Bulking at Moe’s: The Bodybuilder’s Guide to High Protein Macros

If you lift weights, you know the drill: Protein is King. Post-workout nutrition is critical for recovery, and sometimes a protein shake just doesn’t cut it. You need real food, calories, and amino acids.

Enter Moe’s Southwest Grill. Like Chipotle, it is a staple for bodybuilders because it offers high-quality meat and carbs in massive quantities. But how do you maximize your gains without accidentally eating 2000 calories of fat?

This guide breaks down the ultimate Bulking and Cutting orders.

The Macros of Moe’s Proteins

Let’s look at the stats per standard serving (4oz):

• Adobo Chicken: ~115 cal / 25g Protein / 3g Fat.
• Steak: ~100 cal / 19g Protein / 3g Fat.
• Pork Carnitas: ~130 cal / 20g Protein / 6g Fat.
• Ground Beef: ~150 cal / 16g Protein / 9g Fat.

Winner: Chicken is the most efficient protein source. Runner Up: Steak is leaner but slightly lower in protein count.

Strategy 1: The “Clean Bulk” Bowl

Goal: High Calories + High Protein + Minimal Junk Fat. You want to grow muscle, not belly fat.

• Order: Burrito Bowl (Skip the tortilla).
• Base: White or Brown Rice (Carbs for glycogen refill).
• Protein: Double Chicken.
  • Cost: Extra charge, but gets you 50g Protein instantly.
• Carbs/Fiber: Black Beans.
• Fats: Guacamole (Healthy fats for hormone health).
• Flavor: Salsa, Jalapeños.
• Skip: Queso, excessive Sour Cream, Chips.

Macros: ~800 Calories / 60g Protein / 80g Carbs / 25g Fat. Perfect post-leg day meal.

Strategy 2: The “Dirty Bulk” / Hardgainer Stack

Goal: Maximum Calories. You have a fast metabolism and struggle to gain weight. You need dense energy.

• Order: The Stack (or Homewrecker Burrito).
• Why: The tortilla adds 300+ calories.
• Protein: Double Steak.
• Fats: Cheese + Queso + Sour Cream.
• Sides: Eat the chips.

Macros: ~1500+ Calories / 50g Protein / 150g Carbs / 70g Fat. Warning: You will need a nap after this.

Strategy 3: The “Cut” (Fat Loss)

Goal: High Protein + Low Calorie. You want to keep muscle while losing fat.

• Order: Salad Bowl.
• Protein: Double Chicken.
• Base: Lettuce/Spinach/Cucumbers.
• Dressing: Salsa ONLY. Or a tiny bit of Vinaigrette.
• Skip: Rice, Beans (or light beans), Cheese, Guac (unless barely any).

Macros: ~450 Calories / 50g Protein / 15g Carbs / 10g Fat. This is pure protein efficiency.

The “Double Meat” Hack

Standard servers scoop roughly 4oz. When you ask for “Double Meat,” you usually get a significantly larger portion than 2x. It’s psychological.

• Tip: Ask for “Chicken and Steak” (Half and Half). Often, servers will give you a full scoop of each because it’s harder to measure “half” a scoop quickly. You might get 1.5x meat for the price of 1x, or 2.5x meat for the price of 2x.

Meal Prep Hack

Moe’s catering or family packs (Taco Kits) are legendary for meal prep.

• Buy: A Taco Kit (Feeds 4-5).
• Action: Take it home. Weigh the meat into 5 Tupperware containers. Distribute the rice and beans.
• Result: You have 5 high-protein lunches ready for the work week for typically less cost per meal than buying individually.

Conclusion

Moe’s is a gym-goer’s best friend. Whether you are cutting or bulking, the ability to modulate your rice (carbs) and fat (cheese/guac) while keeping protein high makes it a superior choice to burger chains.

Remember: Protein builds muscle. The Chips build… something else. Choose wisely!