it seems also exchanged his bodyweight and hair for wisdom and intellect. It's like he changed from being a Barbarian Warrior class to an athletic Mage now, still jacked though
You’ve changed my life brother. As a dad of 3.. work, married life, housework, family responsibilities, etc was wearing me down. Age 40 I was fat and on the borderline of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. My doc gave me a choice, either get my shit together or start meds on my next visit. I took it to heart and followed your advice in the dad bod program and making better choices. I finally found a method that worked. I started working out everyday at 6am because that was “my uninterrupted time” (working out could mean anything from going to the gym, going for a walk, riding a bike, doing push-ups and squats at home, basically just meant being active daily). 6 months I go back to my doctor and all numbers were back in the normal range, I also dropped 25lbs. To accomplish this I took your advice and made a simple changes such as not getting seconds, limiting snacking outside meals, cutting back on ice cream after dinner. I stopped weighing food and measuring calories (this always caused me to fail diets before). I would just take a moderate portion of 1 protein, 1 carb and 1 vegetable/salad, I’d eat that one serving and leave the table. I understood life still happens and would still go out with family on weekends or to parties, but now I find myself making better choices, I wouldn’t go ham every time I was at my favorite restaurant. If my schedule was too busy and I had to get fast food, I’d just get a burger (no fries, no soft drinks) and be better the next day. I was finally living my life with balance and that was the key to my success One thing that stuck was I didn’t let being perfect be the enemy of the good (or whatever that saying goes) Alan if you should see this, sincerely thank you from bottom of my heart. You’ve helped me more than you’ll ever know
One of the best podcasts I have seen was Vince deCenzo, Matt Rhodes and Jim Wendler talk on a Elite FTS podcast Table Talk, about how fat they were lifting at Westside. They laugh at how terrible they felt and losing that weight. It's highly entertaining. It's several years old now.
I'm 6'1 and Starting Strength had me believe I needed to be 250-260. At 245, I was super strong but I was stiff, slow, and felt like trash. I'm back down to 220, using machines, dumbbells, and more athletic movements in general and I feel and look a million times better already.
I’m doing starting strength novice linear progression now at 48 and I’m feeling fantastic. Lifts are going up, body weight is remaining the same (I’m overweight) and am looking forward to moving into intermediate programming. I play a sport for recreational purposes and I’m currently running the novice program in the off season.
@@1729krishStarting Strength has good information mixed with a lot of bad or badly contextualized information. SS has a number of flaws, but in the context that OP is speaking about, the primary flaw is the presupposition that strength is the most important thing in life (as stated by Rippetoe) or at least the most important aspect of health and fitness. I would now argue against that heavily. Strength is important for health and fitness and I don't think you could ever get "too strong," but always reaching to get stronger at the expense of all other aspects will not necessarily (and in the SS context will not) improve other aspects of health and fitness. There's still a soft spot in my heart for SS, but objectively speaking, there is far more bad than good in SS at least nowadays.
One big thing I've learned over my years of lifting is that non-optimal does not mean ineffective. You can be effective without being optimal, and probably get the vast majority of benefits too. Optimization is for that last 15-20% and has diminishing returns, as well as being more difficult.
I always tell people that a "shit" workout is better than no workout and it's consistency rather than the quality that is important. I'd rather do 15 minutes of Pushups and Squats when I have no time to go to the gym than nothing at all. Way too many people including myself get far too dogmatic about their training, but truth is unless you are a Professional none of this shit really matters, no one but yourself gives a shit if you have a few pounds to your squat, it wont be the difference between you breaking a World Record or Making a Fortune.
Abso-fucking-lutely. I hate the word optimal in regards to recreational (ie. non-athlete) lifters. Optimal literally means there can be no more improvements made, so you have to be squeaky clean, 100% of the time. Why the fuck would I want to be optimal, as a normal dude just trying to live and move better? That life sucks, all your time & resources go on training & food, you get zero leeway on anything- no alcohol, no chocolate, have to miss family events because you can't possibly miss a training session, or go to bed late etc etc. Strive to be good, not optimal. Get 80% of the way there, and enjoy your bloody life
I really only look to make changes I can stick with. If optimal isn't something I can do long term, it isn't optimal for me. Regarding the protein intake in this video, I would have to change my diet / lifestyle significantly to go from 150 g protein a day to 200 g. I feel like there is a lot of people sabotaging themselves because they are going for optimal. I prefer a Kaizen approach (making small improvements on an on going basis). Stuff I can stick to. Too many people on January 1st try to go from eating value meals to chicken salads, and tracking all their food. They are back to their previous diet by February. What if a person just made a goal to stop drinking the 2 cans of pop they drink every day, perhaps even just switching it to a diet pop (even easier to change). If they could stick to that easy change, they would have roughly a 300 kcal difference every day. That is a real impact, and it is hardly any effort. Most will be able to pull it off. In a year, it makes a difference.
On the note of protein; It doesn't occur to most people that the 1g per pound of bodyweight has been rounded up from the 0.8g per pound that has has consistently been shown to be optimal - AND - that's per pound of LEAN bodyweight. You don't suddenly "require" 50 extra grams of protein simply because you are now carrying 65lbs of additional bodyfat. So, if a guy weighs 200lbs but he has a healthy 15% bodyfat, then that means his lean mass is 170lbs. Multiply that by 0.8g and you have a requirement of 136g of protein, not 200g.
This is what irritates me so much about advice people and even popular YTers give still. I had to do a lot of research and clarification to realise that you just need to eat your LBM worth of protein, else I'd have been eating 266g of protein having been overweight instead of 188ish which is just overkill. It's surprisingly overlooked.
@@CDelasauxis it overlooked or are people selling protein shakes? Because nearly every TH-camr does... I've completely stopped caring about protein and some days probably only get .5-.6 g/lbs of lbm. No difference whatsoever in training or muscularity. And I don't have to drink any whey shakes which is a win in my book.
That's not true. The most robust research there is on protein requirements for lifters suggests 1.6-2.2g per kg of total body weight is optimal. If you want to convert that to LBM you would divide those values by 0.8 on the basis that the average participant in those studies is around 20% body fat. You'd end up at around 2.0-2.75g per kg of LBM. I'm not saying everyone needs to eat that much protein, but if you want to maximize muscle gain, that's what the research suggests.
I bulked 2 years ago, I went from 155lb, to 180lbs at 5ft7. It was accidental because I was on chemo and eating was the only thing I could do at that time 😂. Now I'm 26 and cancer free at 150lbs and the strongest I've ever been, my progress is slow but steady, I started off very light about a year ago, now I can OH press 100lbs, squat 140lbs, bench 140lbs and deadlift 160lbs. Trying to get my squat and deadlift up at the moment, hopefully squat body weight before Xmas. You just got to try to improve on your health and fitness, setbacks happen, get on with life when you are able to.
Your development and the overwhelming clarity with which you have always explained yourself is as refreshing now as it was when I was watching your how to squat/DL/bench videos back in the day. Much love man.
Alan, I would have never recognized you. It’s been 5 or 6 years since I last watched your vids. I been out of country, injured, etc, etc, so kind of lost contact. I remember your 10,000 calories a day bulk. It was hilarious. Anyway, you look great. Keep up the good work. Maybe 220 for goal weight for you? What about strength? Big drop off or still 500 lbs on the squat? I lived on Jim Wendell’s 5-3-1 with BBB add on, but now, new knees and new shoulders coming up, I go light and high rep. At 73 years of age now, as Clint said, “A man’s got to know his limitations”. Anyway thanks for the good advice. I’ll have to watch this one a couple times to absorb all. Best of luck to you Alan. You were always my favorite vid guy. Thanks for all the great vids you’ve done for us.
Watching this is like a trip down memory lane. I was young and into heavy bulking because all I wanted in the world was to be in world's strongest man. Fast forward a few years and marriage, a father, a sailor, and future IT guy are far more important. The gym is just fun now.
Man, it's really cool to see your evolution in your fitness journey. It's pretty encouraging that someone, as high performing as you are, comes to these conclusions that, in the end, make your life (and those who follow and repeat what you do) overall better in EVERY aspect, not just performance, but actual life quality improvements that aligns with some realistic, normal adult life kinda balance.
You explaining the bulk with the water in the glass is such a great analogy, and your dirty bulk's in the early days are exactly what I did, though I didn't do any hypertrophy work back then so I'd just mainly gain weight on my waist, thighs and face. It's crazy when you look back at when you were new and inexperienced, you thought you knew how to train and lift. It takes 5-7 years of lifting to realize that in fact, you barely had a grasp on the basics, and had so much to learn. I've picked up so many gems from you and Omar over the years that have helped me get past plateau's, and it's much appreciated.
I went on an awesome bulk following your advice, from 210 to 233 over four months, still had slightly visible abs, was strong af, and huge. I used to drink 1.75 liters of whole milk a day, eating ice cream every night in training days, and I’d just eat a shit ton at my meals😂. I cut down to 210 now I’m going back to 225 over 22 weeks
As someone who started lifting when you did and who is around the same age as you, I am noticing my experience is leading me to more nuanced and thoughtful approaches when it comes to training and diet. I’ve been there from the start of your channel and it’s cool to grow along side with you over the years and to see what becoming a more advanced lifter looks like.
I have been following your videos since 2016. I've bulked without feeling bad and gained strength for moderate lifts. I've lost weight based on small diet cuts as you advised. Now that I am a dad like you, I am planning to bulk again very slowly, and here you are with another amazing video! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making amazing videos. I also recommend your videos to my friends. You are my one true master!
Glad to hear a physique like yours at that weight can maintain on 120g protein. I had been trying to go higher and struggling to get it in. Just have to just more ass on my routine. Thanks Alan!
Alan, thank you very much for the latest TH-cam video regarding bulking, its awesome. I would really appreciate if you can elaborate on the topic of fat intake, especially saturated fat and talk in the next upcoming diet full day of eating video about what are your main fat sources now since you cut out almost all saturated fat. For example do you add fats now or do you still use fats from food sources like whole eggs and fattier steak or chicken thighs and stuff like that to get the fats but just less, or you adding like peanut butter, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado or still butter to your meals? How do you incoorporate fats in your daily average diet? When it comes to protein selection, do you always work with super lean sources like chicken breast or fattier sources like skinless thighs too? And red meat, only lean cuts of red meat and lean ground beef or fattier cuts too? What fat percentage for ground beef and what cuts of meat? What about dairy, low fat now or still full fat? I believe in what you say and I would love to get your opinion and recommendations. Thank you very much, I appreciate you and I value the content
He said less saturated fat and not to worry about getting enough fat. Thay should be enough. Choose the leaner stuff and try to use oils instead of animal fats. If you are worried about too little fat (unlikely to be an actual problem), choose good plant based fats. Avoid coconut btw
Alan, this video cracked the code in my head and switched my whole view on bulking. I've always been skinny (I'm 6'5", 25yo @ 195lbs currently) and for the past year I've been lifting weights consistently. In the past 2 months, I've been trying to eat more to gain more weight but it came at a cost. When you started talking about saturated fats and acid reflux, you hit the nail on the head. Every time I would eat a meal, which btw was a large meal, I would feel like I overate (I'd get bloated and the stomach would feel very heavy), the damn acid reflux would start. I COULD NOT get rid of it for several weeks trying to eliminate foods that might have caused it (I gave up protein powder, pasta sauce, and caffeine) but NOTHING would fix it. Then, I thought to myself that my body is trying to tell me something. So one morning, instead of eating 4 eggs, a bunch of breakfast potatoes and 2 slices of toast with cream cheese, I ate an oatmeal with fruit. Took the rest of that day easy and realized that the acid reflux was gone. Since then, I reduced the portion size and once again, acid reflux was not there anymore even when eating eggs, beef, etc. You telling your story helped me realize that I was not the only one facing the same issue. Thank you SO MUCH!!!
Man I appreciate this so much. I followed the whole gomad stuff, felt miserable trying to go from 120lbs and collegiate cross country runner to like 175lb for weight lifting. I got to 150lbs and stalled. I couldn’t keep eating I felt awful, had GI issues, all that. Been yo-yoing fitness and exercise too as a dad now. But seeing more people saying you don’t need 200g protein a day really helps make it more approachable for me as I get back into training. Thank you, Alan. Love your videos.
Its refreshing to see someone with a big following promote good health advice. Im so glad you haven't joined the chiropractors who deny high cholesterol being correlated to coronary disease
I know I couldn't recover on 120g/day and I'm only an early intermediate lifter still. 1g/lb certainly isn't necessary if your bf% is high, though. I don't overeat to get my protein in and I don't feel a need for more fat or carbs in my diet. Having finally realised whereabouts my true bodyfat percentage lies, my new +250 bulking cal target is 3075. I've run the numbers and my usual carb intake when bulking is only 200 grams. Weird. But I got to a 410 lb deadlift and a jiggly 210 with that just fine. I was going to say I can fit 350-400 grams of carbs into my bulk. Guess not. But I do just fine anyway. I had been eating just over 100/day for 81 days in a 1900 calorie diet and I squatted 300 lbs at like 190 lbs bodyweight. My PR, which I had done at 205, was 309.
Love this. The maturity of fitness youtubers, really getting the right message across to people. The nuance discussions are highly important and have been missing in the prevailing discourse for a long time. Whilst some people might say duh, I'm one of those people who "need permission" to stray away from conventional wisdom (which I'm trying to not do consciously). So I'm glad the idea that 1g/lb is no longer the dogma and that whilst MAYBE sub-optimal its not end of gains. Also like Mike Israetel is perfect at not having ANY dogma.
I’ve been doing the switch too! Used to bulk and lift heavy until…..injuries and age made me slow down and second guess a lot of the issues you discussed. Love how much honesty and details you shared. Awesome video and always will follow you! ❤
So can you share your daily diet now? Also, any advice for a guy who's trained shoulders to the point of they are so tight that I cannot hold the squat bar properly now? Should I cut shoulder work completely? Any specific shoulder stretches you can think of? Love the channel dude, been watching for several years. Keep it up
Also I like your new slant of practical, grounded advice. The consistency/intensity along with quality kcal intake is prob more of a significant factor in training...
Damn bro, it’s like you were telling my body weight-lifting life story. At 51 , 6’1 and 200, I feel better than ever. Still stronger than the average lifter by far too. You gave great advice about diet and health concerns. Seriously sir, really great video!
Saturated fat is never the cause of heart disease. Eating like you did in the past may have though created quite some damage because definitely that was way too much. Food quantity over time is definitely a factor.
I'm just glad to see that after all these years of following, even amidst all the changes- BULKING, cutting, strongman, powerlifting, bodybuilding, and so on- you still sign off the same way. My favorite. Time stamp 23:16 "TRAIN UNTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMEDDDDDDDD-uhhh"
Priorities change, and I would argue for the better. I’ve been subscribed since 2017 since I joined the Armed Forces and now been out for 2 years. Always loved your content !
I just went thru a short phase of weight lifting and gained back about 25 lbs from dirty bulking. Back pain comes n goes now. I'm lifting the heaviest I've ever lifted but i think my diet is messing me up. I feel stiff. Going to focus on getting the best macros for me in a calorie deficit and balancing a workout programming for me to combat stiffness and pain. Thank you
Excellent video! You’re an inspiration. Really love what you have done with approach to nutrition. I’ve learned plenty of great information from you and it’s very relatable in many ways. I used to stress a lot about making sure I get enough protein or believing that you need to bulk aggressively to get big. But , I’ve tone down my approach. Now, I stay in 250-500 calories surplus. Mostly on the lower end of the range and try to get anywhere from 0.7 gram to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. If I get more than that’s great but as long as I get at least 0.7 gram then it’s all good. However, I do believe a little higher would be better during a cutting phase. I now fully understand that you can’t force feed muscle growth. It’s possible that a bigger surplus and protein intake could increase muscle growth a little bit more but I no longer think it would be very significant and there are other consequences of too big of a surplus and for most people it’s definitely not worth it. Plus, it definitely makes cutting phase much more difficult both mentally and physically. It’s definitely beneficial for a few selective people like strongman competitors who are competing at the top levels but top level competitors in any sports have to compromise their health to some extent in some ways just to compete and have a chance of winning. It’s a completely different thing from people who are recreational lifters or are really focusing on maximizing their overall health outcomes to increase not only their life span but also the quality of their life. 💪🙏👍
I needed to hear the thing about the protein. I definitely stress way too much about it and force feed protein shakes sometimes to hit an arbitrary number.
Absolutely LOVE this video. I've been facing some type of food intolerance or allergy ever since I started bulking (or rather, simply not skipping meals), leading to gassiness and abnormal bowel movements. This hurts my confidence at the very least and makes me feel as if my food choices are limited, which makes it really demotivating to go on a massive bulk. It's much easier to just eat the same thing and throw in one or two extra servings.
I too took the saturated fats pill. I’m 21 and still enjoy all these things. I’m definitely going to keep what you said in mind tho and maybe try to ease up on the butter. You seem to have a well balanced outlook
That 10000cal video is still one of my favorite videos you made, Alan. That tip about buying a whole chicken is still good advice if I’ll take one good thing from that old video
I think I've heard Natural Hypertrophy say something similar about not fully buying into 1g per pound of bodyweight. I remember seeing him talk about it in a Q&A of his. Don't know if he's changed his on that. Honestly, I feel the same way. It's still a useful tool to use, especially if you're cutting bodyfat or maintaining, but I don't stress about it as much as I used to. I just try to be at a reasonable amount throughout the week.
He did an interview with Strong And Conditioned recently and I think he said he hits ~70-100g/day. That's just off the top of my head, the numbers could be different but it was pretty low for what bodybuilders usually suggest.
This is far better information than most "studies." Studies have limits, and the way they're reported is a little disingenuous too. Most studies will say "most people do better with... insert thing they studied." The problem with that is the conclusion of most studies is the average of their results, assuming everyone on the planet responds best to the average. Not everyone is average, there is a reason there are outliers, and even people close to the average are still not the average. Studies also aren't cheap. This video is a far better approach to diet than any study, because even if 85% of people in a study responded a certain way, you still have to see if you fall into that 85% or don't. Either way, you as an individual have to do some personal testing to see where you're at. It's 2023 and I've grown to hate that phrase "studies say" because a lot of people in academia have no business being there and studies have been bastardized.
Hi Alan. Great video. As someone who also used to "bulk hard", but has now opted for a more moderate approach over the last few years, may I just offer afew of my own comments which may be applicable/useful (for what they are worth). I agree a caloric surplus can be much much lower than what you were aiming for each day to achieve excellent muscle accrual. It would seem expert consensus is anywhere from 300 to 500kcals per day above maintenance should have one seeing results. My observation however is, this is very hard to actually hit consitently without counting calories (which I think you mentioned you do not do) or at least starting off counting calories until you almost can mentally guess your calorie content of most meals. Even if just approximately. Otherwise it becomes just so easy to be just around maintenance all the time and not quite getting enough. Indeed, after getting fat on big bulks, I became so paranoid about gaining excess body fat, that it became almost a hindrance. I swung from one extreme to the other. In my opinion, as much as I hated having to do it, counting calories becomes necessary when you start aiming for a smaller surplus, or the danger is you waste a lot of time spinning your wheels. This is where twice weekly monitoring is just super helpful as well to help guide your efforts. As obviously ones calorie maintenance will vary day to day slightly. I would also add, when your calories are closer to maintenance, perhaps there is a little more need to just keep protein closer to 1g/lb. Just again my observation when your training hard, and seemingly what at least some of the experts would agree upon. Of course there are many other benefits of a high protein diet including the thermic effect of food, and the satiety benefits, and the fact you can replace some of those less heart healthy macros with something less damaging. Anyway, I just thought, as someone who has made a similar transition to you from the big dirty bulks to a more "lean mass gain" style,, perhaps my observations may be helpful. Thanks for your awesome channel and the great work you do. Cheers man.😊
I bought like that when I first decided I was going to stop fucking around and take training seriously. I don't regret it. It wasn't the smartest way to bulk and if I could give myself then the knowledge I have now I would do it differently. However it taught me one important thing that was a huge roadblock for me up until that point. My body wasn't special. I had convinced myself that it was impossible to gain weight. I was a hard gainer. And I was just going to be stuck being skinny forever and it was useless to try. Suddenly when I saw my body changing and the scale numbers going up steadily I realized that I could gain. And that slowly over time morphed into learning about macros and nutrient partitioning and all the things that go into a good steady clean bulk. Good video
You do you! But saturated fat without the stand American diet is fine. Excess body fat isn’t fine. The SAD along with saturated fat is what’s killing people.
Nice video, lots of what you’re talking about applies to me right now. I’m very interested in what your current diet looks like, especially in a bulking context. Also, I’m kinda surprised that you don’t count your macros. Im doing my first real cut and it has forced me to count my macros and it has really been a revelation terms of what I eat in relation to what my goals are. Very curious how you manage to achieve your goals without daily tracking of macros/micros - especially for such a high profile fitness TH-camr.
Hey Alan. Been around a few years now. Just wanted to say thanks for all the great fitness information over time as well as the real-life advice you’ve been sprinkling in lately. You’re a great role model and an inspiration. Kind regards.
Glad to hear these points, never found bulkong easy, but i've also come to the point where I'm planning a bulk but i am starting to think about saturated fat the same way as you. I've been tracking my protein (from all sources) and I've found im comfortable consuming 110g at 170 lbs and similar to you found that sufficient for the results considering family and work.
Thanks for a thoughtful video as usual Alan! It’s really cool to see how you’ve learned and moderated your views on this stuff. I remember in high school my lifting coach telling me (185 lbs squatting 315 for 3) that the only way I could get stronger was to bulk to 225. I used to chug nonfat milk at the end of the day when I didn’t “get enough calories.”
Hey Alan, regarding your health concerns, have you read the book called "Wheat Belly"? Modern Wheat causes reflux, heartburn, weight gain, IBS, skin problems. The list is endless! Lose the wheat. Lose the weight. Regain your health.
Damn, how I love some health talk in my health and fitness videos! Thank you for all the knowledge and information, I wish you many years of great health.
Love the videos Alan. Your style is pretty unique and I think people really value that. The only thing I’d question a bit is your protein comment. Almost all of what I’ve read suggests more than 60-100g is better for a guy your size. I think you can get by, sure, but if you want to make more progress, more protein would help. But, I also agree it’s not worth stressing about, especially in the context of family responsibilities and just keeping things in perspective.
Regarding your point about protein - I think a lot of people are seeing these pieces of advice on social media and thinking they need to do it as well. But a lot of this advice - especially from those promoting themselves as "science-based" - is really for people at the top end of their sport. The vast majority of people lifting weights in the gym simply do not need to worry about trying to optimise everything. Most of us can achieve our goals by just being "good enough". Leave the premature-optimisation to the professionals who genuinely need to worry about every last % being perfect.
Damn. I am way smaller than you and I still stress about eating over 120 grams of protein per day because I've heard of this 1.8-2 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight rule people keep repeating, but I probably focus way too much on it and the incremental gain it provides. Especially as someone who weighs around 65 kilos and mainly trains kickboxing and MMA. Thank you for helping me realise this.
Can't wait for the diet vid. I actually need to work on lowering my saturated fat as well. Surprised at how high it was (at 229 if I remember correctly). My family also has the same history as youra does.
Great content as always. How old are you Alan? I'm 56. Been training since my teens. Cool to see your approach evolve. You'll see it evolve even more as you get older. Adapt and overcome.
I feel like we've grown up together. There's a kind of lifeline parallel that extends to thoughts on training. At 43 I eat similar to the diet you mentioned the theoretical person eating (I do proats or greek yogurt and granola in the morning, then beans that have been crock potted with smoked meats for lunch - sometimes with a chop salad or Jerusalem salad, and then a meat/starch/veggies 3 part plate for dinner). Lifting is a form of the 5/3/1 Triumverate that I've tweaked to be 10/8/6 and include 1-2 additional lifts per session - plus I do SLDL with DB's and DB weighed lunges to spare my lower back the pounding, then 3 days a week I either coach soccer or hit a 5k Wog with some planks. Honestly, I'm not a weenie. I'm still stronger than the vast majority of the younger guys, and I'm much more fit-for-life. I'm lifelong naturally chubby, but my blood readings are all good and most people guess me a few years younger. I think where we've both gotten - at our different levels - is the we are at that point where exercise is a means to an end. There's that point in your 20s where progressive sports are suddenly off the table (or you're fresh out of the marine corps), and you've got to find an outlet for that "go hard or go home" energy level. So, working out becomes a thing unto itself. I've got to admit, I still enjoy the nostalgia when people recall that time I went in at 185 and crushed a $400 bet out-benching a guy who looked like he could curb stomp me on first glance, but I'm good knowing that I did it. Seems like you're kind of there too, just with more performance goals (well and that's your living, whereas I'm a worker bee).
I think this is a thing a lot of TH-camrs misunderstand that people actually have lives, and I would say most of the people that follow yourself and people like GVS, NH, AL, BOM, BB to name a few are all people in their mid 20s- mid 30s some are probably over 40, and we all have lives, we have kids, we have jobs that we need to hold down, sometimes very physical jobs, we have to go to things with our partners, on top of trying to bulk and go to the gym, it's hard work, sometimes you miss a meal and that's okay, sometimes you miss a training session and that's okay. I think we all need to realise this. We're not kids who can put in all of this work without having any other responsibilities. We're grown ass men with lives, and as much as we all would like to live our lives around the gym all we can do is the best we can, and that's enough.
I went from 175 lbs to 255 lbs in about 18 months, so pretty similar story! I'm 6'2". Around the time I got to 255, all the eating and stress caught up to me and I got acute gastritis. I was really, really sick. I'm 230 lbs now and doing a lot better. In hindsight, rapid bulking like that is not safe.
I don’t know if you know this but beets are great for combating high blood pressure. Beets, garlic and onions are all known to lower blood pressure. You don’t have to eat them together, but they are most potent if consumed raw or somewhat cooked instead of fully cooked. Beet juice before a gym session also gives you better pumps.
don't listen to this momo all you need is a bunch of red meat and a syringe full of test to get jacked and let everyone mire your jackedness instead of looking like an emaciated twink
Alan, please can you get onto strava and share your runs/training etc? I find your journey very inspiring and would like to follow it in real time, to continue to draw real time inspiration when i need a kick up the ass❤
I bulked up to a slobby 230 a few years ago. I got to my strongest. Blood markers did not like it, however. Now, I’m 195 and focusing on SLOW strength progression and feel so much better. Rip may not like it but as a father and husband myself at 28 years old, my health is more important.
Mr. TRAIN UNTAMED! Hey Allan, great video. My Animal based diet includes Grass Fed Red Meat and Organs, Raw Milk and Cheese, Organic Eggs, Beef Tallow, Organic Fruit and Organic Honey...I found this eating style has been remarkable in my overall Health and Strength training...was able to eliminate HIgh BP Meds. Not bad for a guy at 63...
Something to consider with saturated fat: the SFAs in dairy (especially fermented dairy) seem to have less of a negative effect than those SFAs from red meat like beef or pork. And even then you can always get the lower fat versions!
Do make a diet video! I am curious as to how you perceive a very healthy diet right now, with all the knowledge you've acquired in the last years. I eat very similarly to you and I am really curious of any adjustments you're making.
I was over 265lbs at 185cm tall and "intuitively" bulked up to that wjthout any weight training (i.e. I was obese), but now I'm on my 6th cutting phase at ~87-88kg morning weight weekly low end and I've been lifting seriously for about 4 years (and doing cardio, did my 1st running training period last year and ran several halfs and 2 full marathons), and I wish I had been lifting during my old days of overeating lol, but better yet I would have been lifting and bulked properly
I wish I had started exercising regularly 10 years ago, but I have 10 years of information gathering to help me now. I am 6'0 and at about 191 before I eat and drink in the morning. I till have more fat to cut off, but eventually I would like to focus on putting on muscle. So for now I will maintain the 1900cal with about .8-.9g protein per pound. If I need to cut down on calories, then I can do that, although it will be tough, but if I reach my goal with this calorie intake then I will find maintenance, then start going up slowly and tracking my weight gain.
How essential is a back brace for squatting? I tend to insist on not using one, because I want a strong core. My best squat performances have been 5reps of 275 and 2 reps of 295. By contrast my conventional deadlift PR was 3 reps of 405 (with wrist straps. That was all done at bodyweight ~165lbs.
Gold. Excess animal protein = fatty liver, high Apo Lipo-b and upregulated mTor. It is like burning your longevity candle at both ends. Lifting is crucial though
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
This man's bodyweight and beard is proportional
Lmao
correlation
Thrall's Law
Lol a graph should be drawn
it seems
also exchanged his bodyweight and hair for wisdom and intellect. It's like he changed from being a Barbarian Warrior class to an athletic Mage now, still jacked though
You’ve changed my life brother. As a dad of 3.. work, married life, housework, family responsibilities, etc was wearing me down. Age 40 I was fat and on the borderline of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. My doc gave me a choice, either get my shit together or start meds on my next visit. I took it to heart and followed your advice in the dad bod program and making better choices. I finally found a method that worked. I started working out everyday at 6am because that was “my uninterrupted time” (working out could mean anything from going to the gym, going for a walk, riding a bike, doing push-ups and squats at home, basically just meant being active daily). 6 months I go back to my doctor and all numbers were back in the normal range, I also dropped 25lbs.
To accomplish this I took your advice and made a simple changes such as not getting seconds, limiting snacking outside meals, cutting back on ice cream after dinner. I stopped weighing food and measuring calories (this always caused me to fail diets before). I would just take a moderate portion of 1 protein, 1 carb and 1 vegetable/salad, I’d eat that one serving and leave the table. I understood life still happens and would still go out with family on weekends or to parties, but now I find myself making better choices, I wouldn’t go ham every time I was at my favorite restaurant. If my schedule was too busy and I had to get fast food, I’d just get a burger (no fries, no soft drinks) and be better the next day. I was finally living my life with balance and that was the key to my success
One thing that stuck was I didn’t let being perfect be the enemy of the good (or whatever that saying goes)
Alan if you should see this, sincerely thank you from bottom of my heart. You’ve helped me more than you’ll ever know
Great job brother!
dayum brother.
Well done Jay!
I, too, hope that Alan sees this!
One of the best podcasts I have seen was Vince deCenzo, Matt Rhodes and Jim Wendler talk on a Elite FTS podcast Table Talk, about how fat they were lifting at Westside. They laugh at how terrible they felt and losing that weight. It's highly entertaining. It's several years old now.
Bulking, cutting, maintaining, he's done it Thrall
🌚🌝 great comment bro
I'm 6'1 and Starting Strength had me believe I needed to be 250-260. At 245, I was super strong but I was stiff, slow, and felt like trash. I'm back down to 220, using machines, dumbbells, and more athletic movements in general and I feel and look a million times better already.
I’m doing starting strength novice linear progression now at 48 and I’m feeling fantastic. Lifts are going up, body weight is remaining the same (I’m overweight) and am looking forward to moving into intermediate programming. I play a sport for recreational purposes and I’m currently running the novice program in the off season.
@@1729krishand that’s all it says it is. Novice program lasts 3-9 months max and after that the field is yours.
Fahve by Fahves
@@1729krishStarting Strength has good information mixed with a lot of bad or badly contextualized information. SS has a number of flaws, but in the context that OP is speaking about, the primary flaw is the presupposition that strength is the most important thing in life (as stated by Rippetoe) or at least the most important aspect of health and fitness. I would now argue against that heavily. Strength is important for health and fitness and I don't think you could ever get "too strong," but always reaching to get stronger at the expense of all other aspects will not necessarily (and in the SS context will not) improve other aspects of health and fitness. There's still a soft spot in my heart for SS, but objectively speaking, there is far more bad than good in SS at least nowadays.
@@1729krish It's not great at all, really. It's just popular.
Alan’s 10k full day of eating is probably the greatest video on TH-cam- an all time classic
Yeah, should do it again, one month challenge!
Great suggestion !
One big thing I've learned over my years of lifting is that non-optimal does not mean ineffective. You can be effective without being optimal, and probably get the vast majority of benefits too. Optimization is for that last 15-20% and has diminishing returns, as well as being more difficult.
Many need to hear this
I always tell people that a "shit" workout is better than no workout and it's consistency rather than the quality that is important. I'd rather do 15 minutes of Pushups and Squats when I have no time to go to the gym than nothing at all.
Way too many people including myself get far too dogmatic about their training, but truth is unless you are a Professional none of this shit really matters, no one but yourself gives a shit if you have a few pounds to your squat, it wont be the difference between you breaking a World Record or Making a Fortune.
Abso-fucking-lutely. I hate the word optimal in regards to recreational (ie. non-athlete) lifters. Optimal literally means there can be no more improvements made, so you have to be squeaky clean, 100% of the time. Why the fuck would I want to be optimal, as a normal dude just trying to live and move better? That life sucks, all your time & resources go on training & food, you get zero leeway on anything- no alcohol, no chocolate, have to miss family events because you can't possibly miss a training session, or go to bed late etc etc.
Strive to be good, not optimal. Get 80% of the way there, and enjoy your bloody life
I really only look to make changes I can stick with. If optimal isn't something I can do long term, it isn't optimal for me. Regarding the protein intake in this video, I would have to change my diet / lifestyle significantly to go from 150 g protein a day to 200 g.
I feel like there is a lot of people sabotaging themselves because they are going for optimal. I prefer a Kaizen approach (making small improvements on an on going basis). Stuff I can stick to. Too many people on January 1st try to go from eating value meals to chicken salads, and tracking all their food. They are back to their previous diet by February. What if a person just made a goal to stop drinking the 2 cans of pop they drink every day, perhaps even just switching it to a diet pop (even easier to change). If they could stick to that easy change, they would have roughly a 300 kcal difference every day. That is a real impact, and it is hardly any effort. Most will be able to pull it off. In a year, it makes a difference.
@@WrightyFPLThere’s nothing wrong with th term
On the note of protein;
It doesn't occur to most people that the 1g per pound of bodyweight has been rounded up from the 0.8g per pound that has has consistently been shown to be optimal - AND - that's per pound of LEAN bodyweight. You don't suddenly "require" 50 extra grams of protein simply because you are now carrying 65lbs of additional bodyfat. So, if a guy weighs 200lbs but he has a healthy 15% bodyfat, then that means his lean mass is 170lbs. Multiply that by 0.8g and you have a requirement of 136g of protein, not 200g.
This is what irritates me so much about advice people and even popular YTers give still. I had to do a lot of research and clarification to realise that you just need to eat your LBM worth of protein, else I'd have been eating 266g of protein having been overweight instead of 188ish which is just overkill. It's surprisingly overlooked.
@@CDelasauxis it overlooked or are people selling protein shakes? Because nearly every TH-camr does...
I've completely stopped caring about protein and some days probably only get .5-.6 g/lbs of lbm. No difference whatsoever in training or muscularity. And I don't have to drink any whey shakes which is a win in my book.
That's not true. The most robust research there is on protein requirements for lifters suggests 1.6-2.2g per kg of total body weight is optimal. If you want to convert that to LBM you would divide those values by 0.8 on the basis that the average participant in those studies is around 20% body fat. You'd end up at around 2.0-2.75g per kg of LBM.
I'm not saying everyone needs to eat that much protein, but if you want to maximize muscle gain, that's what the research suggests.
A good approximation for heavier people that I have noticed is a gram of protein per cm of height. Tends to work well as a generalization
@@98Destructo That works as well but is probably also more than enough.
I bulked 2 years ago, I went from 155lb, to 180lbs at 5ft7. It was accidental because I was on chemo and eating was the only thing I could do at that time 😂. Now I'm 26 and cancer free at 150lbs and the strongest I've ever been, my progress is slow but steady, I started off very light about a year ago, now I can OH press 100lbs, squat 140lbs, bench 140lbs and deadlift 160lbs. Trying to get my squat and deadlift up at the moment, hopefully squat body weight before Xmas. You just got to try to improve on your health and fitness, setbacks happen, get on with life when you are able to.
That’s awesome man. Huge respect to you and good luck on your journey!
awesome, your upper body is strong! Congrats and beating cancer and keeping your health
Your development and the overwhelming clarity with which you have always explained yourself is as refreshing now as it was when I was watching your how to squat/DL/bench videos back in the day. Much love man.
Alan, I would have never recognized you. It’s been 5 or 6 years since I last watched your vids. I been out of country, injured, etc, etc, so kind of lost contact. I remember your 10,000 calories a day bulk. It was hilarious. Anyway, you look great. Keep up the good work. Maybe 220 for goal weight for you? What about strength? Big drop off or still 500 lbs on the squat? I lived on Jim Wendell’s 5-3-1 with BBB add on, but now, new knees and new shoulders coming up, I go light and high rep. At 73 years of age now, as Clint said, “A man’s got to know his limitations”. Anyway thanks for the good advice. I’ll have to watch this one a couple times to absorb all. Best of luck to you Alan. You were always my favorite vid guy. Thanks for all the great vids you’ve done for us.
Watching this is like a trip down memory lane. I was young and into heavy bulking because all I wanted in the world was to be in world's strongest man. Fast forward a few years and marriage, a father, a sailor, and future IT guy are far more important. The gym is just fun now.
Man, it's really cool to see your evolution in your fitness journey. It's pretty encouraging that someone, as high performing as you are, comes to these conclusions that, in the end, make your life (and those who follow and repeat what you do) overall better in EVERY aspect, not just performance, but actual life quality improvements that aligns with some realistic, normal adult life kinda balance.
You explaining the bulk with the water in the glass is such a great analogy, and your dirty bulk's in the early days are exactly what I did, though I didn't do any hypertrophy work back then so I'd just mainly gain weight on my waist, thighs and face. It's crazy when you look back at when you were new and inexperienced, you thought you knew how to train and lift. It takes 5-7 years of lifting to realize that in fact, you barely had a grasp on the basics, and had so much to learn. I've picked up so many gems from you and Omar over the years that have helped me get past plateau's, and it's much appreciated.
the glass analogy is so good. the overspill of water is the overspill of your waistline through fat
I went on an awesome bulk following your advice, from 210 to 233 over four months, still had slightly visible abs, was strong af, and huge. I used to drink 1.75 liters of whole milk a day, eating ice cream every night in training days, and I’d just eat a shit ton at my meals😂. I cut down to 210 now I’m going back to 225 over 22 weeks
I believe that priorities shifting is a sign of growth and achievement. Thanks for sharing this.
As someone who started lifting when you did and who is around the same age as you, I am noticing my experience is leading me to more nuanced and thoughtful approaches when it comes to training and diet.
I’ve been there from the start of your channel and it’s cool to grow along side with you over the years and to see what becoming a more advanced lifter looks like.
Thank you for this. Not many people talk about the difficulty and stress that comes with needing to eat a lot all day.
I have been following your videos since 2016. I've bulked without feeling bad and gained strength for moderate lifts. I've lost weight based on small diet cuts as you advised. Now that I am a dad like you, I am planning to bulk again very slowly, and here you are with another amazing video!
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making amazing videos. I also recommend your videos to my friends. You are my one true master!
Glad to hear a physique like yours at that weight can maintain on 120g protein. I had been trying to go higher and struggling to get it in.
Just have to just more ass on my routine. Thanks Alan!
Alan, thank you very much for the latest TH-cam video regarding bulking, its awesome. I would really appreciate if you can elaborate on the topic of fat intake, especially saturated fat and talk in the next upcoming diet full day of eating video about what are your main fat sources now since you cut out almost all saturated fat. For example do you add fats now or do you still use fats from food sources like whole eggs and fattier steak or chicken thighs and stuff like that to get the fats but just less, or you adding like peanut butter, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado or still butter to your meals? How do you incoorporate fats in your daily average diet? When it comes to protein selection, do you always work with super lean sources like chicken breast or fattier sources like skinless thighs too? And red meat, only lean cuts of red meat and lean ground beef or fattier cuts too? What fat percentage for ground beef and what cuts of meat? What about dairy, low fat now or still full fat? I believe in what you say and I would love to get your opinion and recommendations. Thank you very much, I appreciate you and I value the content
great questions, would also love to hear his thoughts
I second this!
I want to know this as well
He said less saturated fat and not to worry about getting enough fat. Thay should be enough. Choose the leaner stuff and try to use oils instead of animal fats. If you are worried about too little fat (unlikely to be an actual problem), choose good plant based fats. Avoid coconut btw
would like to see this answered as well!
Alan, this video cracked the code in my head and switched my whole view on bulking. I've always been skinny (I'm 6'5", 25yo @ 195lbs currently) and for the past year I've been lifting weights consistently. In the past 2 months, I've been trying to eat more to gain more weight but it came at a cost. When you started talking about saturated fats and acid reflux, you hit the nail on the head. Every time I would eat a meal, which btw was a large meal, I would feel like I overate (I'd get bloated and the stomach would feel very heavy), the damn acid reflux would start. I COULD NOT get rid of it for several weeks trying to eliminate foods that might have caused it (I gave up protein powder, pasta sauce, and caffeine) but NOTHING would fix it. Then, I thought to myself that my body is trying to tell me something. So one morning, instead of eating 4 eggs, a bunch of breakfast potatoes and 2 slices of toast with cream cheese, I ate an oatmeal with fruit. Took the rest of that day easy and realized that the acid reflux was gone. Since then, I reduced the portion size and once again, acid reflux was not there anymore even when eating eggs, beef, etc. You telling your story helped me realize that I was not the only one facing the same issue.
Thank you SO MUCH!!!
Man I appreciate this so much. I followed the whole gomad stuff, felt miserable trying to go from 120lbs and collegiate cross country runner to like 175lb for weight lifting. I got to 150lbs and stalled. I couldn’t keep eating I felt awful, had GI issues, all that. Been yo-yoing fitness and exercise too as a dad now. But seeing more people saying you don’t need 200g protein a day really helps make it more approachable for me as I get back into training. Thank you, Alan. Love your videos.
I love Alan's comprehensive explanations. I could listen to him for hours because he's a true expert.
Its refreshing to see someone with a big following promote good health advice. Im so glad you haven't joined the chiropractors who deny high cholesterol being correlated to coronary disease
I know I couldn't recover on 120g/day and I'm only an early intermediate lifter still. 1g/lb certainly isn't necessary if your bf% is high, though. I don't overeat to get my protein in and I don't feel a need for more fat or carbs in my diet. Having finally realised whereabouts my true bodyfat percentage lies, my new +250 bulking cal target is 3075. I've run the numbers and my usual carb intake when bulking is only 200 grams. Weird. But I got to a 410 lb deadlift and a jiggly 210 with that just fine. I was going to say I can fit 350-400 grams of carbs into my bulk. Guess not. But I do just fine anyway. I had been eating just over 100/day for 81 days in a 1900 calorie diet and I squatted 300 lbs at like 190 lbs bodyweight. My PR, which I had done at 205, was 309.
Love this.
The maturity of fitness youtubers, really getting the right message across to people. The nuance discussions are highly important and have been missing in the prevailing discourse for a long time.
Whilst some people might say duh, I'm one of those people who "need permission" to stray away from conventional wisdom (which I'm trying to not do consciously). So I'm glad the idea that 1g/lb is no longer the dogma and that whilst MAYBE sub-optimal its not end of gains. Also like Mike Israetel is perfect at not having ANY dogma.
I’ve been doing the switch too! Used to bulk and lift heavy until…..injuries and age made me slow down and second guess a lot of the issues you discussed. Love how much honesty and details you shared. Awesome video and always will follow you! ❤
Not gonna lie, I love how off-brand the 'train untamed' yell is with the updated training philosophy haha
Used to watch this channel in highschool when I played sports, Been like 5 years, you’re looking great dude!
So can you share your daily diet now?
Also, any advice for a guy who's trained shoulders to the point of they are so tight that I cannot hold the squat bar properly now? Should I cut shoulder work completely? Any specific shoulder stretches you can think of?
Love the channel dude, been watching for several years. Keep it up
Also I like your new slant of practical, grounded advice. The consistency/intensity along with quality kcal intake is prob more of a significant factor in training...
Finishing a post dirty bulk cut definitely makes you rethink your next bulk, I know mine did.
Man I’ve loved watching your videos over the years! Content is still as on point as it ever was. Very cool to watch your progress!
Great maturity Alan. Sobered down on everything, cutting down sat fats will give you tremendous longevity which you now need as a family man.
Damn bro, it’s like you were telling my body weight-lifting life story. At 51 , 6’1 and 200, I feel better than ever. Still stronger than the average lifter by far too. You gave great advice about diet and health concerns. Seriously sir, really great video!
Saturated fat is never the cause of heart disease. Eating like you did in the past may have though created quite some damage because definitely that was way too much. Food quantity over time is definitely a factor.
I'm just glad to see that after all these years of following, even amidst all the changes- BULKING, cutting, strongman, powerlifting, bodybuilding, and so on- you still sign off the same way. My favorite.
Time stamp 23:16 "TRAIN UNTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMEDDDDDDDD-uhhh"
Priorities change, and I would argue for the better. I’ve been subscribed since 2017 since I joined the Armed Forces and now been out for 2 years. Always loved your content !
I just went thru a short phase of weight lifting and gained back about 25 lbs from dirty bulking. Back pain comes n goes now.
I'm lifting the heaviest I've ever lifted but i think my diet is messing me up. I feel stiff. Going to focus on getting the best macros for me in a calorie deficit and balancing a workout programming for me to combat stiffness and pain. Thank you
Excellent video! You’re an inspiration. Really love what you have done with approach to nutrition. I’ve learned plenty of great information from you and it’s very relatable in many ways. I used to stress a lot about making sure I get enough protein or believing that you need to bulk aggressively to get big. But , I’ve tone down my approach. Now, I stay in 250-500 calories surplus. Mostly on the lower end of the range and try to get anywhere from 0.7 gram to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. If I get more than that’s great but as long as I get at least 0.7 gram then it’s all good. However, I do believe a little higher would be better during a cutting phase. I now fully understand that you can’t force feed muscle growth. It’s possible that a bigger surplus and protein intake could increase muscle growth a little bit more but I no longer think it would be very significant and there are other consequences of too big of a surplus and for most people it’s definitely not worth it. Plus, it definitely makes cutting phase much more difficult both mentally and physically. It’s definitely beneficial for a few selective people like strongman competitors who are competing at the top levels but top level competitors in any sports have to compromise their health to some extent in some ways just to compete and have a chance of winning. It’s a completely different thing from people who are recreational lifters or are really focusing on maximizing their overall health outcomes to increase not only their life span but also the quality of their life. 💪🙏👍
It’s more important to have a well balanced diet and not have to little or too much of thing.
Loving these long form videos
I needed to hear the thing about the protein. I definitely stress way too much about it and force feed protein shakes sometimes to hit an arbitrary number.
Have enjoyed watching you evolve over these past years, Thrall. Good sh**, man. 👍
Absolutely LOVE this video. I've been facing some type of food intolerance or allergy ever since I started bulking (or rather, simply not skipping meals), leading to gassiness and abnormal bowel movements. This hurts my confidence at the very least and makes me feel as if my food choices are limited, which makes it really demotivating to go on a massive bulk. It's much easier to just eat the same thing and throw in one or two extra servings.
So interesting watching youtubers evolve as time goes on so many have changed completely
Enjoy your new diet!!
ikr
I too took the saturated fats pill. I’m 21 and still enjoy all these things. I’m definitely going to keep what you said in mind tho and maybe try to ease up on the butter. You seem to have a well balanced outlook
That 10000cal video is still one of my favorite videos you made, Alan.
That tip about buying a whole chicken is still good advice if I’ll take one good thing from that old video
You make the best fitness videos
Your best video yet, Alan.
Absolutely love the bulking videos 😂
I think I've heard Natural Hypertrophy say something similar about not fully buying into 1g per pound of bodyweight. I remember seeing him talk about it in a Q&A of his. Don't know if he's changed his on that. Honestly, I feel the same way. It's still a useful tool to use, especially if you're cutting bodyfat or maintaining, but I don't stress about it as much as I used to. I just try to be at a reasonable amount throughout the week.
He did an interview with Strong And Conditioned recently and I think he said he hits ~70-100g/day. That's just off the top of my head, the numbers could be different but it was pretty low for what bodybuilders usually suggest.
@@FinC1_He'd have an easier time getting lean if he ate more protein tbh
@@jeremiahromagnoli7389 he likes his croissant a bit too much
I’m grateful for you describing your journey and details of your thought process. It’s helpful.
This is far better information than most "studies." Studies have limits, and the way they're reported is a little disingenuous too. Most studies will say "most people do better with... insert thing they studied." The problem with that is the conclusion of most studies is the average of their results, assuming everyone on the planet responds best to the average. Not everyone is average, there is a reason there are outliers, and even people close to the average are still not the average. Studies also aren't cheap. This video is a far better approach to diet than any study, because even if 85% of people in a study responded a certain way, you still have to see if you fall into that 85% or don't. Either way, you as an individual have to do some personal testing to see where you're at. It's 2023 and I've grown to hate that phrase "studies say" because a lot of people in academia have no business being there and studies have been bastardized.
That diet video is gonna be great information.
love the Water cup example. well done
Hi Alan. Great video.
As someone who also used to "bulk hard", but has now opted for a more moderate approach over the last few years, may I just offer afew of my own comments which may be applicable/useful (for what they are worth).
I agree a caloric surplus can be much much lower than what you were aiming for each day to achieve excellent muscle accrual. It would seem expert consensus is anywhere from 300 to 500kcals per day above maintenance should have one seeing results. My observation however is, this is very hard to actually hit consitently without counting calories (which I think you mentioned you do not do) or at least starting off counting calories until you almost can mentally guess your calorie content of most meals. Even if just approximately. Otherwise it becomes just so easy to be just around maintenance all the time and not quite getting enough. Indeed, after getting fat on big bulks, I became so paranoid about gaining excess body fat, that it became almost a hindrance. I swung from one extreme to the other. In my opinion, as much as I hated having to do it, counting calories becomes necessary when you start aiming for a smaller surplus, or the danger is you waste a lot of time spinning your wheels. This is where twice weekly monitoring is just super helpful as well to help guide your efforts. As obviously ones calorie maintenance will vary day to day slightly.
I would also add, when your calories are closer to maintenance, perhaps there is a little more need to just keep protein closer to 1g/lb. Just again my observation when your training hard, and seemingly what at least some of the experts would agree upon. Of course there are many other benefits of a high protein diet including the thermic effect of food, and the satiety benefits, and the fact you can replace some of those less heart healthy macros with something less damaging.
Anyway, I just thought, as someone who has made a similar transition to you from the big dirty bulks to a more "lean mass gain" style,, perhaps my observations may be helpful.
Thanks for your awesome channel and the great work you do. Cheers man.😊
As always, nuanced honest video. Thank you Alan.
I bought like that when I first decided I was going to stop fucking around and take training seriously. I don't regret it. It wasn't the smartest way to bulk and if I could give myself then the knowledge I have now I would do it differently. However it taught me one important thing that was a huge roadblock for me up until that point. My body wasn't special. I had convinced myself that it was impossible to gain weight. I was a hard gainer. And I was just going to be stuck being skinny forever and it was useless to try. Suddenly when I saw my body changing and the scale numbers going up steadily I realized that I could gain. And that slowly over time morphed into learning about macros and nutrient partitioning and all the things that go into a good steady clean bulk. Good video
You do you! But saturated fat without the stand American diet is fine. Excess body fat isn’t fine. The SAD along with saturated fat is what’s killing people.
Nice video, lots of what you’re talking about applies to me right now. I’m very interested in what your current diet looks like, especially in a bulking context. Also, I’m kinda surprised that you don’t count your macros. Im doing my first real cut and it has forced me to count my macros and it has really been a revelation terms of what I eat in relation to what my goals are. Very curious how you manage to achieve your goals without daily tracking of macros/micros - especially for such a high profile fitness TH-camr.
Hey Alan. Been around a few years now. Just wanted to say thanks for all the great fitness information over time as well as the real-life advice you’ve been sprinkling in lately. You’re a great role model and an inspiration. Kind regards.
Glad to hear these points, never found bulkong easy, but i've also come to the point where I'm planning a bulk but i am starting to think about saturated fat the same way as you. I've been tracking my protein (from all sources) and I've found im comfortable consuming 110g at 170 lbs and similar to you found that sufficient for the results considering family and work.
Thanks for a thoughtful video as usual Alan! It’s really cool to see how you’ve learned and moderated your views on this stuff. I remember in high school my lifting coach telling me (185 lbs squatting 315 for 3) that the only way I could get stronger was to bulk to 225. I used to chug nonfat milk at the end of the day when I didn’t “get enough calories.”
Hey Alan, regarding your health concerns, have you read the book called "Wheat Belly"?
Modern Wheat causes reflux, heartburn, weight gain, IBS, skin problems. The list is endless!
Lose the wheat. Lose the weight. Regain your health.
GTFO of here with this weird pseudo science bs
Damn, how I love some health talk in my health and fitness videos! Thank you for all the knowledge and information, I wish you many years of great health.
Love the videos Alan. Your style is pretty unique and I think people really value that. The only thing I’d question a bit is your protein comment. Almost all of what I’ve read suggests more than 60-100g is better for a guy your size. I think you can get by, sure, but if you want to make more progress, more protein would help. But, I also agree it’s not worth stressing about, especially in the context of family responsibilities and just keeping things in perspective.
Regarding your point about protein - I think a lot of people are seeing these pieces of advice on social media and thinking they need to do it as well. But a lot of this advice - especially from those promoting themselves as "science-based" - is really for people at the top end of their sport. The vast majority of people lifting weights in the gym simply do not need to worry about trying to optimise everything. Most of us can achieve our goals by just being "good enough". Leave the premature-optimisation to the professionals who genuinely need to worry about every last % being perfect.
Great video and great insight, i love hearing wisdom from lived experience
Good points, health should always come first. 👍🏼
Damn. I am way smaller than you and I still stress about eating over 120 grams of protein per day because I've heard of this 1.8-2 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight rule people keep repeating, but I probably focus way too much on it and the incremental gain it provides. Especially as someone who weighs around 65 kilos and mainly trains kickboxing and MMA. Thank you for helping me realise this.
Good point, so did I. Worrying if you don’t hit that amount of protein, then what’s the point?
Can't wait for the diet vid. I actually need to work on lowering my saturated fat as well. Surprised at how high it was (at 229 if I remember correctly). My family also has the same history as youra does.
Great content as always. How old are you Alan? I'm 56. Been training since my teens. Cool to see your approach evolve. You'll see it evolve even more as you get older. Adapt and overcome.
I feel like we've grown up together. There's a kind of lifeline parallel that extends to thoughts on training.
At 43 I eat similar to the diet you mentioned the theoretical person eating (I do proats or greek yogurt and granola in the morning, then beans that have been crock potted with smoked meats for lunch - sometimes with a chop salad or Jerusalem salad, and then a meat/starch/veggies 3 part plate for dinner). Lifting is a form of the 5/3/1 Triumverate that I've tweaked to be 10/8/6 and include 1-2 additional lifts per session - plus I do SLDL with DB's and DB weighed lunges to spare my lower back the pounding, then 3 days a week I either coach soccer or hit a 5k Wog with some planks.
Honestly, I'm not a weenie. I'm still stronger than the vast majority of the younger guys, and I'm much more fit-for-life. I'm lifelong naturally chubby, but my blood readings are all good and most people guess me a few years younger.
I think where we've both gotten - at our different levels - is the we are at that point where exercise is a means to an end. There's that point in your 20s where progressive sports are suddenly off the table (or you're fresh out of the marine corps), and you've got to find an outlet for that "go hard or go home" energy level. So, working out becomes a thing unto itself. I've got to admit, I still enjoy the nostalgia when people recall that time I went in at 185 and crushed a $400 bet out-benching a guy who looked like he could curb stomp me on first glance, but I'm good knowing that I did it. Seems like you're kind of there too, just with more performance goals (well and that's your living, whereas I'm a worker bee).
cool story man are you jacked tho
I think this is a thing a lot of TH-camrs misunderstand that people actually have lives, and I would say most of the people that follow yourself and people like GVS, NH, AL, BOM, BB to name a few are all people in their mid 20s- mid 30s some are probably over 40, and we all have lives, we have kids, we have jobs that we need to hold down, sometimes very physical jobs, we have to go to things with our partners, on top of trying to bulk and go to the gym, it's hard work, sometimes you miss a meal and that's okay, sometimes you miss a training session and that's okay.
I think we all need to realise this.
We're not kids who can put in all of this work without having any other responsibilities. We're grown ass men with lives, and as much as we all would like to live our lives around the gym all we can do is the best we can, and that's enough.
I went from 175 lbs to 255 lbs in about 18 months, so pretty similar story! I'm 6'2". Around the time I got to 255, all the eating and stress caught up to me and I got acute gastritis. I was really, really sick.
I'm 230 lbs now and doing a lot better. In hindsight, rapid bulking like that is not safe.
Awesome video Alan! Thanks!
I don’t know if you know this but beets are great for combating high blood pressure. Beets, garlic and onions are all known to lower blood pressure. You don’t have to eat them together, but they are most potent if consumed raw or somewhat cooked instead of fully cooked. Beet juice before a gym session also gives you better pumps.
don't listen to this momo all you need is a bunch of red meat and a syringe full of test to get jacked and let everyone mire your jackedness instead of looking like an emaciated twink
Alan, please can you get onto strava and share your runs/training etc? I find your journey very inspiring and would like to follow it in real time, to continue to draw real time inspiration when i need a kick up the ass❤
Great content man.
I bulked up to a slobby 230 a few years ago. I got to my strongest. Blood markers did not like it, however. Now, I’m 195 and focusing on SLOW strength progression and feel so much better.
Rip may not like it but as a father and husband myself at 28 years old, my health is more important.
Agreed with all that you said. I have similar views about those three principles.
Great Analogy Allan! 😮👍
Mr. TRAIN UNTAMED! Hey Allan, great video. My Animal based diet includes Grass Fed Red Meat and Organs, Raw Milk and Cheese, Organic Eggs, Beef Tallow, Organic Fruit and Organic Honey...I found this eating style has been remarkable in my overall Health and Strength training...was able to eliminate HIgh BP Meds. Not bad for a guy at 63...
Eliminate Seed Oils, that is the Killer Allan, not Saturated Fat...Vegetable, Canola, Sunflower, all Freakn crap...
Great information and Thanks!
I like this video. I appreciate the growth.
Something to consider with saturated fat: the SFAs in dairy (especially fermented dairy) seem to have less of a negative effect than those SFAs from red meat like beef or pork. And even then you can always get the lower fat versions!
Someone get this young man a sandwich he’s wasting away
Do make a diet video! I am curious as to how you perceive a very healthy diet right now, with all the knowledge you've acquired in the last years. I eat very similarly to you and I am really curious of any adjustments you're making.
Loved the video thanks Alan
I was over 265lbs at 185cm tall and "intuitively" bulked up to that wjthout any weight training (i.e. I was obese), but now I'm on my 6th cutting phase at ~87-88kg morning weight weekly low end and I've been lifting seriously for about 4 years (and doing cardio, did my 1st running training period last year and ran several halfs and 2 full marathons), and I wish I had been lifting during my old days of overeating lol, but better yet I would have been lifting and bulked properly
I've also decided to massively drop protein intake this year. My cut is going way better at 150p/250c/60f than it was at 200p/150c/80f
You followed your, “TRAIN UNTAMED!!!!!”
I wish I had started exercising regularly 10 years ago, but I have 10 years of information gathering to help me now.
I am 6'0 and at about 191 before I eat and drink in the morning. I till have more fat to cut off, but eventually I would like to focus on putting on muscle. So for now I will maintain the 1900cal with about .8-.9g protein per pound. If I need to cut down on calories, then I can do that, although it will be tough, but if I reach my goal with this calorie intake then I will find maintenance, then start going up slowly and tracking my weight gain.
Alan, very good advices. It would be the collaboration of collaborations if you got together with Dr. Mike Israetel and did a training series.
Great video. Thanks!
Training Tamed
Oh boy Alan's got props!
How essential is a back brace for squatting? I tend to insist on not using one, because I want a strong core. My best squat performances have been 5reps of 275 and 2 reps of 295. By contrast my conventional deadlift PR was 3 reps of 405 (with wrist straps. That was all done at bodyweight ~165lbs.
By brace, I meant the belt
Alan has several videos on this already, just search up Alan Thrall Lifting Belt
It helps you lift more weight but it is not essential. You will progress slower without a belt though.
Gold. Excess animal protein = fatty liver, high Apo Lipo-b and upregulated mTor. It is like burning your longevity candle at both ends. Lifting is crucial though