If you are on a fitness journey, you have probably heard about dirty bulk and clean bulk already. It goes without saying that your fitness goals are achieved 50% through your diet alone. So what you consume will have a big influence on your gains. Most people often unknowingly consume foods in their daily routine that go against their goals. Therefore, this can add another challenge for hard-gainers who care about their progress.
Regardless of your goals, knowing if your current diet falls into the dirty bulk or clean bulk is extremely important. This is because everyone can bulk up at some point, but how you choose to bulk can make a big difference in your journey. You can think of these two as a road trip. Clean bulking is a beautiful route; you enjoy the ride and arrive feeling satisfied. While dirty bulking is fast and bumpy, you reach fast, but it’s rough.
Still unsure? Then keep reading as this article further breaks down these two types of diets in detail. Scroll down to learn more about everything.
5 Main Differences Between Dirty Bulk and Clean Bulk
Dirty bulk and clean bulk may not seem like a big factor, specifically for beginners, but it matters a lot. In this article, we will learn what clean and dirty bulk involves, their pros and cons, and why choosing the right one is essential. We will look at the important factors such as calories, healthy fats, protein, portion sizes, and effectiveness.
Here are five differences between dirty bulk and clean bulk every fitness freak must know.
1. Calories
In dirty bulking, you eat as many calories as you can throughout the day with a goal of gaining weight quickly. An example of this is the type of foods that are less nutritious and high-calorie, like burgers, pizzas, and other types of fast food. The focus remains on staying caloric surplus regardless of the food quality.
Clean bulking, on the other hand, only focuses on consuming high-quality foods. These are nutrient-dense foods, and this one can also promote muscle growth with a calorie surplus diet. These foods are usually unprocessed ones like lean meats, complex carbs, and healthy fats. This calorie intake is controlled and balanced to make sure most of the weight gained is muscle and not fat.
2. Healthy Fats
One of the main differences between these two diets is the fats that you take into your body. The reason why dirty bulking isn’t recommended here is because of the consumption of junk food, fried foods, and processed snacks. These are usually the unhealthy trans fats or excessive saturated fats, which often lead to fat gain and can negatively impact heart health.
Comparatively, the clean bulk focuses only on healthy fats, which means it not only supports your fitness journey but also maintains your overall well-being. It emphasizes foods like seeds, olive oil, nuts, avocados, and fatty fish. Such types of fats are also important for hormone production, specifically testosterone, which plays a vital role in muscle growth and recovery.
3. Protein
If you have been into fitness for some time, you already know the importance of protein in achieving your goals. Therefore, to get the best results, you need to ensure your diet is giving you the required protein. The protein may still be enough in dirty bulk, but it is not strategically planned.
In the clean bulk, the protein intake is very high, and along with sheer volume, the source of protein is also carefully considered. You can expect fish, eggs, lean meats, and plant-based proteins. However, creating such a type of meal plan on your own can be difficult.
For this, you can refer to professional meal planners at https://steroidcafe.com/ and let experts create a meal plan personalized to your unique goals.
4. Portion Sizes
The portion sizes in the dirty bulk tend to be large and unrestricted. Therefore, there are always good chances that you exceed your daily goals or consume too much unhealthy food. This can drastically affect your fitness journey.
In contrast, in clean bulking, the portion sizes are controlled to ensure you consume just enough. While the goal still remains to be caloric surplus, the portion sizes are based on nutritional needs to fuel workouts.
5. Effectiveness
Dirty bulking can lead to significant muscle gain, but the next thing you will have to worry about is the unwanted fat. While it’s a good way to add size to your overall weight, the gained fat may need to be lost during the cutting phase.
A clean diet will take longer than a dirty but the results you gain are comparatively more sustainable. This is because the focus remains on healthy, balanced eating, and the majority of the weight gained is only muscle.
Choose the Right Diet Plan to Achieve Your Goals
The right plan can fuel your fitness journey and help you see results quickly. You can leverage the experience of field experts to create a meal plan for your bulking goals. Feel free to contact professionals and consume what’s right for you and your physique.
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