclaim Images.com 0515-1103-2101-0932