Week 7, Settling Into the Clean Bulk
Alec B -
One week into the clean bulk and I’m already noticing some pretty major shifts—not just physically, but mentally too. It’s crazy how much of a difference quality food makes when you’re trying to perform at a high level.
The biggest thing I’ve noticed so far is better digestion and energy throughout the day. Back during the dirty bulk, it sometimes felt like I was forcing food down just to hit calorie goals, and I’d crash hard afterward. Now, with the cleaner foods, I feel fueled without feeling sluggish. Meals don’t weigh me down, and I’m way more productive outside of the gym too.
Meal prepping continues to be a game-changer. I even tightened it up a little this week—making sure I have a couple of different carb options on hand like jasmine rice and roasted sweet potatoes, just to keep things interesting and avoid burnout. Variety without chaos seems to be the key.
Training is still full steam ahead with the same split:
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Arms & Shoulders
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Chest & Back
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Legs
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Chest & Back (again)
I’m still pushing for progressive overload on every lift. Some lifts have already started creeping up faster than they did during the dirty bulk phase. For example, my dumbbell press went up by 5 lbs this week, and I finally hit a clean set of 8 reps with the heavier weight. Small win, but a big confidence boost.
One thing I’ve also noticed: recovery is better. I’m less sore day-to-day, and my sleep quality has improved too. I haven’t changed anything major with my sleep routine, so I’m pretty sure it’s the diet upgrades helping out there.
Overall, this first full week of clean bulking has been a huge step in the right direction.
The system is working, and now it’s just about stacking good weeks on top of each other.