I don't get the 6 meals a day/over eat thing

[Hulston Prickle]

I just can't get the amount of food you supposedly have to eat to gain muscle mass. I've had very modest gains in 2 years of bodybuilding, and I consistantly have a clean diet with room for only the most occasional cheat.

I'm 6'1 and 200 pounds, and if I would eat over 2400 calories a day over the course of 6 meals I would be a total fat ass. I tried the whole over eating and 6 times a day thing for 6 to 8 months last year, training hard the whole time, and only ended up fat and broke because I spent so much money on food. I got absolutely no muscle gains and I was just as weak as I was before.

I had to cut my food budget when the wife and I bought a house at the first of the year, and trimmed down to 3 clean meals a day plus one before bed protein snack. I've had modest gains since then, and if I throw in some power walking my bf% isn't too bad.

What am I doing wrong?

[Bosatsu]

well you said you have had modest gains since then so it doesnt really sound like you are doing anything wrong. if you want gains faster, check your diet and make sure it's exactly where it needs to be, if it is, go back and rework your workout routine. I'm sure you'll find your answer if you search yourself hard enough. Good luck!

[mojo18]

what types of foods are you eating?

[jdominic6]

I just can't get the amount of food you supposedly have to eat to gain muscle mass. I've had very modest gains in 2 years of bodybuilding, and I consistantly have a clean diet with room for only the most occasional cheat.

I'm 6'1 and 200 pounds, and if I would eat over 2400 calories a day over the course of 6 meals I would be a total fat ass. I tried the whole over eating and 6 times a day thing for 6 to 8 months last year, training hard the whole time, and only ended up fat and broke because I spent so much money on food. I got absolutely no muscle gains and I was just as weak as I was before.

I had to cut my food budget when the wife and I bought a house at the first of the year, and trimmed down to 3 clean meals a day plus one before bed protein snack. I've had modest gains since then, and if I throw in some power walking my bf% isn't too bad.

What am I doing wrong?

Lift hard and heavy, cardio on non-lifting days, no more than 1 hour in the gym each session, meet your daily caloric goals with quality foods, NO alcohol, drink lots of water, NO sugar.

If you aren't doing any one of those, then that is one more thing you can do to help reach your goal! Good luck.

[-Aaron-]

Eating frequency has no effect of body composition, period.

[BlueFenix13S]

Eating frequency has no effect of body composition, period.

/thread

[RU4A69]

What am I doing wrong?

You are not doing anything wrong. You've just reverted back to sensible, practical eating habits, which are allowing you to gain and stay lean. Stick with what you're doing. Again, you are doing nothing wrong.

[Hulston Prickle]

Very vague description of my current diet is this:

Breakfast: two hard boiled eggs; 1/2 cup oat meal w/ honey, scoop of protein powder, tablespoon of flax seed, and whole milk; cup of coffee, multi vitamin

Lunch: meat (usually chicken) and a salad, or more oats, wheat pasta, or similar on workout days; Omega 3 pills

Dinner: meat and a salad or steamed veggies

Before bed snack: peanut butter and protein powder mix

Sometimes I'll eat an apple as a snack at 10 am or 3 pm at work. Before a work out I like to eat an orange, and then post work out I like Gatorade with ON's CGT-10, and I take BCAA pills and another multi-vitamin.

Since I switched to this diet I've had VERY modest gains, and I don't look too bad overall. I just want to put on more muscle overall, but whenever I read on the subject sources suggest I eat rediculous amounts of food, which has never worked for me. Any help is appreciated.

[Calgator96]

I'm trying the bulk thing now and have upped my calories from about 2,800 to close to 4,000 per day (same number of meals 5-6/day, but just more food at each meal). I have seen almost no weight gain in the 3-4 weeks I've been doing it and I think I just discovered that my workouts haven't been intense enough.

So I've decided to really push it harder and force myself to go heavier in my workouts and push it to the absolutely max in terms of the weight I lift. I hope that's what has been holding down my progress because I'm eating so incredibly well and getting to the gym 5-6 days a week so it just doesn't make sense otherwise. I've got a tall & lean sort of body (6'5", 200 lbs) with long legs and arms so it's hard to put on a lot of muscle I guess. Unfortunately I do have some fat around the middle and always have. So I too have similar concerns to the OP in terms of getting fat without any increased muscle when doing a highly caloric bulk diet like I am now.

[jdominic6]

Very vague description of my current diet is this:

Breakfast: two hard boiled eggs; 1/2 cup oat meal w/ honey, scoop of protein powder, tablespoon of flax seed, and whole milk; cup of coffee, multi vitamin

Lunch: meat (usually chicken) and a salad, or more oats, wheat pasta, or similar on workout days; Omega 3 pills

Dinner: meat and a salad or steamed veggies

Before bed snack: peanut butter and protein powder mix

Sometimes I'll eat an apple as a snack at 10 am or 3 pm at work. Before a work out I like to eat an orange, and then post work out I like Gatorade with ON's CGT-10, and I take BCAA pills and another multi-vitamin.

Since I switched to this diet I've had VERY modest gains, and I don't look too bad overall. I just want to put on more muscle overall, but whenever I read on the subject sources suggest I eat rediculous amounts of food, which has never worked for me. Any help is appreciated.

If this current diet working for you like you said, then you could try changing up the intensity of your workouts at random. One day go low reps at a heavier weight, but then the next session, do high reps at a lighter weight. Do this for about a month and see how you respond. Also don't just alternate like this, change it up at random, be creative about it. Just make sure to keep eating healthy like you are now.

[BlueFenix13S]

It doesn't work for me either, if I force myself to eat or eat too much, I gain more fat than muscle (crappy genetics + former fat boy + endocrine problems ).

I just eat when I am hungry and just make sure I eat something before and after workouts and don't really worry about the rest.

Some days I will eat maybe 2 or 3 meals, other days I feel like I could close a buffet or 2. If my body tells me it isn't hungry, I don't see the point in forcing food down.

Now, some will disagree with that, but for me, my life, my job, and my goals, simply making healthy food choices when I want to eat is best. I'm not a bodybuilder, I don't compete, their goals are different.

[Hulston Prickle]

Thanks for the helps guys. It's good to know I'm not the only one.

[Mattxj]

I'm the opposite, unless I'm eating 3500-4000 cals a day, I get nowhere. I couldn't even make modest gains on 2500 cals a day.

[Bonnerjs]

Eating frequency has no effect of body composition, period.

how can you make such a bold statement? eating frequency, while not the whole picture, can alter body composition quite a bit... 6 small meals a day, keeping the bodys metabolism burning hot, will reduce the amount of bodyfat one holds, while maintaining muscle (depending upon the food)... while 3 meals a day will help you loose weight at first, it can also trigger the body to store fat and even loose muscle mass due to the lack of nutrition... Try eating 6 times a day, but never eat until you are full... drink plenty of water and you should be hungry within 3 hours of your last meal... the more you get used to this and the bigger you get, the more you will be able to eat bigger portions... start small, and remember, PLENTY OF WATER!!!

[-Aaron-]

how can you make such a bold statement? eating frequency, while not the whole picture, can alter body composition quite a bit... 6 small meals a day, keeping the bodys metabolism burning hot, will reduce the amount of bodyfat one holds, while maintaining muscle (depending upon the food)... while 3 meals a day will help you loose weight at first, it can also trigger the body to store fat and even loose muscle mass due to the lack of nutrition... Try eating 6 times a day, but never eat until you are full... drink plenty of water and you should be hungry within 3 hours of your last meal... the more you get used to this and the bigger you get, the more you will be able to eat bigger portions... start small, and remember, PLENTY OF WATER!!!

I make the statement because it's true... Your metabolism doesn't 'burn hot' eating all day. That's proven through science.

I can find you plenty of proof if you wish. None of the broscience in which you spew.

[tinyman5000]

I make the statement because it's true... Your metabolism doesn't 'burn hot' eating all day. That's proven through science.

I can find you plenty of proof if you wish. None of the broscience in which you spew.

x2..thermic effect of food is based on calories and protein/fiber, not frequency

[Bonnerjs]

Ha... For those of you who wish to believe the "science" these two fitness guru's supply, well go right ahead... clearly, they are in too good of shape to have a picture of themselves for all to see... they wouldnt want to embarass us uneducated wannabes... look at the success of bodybuildings past... as well as look at common sense, your metabolism is a fire the more frequently you feed it, the hotter it will get... take a little fire, throw a big ass log on it, it sits there... you were right, food is thermogenic, the body burns it for fuel... give it fuel, the metabolism heats up as a direct result of digestion... its not "broscience" son, its common knowledge... think before you speak, or should I say to you, at least try... Im out

[-Aaron-]

Ha... For those of you who wish to believe the "science" these two fitness guru's supply, well go right ahead... clearly, they are in too good of shape to have a picture of themselves for all to see... they wouldnt want to embarass us uneducated wannabes... look at the success of bodybuildings past... as well as look at common sense, your metabolism is a fire the more frequently you feed it, the hotter it will get... take a little fire, throw a big ass log on it, it sits there... you were right, food is thermogenic, the body burns it for fuel... give it fuel, the metabolism heats up as a direct result of digestion... its not "broscience" son, its common knowledge... think before you speak, or should I say to you, at least try... Im out

There is proof that meal frequency has no effect on body comp... Good lord you're stubborn. Every nutritionalist worth a damn agree, why can't you?

[Bonnerjs]

I would rather be stubborn and right than stubborn and stupid... show me some proof, and while you're scowering the internet in a mad panic, maybe your metabolism will speed up and the fat around your thick head will melt away and you too, shall see the light! Can I get an amen, brothers!

[tinyman5000]

I would rather be stubborn and right than stubborn and stupid... show me some proof, and while you're scowering the internet in a mad panic, maybe your metabolism will speed up and the fat around your thick head will melt away and you too, shall see the light! Can I get an amen, brothers!

Honestly were you born with a peanut in your head

[-Aaron-]

I would rather be stubborn and right than stubborn and stupid... show me some proof, and while you're scowering the internet in a mad panic, maybe your metabolism will speed up and the fat around your thick head will melt away and you too, shall see the light! Can I get an amen, brothers!

You're a moron... I never once insulted you, yet you come at me like the moron you are.

Mad scramble? I have them bookmarked you friggin clown.

[Bonnerjs]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mohr17.htm

now the both of you read this and run along and leave the forums to the big boys, K!! Oh and enjoy the crow you are about to partake.


and thats just the first one i came to

[-Aaron-]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mohr17.htm

now the both of you read this and run along and leave the forums to the big boys, K!! Oh and enjoy the crow you are about to partake.


and thats just the first one i came to

Congratulations on posting a broscience article with no references to justify his claims.

Allow me to counter with actual science proving my point, unlike yours, again this is science!

Study 1:
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/100/10/6216

Study 2:
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/81/1/69

Study 3:
http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/99/6/2128

If you have trouble reading these, I'll be happy to write these in Laman's terms.

[Calgator96]

It doesn't work for me either, if I force myself to eat or eat too much, I gain more fat than muscle (crappy genetics + former fat boy + endocrine problems ).

I just eat when I am hungry and just make sure I eat something before and after workouts and don't really worry about the rest.

Some days I will eat maybe 2 or 3 meals, other days I feel like I could close a buffet or 2. If my body tells me it isn't hungry, I don't see the point in forcing food down.

Now, some will disagree with that, but for me, my life, my job, and my goals, simply making healthy food choices when I want to eat is best. I'm not a bodybuilder, I don't compete, their goals are different.

I'm a little afraid this might describe me too now that I've tried bulking for the last few weeks and haven't really gained any weight and appear a little fatter and more bloated. But like I said above I think it may have something to do with the heaviness (or lack there of) of my workouts. So I'm going to kick that up and do everything else the same as I have with the diet and the supplements and see if that can't get my mass building going.

[Bonnerjs]

clearly your attention span fizzled before you made it to where references were cited... besides that, according to you, if frequency plays no part in composition, one meal a day of 3,000 calories would achieve the same results as 6 meals a day with equal calories... if you truley believe this, you should not be giving advice to anyone.. and by the way, your "science" on rodents that you posted say nothing about the topic at hand... get back with me when you learn something

[-Aaron-]

clearly your attention span fizzled before you made it to where references were cited... besides that, according to you, if frequency plays no part in composition, one meal a day of 3,000 calories would achieve the same results as 6 meals a day with equal calories... if you truley believe this, you should not be giving advice to anyone.. and by the way, your "science" on rodents that you posted say nothing about the topic at hand... get back with me when you learn something

I probably lift more than you, u mad?

Giving advice? I'm the closest regular to medical degree than anyone in this section. Bite me.

FYI: He cited no sources in his article clown.

[tinyman5000]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mohr17.htm

now the both of you read this and run along and leave the forums to the big boys, K!! Oh and enjoy the crow you are about to partake.


and thats just the first one i came to

this is just an article from bb.com..theres no scientific evidence in it.

here http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/lylemcdonald-art.html

[Sixpack]

Get your popcorn ready

[-Aaron-]

Get your popcorn ready

What's funny is, I don't subscribe to IFing, I just use it to space out my meals and eat when I'm hungry, not every 2 hours.

[Bonnerjs]

I probably lift more than you, u mad?

Giving advice? I'm the closest regular to medical degree than anyone in this section. Bite me.

FYI: He cited no sources in his article clown.

you may lift more than me, that wouldnt bother me at all... but i like the way i look naked... more than you can say, right *cough*fat*... but anyways, my lack of rep points on these forums doesnt make you feel better about your manboobs like you thought it would, does it?