Question about bulking and Aero jacket size

[Bigbenbs]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the encouragement about the new Aero Hooch Hauler, which I love. I have one question, though, as I approach the end of my possible return period. I have been spending a lot of time weightlifting over the past year (Starting Strength, which I thoroughly recommend for anyone who might be interested) and am now starting on a bit of a "bulk" with the help of a coach after losing a bunch of blubber (about 25 lbs). I imagine that I will put on 10 pounds or so over the next 3-4 months, most of which is muscle. I'll then lose some more weight over the next 3 to 4 months, most of which is fat. Then I'll gain some more, lose some more, and so on.

So here is the dilemma: it will be hard to have a fitted jacket that works for me at every point during this process. I really like the snug way my new jacket fits right now. However, my muscle mass will trend up over the next few years, particularly in the arms, back, and chest. So that might mean that it would be good to size up to a 42 but keep the body of the jacket tapered like a 40. But then I would be worried that the jacket would end up looking a bit dumpy, which is death for a cut like the Hooch Hauler. So maybe it would be better to just keep the 40 I have, trust that it will stretch a little bit with use, and see how things go with my actual size increase (I don't have the hormones of a 20-year-old...)

I know this is a lot of first world problems bs, but I nevertheless have to make a decision and would appreciate any thoughts.

Pictures below:

 

[Guppy]

Invest in spandex... Buy into leather once you have reached your final form.

 

[handymike]

It looks great on you ATM...
Who knows exactly what your body will do during this process. If you love the jacket, keep and wear it. If it doesn't fit later- sell it (you will take a hit) and use that money to buy the next one.
If you don't mind waiting a couple of years for your jacket- return it...it would be a pity though.

 

[Harris HTM]

To be honest a perfect looking and fitting jacket is usually a reason to lose weight... I wouldn't return it if I were you. It looks amazing.

 

[Seb Lucas]

It is generally a bad idea to buy a jacket in anticipation of a shape change.

The areas to think about are your pit to pit measurement and your upper sleeve. If you bulk up (can't you think of a more refined hobby... reading, chess maybe? ) that's where it will show first. If it's trim in those places now, the jacket will not fit you if you grow in size. You may be better off waiting until you're at your goal size with your body building and see what your measurements end up being. You may need 2 sizes up.

 

[ProteinNerd]

In my experience 10lbs won’t have a significant effect on clothing fit especially if you are doing a full body program like starting strength and the weight is distributed over your whole body.

10lbs of fat on your belly will wreck havoc on your pants size but 10lbs of muscle over your whole body won’t do much for your jacket size.

 

[ton312]

You'd need some serious chemical assistance to outgrow that jacket. Put some lean muscle on. Bulking usually also involves adding a lot of worthless fat and then cutting to lose it. Take the slow road and keep your jacket.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I'd keep it. Good advice above especially what Tony said, take it slow...it's a lot like investing, think long term and adjust as needed. Fit is great in photos you show.

 

[Bigbenbs]

Thanks all, this is very helpful advice. You've convinced me to keep it, and also to be unapologetic about taking things slow with the bulk.

 

[ton312]

I've been lifting/ training since I was 14. First as an athlete, to maximize my performance, and later as a hobbyist, to pursue my personal fitness goals. By 23 my shape was essentially defined. Over the years I've added and subtracted muscle mass but my basic shape was un-altered regardless of my gains and loses. I'm sure I've got some years on you (I'm 44 and you aren't showing any grey) so you have more potential to alter your shape in the coming years. Your bones won't change tho. Unless you tren and test the holy Hell out of yourself you'll not see a huge difference in the way your clothes fit.
2009, 205lbs

2017 douche bag gym selfie, 215lbs:

Same size jacket fits just as well. I did get bigger but it was slow and the lbs I added were lean(ish) and not enough to impact my jacket size (not significantly anyway) despite the way it looks. I could use to lose a few tbh, but beer is too good and pizza is life. Just go slow man and don't let some trainer have you stuffing 5k in calories a day. You'll gain more fat than muscle and then need to double your efforts to dump it and in the end you'll be weaker than when you started.

 

[mygar]

Listen to ton ... lift and just eat healthy. Don't stuff calories to "gain" unless you are on a great nutrient partitioner as mentioned above. The folks in the gym that impress you are all "on" and don't believe all the supplement and diet hype to explain their impressive gains. These guys will swell and shrink so much it will make your head spin. Only those who don't lose their gains.. never go off.

Keep your jacket!!

 

[Benny Holiday]

Wise words from ProteinNerd and Ton312.

 

[ton312]

Listen to ton ... lift and just eat healthy. Don't stuff calories to "gain" unless you are on a great nutrient partitioner as mentioned above. The folks in the gym that impress you are all "on" and don't believe all the supplement and diet hype to explain their impressive gains. These guys will swell and shrink so much it will make your head spin. Only those who don't lose their gains.. never go off.

Keep your jacket!!

I was standing next to a guy at the grocery store. 6'3 about 275 and lean as a jackal. I asked him how the hell he does it. I knew the answer but he said genetics . It's impressive no doubt but man. That's burning bright but not long.

 

[ProteinNerd]

It’s the worst kept secret in the fitness industry....

 

[willyto]

I was standing next to a guy at the grocery store. 6'3 about 275 and lean as a jackal. I asked him how the hell he does it. I knew the answer but he said genetics . It's impressive no doubt but man. That's burning bright but not long.

Genetics, yeah, sure... we all know the answer. I don't know why people aren't honest about it. If you take extra stuff to be fit and lean just be a man and say so.

 

[ton312]

Genetics, yeah, sure... we all know the answer. I don't know why people aren't honest about it. If you take extra stuff to be fit and lean just be a man and say so.

I agree. The dude still had to log 5 hours plus a day to get there. I personally don't see anything wrong with it. If you want to trade a heart attack for physique then byball means. I mean this dudes arms were as big as my legs, if not bigger!

 

[mygar]

I was standing next to a guy at the grocery store. 6'3 about 275 and lean as a jackal. I asked him how the hell he does it. I knew the answer but he said genetics . It's impressive no doubt but man. That's burning bright but not long.

Lol yea those stats and being that lean is physiologically impossible natural... even for the most genetically gifted man on the planet haha

It’s the worst kept secret in the fitness industry....

Yup the problem for news guys (or even not so new) to lifting is their expectations are severely skewed by dishonesty and comparing themselves
to other in the gym.

It so common from high schoolers to 70 yr old men (with their aging clinics haha)

 

[ton312]

Lol yea those stats and being that lean in physiologically impossible... even for the most genetically gifted man on the planet haha



Yup the problem for news guys (or even not so new) to lifting is their expectations are severely skewed by dishonesty and comparing themselves

I blame instagram. Seriously. It's a shell game. And all those dudes are so juiced it's insane. Ironically, some post videos benching fake weights. Or the woman squatting 800lbs. For 4 sets of 12. Seems legit.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Yeah the modern definition of “natural bobybuilding” really means “someone only taking 1 or 2 as opposed to 4+ performance enhancing drugs at a time”

[emoji23]

 

[ton312]

The only true natural bodybuilder is the Olympic gymnast!