Trouble gaining weight

[pistol345]

hey guys... I hate to admit it... but apparently I don't have my diet and training figured out. I've been bulking for like 2 months now, and have gained like 2lbs, probably some of that is fat too. I'm a hard gainer if there ever was one, so I'll eat my ass off and still lose weight.

So feel free to bash me if u must, but I just really wanna get some results. I haven't been counting calories, I've just been eating a lot.

So being 23 (birthday is tomorrow!), 6'3", 178 lbs, ~11% bf, with a low activity job... I should eat like 3500+ calories a day, right?

Last year I dirty bulked and ate 4500 cals a day and gained a bunch of good and bad weight. Then had to cut for months to get lean again, so id like to lean bulk this time.

So for macro ratios... p/c/f, 40/40/20?

Training wise, I used to exclusively do 8-12 reps on every set. I recently switched it up and do 4 sets of 3-5 reps heavy as hell, then 3 sets of 8-12 reps, then 3 sets of 15+ reps.

I would really like to pack on size more than strength, so think I should go back to mid range reps on all sets?

[Jake Phillips]

hey guys... I hate to admit it... but apparently I don't have my diet and training figured out. I've been bulking for like 2 months now, and have gained like 2lbs, probably some of that is fat too. I'm a hard gainer if there ever was one, so I'll eat my ass off and still lose weight.

So feel free to bash me if u must, but I just really wanna get some results. I haven't been counting calories, I've just been eating a lot.

So being 23 (birthday is tomorrow!), 6'3", 178 lbs, ~11% bf, with a low activity job... I should eat like 3500+ calories a day, right?

Last year I dirty bulked and ate 4500 cals a day and gained a bunch of good and bad weight. Then had to cut for months to get lean again, so id like to lean bulk this time.

So for macro ratios... p/c/f, 40/40/20?

Training wise, I used to exclusively do 8-12 reps on every set. I recently switched it up and do 4 sets of 3-5 reps heavy as hell, then 3 sets of 8-12 reps, then 3 sets of 15+ reps.

I would really like to pack on size more than strength, so think I should go back to mid range reps on all sets?

I know the feeling of eating everything and putting on little to no weight, id up the fats use evoo with everything shakes cooking ect i find after having a big meal drink a homemade shake, anyhow good luck mate

[pistol345]

Yea it sucks. Haha. Preciate the advice

[benmayro]

Eat more. If you are not gaining weight. You need to bump calories

[JD261985]

I think 3500 is a great place to start. If you gain 2-3 pounds in 2 weeks that is a great starting point. If you gain 4-5 pounds lower the calories. If you gain nothing increase the calories by 200 and wait another 2 weeks. Remember everyone is different. Also the supplements you take may reflect on the scale depending on what you're taking. I am bulking at 3100-3250 cals on rest days and roughly 3500 on lifting days. I weigh about 168 lbs. Its a little concerning that it takes you months to get lean during your cut phase. What does that look like. For me I cut well at 2700 cals eating my bodyweight in carbs, 30 percent of my cals come from fats and the rest is protein. I also have one re feed a week on leg day where I increase my calories by 50 percent. The extra cals are almost all carbs on re feed day

[pistol345]

Yea, its just that I'm new to this stuff. I've been lifting seriously for a little over a year, and I'm still learning. I put on so much fat last winter, and didn't have a great knowledge of nutrition, so it took a long time to cut, but eventually I brought the abs out.

[JD261985]

Bro it took me over a year to get nutrition down seriously. I have been going at it almost two years. Ever try creatine? I started using that and had a ridiculous response literally a 15 pound increase in 2 weeks people thought I was using steroids. It did give me stretch marks though. So yea...wasn't happy about that lol. When I bulk I get the solid 4 pack going and I lift abs for mass. Unfortunately I'm retaining a lot of water and my increased ab size is pushing that out. Hate that shyt lol

[pistol345]

Yea I hear ya. I'm on creatine and beta alanine right now. Didn't give me much weight gain or physical size, but my lifts went up

[Lukef2000]

If your not gaining bro then your not eating enough. It's that simple. Eat eat and when you think you've eaten enough eat some more. Tbh bro count calories until you get an idea of how much you taking in. So many people think that they're eating enough until they have it written down infront of them.

[pistol345]

If your not gaining bro then your not eating enough. It's that simple. Eat eat and when you think you've eaten enough eat some more. Tbh bro count calories until you get an idea of how much you taking in. So many people think that they're eating enough until they have it written down infront of them.

You're exactly right man. I just planned out a whole day's meals with my calorie tracker app, and my normal amount of food is only like 2700 calories. I kept adding more food til I hit 3500 and that's definitely more than I've been eating. I'm on it now tho. Thanks!

[brettbroski]

Haha I half to laugh cause your stats right now (6'3 178 lbs 23 years of age) are basically exactly the same as mine minus the fact my body fat which slightly higher but I am coming off a 10 or so month layoff that saw me at about 225 lbs and 10%.


Diet
3690 calories
378 g Carbs
325 g Protein
58 g Fat

3 Shakes
1870 Calories
159 g Carbs
172 g Protein
29 g of Fat
(1 1/2 cup 1% milk, 1/4 cup Whole oats, 1 tbsp all natural peanut butter, 2 scoops whey protein)
Shakes out to be (pun intended) like 545 cals, 63 carbs, 53 G protein and almost 10 g fat per shake.

Schedule
*Roughly 720 Calories

Meal 1 - 96 g Carbs, 47g Protein
2 Whole Wheat Bagels, 3 Eggs, 2 Egg whites

Meal 2 - Shake

*Roughly 750 Calories

Meal 3 - 123 g Carbs, 46 g Protein
8 oz. Chicken Breast, 3 Servings whole wheat pasta

Meal 4 - Pre workout Shake

Meal 5 - Post workout shake

*Roughly 350 Calories
Meal 6 - 60 g of Protein
8 oz Chicken Breast, 2 Cans of tuna

Maybe this is something you can use to stem of off of to game plan your diet, hope it helps and good luck

[pistol345]

Haha I half to laugh cause your stats right now (6'3 178 lbs 23 years of age) are basically exactly the same as mine minus the fact my body fat which slightly higher but I am coming off a 10 or so month layoff that saw me at about 225 lbs and 10%.

Diet
3690 calories
378 g Carbs
325 g Protein
58 g Fat

3 Shakes
1870 Calories
159 g Carbs
172 g Protein
29 g of Fat
(1 1/2 cup 1% milk, 1/4 cup Whole oats, 1 tbsp all natural peanut butter, 2 scoops whey protein)
Shakes out to be (pun intended) like 545 cals, 63 carbs, 53 G protein and almost 10 g fat per shake.

Schedule
*Roughly 720 Calories

Meal 1 - 96 g Carbs, 47g Protein
2 Whole Wheat Bagels, 3 Eggs, 2 Egg whites

Meal 2 - Shake

*Roughly 750 Calories

Meal 3 - 123 g Carbs, 46 g Protein
8 oz. Chicken Breast, 3 Servings whole wheat pasta

Meal 4 - Pre workout Shake

Meal 5 - Post workout shake

*Roughly 350 Calories
Meal 6 - 60 g of Protein
8 oz Chicken Breast, 2 Cans of tuna

Maybe this is something you can use to stem of off of to game plan your diet, hope it helps and good luck

Good stuff man. This is actually pretty similar to my plan, except I usually don't use so much whey... but maybe I should, cause its hard to eat that much protein

[Lukef2000]

I use shakes to get my cals up man. A scoop of myofusion, a tablespoon natty PB, half a cup oats, a banana and some honey. 610 cals 38g protein 74g carbs 18g fats. Throw one of those in between your meals and watch your calorie intake increase. Plus having a shake doesn't fill you up like a meal.

[murk01]

Lot of good advive here. Dont rush gaining, 500-100cal over real maintanance. If u have a fast matabalism , 1000-1500cals.
If u gained 2lb soild in a month u did great.
My weight ranges from 185cut -205bulk,
Add sweet patatos to ur diet to, love em

Go fo a close.to even split on ur macs

[Miss Q]

I use shakes to get my cals up man. A scoop of myofusion, a tablespoon natty PB, half a cup oats, a banana and some honey. 610 cals 38g protein 74g carbs 18g fats. Throw one of those in between your meals and watch your calorie intake increase. Plus having a shake doesn't fill you up like a meal.

Solid advice right there. Add some shakes in your diet and I bet you will see some changes!!

[pistol345]

Yea, I just bought a blender and have been trying to make a good shake I can drink a few times a day. Seems like the peanut butter dominates the other flavors. I just gotta experiment with it. Thanks for all the advice tho fellas.

[GeraldNY181]

The key is consistency...eating 3500 calories for 3 days in a row and then 2000 calories and then 2800 calories etc.etc. just doesnt cut it. Eat 3500 calories for 30 days straight, no excuses, just do it and hold yourself accountable no matter what and you will gain weight. All the counting and planning and measuring in the world is not what creates results. Its action, the actions that others cannot and are not willing to do. GET SOME!

[R1balla]

for my shakes, i do this:

Protein (whey, whatever kind) + ice cream + fruit + milk + evoo + p&b