Havent gained weight on Bulk

[hashi]

Im currently in my 3rd week of my bulk and I havent gained any weight on the scale but looking at the mirror ive gained a tiny bit of extra fat. Besides that my strength has increased but not so much my muscle mass.

Basically im contemplating increasing the calories some more but I cannot decide from which source Protein/carbs/fat I usually have a cycle amount of carbs dependant on what body part day it is, what this means is all i do is lower the amount of protein on a leg day and bump up 50G Carbs then increase Protein on like an arms day but lower carbs.


im @ 165 pounds 5'8 and my leg day breakdown is something like this

Leg Day

Bulking Macros
185G Protein
400G Carbs
60G Fat


Breakdown


Morning Meal 1
25G Protein
70G Carbs
12G Fat

Meal 2
20G Protein
45G Carbs
10G Fat

Meal 3
20G Protein
40G Carbs
10G Fat

Meal 4 Pre Workout
25G Protein
80G Carbs
9G fat

Meal 5 Post Workout
36G Protein
60G Carbs

Meal 6 Post Post Workout
25G Protein
75G Carbs
12G Fat

Meal 7 Pre bed
34G Protein
28G Carbs
5G Fat

All other days are just 250G Protein 330G Carbs, Off days I eat at maintenance which is about 2500 calories. All carb sources are complex carbs coming from oats/beans/wholemeal bread. Most vegetables are eating at night which happens to be my post workout meal (evening trainer). All fat sources are from peanut butter and olive oil. My protein comes from mainly milk, lean meats and some slow release powder. Post workout is WPI and waxy maize.

Should I give my bulk some more time? or start bumping up calories in which case Im not sure whether to consume more protein or more carbs, Ive read a fair bit that upping protein really doesnt provide any benefit but for the sake of an extra caloric surplus wouldnt it still be prefferable over more carbs in this case?


Thanks guys

[Holyspokes]

Stop manipulating macro % so much. Eat way more on rest days. Keep protein where it is, up fat or carbs; it doesn't matter which.

[KoolDrew]

What does your training schedule look like?

[hashi]

So just keep it as it is for every day regardless of what activity and just up carbs till I get some gains? I thought it was common to reduce calories on rest days, maybe this could of been detrimental to my gains, cause generally both my rest days are saturday and sunday.

Ill up my carbs a bit and keep the same breakdown for all 7 days and see how it goes.

Thanks for the help

[hashi]

What does your training schedule look like?

Monday=Legs
Tuesday=Arms
Wednesday=Shoulders
Thursday=Back
Friday=Chest
Saturday=Every 2nd week I have an extra arms session (they recover very quickly)

Almost every session is around 4-5 exercises @ 3 sets and 6-12 reps.

[KoolDrew]

Monday=Legs
Tuesday=Arms
Wednesday=Shoulders
Thursday=Back
Friday=Chest
Saturday=Every 2nd week I have an extra arms session (they recover very quickly)

Almost every session is around 4-5 exercises @ 3 sets and 6-12 reps.

I would suggest changing up your routine as well. I'm not sure what you've used in the past or if you even have any prior training experience, but you would most likely see better gains with a bit more frequency. I've always had great success with 3x full body routines and upper/lower routines where everything is hit 2x a week.

[BlueFenix13S]

I've always had great success with 3x full body routines and upper/lower routines where everything is hit 2x a week.

I was just about to say the same thing. I like push/pull/legs myself.

[hashi]

I would suggest changing up your routine as well. I'm not sure what you've used in the past or if you even have any prior training experience, but you would most likely see better gains with a bit more frequency. I've always had great success with 3x full body routines and upper/lower routines where everything is hit 2x a week.

With my current routine I take around a week to recover from each body part besides arms, I dont think I can manage doing legs or back twice a week.

[belairdfence99]

Why would you ever eat so low on a bulk?
Thats how many calories i get at a minimum for maintenance.

[hashi]

Why would you ever eat so low on a bulk?
Thats how many calories i get at a minimum for maintenance.

im a 165lb endo/mesomorph eating 500 over maintenance, I dont see whats wrong

[Blindead]

ew @ training arms only in a single day.

[hashi]

ew @ training arms only in a single day.

to be honest arms is my weakest point, I do them twice a week when I can separately but Im always open to suggestions on this, it feels great training them alone fresh though.

[GBA]

im a 165lb endo/mesomorph eating 500 over maintenance, I dont see whats wrong

Obviously you don't see what's wrong or you wouldn't have made the thread. You say you eat maintenance on your off days, but then you post a workout plan that doesn't have any off days.. what's up with that?

[Hellcraft]

Do some squats and some deadlifts. Those always help gains.

[hashi]

Obviously you don't see what's wrong or you wouldn't have made the thread. You say you eat maintenance on your off days, but then you post a workout plan that doesn't have any off days.. what's up with that?

off days are sat/sun except every 2nd week I only have 1 off day. This is only recent though prior to this week Sat/sun were off days regardless

[hashi]

Do some squats and some deadlifts. Those always help gains.

I do squats on leg days and deadlifts on back days

[Gordon Bombay]

ew @ training arms only in a single day.

What's wrong with that?

[Robby Coker]

Im currently in my 3rd week of my bulk and I havent gained any weight on the scale but looking at the mirror ive gained a tiny bit of extra fat. Besides that my strength has increased but not so much my muscle mass.

Basically im contemplating increasing the calories some more but I cannot decide from which source Protein/carbs/fat I usually have a cycle amount of carbs dependant on what body part day it is, what this means is all i do is lower the amount of protein on a leg day and bump up 50G Carbs then increase Protein on like an arms day but lower carbs.


im @ 165 pounds 5'8 and my leg day breakdown is something like this

Leg Day

Bulking Macros
185G Protein
400G Carbs
60G Fat


[snipped]

All other days are just 250G Protein 330G Carbs, Off days I eat at maintenance which is about 2500 calories. All carb sources are complex carbs coming from oats/beans/wholemeal bread. Most vegetables are eating at night which happens to be my post workout meal (evening trainer). All fat sources are from peanut butter and olive oil. My protein comes from mainly milk, lean meats and some slow release powder. Post workout is WPI and waxy maize.

Should I give my bulk some more time? or start bumping up calories in which case Im not sure whether to consume more protein or more carbs, Ive read a fair bit that upping protein really doesnt provide any benefit but for the sake of an extra caloric surplus wouldnt it still be prefferable over more carbs in this case?


Thanks guys

First, I'm going to check your macro %'s and derive a rough average of your Calorie intake throughout the week based on your macronutrient grams.

P = 185g*4 Cal = 740 (26%)
C = 400g*4 Cal = 1600 (55%)
F = 60g*9 Cal = 540 (19%)

Total Calorie intake (for leg days) = 2880

P = 250g*4 Cal = 1000 (32%)
C = 330g*4 Cal = 1600 (51%)
F = 60g*9 Cal = 540 (17%)

Total Calorie intake (for all other days) = 3140

So, based on this, your macronutrient ratios pretty much average out to:
29% Protein
53% Carbs
18% Fat

Those ratios are pretty good. However, changing them around day to day isn't necessary. I'd stick with 30% Protein, 50% Carbs, 20% Fat.

Your total Calorie intake for your off-days is about 2500 as you mentioned. I'm not sure of your macronutrient grams for your off-days as they weren't listed.

So, your Calorie intake throughout the week roughly averages out to 2840.


Now, we're going to check and see if your overall average Calorie intake is high enough.

Your RMR is 1730 Calories.

1730
*1.55 -> due to working out
2682 -> for base TDEE
+13.4% -> Thermogenic Effect of Food (TEF) based on your current average macronutrient ratios
+5% -> increase in metabolism from weight lifting due to muscle repair & synthesis

= 3192 Calories for your maintenance level

Based on this, you're actually not eating quite enough to gain weight.

2500 Calories is less than your base TDEE (RMR*activity factor) unless your metabolism is slow.

So, I'm going to give you a Calorie intake recommendation for gaining 1/2 pound per week.

It's important to gain slowly during a bulk in order to avoid unwanted fat gain.

To gain 1/2 pound per week:
3496 Calories

Adjust intake from here based on actual rate of gain.


Good luck!

[hashi]

First, I'm going to check your macro %'s and derive a rough average of your Calorie intake throughout the week based on your macronutrient grams.

P = 185g*4 Cal = 740 (26%)
C = 400g*4 Cal = 1600 (55%)
F = 60g*9 Cal = 540 (19%)

Total Calorie intake (for leg days) = 2880

P = 250g*4 Cal = 1000 (32%)
C = 330g*4 Cal = 1600 (51%)
F = 60g*9 Cal = 540 (17%)

Total Calorie intake (for all other days) = 3140

So, based on this, your macronutrient ratios pretty much average out to:
29% Protein
53% Carbs
18% Fat

Those ratios are pretty good. However, changing them around day to day isn't necessary. I'd stick with 30% Protein, 50% Carbs, 20% Fat.

Your total Calorie intake for your off-days is about 2500 as you mentioned. I'm not sure of your macronutrient grams for your off-days as they weren't listed.

So, your Calorie intake throughout the week roughly averages out to 2840.


Now, we're going to check and see if your overall average Calorie intake is high enough.

Your RMR is 1730 Calories.

1730
*1.55 -> due to working out
2682 -> for base TDEE
+13.4% -> Thermogenic Effect of Food (TEF) based on your current average macronutrient ratios
+5% -> increase in metabolism from weight lifting due to muscle repair & synthesis

= 3192 Calories for your maintenance level

Based on this, you're actually not eating quite enough to gain weight.

2500 Calories is less than your base TDEE (RMR*activity factor) unless your metabolism is slow.

So, I'm going to give you a Calorie intake recommendation for gaining 1/2 pound per week.

It's important to gain slowly during a bulk in order to avoid unwanted fat gain.

To gain 1/2 pound per week:
3496 Calories

Adjust intake from here based on actual rate of gain.


Good luck!

wow thats helpful, after reading through that Ill readjust some things, off day macros are 250g pr 220g cho 60g fat btw.


Thank you repped

[wheylover]

wow thats helpful, after reading through that Ill readjust some things, off day macros are 250g pr 220g cho 60g fat btw.


Thank you repped

why do u what to eat less on off day? u grow on that day!

and like the others said, training 5-6x/week in waaaaaaaaaaaay toooooo much IMO. try 3-4x/week, full body or upper/lower

[THE_TRUTH86]

i used to eat less on off days then the next day my workouts would blow. now i love to carb up on off days so im like a beast the next day.

My fav is chicken penne pasta!

[Bandini]

I agree with what just about everybody has said so far..

You should be consuming 3000+ cals EVERY day, not just training days.

Add some heavy squats and/or deadlifts to your routine if you haven't yet.

Have fun!

[djansen]

eat the same macros every day

[KJR246]

First, I'm going to check your macro %'s and derive a rough average of your Calorie intake throughout the week based on your macronutrient grams.

P = 185g*4 Cal = 740 (26%)
C = 400g*4 Cal = 1600 (55%)
F = 60g*9 Cal = 540 (19%)

Total Calorie intake (for leg days) = 2880

P = 250g*4 Cal = 1000 (32%)
C = 330g*4 Cal = 1600 (51%)
F = 60g*9 Cal = 540 (17%)

Total Calorie intake (for all other days) = 3140

So, based on this, your macronutrient ratios pretty much average out to:
29% Protein
53% Carbs
18% Fat

Those ratios are pretty good. However, changing them around day to day isn't necessary. I'd stick with 30% Protein, 50% Carbs, 20% Fat.

Your total Calorie intake for your off-days is about 2500 as you mentioned. I'm not sure of your macronutrient grams for your off-days as they weren't listed.

So, your Calorie intake throughout the week roughly averages out to 2840.


Now, we're going to check and see if your overall average Calorie intake is high enough.

Your RMR is 1730 Calories.

1730
*1.55 -> due to working out
2682 -> for base TDEE
+13.4% -> Thermogenic Effect of Food (TEF) based on your current average macronutrient ratios
+5% -> increase in metabolism from weight lifting due to muscle repair & synthesis

= 3192 Calories for your maintenance level

Based on this, you're actually not eating quite enough to gain weight.

2500 Calories is less than your base TDEE (RMR*activity factor) unless your metabolism is slow.

So, I'm going to give you a Calorie intake recommendation for gaining 1/2 pound per week.

It's important to gain slowly during a bulk in order to avoid unwanted fat gain.

To gain 1/2 pound per week:
3496 Calories

Adjust intake from here based on actual rate of gain.


Good luck!

Why does it have to be so complicated.

OP. Eat more. Every day.

[hashi]

Im gonna adjust and take in about 250g pro 475 carbs and 60g fat every day and see how that goes, its around 3440 calories. Thanks everyone for your help

[Theenforcer1]

stop micromanaging the macronutrients. Just eat more food. You dont gain weight- you eat more. not that hard. it isnt that complicated a subject...

[KJR246]

stop micromanaging the macronutrients. Just eat more food. You dont gain weight- you eat more. not that hard. it isnt that complicated a subject...

This.

Berrating comments? Making bulking a science is rediculous. It takes the fun out of lifting.

[Gordon Bombay]

This.

Berrating comments? Making bulking a science is rediculous. It takes the fun out of lifting.

This. Sounds you're a "hardgainer" OP. Stop worrying about food, unless you happen to be an endomorph. In this case it is necessary to count macros unless you want to blow up in fat.

[Theenforcer1]

This. Sounds you're a "hardgainer" OP. Stop worrying about food, unless you happen to be an endomorph. In this case it is necessary to count macros unless you want to blow up in fat.

not a hardgainer, just not eating enough food...

people who think they are hard gainers are just not eating enough...

[hashi]

This. Sounds you're a "hardgainer" OP. Stop worrying about food, unless you happen to be an endomorph. In this case it is necessary to count macros unless you want to blow up in fat.

I may be but I dont fully know yet, I considered myself an endomorph at one time but that was simply because I ate really badly that i achieved this rounded shape. I ended up going from 200lbs > 155lbs and now back up to 165lbs. Theres only one way to find out


fyi I enjoy micromanaging so I can easily tune something if it doesnt work.