Should You Cut or Bulk?
For people who are in a position to gain muscle more easily, I’d consider going as high as 500kcal surplus per day for the short term. I would aim to limit it to ~250kcal max for advanced lifters, which is the equivalent of 1kg per month.
So if you are intentionally gaining at a quicker rate than that, you would also expect to be gaining a lot of body fat.
Pre-training Nutrition for Powerlifters
Need to fuel a heavy squat session?
Going in with a sugar-free Monster on an empty stomach might result in you leaving kilos on the platform. What types of foods you eat and when you eat can affect your energy levels, concentration, gut discomfort and ability to execute and perform at your best.
Meal timing & composition matters.