Can't put weight on.

[Kobaltic]

I am now 28 years old 6' even and weigh 150 lbs. I have been lifting and dieting on and off for 10 years. I tried everything I can think of to gain weight and I only loose weight. I have taken 12 different weight gainers and protien drinks and not put on a pound. I eat all day long and eat a varity of foods, most of them healthy. I average about 2000 calories a day, I try to increase, I eat until my stomach hurts from eating too much and still nothing. I stopped exercising for about a year and a half and sat on a couch. I put on 10 lbs. I was so excited I started training hard and heavy and went right back down to 150 pounds in 6 weeks. I always have used creatine and whey. My bench and squats have gone up but not my mass. Can someone help me out? I will take supplements if they work. I have considered steroids but my wife doesn't want me to use them.

 

[Jet]

I am now 28 years old 6' even and weigh 150 lbs. I have been lifting and dieting on and off for 10 years. I tried everything I can think of to gain weight and I only loose weight. I have taken 12 different weight gainers and protien drinks and not put on a pound. I eat all day long and eat a varity of foods, most of them healthy. I average about 2000 calories a day, I try to increase, I eat until my stomach hurts from eating too much and still nothing. I stopped exercising for about a year and a half and sat on a couch. I put on 10 lbs. I was so excited I started training hard and heavy and went right back down to 150 pounds in 6 weeks. I always have used creatine and whey. My bench and squats have gone up but not my mass. Can someone help me out? I will take supplements if they work. I have considered steroids but my wife doesn't want me to use them.

Well there's your problem, you need more cals. I'd bump up to 2750 or 3000 if you want to bulk. 2000 is barely maintenance for your weight.

You can calculate your base metabolic rate (BMR) here:
http://www.hussmanfitness.org/bmrcalc.htm

General rule of thumb is to add 500 calories to that number if you're bulking. It isn't too hard to hit 3000 calories if you're eating right. Some good bulk foods are oats, brown rice, potatoes, pasta, lean meats of any kind, peanut butter, fat free cottage cheese, fat free milk, natural peanut butter, etc. Make sure to get at least 1-1.5g's of protein per pound of body weight. Also, try eating 5-6 small meals per day instead of 3 large ones, this will help you get down all of your food without stomach upset.

You can log all of your daily food intake on fitday.com to make sure you're hitting your numbers.

 

[loki65]

Jet is absolutely right; your calorie intake is way to low. At you height you should be consuming allot more calories. Stay away from the weight gainers. They are mostly full of sugar and your metabolism is probably so high that your body is burning up all those simple carbs as fast as you take them in. Thick with complex carbs and allot of them. Complex carbs are time released into your system so the more you eat, preferably every two hours, the chances are increased that those carbs will overlay and begin to stack up. If your body can't use all the stacked carbs it will store them. Trust me I use to be a hard gainer and I know how frustrating it can be. Just stick with it. Also stick with basic movements for building mass.

 

[SteelEntity]

Not to sound like a ****, but if you really thought that you have tried everything while only taking 2000 cals/day... well I don't really know what to say to that. You must be losing weight taking in that little food everyday. As mentioned, bump it up to 3k.

 

[Xodus]

An Oldie but Goodie just popped back up on T-Nation:

Massive Eating - J. Berardi





X

 

[srx600]

belly

If your belly hurts and you can't eat much, take a gainer. Much better than not getting the calories at all. Some of those are so dense that you'll barely feel like you ate much, when actually you just took in 1000 cals. Also, don't be a *****, man up and EAT!

 

[lennoxchi]

look into black hole from controlled labs.......also what helped me gain is figuring out how many cals I'm currently getting on a daily basis (looks like you already know) and increase 300 Cal's a day for a week or 2 then another 300 or so Cal's after until your intake has steadily increased to where you need it to be.....if you think this isn't going to happen you're probably not patient enough......your body is going to do it's best to stay the same but will give up if your persistent and disciplined with it. if you eat 2 chicken breasts for example @ lunchtime add one breast....or one piece of fish or whatever, also try not to drink too much water during eating it causes the food to expand and fill you stomach...

 

[Flexo]

Well there's your problem, you need more cals. I'd bump up to 2750 or 3000 if you want to bulk. 2000 is barely maintenance for your weight.

You can calculate your base metabolic rate (BMR) here:
http://www.hussmanfitness.org/bmrcalc.htm

General rule of thumb is to add 500 calories to that number if you're bulking. It isn't too hard to hit 3000 calories if you're eating right. Some good bulk foods are oats, brown rice, potatoes, pasta, lean meats of any kind, peanut butter, fat free cottage cheese, fat free milk, natural peanut butter, etc. Make sure to get at least 1-1.5g's of protein per pound of body weight. Also, try eating 5-6 small meals per day instead of 3 large ones, this will help you get down all of your food without stomach upset.

You can log all of your daily food intake on fitday.com to make sure you're hitting your numbers.

He's pretty much right. You're calorie intake isn't sufficient enough to stimulate hypertrophy. I've been in a similar situation: I think I'm eating enough and I'm still not gaining any mass. But then it eventually dawned on me - try eating more - and it worked!

If you're not gaining, eat more. If you're still not gaining after that, then eat more. Eventually you'll find your zone.

 

[Kobaltic]

Thanks guys. I know it sounds easy to say eat more but itsn't that easy for me. Yesterday I just worked a 14 hour shift 1 hour commute each way. Food was the last thing on my mind. I only took in about 1400 cals just didn't have much time to eat and I wasn't hungry. I guess if I want to acheive my goals I will have to just do it.

 

[TheCrownedOne]

Hit up some digestive enzymes. Maybe they can help ease your stomach when you eat a lot.

 

[lennoxchi]

Thanks guys. I know it sounds easy to say eat more but itsn't that easy for me. Yesterday I just worked a 14 hour shift 1 hour commute each way. Food was the last thing on my mind. I only took in about 1400 cals just didn't have much time to eat and I wasn't hungry. I guess if I want to acheive my goals I will have to just do it.

Whoa, easy........you came to the wrong place to give excuses. You have a problem,issue and or concern, you ask the community and we respond, then you make excuses for not being able to carry out any of the suggestions that you get.......WTF. let me ask you...what are you doing on this "1 hour" drive to and from work? what kind of "work do you do that doesn't make you hungry after 14 hours there? I'm not trying to be a **** (i know i failed @ that) here but next time why don't you just tell us the answer you want to here before asking a question and we will try to accommodate that request. I'm just trying to get you to think about this (maybe get a little mad) and motivate you. It's easy to come up with reasons why we "can't", it takes courage and dedication to work through our difficulties.

 

[sreed11]

roid rage? ^^^

 

[t-bone2]

Thanks guys. I know it sounds easy to say eat more but itsn't that easy for me. Yesterday I just worked a 14 hour shift 1 hour commute each way. Food was the last thing on my mind. I only took in about 1400 cals just didn't have much time to eat and I wasn't hungry. I guess if I want to acheive my goals I will have to just do it.

Yeah, work always gets in the way of life...

On a one hour commute each way, you should have plenty of time to eat something. I'd suggest a whole wheat bagel with 2-3 Tbls of natural peanut or, preferably, natural almond butter sandwich and a protien shake to wash it down (or water if you can't do the shake.)

Whole wheat bagel: 330 Cals, 73g CHO, 12g PRO, 1g FAT
Almond butter (1 Tbls): 100 Cals, 4g CHO, 2g PRO, 10g FAT
Protien Powder (2 scoops): 260 Cals, 8g CHO, 48g PRO, 3g FAT

So, if you can add one of these "meals" a day (assumes 3 Tbls almond butter) you'd add approximately:

890 Cals, 93g CHO, 66g PRO, 34g FAT

Add one in each direction of your commute and I can't see how you aren't going to begin to gain weight.

Also, as history has shown for you, sitting on the couch is a good thing. Make sure you are maintaining a positive caloric balance.

 

[Xodus]

Thanks guys. I know it sounds easy to say eat more but itsn't that easy for me. Yesterday I just worked a 14 hour shift 1 hour commute each way. Food was the last thing on my mind. I only took in about 1400 cals just didn't have much time to eat and I wasn't hungry. I guess if I want to acheive my goals I will have to just do it.

I ate 1400 cals by 11am today.

:run:


X

 

[EasyEJL]

I have one thing to say

Healthy oils.

Fish oil, flax oil, coconut oil, even olive oil. Add some of one oil or another to each meal. a 2oz shotglass of coconut oil added per meal will add 540 cal per meal....

 

[SteelEntity]

Whoa, easy........you came to the wrong place to give excuses. You have a problem,issue and or concern, you ask the community and we respond, then you make excuses for not being able to carry out any of the suggestions that you get.......WTF. let me ask you...what are you doing on this "1 hour" drive to and from work? what kind of "work do you do that doesn't make you hungry after 14 hours there? I'm not trying to be a **** (i know i failed @ that) here but next time why don't you just tell us the answer you want to here before asking a question and we will try to accommodate that request. I'm just trying to get you to think about this (maybe get a little mad) and motivate you. It's easy to come up with reasons why we "can't", it takes courage and dedication to work through our difficulties.

LOL, easy cowboy. I do agree that if you want something bad enough you will do what ever it takes. So go buy some gainer thats around 1k cals per serving and drink that **** like a mad man. You can easily drink it in the car. Just the keep the stuff in your trunk so its always accessible.

 

[Kobaltic]

I sit behind a desk most of the day. I do eat on my commute to and from work. I did say I was going to take the suggestion and do it. Maybe I am just eating the wrong foods right now. Thanks for the suggestions.

What should I do for a work out routine?

Right now I do lifting on day one (switching between body groups on different days) then day 2 I do kick boxing drills on a speed bag and my kick boxing bag for about 30-45 mins and on day 3 I do Sprints in strength shoes. I take off day 4 then repeat.

Also should I be taking anything?

I take the GNC mens sport multi-v, extra L-argine, ginko and lecethin.

 

[quigley]

I sit behind a desk most of the day. I do eat on my commute to and from work. I did say I was going to take the suggestion and do it. Maybe I am just eating the wrong foods right now. Thanks for the suggestions.

What should I do for a work out routine?

Right now I do lifting on day one (switching between body groups on different days) then day 2 I do kick boxing drills on a speed bag and my kick boxing bag for about 30-45 mins and on day 3 I do Sprints in strength shoes. I take off day 4 then repeat.

Also should I be taking anything?

I take the GNC mens sport multi-v, extra L-argine, ginko and lecethin.

sounds to me like ur hitting only a portion of your body once a week and spending the rest of the week doign intense cardio. One, your struggling to eat enough food, two, your doing some serious cardio each week...no wonder your not gaining dude.

Try to ease the cardio to a couple of 20 minute sessions a week, and keep the pace moderate.

As for your workout, a 3 day split eg, legs/abs, chest/back, arms, might work.

 

[SteelEntity]

If you really can't put weight on then doing cardio is a huge factor in that problem. Don't even do cardio of you really are looking to pack muscle on.