This is how CBum suggests bulking to maintain a lean physique and optimal health.
Chris Bumstead, a six-time Classic Physique Olympia champion, made his final competitive appearance at the 2024 Olympia, where he successfully defended his title before announcing his retirement from the division. Since stepping away from the stage, CBum has shifted his focus to his business ventures and family, though he remains deeply connected to the fitness world.
| Full Name: Chris Bumstead | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| 215-220 lbs | 6’1″ | 2/2/1995 |
| Profession | Era | Nationality |
| Bodybuilder | 2010s, 2020s | Canadian |
In a recent YouTube video, Chris Bumstead drew on his extensive experience to share expert advice on an effective bulking diet. He covered essential topics, including the best time to bulk, how to approach it strategically, and the ideal foods to include in a bulking diet. Let’s dive into his insights and learn from one of the best in the sport.
“Pretty much based off my experience rather than just purely science-based stuff. It’s everything I’ve done and learned from my mistakes throughout the years. So, you guys can learn from what I’ve done right and done and hopefully learn faster than I did.”
— Chris Bumstead
Chris Bumstead on When to Bulk
In simple terms, Chris Bumstead says he has no idea when or why people should start a bulking diet. He says it depends on the person or the situation. However, he states that if your goal is to put on muscle and if you have low body fat, you can bulk.
“I have no f*cking clue on why people should bulk. It’s very situation dependent, person dependent, goal dependent. But as a whole, I would say obviously if your goal is to put on muscle, you should bulk, and if you’re not fat, you should bulk.”
— Chris Bumstead
If you’re unhappy with your body fat level, he doesn’t think you should bulk yet. Drop down to a level that you’re happy with and work your way back up. Chris Bumstead likes to be around 12% body fat before starting a bulking diet. However, he says this percentage can be around 18% to 20% for women.
If you start to lose your abs or get too much of a high body fat percentage, it’s important to slow down. A few other factors could be your appetite; when your appetite is completely gone, sometimes you need to take a step back.
He also adds that if your resistance training is plateauing or your weight is stagnant, these are signs that you should give your body a little bit of a break. Depending on your goals and the situations surrounding them, it could be for a week or a full cut.
Macronutrient Essentials for Bulking
According to Chris Bumstead, macronutrient intake is an important factor when bulking. “The more you measure, the more you can manage, and the more you can adapt. And then you know what changes you’re making are causing the changes in your body,” Bumstead said. “The first step to anyone’s fitness journey really is tracking everything you eat consistently and calculate the calories and macros on that. Maybe do it for a week, take the average and see what it is, and weigh yourself during all those days.”
You need protein if you’re trying to bulk up and put on muscle. However, carbs are also important because your body uses protein for energy when you’re really low on carbs. On the other hand, when you’re on high carbs, you have all the carbs to use for energy, while the body uses protein to build muscle.
Bumstead says he sticks to a minimum of 1 g per pound of bodyweight. He’s 250 lbs, so he consumes 250 g of protein with four calories for every gram of protein, making it 1,000 calories. If he’s trying to hit 4,000 calories, he has 20% to 30% of his total caloric intake from fats and fills the rest with carbs. This is around the range this study in Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) recommends for bodybuilders (1).
There are extreme cases for skinny people who have to increase their protein intake and for people who are overweight, who might have to reduce their protein intake, Bumstead also points out.
Types of Foods to Eat
Chris Bumstead believes eating whole foods is best when bulking. “The more food you can digest and the nutrients you can actually absorb from it, the less you actually need to eat to get the same benefit out of it,” he said.
Bumstead didn’t have any cheat meals during the last four to five years because he didn’t want any side effects like inflammation, gut digestion mess, or ruining his sleep. He could have cheat meals calorically and not get too fat, but it would affect his recovery and digestion, which he didn’t want.
During his off-season he was a little flexible with his meals but still kept it healthy. “If I get a burger sometimes, I get a lettuce wrap with no cheese because I know it’s going to mess with my stomach and make sure I stick with that.”
According to Bumstead, the only reason to have a cheat meal is for your mental well-being — maybe for stress relief or to take a break from the norm. This also extends to professional bodybuilders.
Clean Bulk Vs. Dirty Bulk
Chris Bumstead says people who dirty bulk don’t understand how important every little thing is to their bodies. So they just take the easy way out. He doesn’t recommend dirty bulking, but you can once in a while have your cheat meals if you need them.
With clean bulking you’re not just trying to get jacked; you’re also taking care of your body.
“When you build that healthy relationship with food that you’re nourishing your body, you’re fueling your body, you’re putting good food in your body because you care about your body, it also makes it easier to diet because you’re not craving sh*tty foods when you’re dieting.”
— Chris Bumstead
Supplements for Bulking
One of Chris Bumstead’s go-to supplements for bulking is creatine. He says it’s good for the brain, putting on muscle, energy, and repairing muscles (2). Digestive supplements are also specific to bulking. One specific digestive supplement is glucose; it helps the body utilize all the carbs in your system.
Post-workout shakes and protein powder are also effective supplements. During his prep, on or off-season, Bumstead uses these as his go-to supplements. “I still really believe that a post-workout shake is extremely important.”
How Long Should You Bulk?
According to Bumstead, the longer you can hold your muscle while bulking, the harder it is to lose it while cutting. He likes a longer bulk because it doesn’t feel like he had to force it as hard and put in a lot of food really fast. He slowly increases his intake, and as his body plateaus, he adds more food. “The slower the change you make, the more likely you are to put on good weight rather than just fat,” he said.
Goals When Bulking
Bumstead believes it is important to be specific about your goals when bulking. “Start something, commit to it, and understand what your goals are,” Bumstead said. If your goal is to put on muscle but you hate losing abs, then do a really slow, long bulk and very slow increase of calories. Make sure your abs stay there, stick to training them, do your cardio, and eat good food.
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References
- Lambert, C. P., Frank, L. L., & Evans, W. J. (2004). Macronutrient considerations for the sport of bodybuilding. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 34(5), 317–327. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200434050-00004
- Cooper, R., Naclerio, F., Allgrove, J., & Jimenez, A. (2012). Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-9-33
