PLEASE HELP. About calories.

[declanmooney]

Hi just wondering if anyone can help me out. I started lifting again after like 2 years off and am trying to gain weight I'm currently 130 ( don't laugh ) at 5"5. I've roughly calculated my TDEE to be around 2600 as I'm quite active doing full body 3 times a week and work manual labour. But here's where the problem comes in if anyone can help out. I did the usual adding 250 cals a week if there was no change on the scale Its been like 2 months now and I've had to put the calories up to 3600 + a day and still no change on the scale if anything it goes down most weeks. I eat the same thing every day as well and I know it's not a bad meal plan.

Protein shake - 900 cals
Tuna pasta - 500 cals
Nuts, berries, seed mix - 600 cals
Steak, rice, vegetables, milk - 1200 cals
Protein shake - 400 cals

The obvious answer is just eat more right? But that's a bit ridiculous for 130 pound guy so if I get to 140 or 150 will I have to eat 10000 cals just to maintain. Serious question if anyone can help out cheers.

[gbullock32]

Likely counting wrong, but it does not matter; not gaining means you need to eat more, however much you eat now is not enough. Also add in some fruits and veggies for micro-nutrients and scrap the tuna daily (mercury poisoning). Add in more variety too, sticking to the same meals each day is not good for nutrient intake (or sanity).

[declanmooney]

Thanks for the reply man. I'm using my fitness pal to track my food and I usually switch out tuna for chicken every other day but I guess I'll try out 4000 cals for a couple weeks and see how I get on. Just a bit mentally draining knowing that the weight isn't going up on the scale. However my lifts all seem to be going up just done 315 double overhand for 2 reps which is a big achievement for me. But I'll keep trying results don't come over night .

[DutchTeamUltra]

Thanks for the reply man. I'm using my fitness pal to track my food and I usually switch out tuna for chicken every other day but I guess I'll try out 4000 cals for a couple weeks and see how I get on. Just a bit mentally draining knowing that the weight isn't going up on the scale. However my lifts all seem to be going up just done 315 double overhand for 2 reps which is a big achievement for me. But I'll keep trying results don't come over night .

Naah, he doesn't mean tracking wrong in MFP. But more so:

1. Using wrong values for foods.
2. Using cups / serving sizes / tablespoons as measurements instead of weighing everything by the gram.
3. Overestimating in any sense.

I mean, no offence, but 1200 calories from lean meat, veg, rice and milk? I don't know too many people who can stomach that.
Another thing. If you have so much trouble gaining weight. Add more fats to your diet, PB, more nuts, olive oil, full fat dairy etc.
With that, a 900 cal protein shake? What do you cram into that man..

[dest0]

Likely counting wrong, but it does not matter; not gaining means you need to eat more, however much you eat now is not enough. Also add in some fruits and veggies for micro-nutrients and scrap the tuna daily (mercury poisoning). Add in more variety too, sticking to the same meals each day is not good for nutrient intake (or sanity).

^This.

I very much doubt that you're on 3,600 calories. But whatever you're eating now, just add 300 calories to it, and you should gain weight. (Given that this current amount is causing your weight to maintain).

[declanmooney]

For the shake I use:

30g bulk powders chocolate whey
30g peanut butter
25g oats
2 large bananas
300ml full fat milk
40g honey

I try have that twice a day and I do usually track all my food using my food scale. That's why I'm a but confused on the weight gain I'm almost 100% positive I'm doing everything correctly other than a few micro nutrients but I take a multi and fish oil every day as well to compensate for some of that. I also put 10ml of oil on my steak and rice. Beginning to think I'll never get bigger. I'm clearly an ectomorph. Thanks for the reply though mate.

[LubitelPelmen]

Hi just wondering if anyone can help me out. I started lifting again after like 2 years off and am trying to gain weight I'm currently 130 ( don't laugh ) at 5"5. I've roughly calculated my TDEE to be around 2600 as I'm quite active doing full body 3 times a week and work manual labour. But here's where the problem comes in if anyone can help out. I did the usual adding 250 cals a week if there was no change on the scale Its been like 2 months now and I've had to put the calories up to 3600 + a day and still no change on the scale if anything it goes down most weeks. I eat the same thing every day as well and I know it's not a bad meal plan.

Protein shake - 900 cals
Tuna pasta - 500 cals
Nuts, berries, seed mix - 600 cals
Steak, rice, vegetables, milk - 1200 cals
Protein shake - 400 cals

The obvious answer is just eat more right? But that's a bit ridiculous for 130 pound guy so if I get to 140 or 150 will I have to eat 10000 cals just to maintain. Serious question if anyone can help out cheers.

youre doing well (i think)
keep lifting heavy and eating like this brah and youll be alright

also plz dont up kcals too much... pretty sure you will regret doing so later...

[dest0]

For the shake I use:

30g bulk powders chocolate whey
30g peanut butter
25g oats
2 large bananas
300ml full fat milk
40g honey

I try have that twice a day and I do usually track all my food using my food scale. That's why I'm a but confused on the weight gain I'm almost 100% positive I'm doing everything correctly other than a few micro nutrients but I take a multi and fish oil every day as well to compensate for some of that. I also put 10ml of oil on my steak and rice. Beginning to think I'll never get bigger. I'm clearly an ectomorph. Thanks for the reply though mate.

It may be the app you use to input the data.

The key point here is, if you're not gaining weight, eat more.

[DutchTeamUltra]

For the shake I use:

30g bulk powders chocolate whey
30g peanut butter
25g oats
2 large bananas
300ml full fat milk
40g honey

I try have that twice a day and I do usually track all my food using my food scale. That's why I'm a but confused on the weight gain I'm almost 100% positive I'm doing everything correctly other than a few micro nutrients but I take a multi and fish oil every day as well to compensate for some of that. I also put 10ml of oil on my steak and rice. Beginning to think I'll never get bigger. I'm clearly an ectomorph. Thanks for the reply though mate.

Naah but that's easy mate. You can get bigger for sure.
What's your activity level like outside of the gym?

IMO, not gaining weight = burning too much or eating too little/

[DutchTeamUltra]

For the shake I use:

30g bulk powders chocolate whey
30g peanut butter
25g oats
2 large bananas
300ml full fat milk
40g honey

I try have that twice a day and I do usually track all my food using my food scale. That's why I'm a but confused on the weight gain I'm almost 100% positive I'm doing everything correctly other than a few micro nutrients but I take a multi and fish oil every day as well to compensate for some of that. I also put 10ml of oil on my steak and rice. Beginning to think I'll never get bigger. I'm clearly an ectomorph. Thanks for the reply though mate.

Naah but that's easy mate. You can get bigger for sure.
What's your activity level like outside of the gym?

IMO, not gaining weight = burning too much or eating too little/

[declanmooney]

Thanks a lot man I just hope I'm doing it right lol. Don't want to get too fat also man👌

[declanmooney]

I was thinking the same. The TDEE thing only gives me a rough estimate of my calories but u could need more. I do manual labour 9 hours a day then doing full body 3 times a week. Hopefully my body is just getting used to the calories.

[DutchTeamUltra]

I was thinking the same. The TDEE thing only gives me a rough estimate of my calories but u could need more. I do manual labour 9 hours a day then doing full body 3 times a week. Hopefully my body is just getting used to the calories.

Will probably take a while.
I'm one of those skinny and tall ****ers.
I bulked from 90 to 106 kg's a while back (not the lean way, sadly, but that doesn't matter).
Trained 5 days a week, sat on my ass @ uni the rest of the day.
I needed > 4000 calories a day to see the scale moving the slightest.
The body is a funny thing for sure.