Not gaining weight, raised calories once, should I do it again?

I've been tracking calories carefully for the last two months, but after not gaining much weight I decided to up the calories from 2900 to 3100 (this was on 1/12/2015). After 12 days at 3100 cal/day I'm still pretty much the same weight.

I'm 5'9, ~150 pounds
Workout 3 of every 4 days (legs, push, pull, off, repeat)

Attached I have a pic to show my approximate body fat, and a graph of my weight over the last two months and also the last two weeks. Am I inhibiting my muscle growth, or is it normal to not be gaining weight? Not sure where these calories are going to. I don't think I've gotten fatter at all (or at least not that I can notice), but I do have some body fat to work with (I'd estimate 12-15 percent).

Anyway, should I up the calories once again, or continue on?

Any advice is appreciated.

[QUOTE=ebk91;1334109491]I've been tracking calories carefully for the last two months, but after not gaining much weight I decided to up the calories from 2900 to 3100 (this was on 1/12/2015). After 12 days at 3100 cal/day I'm still pretty much the same weight.

I'm 5'9, ~150 pounds
Workout 3 of every 4 days (legs, push, pull, off, repeat)

Attached I have a pic to show my approximate body fat, and a graph of my weight over the last two months and also the last two weeks. Am I inhibiting my muscle growth, or is it normal to not be gaining weight? Not sure where these calories are going to. I don't think I've gotten fatter at all (or at least not that I can notice), but I do have some body fat to work with (I'd estimate 12-15 percent).

Anyway, should I up the calories once again, or continue on?

Any advice is appreciated.[/QUOTE]


Are you progressing in your lifts?

How much weight do you think you need to gain in what amount of time?

add 150 cals

Id add a couple hundred if your weight has stalled, but like mentioned above, hows your lifts?

[QUOTE=Brozef;1334127051]Are you progressing in your lifts?

How much weight do you think you need to gain in what amount of time?[/QUOTE]

Lifts seem to be progressing. I don't monitor that too closely but it seems I've moved up a little on everything.

And I'd like to gain as much muscle as possible as fast as possible, so whatever weight that translates to. I've heard it quoted at .5 to 1 pound per week.

[QUOTE=magician27;1334128011]add 150 cals[/QUOTE]

Ok, I'll try 3250.

[QUOTE=ebk91;1334129371]Lifts seem to be progressing. I don't monitor that too closely but it seems I've moved up a little on everything.

And I'd like to gain as much muscle as possible as fast as possible, so whatever weight that translates to. I've heard it quoted at .5 to 1 pound per week.[/QUOTE]

Gaining muscle is a slow progress so I hope you are patient, you may see better gains to begin with if you are a beginner, but yea, 0.5lb-1lb is ideal, I prefer staying below 1lb though.

[QUOTE=ebk91;1334129371]And I'd like to gain as much muscle as possible as fast as possible, so whatever weight that translates to. I've heard it quoted at .5 to 1 pound per week.[/QUOTE]

So if you are gaining strength or size or both, I wouldn't worry about upping the cals for a while. [b]3100 cals @ 149lbs is a lot.[/b] You [i]may[/i] notice a big jump in weight all of a sudden.

I've done the gain 1 lb per week thing. I really don't think it's best, the fat adds up quick. You won't gain 4 lbs of muscle a month indefinitely, or maybe even ever.

[QUOTE=Gxp23;1334128211]Id add a couple hundred if your weight has stalled, but like mentioned above, hows your lifts?[/QUOTE]

I'm gonna try adding 150.

And I'm not sure if you mean 'how' as in are they progressing or how as in what do I actually do, but they seem to be progressing somewhat but I usually just do whatever weight I'm capable of 8-10 reps of and haven't really been monitoring that too closely. If I pick it up and it seems too easy I do more.

My routine is:

Legs:
4 sets 8-10 reps squats
6 sets 8-10 reps calves machine
6 sets 8-10 reps hamstring machine
3 sets 8-10 reps quad machine
as much abs as I feel like

Push:
6 sets 8-10 reps incline chest press
6 sets 8-10 reps flat chest press
3 sets 8-10 reps chest fly machine and then drop down and do pushups
3 sets 8-10 reps reverse pec deck
3 sets 8-10 reps face pulls
6 sets 8-10 reps chicken wing shoulder movement
3 sets 8-10 reps military press
6 sets 8-10 reps triceps

Pull:
9 sets 8-10 reps rows
6 sets 8-10 reps lat pulldown machine
6 sets 8-10 reps lower back
6 sets 8-10 reps biceps
as much abs as I feel like

Then an off day, and after that repeat the cycle

[QUOTE=Gxp23;1334129921]Gaining muscle is a slow progress so I hope you are patient, you may see better gains to begin with if you are a beginner, but yea, 0.5lb-1lb is ideal, I prefer staying below 1lb though.[/QUOTE]

I'm not really sure how to classify myself as a beginner or intermediate or whatever. I'm started lifting 4 years ago and weight a ridiculously low 132 pounds at the time. My routine was crap though. In the past year I had not made much progress which I think was due to diet, which I've been tracking for 2 months. I have a very low appetite so what I was eating just off what 'felt right' was way too low.

Maybe you should run a good strength program in with what you do too?

[QUOTE=Brozef;1334131221]So if you are gaining strength or size or both, I wouldn't worry about upping the cals for a while. [b]3100 cals @ 149lbs is a lot.[/b] You [i]may[/i] notice a big jump in weight all of a sudden.

I've done the gain 1 lb per week thing. I really don't think it's best, the fat adds up quick. You won't gain 4 lbs of muscle a month indefinitely, or maybe even ever.[/QUOTE]

Regarding the weight jump, I've been doing the 3100 cal/day for the last 2 weeks and have only gained 0.2 pounds.

What do you think about adding 150 cals just to see how my body responds?

And other than weight how do you think I could track progress? I'd been been lifting hard af for the last year and not seen results.

[QUOTE=Gxp23;1334133461]Maybe you should run a good strength program in with what you do too?[/QUOTE]

Well every 4th workout I do lift heavy and do sets of 4-6 reps instead of the 8-10 just to keep it varied. Or did you mean something else by that?

[QUOTE=ebk91;1334135061]Well every 4th workout I do lift heavy and do sets of 4-6 reps instead of the 8-10 just to keep it varied. Or did you mean something else by that?[/QUOTE]

I mean run an actual structured strength routine programmed into the rest of your workout. 5x5, starting strength etc...you heard of these? You should check out the exercise section for a better idea of how to help throw one together.

[QUOTE=Gxp23;1334135591]I mean run an actual structured strength routine programmed into the rest of your workout. 5x5, starting strength etc...you heard of these? You should check out the exercise section for a better idea of how to help throw one together.[/QUOTE]

No I'm not familiar as of now but I'll look into them.

Edit: I actually do all those exercise except for deadlifts, but I do isolate lower back