Wardo1974
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I commented in another thread that I began working out in the gym in August after a 4-year complete absence because of family responsibilities of new children.
In that time, I go to the gym 4 days a week for about 30-40 minutes. The workouts are short because I always do supersets - I work in 4-5 exercises in that time with two different push-pull type movements being worked at the same time.
Knowing also that I can't gain without eating properly, I decided to drink two protein shakes a day - morning and night - with the same composition each time for each shake: 500 mls of 2% milk, a full heaping cup of uncooked oatmeal, one scoop of cheapo protein powder, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. About 1,000-1,200 calories, 60 grams of protein, 70 grams nice carbs in each one.
The rest of my diet stayed basically the same. I work in an office, so my lunches are a sandwich, a few cookies, and banana. Suppers, because of kids, are usually quick and easy. Simple meat and potatoes, Hamburger Helper, spaghetti, stuff like that. No attention paid to low fat skinless chicken breasts and cans of tuna and all that.
No special fish oils, vitamins, flashy bottles of supplements. No booze of any kind (no special reason here, I just don't drink).
Anyway, in two months, I've gone from 181 to 201 pounds. Most of it is muscle - all muscle groups have dramatically increased in size. Bench press went from a shaky 200 pounds for one rep to a set of three of 300 today. Waistline decreased by maybe a half inch.
All this to say, I am beginning to question micromanaging a diet. Are my results just because I'm making gains after a long layoff, or do people overthink this? I feel I've made some excellent gains basically from drinking a couple cheapo protein shakes a day. How much more could I have expected in 2 months with a perfect diet?
In that time, I go to the gym 4 days a week for about 30-40 minutes. The workouts are short because I always do supersets - I work in 4-5 exercises in that time with two different push-pull type movements being worked at the same time.
Knowing also that I can't gain without eating properly, I decided to drink two protein shakes a day - morning and night - with the same composition each time for each shake: 500 mls of 2% milk, a full heaping cup of uncooked oatmeal, one scoop of cheapo protein powder, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. About 1,000-1,200 calories, 60 grams of protein, 70 grams nice carbs in each one.
The rest of my diet stayed basically the same. I work in an office, so my lunches are a sandwich, a few cookies, and banana. Suppers, because of kids, are usually quick and easy. Simple meat and potatoes, Hamburger Helper, spaghetti, stuff like that. No attention paid to low fat skinless chicken breasts and cans of tuna and all that.
No special fish oils, vitamins, flashy bottles of supplements. No booze of any kind (no special reason here, I just don't drink).
Anyway, in two months, I've gone from 181 to 201 pounds. Most of it is muscle - all muscle groups have dramatically increased in size. Bench press went from a shaky 200 pounds for one rep to a set of three of 300 today. Waistline decreased by maybe a half inch.
All this to say, I am beginning to question micromanaging a diet. Are my results just because I'm making gains after a long layoff, or do people overthink this? I feel I've made some excellent gains basically from drinking a couple cheapo protein shakes a day. How much more could I have expected in 2 months with a perfect diet?