Problems Associated with Dirty Bulking

Given the opportunity, most of us would have a permanent cheat day if it meant we would still build muscle while training hard. The concept of a dirty bulk is simple, eat whatever you want in as high of an amount you can but continue your training regimen. Though this sounds enticing and undoubtedly many of you can already taste the pizza, taco and fry hodgepodge molding together on one plate, there are many problems that can be found when taking this approach.

Increased Fat Storage

One of the most obvious problems with a dirty bulk is that the poor quality of food will lead to increased weight gain. It is true that muscle can be built with excess caloric intake, but not all calorie sources are created equal. Junk foods are considered “junk” because of their poor nutritional quality. Muscles need good nutrients to grow, meaning these excess calories will most likely be converted to fat and stored inside your body.

Slowed Muscle Growth

The body is a fine-tuned machine that relies on many different nutrients to facilitate complex processes to help build muscle. Even minor deficiencies in a single micronutrient can create an environment that isn’t conducive to muscle growth. By eating junk foods, many different nutrients will be neglected, inherently causing muscle growth to slow or stop completely.

Decreased Motivation

Many studies have been done to show that junk foods can have a detrimental effect on cognitive ability and well-being. When too many junk foods are being consumed, not only will you feel terrible, you will begin to lose the motivation to work off the calories you are consuming. Junk food is addictive and continued exposure can create dangerous habits that could ultimately ruin everything you have worked for.

Remember, it is much easier to put on weight than it is to lose it. The obvious solution for those looking to gain muscle mass is to focus on clean eating and heavy training. By feeding your body the necessary nutrients and focusing on overall wellbeing, hitting your goals will be much easier.