Weight gain in a month - Trained althlete

[Mass Monkey]

Hi everyone:

Looking for some real world results. What would you think is a normal amount of MASS a TRAINED athlete could put on in say 6 months or a month by proper diet alone, no cycles!!!

Retiring from competitive Powerlifting and want to dabble in Bodybuilding now that I'm no longer locked into a weight class.

I am a seasoned veteran so no novice gains.

I was thinking of setting a goal of 3 pounds a month so 18 in 6 months.

Ill be using a 40/40/20 split diet. And by the time I actually gradually finishes upping my cals from my normal diet I should be around 3500 - 4200/day. Again I know how to diet and nutrition just looking for real world results on other trained athletes.

Thanks everyone

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[Mass Monkey]

And what percent of body fat do you normally allow yourself to go up by while bulking? I was thinking 2-4% normally I'm around 12-14%. Never really worried about my body fat with Powerliting that much as I'm not a huge fan of the shredded look for myself. I do eat very lean for the most part with a more relaxed diet on the weekend.

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[EasyEJL]

12 in 6 months is a bit more likely to keep in only adding that much fat.

 

[Mass Monkey]

12 in 6 months is a bit more likely to keep in only adding that much fat.

Ok cool so about 12 is realistic whilekeeping BF at bay. This is doable so 1.5 - 2 a month seem fair.

Thanks for the feed back. I tell u I won't miss being locked into my weight class any more lol

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[fueledpassion]

And what percent of body fat do you normally allow yourself to go up by while bulking? I was thinking 2-4% normally I'm around 12-14%. Never really worried about my body fat with Powerliting that much as I'm not a huge fan of the shredded look for myself. I do eat very lean for the most part with a more relaxed diet on the weekend.

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I don't increase in BF, myself. Only lean mass but I put it on much slower. 10 weeks into mass building effort with only about 4-5lbs of lean (truly dry) mass. Aint bad if I can continue to see these results for another 20 weeks or so.

 

[Mass Monkey]

Question if diet is in check and going well and I think mine is as I'm finally gaining lean mass 3 lbs last month and doing well so far this month.

But if one wanted or needed to added in a weight gain shake what would you suggest? Now I'm rolling my eyes as well as I'm against weight gainers as a whole but due to my work if I was pressed for time I might toss one in like Mutant Mass but usually I don't have this issues. Just thinking outside the box.

Thanks again

 

[fueledpassion]

Question if diet is in check and going well and I think mine is as I'm finally gaining lean mass 3 lbs last month and doing well so far this month.

But if one wanted or needed to added in a weight gain shake what would you suggest? Now I'm rolling my eyes as well as I'm against weight gainers as a whole but due to my work if I was pressed for time I might toss one in like Mutant Mass but usually I don't have this issues. Just thinking outside the box.

Thanks again

Personally, I would steer clear of "weight gainer" shakes. They aren't as nutritious as you might think. Not to say that all of them are like this. I'd probably go with Cytosport if I had to choose one. However, this morning I tried something new and I'm glad I did. It was:

3/4 C cream of rice
1-1.25 C water
a medium banana
1.5 TBSP of local honey

Microwaved it a few minutes, stirring a few times in between. Turned out to be about 650 calories or so. Tons of iron and starchy carbs. Good for mass building. Put a typical protein shake with that meal just before bed and you should be gtg for some weight gain!

 

[Bigcountry08]

Weight gainers are a complete waist of time if you ask me, never heard of anyone who got success from them and they cost way to much for what you get. I try and keep my diet all whole food, except maybe one shake a day.

But if you want a good natural weight gainer look up horchata. I add honey instead of sugar and I was taught to add almonds, most online recipes don't. It tastes great and is cheap to make.

 

[Mass Monkey]

Yeah I totally agree and probably won't. It's just to make a good one without a blender for those rare days that time is tight. I always make my food the night before so again usually all is good.

However I will try that recipe it's sounds yummy. I was just looking for some extra liquid cals with low fat.

So far everything is going well and no need for the gainers and at 3500-4200 cals a day all from whole foods things are coming together.

 

[fueledpassion]

Yeah I totally agree and probably won't. It's just to make a good one without a blender for those rare days that time is tight. I always make my food the night before so again usually all is good.

However I will try that recipe it's sounds yummy. I was just looking for some extra liquid cals with low fat.

So far everything is going well and no need for the gainers and at 3500-4200 cals a day all from whole foods things are coming together.

I'd like to see your daily meals...

I am nearly the same size as you and my caloric needs are very similar. I'm currently sitting around 11% BF @ 165-167. I'm also 5'5".

 

[Mass Monkey]

I'd like to see your daily meals...

I am nearly the same size as you and my caloric needs are very similar. I'm currently sitting around 11% BF @ 165-167. I'm also 5'5".

Are you on MyfitnessPall? . . actually I just cut out a lot of fat in my diet so on the whole they are usually around 3400 - 3800 now

This is todays Cals: 3,332 Carbs: 408 Fat: 49 Protein: 310

I drive for a living thus I need fast easy meals . . again the WG was just a thought outside of the box

 

[Mass Monkey]

I just started eating more breasts than chicken thighs and I cut out my morning nature bars that i love so much lol thus the difference in cals . . .but I must say I'm enjoying this new journey as its a welcomed changed from my Powerlifting diet when I competed so any suggestions are always appreciated . . again last months cals were at 3900 but the fat was much higher ): lol

 

[EasyEJL]

why are you trying to eat low fat?

 

[Mass Monkey]

why are you trying to eat low fat?

Well it just happened that way I guess but I was aiming for a lean bulk as I find that I add weight to my gut easy at this age so I watch my carbs and fat

 

[Mass Monkey]

In a perfect world/day I aim for a 50% Carbs / 30%Protein / 20% fat

 

[EasyEJL]

In a perfect world/day I aim for a 50% Carbs / 30%Protein / 20% fat

wheeeeew I'm more the reverse on fats/carbs. less than 20% from carbs most days.

 

[Mass Monkey]

wheeeeew I'm more the reverse on fats/carbs. less than 20% from carbs most days.

Ah do u do the Anabolic Diet? I did it and loved it. But it messed up my CKO level lol. But when I need cut back someday ill switch back.

Well this is a learning curve to say the least. When I competed I really never worried about my diet that much other than to keep my protein high and make sure I didn't go to far over my comp weight. But now that I'm not locked in. I can try new things. It's fun and interesting. A change was needed.

Thus why I'm looking for stuff to blend up or just add water should I need a few extra cals per day. Hmmm? Must go surf recipes lol

 

[EasyEJL]

Eh, not so much the anabolic diet on purpose, I just prefer eating that way not a huge fan of the grain based carbs anymore, so its pretty much mostly from vegetables + fruits

 

[Mass Monkey]

Eh, not so much the anabolic diet on purpose, I just prefer eating that way not a huge fan of the grain based carbs anymore, so its pretty much mostly from vegetables + fruits

Cool. This is what I love. Everyone is different and it never hurts to try different things. Within reason of course lol

 

[EasyEJL]

yeah, i'm not anal about macros either. I have a minimum threshold of protein, minimal threshold of healthy fats and then where the rest comes from, who cares. usually its more protein and fats, but there are carb heavy days now and then

 

[fueledpassion]

There are dozens of ways to get the job done. At the end of the day the most important part that cannot be skipped or reduced is intensity and cardio. Those cause muscle growth and fat loss, if done frequently enough. You just have to be a machine to get a rock hard body.

There aren't many endo & mesomorphs on this board that will support your high carb/low fat diet. They don't have frames like us so they don't understand what it takes for muscle growth of an ecto & small framed men. We aren't 6'0 and we don't weigh 220lbs eating 1500 calories a day.
Our metabolisms are unusually high.

With that said, I'm sure the 50% carbs helps your training tremendously, which is where it counts when you are trying to pack on mass. A constant anabolic state! My suggestion is to keep your diet like it is. 20% fats is plenty to remain healthy. At my peak health, I was eating 10% in fats, the rest in protein and carbs. I know, I know. The fat advocates will scream and holler about it like its a big no no. I say let em holler about it. Who cares. Besides, its not like I wasnt getting enough "healthy fats" in my diet. I supplemented Omega 3's & 6's everyday.

To keep fat gain at bay, be sure to do some high intensity cardio, like sprints or laps in a swimming pool, for about 15-20 minutes 3 to 4 times per week; first thing in the AM before breakfast. And include a BCAA drink with Creatine during cardio. You do that, and you can guarantee that what you add is mainly muscle mass.

 

[Mass Monkey]

There are dozens of ways to get the job done. At the end of the day the most important part that cannot be skipped or reduced is intensity and cardio. Those cause muscle growth and fat loss, if done frequently enough. You just have to be a machine to get a rock hard body.

There aren't many endo & mesomorphs on this board that will support your high carb/low fat diet. They don't have frames like us so they don't understand what it takes for muscle growth of an ecto & small framed men. We aren't 6'0 and we don't weigh 220lbs eating 1500 calories a day.
Our metabolisms are unusually high.

With that said, I'm sure the 50% carbs helps your training tremendously, which is where it counts when you are trying to pack on mass. A constant anabolic state! My suggestion is to keep your diet like it is. 20% fats is plenty to remain healthy. At my peak health, I was eating 10% in fats, the rest in protein and carbs. I know, I know. The fat advocates will scream and holler about it like its a big no no. I say let em holler about it. Who cares. Besides, its not like I wasnt getting enough "healthy fats" in my diet. I supplemented Omega 3's & 6's everyday.

To keep fat gain at bay, be sure to do some high intensity cardio, like sprints or laps in a swimming pool, for about 15-20 minutes 3 to 4 times per week; first thing in the AM before breakfast. And include a BCAA drink with Creatine during cardio. You do that, and you can guarantee that what you add is mainly muscle mass.

Very well said I must say.

Yup I need more carbs. I've tried to low carb stuff I was flat and tired during training. Even tried different combos with fast and slow carbs. Nothing. But at 50% I feel great and my muscles are full all day. My family is large so it easy for me to pack on fat. So like I said my current ratios are working wonderfully. I do cycle them throughout the week with spikes in cals or carbs depending on the day but the fat is usually the same. I also mix in flax seed oil now when it's lower than I like.

Not out to get on stage anytime soon but my fiancé likes my look so at the end of the day that's all that really matters to me.

I get blood work done on a regular basis to make sure everything is where it should be and the extra protein isn't stressing my kidneys.

Like I said this is a new journey for me and one I'm enjoying this far.

I do however need to pick up some BCAA's so TY for reminding me.

IYO for our frames is there a limit for daily protein, in grams? Or again is it a personal thing one has to play around with. As most days I'm well into the 300's with my salmon and chicken and shakes throughout the day.

Thanks again everyone. This has been as informative thread.

 

[Mass Monkey]

Oh and one more random thought.


What is everyone's feeling on Genetic Potential? With respect to the amount of weight a person can add to there frame minus any cycles of course.

 

[EasyEJL]

Oh and one more random thought.


What is everyone's feeling on Genetic Potential? With respect to the amount of weight a person can add to there frame minus any cycles of course.

its definitely real. There is a certain level of muscle mass you can maintain. I've virtually never met anyone who reached it before starting cycling though. And once you start that, its impossible to say what affects it really has on what you can maintain.

 

[fueledpassion]

its definitely real. There is a certain level of muscle mass you can maintain. I've virtually never met anyone who reached it before starting cycling though. And once you start that, its impossible to say what affects it really has on what you can maintain.

Agreed. With that being said, I think I'm nowhere near my genetic potential. I think my metabolism makes it nearly impossible for me to get there.

For instance, @ 3000 kcals/day I'm losing weight @ .5lbs per day...geeze.

 

[fueledpassion]

Very well said I must say.

Yup I need more carbs. I've tried to low carb stuff I was flat and tired during training. Even tried different combos with fast and slow carbs. Nothing. But at 50% I feel great and my muscles are full all day. My family is large so it easy for me to pack on fat. So like I said my current ratios are working wonderfully. I do cycle them throughout the week with spikes in cals or carbs depending on the day but the fat is usually the same. I also mix in flax seed oil now when it's lower than I like.

Not out to get on stage anytime soon but my fiancé likes my look so at the end of the day that's all that really matters to me.

I get blood work done on a regular basis to make sure everything is where it should be and the extra protein isn't stressing my kidneys.

Like I said this is a new journey for me and one I'm enjoying this far.

I do however need to pick up some BCAA's so TY for reminding me.

IYO for our frames is there a limit for daily protein, in grams? Or again is it a personal thing one has to play around with. As most days I'm well into the 300's with my salmon and chicken and shakes throughout the day.

Thanks again everyone. This has been as informative thread.

There isn't a "limit" per say. Your protein intake will drastically control how much fat you do or don't put on as you increase your carbs. The ratio of protein:carbs is key in staying lean with a high carb diet, espcially when we're talking about whole protein sources like chicken, fish and beef. For us, a 1:2 ratio or a 1:1.5 ratio is ideal since we need carbs to train and grow.

If you have a high presence of protein at every meal, you'll have a lower & slower insulin response versus an extremely high carb intake and low protein intake. This alone makes it worthwhile to include a large portion of meat protein at every meal. Furthermore, the less insulin you have in your system, the sooner glucagon will be released in your system, thus, increasing your fat burning activity.

It's a simple concept really that gets watered-down by the anti-carb movements commonly seen on the internet and TV.

For cutting, a 1:1 ratio of protein:carbs is ideal at every meal. This makes for good fat loss efforts without the loss of muscle mass. And as for protein amounts, I also say that you don't need anymore than 1.5g/lb of mass. This is plenty. Beyond that number you can focus on getting quality amino acids like BCAA's & quality iron supplements to help along your efforts at buidling muscle mass.

 

[Mass Monkey]

Well since this has been such an interesting thread let me ask this question for everyone's opinion.

How long do u usually bulk for and was it different when u first started?

I was going to do a 6 month bulk followed by a small cut

 

[fueledpassion]

Well since this has been such an interesting thread let me ask this question for everyone's opinion.

How long do u usually bulk for and was it different when u first started?

I was going to do a 6 month bulk followed by a small cut

Obviously I believe that in our case, bulking more months out of the year than cutting is ideal, since weight gain and muscle mass come harder than staying lean. Perhaps for every 4 weeks of bulking, you could have 2 weeks of cutting.

So 8 months of bulking, 4 months of cutting year round. Only I would break those up into 2 month bulking phases followed by 1 month cutting phase.

For instance:

Bulking phase goal is 1lb of mass per week for 8 weeks. So 8lb gain.

Cutting phase goal is 1lb of mass per week for 4 weeks. So a 4lb net loss.

Ideally, you would have about 7-8lbs of lean mass gains and 4lbs of fat loss w/ a net increase of 4lbs total over 3 months. Granted, in reality you might only walk away with 2-3lbs of total lean mass increase but you get the point. Over the course of the year you might see as much as 16lbs of lean mass gained and 8lbs of fat loss. The toggle approach like this is actually not a bad one but requires patience.