5 Tips To Help Bulk & Gain Muscle Over Christmas

Christmas can be the perfect time to gain muscle as chances are you are going to be eating a lot more calories than usual.

Read on to see how you can bulk and gain muscle over Christmas.

Why Do You Want To Bulk Over Christmas?

There are plenty of reasons why you may want to bulk over the Christmas period. For one, it just makes more sense.

As the weather gets colder you will be less inclined to get out in the cold to do cardio, whether that’s a simple walk or a team sport.

At Christmastime, there is plenty of extra food around, which give you more opportunity to get more calories in.

Of course, you don’t have to bulk over the holiday time, but if you are looking to get ripped for Summer, then now is the time to bulk and build muscle. You can worry about cutting the fat in the New Year.

Here are some tips for bulking at Christmas:

#1: Eat More Turkey

No doubt you have bought a turkey ready for dinner on Christmas Day, but this does not mean that you need to limit yourself to only eating turkey the one day.

Turkey is a great source of protein (29 grams of protein in 100 grams of turkey), which is essential for muscle growth as it helps to repair the damaged muscle tissues that you have torn while working out hard at the gym.

#2: Eat More In General

Christmas time is a perfect time to bulk as there is plenty of opportunities to eat, with plenty of choices available too (read the following bulking guide to see what and how much you should be eating).

We have already discussed the benefits of turkey, but there are other foods that can also be of benefit to you, for instance:

• Lean meats
• Salmon
• Vegetables
• Nuts

You should also drink plenty of eggnog too, this Christmas drink is full of protein obviously due to its egg content.

A good choice for an alcoholic beverage is Guinness, as it is full of calories but low in sugar and fat.

Basically, the more calories the better for muscle gain so fill up.

#3: Workout

For some, this can be difficult as some gyms won’t be open. However, if you want to gain muscle and make the most of the nutrients you have consumed then you need to find a way to stimulate muscle growth.

You could try bodyweight exercises if your gym is closed, for example, you could try:

• Press-ups
• Bodyweight squats
• Lunges

There are also plenty of exercises you can do even with just a pair of dumbbells so perhaps you could invest in a pair, or ask Santa for them as a present.

Keeping active over Christmas is important as these extra calories will cause fat to be gained as well as muscle.

This is an unfortunate by-product, but if you remain active over the holidays then you can keep this fat gain to a minimum.

You don’t want to have to undergo a massive cut after the New Year to see any progress, do you?

#4: Take Time To Relax

Stress causes your body to release cortisol, which is a hormone that reduces your bodies ability to repair itself. It also reduces testosterone production, protein synthesis and muscle growth [1][2].

Christmas is the perfect time to relax, and you should have more time to spend with your friends and family enjoying their company.

Hopefully, you will have a few days off work too, which will hopefully reduce your stress levels even further.

#5: Make The Most Of The Longer Nights

It’s probably not gone unnoticed that as winter has arrived the nights have drawn in and become darker for longer.

Well, you should use these longer nights to your advantage and try and get more rest and sleep.

If you are training hard in the gym then you need time to recover, this is where sleep comes in.

You should really be aiming to get at least 7 hours of good quality sleep each night, maybe more if you can.

When you sleep your body is working to repair those damaged muscle fibres. This is when your body releases the most testosterone and human growth hormone [3][4][5].

In Conclusion: Christmas Is Ideal For Bulking

Christmas is the perfect time for bulking as it allows you to overindulge a little and build muscle in the process too.

Yes, you may gain a little fat over this period but if you follow the tips above then there is no reason that you cannot lose this excess fat in the New Year ready for the summer months ahead.

Good luck with your bulk! If you have any questions leave them for us below using the comment form provided.

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