Tried a “lean bulk” after losing 30+ lbs… accidentally gained 20 lbs in 6 weeks
I sorta accidentally gained 20 lbs in 6 weeks trying to do a “controlled bulk” after losing a ton of weight in 2025, and it honestly messed with my head way more than I expected.
For context:
43 years old
Went from 200 lbs down to 167 last year
Used a GLP-1 during the weight loss phase
Kept lifting 4x/week throughout
Decided to test whether I could maintain/build without the medication. So on January 1st, I came off the GLP-1 completely and started a lean-ish bulk:
3300 calories/day
200g protein
400g carbs
lifting 4x/week
Peloton cardio every morning
The plan was to gain 8 lbs in 8 weeks. Hopefully 2–3 lbs of muscle, then cut back down and end up leaner and stronger overall.
Instead, by February 10th, I weighed 187 lbs. Up TWENTY. At first I genuinely thought I had completely screwed up my entire transformation.
However the performance in the gym was unbelievable-
strength exploded, energy was insane, muscles looked fuller constantly, and recovery improved dramatically.
But are the same timeabs disappeared fast and I looked noticeably softer. Mentally I was spiraling a little watching the scale climb. What I underestimated was how aggressively my body would hold glycogen and water after living in a caloric deficit for most of the previous year.
I know now that a big chunk of that weight was not fat tissue, but psychologically it still felt terrible watching the scale jump that fast.
By Valentine’s Day I pulled the plug and started cutting early because I no longer trusted the original plan.
Curious if other people who’ve done a real bulk after a long cut phase experienced the same thing psychologically.
Because honestly, the physical part was easy. Watching myself get softer again after working so hard to get lean was the hard part.