Is winter the “bulking up” season, or have you just gained fat over the holidays and thrown in the towel on staying lean? Bulking up during the winter isn’t the trend anymore. Bodybuilders are getting better educated about ongoing research on gaining lean muscle mass adequately, without inflammatory fat gains.

I tend to believe that most people would benefit from letting go of the hard diet and just taking it easy for a couple of weeks; it does the adrenals some good. But most people will train harder prior to and during the holidays to compensate foe the higher caloric intake, thus beating up the adrenals. My take would be to not see the winter season as a bulk-up phase, but a chillax phase. Without considering reserving a permanent parking space at McDonald’s, stick with the basics. This might be the best time to try out some new food.

Here are some other tips for bulking up responsibly.


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Restore Your Immune System
For those of you who live in cold-weather areas, catching the flu is practically inevitable. Holidays are the perfect storm to share flu-causing microbes. On top of that, the constant eating most people do during holiday season impairs their digestive systems. The immune system is mainly built up in your gut. Great health is the reflection of a healthy gut.

The best immune system builder is a good probiotic. Instead of the most common yogurt that is often full of sugar, I would opt for goat milk or Greek yogurt enriched with probiotics. Glutamine taken as a supplement will go a long way. One of the best tricks I use to beat the hell out of a cold is to take 5g of glutamine every hour when I feel a cold coming along. It will repair the gut.

When bacteria enters the gut, the incubation period could be up to five days until it grows strong and invades the rest of the body to cause dreaded flu symptoms. Repairing the gut in the process will bring the gut’s homeostasis back up to par and help beat the symptoms in half the time.

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Eat Different Foods
Since most people follow the same diet over and over again with the same foods, take this time of the year to change things. Swap the chicken and rice meals for filet mignon and mashed cauliflower. During the winter season, the brain tends to slow down, and energy levels drop. Changing food around will help you get rid of some possible food intolerances, which are often activated by repeatedly eating the same things.

Since we play outside less during the winter and don’t get enough sunlight, we start to lack a major component of life: vitamin D. It’s a good idea to eat foods that have higher levels of this vitamin. However, I wouldn’t go for the “vitamin D-enriched” juices, milk, or foods since the body will not absorb it the same way as the bio-available vitamins from natural sources.

Here are the major food sources of vitamin D:

Mackerel
Cod liver oil
Sockeye salmon
Sardines
Sole
Beef liver
Eggs

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Help Build Lean Muscle Mass
The best thing in this case would be to increase your protein intake. One way to do this is by eating more meat. Try different kinds than what you’re used to as well. The best is wild game like venison, boar, and bison—totally natural meat with no hidden chemicals and raised in the wild without any antibiotics. It will not only help you gain muscle mass for your “bulk-up phase,” but it will also help you stay focused all day long and keep your metabolism through the roof. All the amino acids will also help beat the winter blues and keep energy levels high.

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Keep Your Metabolism Active
Bulking up doesn’t mean that you have to look like Michelin’s puffed mascot, only to lose all the fat afterward. Keep low glycemic carbohydrates as usual, but increase your carbohydrates at night. Your body is more efficient at processing carbohydrates at night, which makes it a great time to use higher glycemic carbs such as sweet potatoes, wild rice, or carrots. If you time it efficiently, this meal is the best after a great hypertrophy workout. Nutrient timing is the best way to go. Protein and its amino acids will boost your metabolism like nothing else, but carbs at the right time will make sure you have the adequate energy for the next lifting session.


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Promote Healthy Brain Function
Depression-like symptoms rear their ugly heads around this time of year. The lack of sunshine and warmth makes some people vulnerable to less than desirable thoughts, and makes it harder to stay motivated. This is not the time to cut down on fat. The brain needs fat to function well. All sources of fat are required. Polysaturated, monosaturated, and, believe it or not, saturated fats are the way to go, especially in the wintertime. Saturated fats positively affect free testosterone. It’s of great help for muscle growth, tissue regeneration, immune system boosting, and sexual function. The best sources of saturated fats are coconut oil, organic butter, meats, and nuts.

What follows is very good news for those who are regular users of omega 3’s. In her book, Know Your Fats, Mary Enig proved that saturated fats help retain more omega 3’s in the cell and can make it easier to convert it into DHA, which is critical for optimal brain health and function at all stages of life. However, too much saturated fat can also be harmful. Let’s say that a reasonable amount should be one-third of your daily fat intake.

Down the road, after winter comes spring. Planning it all in advance will save you time, even though planning takes time. Take a few months off your regular diet habits by trying out these kinds of foods to help you get through those cold and boring winter months, and use it to your advantage. Your leaning phase/summer diet will seem much more fun and interesting since you did something completely different to break you out of the same old chicken and rice bodybuilding routine.