Refer to FitDay.com to monitor your nutrient intake while the cutting phase. I use FitDay constantly given that it ís very easy to use as well as it takes the guessing out of my eating habits. FitDay tells me the precise amount of calories, protein, carbs, & fat that I am taking in as well as dozens of other nutrients among them all primary nutrition facts one could find on a packet of food. It gives you the proportion of protein, carbs, and fat in your diet and makes you discover how near or far you are to attaining the recommended daily intake of all major nutrients & vitamins. The bottomline is, you are doing your weight & muscle gain goals a disfavor by not taking advantage of FitDay!
Take steps to put a cap on your cardio the best you can when you are bulking, or to catch up for the calorie deficit simply by eating a greater amount of food. You really don’t like to do any cardio more than necessary (walking to your car from work) while you are on a bulking plan. Bulking periods normally last 4 to 8 weeks, after which it should be time for the cutting phase. Read all about the bulking and cutting phases here.
Weightlifting is a must if your goal is to build lean muscle. The following are some rules to follow: Stick to free weights over machines. Machines remove the negative motion of most exercises, which is crucial for effectively breaking down muscle. Use basic compound exercises foremost. These are squats, deadlifts, bench press, bent-over rows, chin ups, lat pulldowns, and barbell curls. Isolation exercises (flyes, concentration curls, leg curls, leg extensions, leg raises) are not important in terms of bulking so avoid them.