4000+ calories a day and still not gaining

[lift.iron]

There is something wrong with my metabolism. I can eat 4000 calories a day and not gain a pound.

I am 5'9" and 165 lbs. I never do any cardio, and I lift 3 days a week. I eat 4000 calories a day. I can NOT put on weight.

Data:

1/12: 161.5
1/15: 163.5
1/17: 163
1/20: 164
1/22: 164
1/25: 165
1/27: 164.5
1/29: 166.5
2/1: 162.5
2/3: 164.5
2/5: 164
2/8: 166
2/10: 166.5
2/12: 165
2/15: 165
2/17: 164.5

List of 7-day averages:

163.6428571
164.3571429
164.2142857
164.4285714
164.4285714
164.7142857
164.9285714
165
164.7857143 <---- actually went DOWN!
165.0714286

I don't get it. My weight is barely shifting. What I don't understand is that if I'm not gaining muscle, why aren't I at least shedding fat? I still can't see my abs show through yet. I am still skinny fat.

I also feel like I have hit my genetic limit on all my lifts. I can't break 220 on squat, 250 on deadlift, 95 on press, or 150 on bench. I also can't do rows or pull-ups because I can't figure out how to utilize my back and not my arms.

you gained 2 lbs in 7 days if its all muscle i dont see how your going wrong because at that rate you have gaines of 8lbs a month and on a 4 month mass cycle you could gain 32lbs of muscle that is a HEUGE AMOUNT in a short time

[mac520]

*facepalm*

Here are some reasons:
-You aren't f'n gaining weight, so clearly something isn't working.

How's that for a reason? I hope that wasn't too broscience for you.

And listening to you whine about your food choices in mind numbing. You sound like my 4-year-old nephew throwing a fit because he doesn't want to eat green breans. Eggs are a hassle, you don't like rice or potatoes, wah wah wah.

Chicken: $1.99 a pound
Steak: $1.99 a pound
Ground turkey: $2.50 a pound
Tuna: .45 a can

etc

If you can't afford that, that go to McDonalds, work there for 10 hours a week, and you have enough money for your grocery list. You also aren't eating any veggies, which you need.

You asked for advice, everyone is giving you advice. Stop whining and listening to it if you want to gain weight.

</rant>

I was unaware that my current food choices were inadequate. So far I have not heard a single good reason why my diet of oats, pasta, bread, olive oil, ground beef, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, and cheese is inadequate. WHY should I implement those other foods?

Also, I wish I lived where you do, but chicken is not $1.99/lb here, it's $5.50/lb. Steak is closer to $10/lb. Tuna is $2/can.

I don't think there is only one diet that works. I don't see why eating pasta instead of potatoes is the reason why I'm not gaining muscle. Furthermore, if there was a problem with the quality of my foods, then I would at least be gaining fat, not muscle. Rather, I am not gaining at all.

So if you're going to give advice, don't just make up advice like "eat potatoes and rice instead of pasta" without a good reason. Because that advice seems useless to me and I don't see any special properties in potatoes and rice that make them better than pasta. They're all complex carbs to me. If you want to give advice, than address the questions that I asked, such as is consuming more fat from milk going to be bad for me?

You must consume more carbs in your diet, even though you already have alot there you still need to consume more to get muscle growth..
Oats more often, and have massive shakes...sometimes ill just throw anything into my blender and i dont give a **** what it tastes like either, as long has it has 2000 calories im drinking it.
You are in a bit of a pickle nonetheless but just find ways to improvise in the way you get calories, up your food portions at each meal by 20%.. etc

My shakes are already so big that I can't even finish them as they are. My stomach simply fills up before I can get all 3-4 cups of the mixture down. I've actually thrown up before after drinking one of my shakes because my stomach got so bloated it couldn't keep it down.

Chances are you are eating less but think it's 4,000. Either way just add 500 to what you are eating now.

I don't know, I have counted everything. And I'm probably eating a lot more since I don't count small things like the ketchup I put on my burger, the cheese I put on my pasta, the vegetables I snack on throughout the day, the extra-high calorie fast foods I occasionally eat in addition to my diet, etc.

you gained 2 lbs in 7 days if its all muscle i dont see how your going wrong because at that rate you have gaines of 8lbs a month and on a 4 month mass cycle you could gain 32lbs of muscle that is a HEUGE AMOUNT in a short time

I think that the first couple pounds I gained were all water weight-- no muscle. Since then there has been no appreciable change in my weight despite eating enough that, according to a BMR calculator, should have me gaining 1.5 lbs per week. If you look at just the most recent 2 weeks, after my weight had already been adjusted for water weight, I have been unable to gain muscle despite eating 4000 calories a day and lifting at my max.

That is a ridiculous statement.

OP, Just eat more. You're protein choices are fine, you don't NEED more meat, you just need more calories. Up the carbs.

Either add some other carb sources, like fruit or just add to the portion sizes of the ones you've got.

Maybe add some more monounsaturated fats too.

Thanks I will try upping it to 4500 and see. I just don't get why my metabolism is so freaking high.

[Robby Coker]

Thanks I will try upping it to 4500 and see. I just don't get why my metabolism is so freaking high.

I'm going to calculate your Calorie needs and give you some recommendations for gaining 1 pound per week.

Age: 19
Stats: 5'9", 165 lbs

Your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is 1905 Calories.

1905
*1.55 -> you workout regularly
+12% -> the thermogenic effect of food (TEF) based on your macronutrient ratios
+5% -> weight-lifting raises your metabolism due to recovery and muscle repair.
+10% -> you take in 9 servings of dairy per day. People with high dairy intakes have higher metabolisms.

= 3819 Calories for your maintenance level

From looking at your moving averages, you appear to be gaining but at a very very slow rate.

So, I'm going to give you some Calorie intake recommendations for gaining 1 pound per week.

I assume you have a bit of a capacity for Adaptive Thermogenesis, the body's ability to dissipate excess Calories as heat, so I'm going to give you intake recommendations that take 9% and 18% Adaptive Thermogenesis into account as well.

For gaining 1 pound per week:
No Adaptive Thermogenesis = 4373 Calories
9% Adaptive Thermogenesis = 4721 Calories
18% Adaptive Thermogenesis = 5070 Calories

Try the 4500 Calories first, as you mentioned, and see what happens. If you still don't progress as you desire, then try 4721 and go from there.

[mac520]

I'm going to calculate your Calorie needs and give you some recommendations for gaining 1 pound per week.

Age: 19
Stats: 5'9", 165 lbs

Your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is 1905 Calories.

1905
*1.55 -> you workout regularly
+12% -> the thermogenic effect of food (TEF) based on your macronutrient ratios
+5% -> weight-lifting raises your metabolism due to recovery and muscle repair.
+10% -> you take in 9 servings of dairy per day. People with high dairy intakes have higher metabolisms.

= 3819 Calories for your maintenance level

From looking at your moving averages, you appear to be gaining but at a very very slow rate.

So, I'm going to give you some Calorie intake recommendations for gaining 1 pound per week.

I assume you have a bit of a capacity for Adaptive Thermogenesis, the body's ability to dissipate excess Calories as heat, so I'm going to give you intake recommendations that take 9% and 18% Adaptive Thermogenesis into account as well.

For gaining 1 pound per week:
No Adaptive Thermogenesis = 4373 Calories
9% Adaptive Thermogenesis = 4721 Calories
18% Adaptive Thermogenesis = 5070 Calories

Try the 4500 Calories first, as you mentioned, and see what happens. If you still don't progress as you desire, then try 4721 and go from there.

Thank you. That was very informative. I was unaware that eating dairy raised metabolism. I also didn't know about adaptive thermogenesis, although that would explain why I am always hot all the time -- my roommates are always complaining that I turn the temperature down too low.

[Simmo0508]

Your diet is poor and your training frequency is too low imo. Train at least 4-5 times a week, then 6 after a while once you get used to the prior.

One of the big things in bodybuilding is eating things you don't neccessarily "like". I mean egg whites are pretty bland for example, but you still gotta try n eat em since it's one of the top sources of protein. Likewise for other things that are good for us, that don't always taste great. Babies whinge about little things like that. When you grow up you shut up and suck it up like a man. You want to achieve a goal, you sometimes have to do things you don't like. Deal with it. Not everything comes easy.

Learn to cook and spruce up the basics in that case. Make proper omelettes. Steaks are a staple of a bb'ers diet. Chicken. Fish. Salmon. Use a variety of spices and preparation techniques.

And don't use the excuse of "i don't have time or money" either. Either make time, and/or make the money in order to buy such things. Be proactive and get on with the job yourself.

Good luck


When i started out all those years ago, i remember looking back now i must've been eating 6000+cals daily for that first year no doubt. I trained a body part once a week. Heavy training. 5-6 sessions a week at around 90mins. I limited cardio at all costs. Walked, not ran. Caught the train, not walked. Quit representative cricket, quit baskbetball. Quit my cleaning job. Got a desk job.

If you want something, you make it happen.

[mac520]

Your diet is poor and your training frequency is too low imo. Train at least 4-5 times a week, then 6 after a while once you get used to the prior.

First of all, how is my diet poor? I haven't received one good reason why my diet is poor, besides overall lack of calories.

Second, how is my training frequency low? I am following a basic novice lifter's program that calls for 3 full-body workouts a week. These programs have produced very large people. Why should I **** with the frequency? I highly doubt that my body even has the capacity to recover enough to work out more than 3 days a week. I already had to substitute one of my days of squatting with front squatting because my legs can't handle max effort squatting 3 days a week anymore.

[JJBGOLDSGYM]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuntman314
Anyone will gain off of 4k cals a day at 160lbs.

Not true at all! Everyones body is different there is many people that can barely maintain with 3500-4000cal I myself am only gaining about 1-1.5lb a month with 5k calories a day and 4-5 isolated workouts. im currently 155 and only 6% body fat as well

[Robby Coker]

Anyone will gain off of 4k cals a day at 160lbs.

Not necessarily. Eating over your maintenance level does not necessarily guarantee an actual Calorie surplus.

If a 160'lber met enough criteria, he wouldn't gain off 4000 even with a sedentary activity level although a majority of them certainly would as the typical Calorie requirements for a sedentary 160'lber who is, for example, 5'10", male, and 21 years old is only 2281 Calories.

Let's do the calculations.

The RMR for this 5'10" 21 year old male at 160 lbs is 1739 Calories (his RMR itself is moderate). He works at a desk job and does no exercise, so he lives a sedentary lifestyle. We will then use some hypothetical factors that affect his metabolism.

1739
*1.2 -> sedentary
+9.3% -> thermogenic affect of food (TEF) of typical American diet (that's what he eats)
+3.5% -> his morning body temp is 98.5 deg before getting out of bed (normal being 98 degrees)
+7.5% -> he eats 5 servings of dairy per day
+4% -> he drinks alot of herbal teas such as green tea with stimulating properties
+3.5% -> he drinks a lot of caffeinated drinks such as Coca-Cola and coffee.
+3.2% -> he eats really hot/spicy foods all the time such as habanero peppers, cayenne peppers, and hot wings
+10.0% -> he smokes a pack of cigarettes per day
+4.2% -> takes 9 fish oil capsules, or eats a lot of fish per day on average for extra Omega 3 fatty acids
+5.0% -> he drinks a gallon of water per day

= 3394 Calories for his maintenance level

He then eats 678 Calories over maintenance bringing his Calorie intake up to 4072.

With 18% Adaptive Thermogenesis, this raises his maintenance level up to 4073 Calories.

Although he his eating 678 Calories over maintenance, his actual Calorie surplus is still 0.

If his adaptive thermogenic capacity was only 9%, then his TDEE would have gotten up to only 3762 Calories, and he would be generating an actual Calorie surplus of 310, which would equal to a weekly weight gain of 0.62 pound per week.
At 1% adaptive thermogenic capacity, his TDEE would have gotten up to only 3486 Calories, and the actual Calorie surplus would be 586 resulting in a weekly weight gain of 1.172 pounds per week.

Im on give or take 4k and I went from 156-167 on an empty stomach in about 4 days...just because my training is really intense.

That's not all actual body mass. Mostly, it's water weight due to the added Carbs. Were you coming off of a cut?

[Dazza89]

I am not a professional and definately not a success story but I'm 135lbs (Ye pathetic) and have been eating 3500+ calories for the past 2 weeks and put on weight.
I haven't trained or anything, just pure ate. My advice is probably useless but I ate ****, and lot's of it.
Diet basically;

Wake up; 2 slices of buttered bread with cheddar cheese + water with multivitamin and cod liver oil - 400cals

10oclock before lectures - chocolate bar and drink - 350 cals

12oclock - end of lectures - 2 pieces of chicken burger, chips and buttered bread - 700 calories OR Hot dogs + Eggs + buttered bread.

Weight Gainer shake - 350 calories (Not mixed with anything, going to start soon)

Afternoon - Another meal, chicken with eggs or potatoes with milk. 400 calories.

End of night - final meal, anything I can get that's pasta or chicken or meat with bread and calorie shake - 800ish calories.


All of this is topped off with snacks during the day like drinks and peanuts.

Yeah its ridiculous and unhealthy but its working.
Im no expert but it seems you arnt eating enough straight food and are relying on other things for calories.

Then again I dont know ****.

Peace

[Oddball8945]

holy crap what is it with ppl typeing like a report saying his diet is bad eat this instead of that bla bla bla

wana gain more just add more calories simple .....from carbs or fat, protein at 250 is fine .....throw in something caloric dense like chips,bread or chocolate if your getting full at the end of the day easy

[2k89Power]

Well well well. + 4,000 calories and not gaining weight. Believe me bud, I have been down that road before. After looking at your diet I see you are lacking vegetables, fruits, and high quality protein. The simple reason why you are not gaining weight is you are not eating enough high quality foods. Calorie dense foods, food rich in vitamins and minerals. For breakfast you drink a protein shake, pre workout a measly amount of ground beef, and milk. You do not have enough variety in your diet. You are not eating good protein, and should vary your carbs. I will write down for you what I eat every day. This is not exact but it is pretty much what I have been eating the past couple o years. I suggest you try eating whole foods, as well as changing up carb, fat, and protein sources. It takes time to build up to eating this much but start slowly and over time, build up the calories per week.

Breakfast:
6:00 AM - 6 Eggs ( cook with 1 TB olive oil, and 1/2 cup onions) , 2 cups 1% milk, 1 cup oatmeal, 2 bananas, 8 oz. round steak,

9:00 AM - 1 large sweet potato, 1/2 LB Chicken breast, 1 Cup Brown Rice, Granola Bar, Apple/Orange/other type of fruit. Maybe some veggie like corn.

12:00 - Pre - Workout - Protein Shake - 2 cups Milk, 4 TB Peanut Butter, 1 serving Whey, Large Banana - Mix in Blender

1:30 - Post workout - Same as pre workout, except Add 1/2 cup OATS.

3:00 - 1/2 LB Chicken breast, 1 cup brown rice, 2 hard boiled Eggs, 1 Cup Brussel sprouts, Sweet potato, hand full of Almonds ( 20 usually because I count them out! ) 1 deer park water, sometimes 2.

6:00 - Tuna Fish sandwich on whole wheat bread ( 2 cans tuna, mixed with 1 TB Mayo, pickles, onions ) Almonds, & spinach salad. , Banana/ Orange/ apple / or some other fruit.

9:00 Usually another prime rib/ steak, with Sweet potato, spinach, grean beans, and brown rice.

10:30 ( before bed ) 1 cup milk with casien protein. or cottage cheese

On an additional note, you also MUST train with INTENSITY! You will not gain an ounce if you are not busting your ass each time you step in the gym. You need to log everything you do, each week either increase the weight, increase the rep, lower the time it takes to complete your workout. I don't know how many times I see people lifting the same amount of weight each time in the gym. If you want to see results you must eat high quality foods, and train like your life depends on it. Finish that last rep! Get in, get out chug the shake down and get the hell out. Do not stand around talking on cell phone or to your girlfriend.

[Robby Coker]

Thank you.

You're welcome.

That was very informative.

Thanks.

I was unaware that eating dairy raised metabolism.

Studies have shown Calcium from dairy to be helpful for fat loss or in preventing fat regain for this reason. Calcium supplements have some effect but not as much as the Calcium that comes from dairy.

I also didn't know about adaptive thermogenesis, although that would explain why I am always hot all the time -- my roommates are always complaining that I turn the temperature down too low.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is another term for this, but I generally use Adaptive Thermogenesis due to the body's adaptable nature when it comes to changes in Calorie intake or energy balance.

Studies have been done for this in explaining individual variations in weight gain for a same given Calorie surplus. In these studies, various people are usually fed 1000 Calories over maintenance. They then are tested for how much weight they gain on this given surplus. The individuals who gain the least weight on this surplus have high adaptive thermogenic, or NEAT, capacities thereby storing little of the surplus Calories while those who gain the most have lower capacities thereby storing the most or nearly all of the surplus Calories.

Here's one study on it:
http://stanford.wellsphere.com/stren...obesity/461281


I use Metabolic Grades, or Ratings, (in %) to measure what is commonly referred to as high-ness or fast-ness of metabolism.

For you to maintain your current weight at your height, age, and activity level at 4000 Calories per day, you require a Metabolic Grade of 147.

That is, to eat 4000 Calories and not gain weight at your current weight/height, age, and activity level, that's the Metabolic Grade you would have to have, and it sounds like that this is what yours is currently.

That's blazing fast.

109 is considered moderate, 101 is considered slow, and 117 is considered fast. That's at NEUTRAL energy balance, eating the standard American diet, average amount of dairy, and no other factors that affect it.

Metabolic Grade = "Actual TDEE"/(RMR x Activity Factor)

It's not that uncommon for Metabolic Grades to get a bit high when bulking. When you're cutting, your metabolism will always be slower than when you're bulking even though you're not in starvation mode.

For my current weight/height, age, and if I had the same activity level as you:
To eat 4000 Calories per day and stay at the same weight, I would require a Metabolic Grade of 165.

That's 18 points higher than what you require.

[Simmo0508]

First of all, how is my diet poor? I haven't received one good reason why my diet is poor, besides overall lack of calories.

Second, how is my training frequency low? I am following a basic novice lifter's program that calls for 3 full-body workouts a week. These programs have produced very large people. Why should I **** with the frequency? I highly doubt that my body even has the capacity to recover enough to work out more than 3 days a week. I already had to substitute one of my days of squatting with front squatting because my legs can't handle max effort squatting 3 days a week anymore.

Like the dude above pointed out, it just lacks quality food choices, that's all. Eat the basics in each of your protein, carbs, and fats. 1 meal consists of 1 choice of each, with varying portion sizes depending on your caloric goal.

In your sample diet, you pretty much just had beef in one meal of your day. That meal #2 was the only passable thing i saw on there. There was nothing else really goin on. You gotta learn to eat tons of food and adjust your eating habits. It's often hard but it's worth it. It's a overall lifestyle change.

And with the training, why are you doin full body workouts?! Just wondering. Most people have tons of success doin the old "smash up one body part a day once a week" split. It allows you to focus on just one thing at a time, and train it to hell with high intensity. It's often hard to train every body part with the intensity it deserves, on a full body routine, and especially when you're starting out wanting to grow. Imo that is. That's why i mentioned train 4-5 or 6 times a week. I didn't mean train full body with that frequency.

[The_Animal11]

WHERE ARE TEH CARBZ????

seriously man, easiest and cheapest way to pack in calories and pack on pounds, EAT MORE CARBS!! you're at what, like 400ish for the day? if you have a fast metabolism, you can easily take another 100 and still be ok for a relatively nice bulk.

oh, and that dinner kinda sucks for a bodybuilding meal. wheres your meat?? you're telling me that for dinner you just eat buttered noodles?

you gotta hit up some other proteins man. chicken, fish, turkey, all you can get cheap, all are great sources of protein.

other carbs too! oats and whole wheat pasta (i'm assuming thats what it is if you think you're gettin 50g protein from it) are great but what about sweet potatoes, normal potatoes, brown rice, etc??

Are you allergic to peanuts? if so, i'm sorry, if not, GET SOME PEANUT BUTTER! heck if i wasnt in prep i would be destroying about a jar of that shizz a day!

[dborgula]

I'm new to this site so you can take what i have to say with a grain of salt. But i was in the same boat about 6 months ago eating something like 4500 calories day of the same bland food and crappy weight gainer and not gaining anything. you should listen to what these guys have to say about eating better foods. i decided to change up the diet for this bulk cycle, eating chicken, steak, tuna, shrimp, whole wheat bread, rice, potatos, cheerios for breakfast, a bunch of fruits and veggies and olive oil. i'm doing 50% protein 50% carbs 20%fat setup, it's a lot of cooking but it's worth it. i started off at 6'1 180 lbs and in 5 weeks i'm up to 186, nothing mind blowing, but it's weight and far as i can tell it's pretty lean, eating around 3600 cals a day. There's nothing wrong with a 3 full body workouts a week. also you don't need to beat yourself up with 3-6 sets per exercse either, hell you probably need more rest. i'm doing 2 sets per core exercise to failure and mix it up between low rep high weight and high rep low weight. you should be going up a rep per exercise every work out (log every workout). Over training is a bigger problem for hard gainers, so be careful. as far as supplements go i use MRI quick gainer when i don't have time to cook, Waxy maize, whey, flax, and creatine mono. If you're worried about cost: don't you live by a SAMS club or Costco or something? hell i can get 6 lbs chicken breast for 12 bux, and steak isn't much more. buy a bunch of spices and bust out the frying pan. i don't have a bunch of scientific facts to back my statements, and i as i said i am new so i don't have pics and stats up yet, but what i'm doing seems to work, and i'm actually enjoying the food i'm eating compared to choking the same crap down 5 - 6 times a day 6 months ago. Good luck man

[Blindead]

either eat more, lift more/lift harder or rest more. you can usually point to one of those three.

[mac520]

Well well well. + 4,000 calories and not gaining weight. Believe me bud, I have been down that road before. After looking at your diet I see you are lacking vegetables, fruits, and high quality protein. The simple reason why you are not gaining weight is you are not eating enough high quality foods. Calorie dense foods, food rich in vitamins and minerals. For breakfast you drink a protein shake, pre workout a measly amount of ground beef, and milk. You do not have enough variety in your diet. You are not eating good protein, and should vary your carbs. I will write down for you what I eat every day. This is not exact but it is pretty much what I have been eating the past couple o years. I suggest you try eating whole foods, as well as changing up carb, fat, and protein sources. It takes time to build up to eating this much but start slowly and over time, build up the calories per week.

I don't "just drink a protein shake for breakfast". My shake contains a whole banana and 1 cup of oats. How is my breakfast shake any different from having:

2 servings of oatmeal
1 banana
2 cups of milk (w/ 1 scoop whey).

All I'm doing is mixing it all together.

And also what is wrong with my pre-workout lunch? It gives me calories.

WHERE ARE TEH CARBZ????

seriously man, easiest and cheapest way to pack in calories and pack on pounds, EAT MORE CARBS!! you're at what, like 400ish for the day? if you have a fast metabolism, you can easily take another 100 and still be ok for a relatively nice bulk.

I'm actually eating over 500 a day. I'll try adding to it.

oh, and that dinner kinda sucks for a bodybuilding meal. wheres your meat?? you're telling me that for dinner you just eat buttered noodles?

What exactly is wrong with it? It has carbs, and fats, and protein. 51g of protein to be exact.

you gotta hit up some other proteins man. chicken, fish, turkey, all you can get cheap, all are great sources of protein.

Why is protein from milk, oats, pasta, beef, and cottage cheese not adequate? That's already five different sources. I'm already spending a lot of time preparing food I don't know if I can fit in cooking more meat.

other carbs too! oats and whole wheat pasta (i'm assuming thats what it is if you think you're gettin 50g protein from it) are great but what about sweet potatoes, normal potatoes, brown rice, etc??

Why? What's wrong with just oats and whole grain pasta? And I don't "think" I'm getting 51g of protein from my dinner, I *know* I am because I read the nutritional labels, portioned it all out, and measured it to be 51g.

Are you allergic to peanuts? if so, i'm sorry, if not, GET SOME PEANUT BUTTER! heck if i wasnt in prep i would be destroying about a jar of that shizz a day!

I'll try making peanut butter jelly sandwiches and added it to my daily diet. Should push me up to 4500.

[Tanulean]

CHICKEN ALFREDO FOR YOUR PASTA MEAL..... SO JEALOUS

Wish I could eat that

That is what I eat on my cheat meals almost always, or pizza.

[The_Animal11]

What exactly is wrong with it? It has carbs, and fats, and protein. 51g of protein to be exact.


Why is protein from milk, oats, pasta, beef, and cottage cheese not adequate? That's already five different sources. I'm already spending a lot of time preparing food I don't know if I can fit in cooking more meat.

the problem with using grains for your protein source is that they are not complete sources of protein (meaning they are missing essential aminos). the only type of protein you are eating that is a whole food is beef, once a day. thats my issue with it. foods like chicken, fish, and other animal sources (including the beef you DO eat) contains all of the amino acids that your body needs, whereas grains like pasta and oats do not. now, overall its entirely possible to get all the aminos you need from plant sources, but you have to combine them (meaning add something like beans or legumes to your diet) in order to obtain all of the aminos you need.

again, just my .02, take it or leave it! but in general, if youve been stuck at the same weight that long, ya HAVE to change something, and its worth a shot right?

[mac520]

the problem with using grains for your protein source is that they are not complete sources of protein (meaning they are missing essential aminos). the only type of protein you are eating that is a whole food is beef, once a day. thats my issue with it. foods like chicken, fish, and other animal sources (including the beef you DO eat) contains all of the amino acids that your body needs, whereas grains like pasta and oats do not. now, overall its entirely possible to get all the aminos you need from plant sources, but you have to combine them (meaning add something like beans or legumes to your diet) in order to obtain all of the aminos you need.

again, just my .02, take it or leave it! but in general, if youve been stuck at the same weight that long, ya HAVE to change something, and its worth a shot right?

True, but wouldn't the incomplete proteins from all of the non-meat sources I am eating combine to form complete proteins? Because I don't JUST eat oats. I eat oats, pasta, beef, milk, and cottage cheese.

I'll try adding half a dozen eggs a day to my diet.

[Simmo0508]

Oats & pasta are carb sources mate. You don't eat them for the protein first n foremost. Know what i mean? Sure it has a bit of protein in it, but it's not why we eat it. It's an incomplete protein like the guy above said.

You base a meal around a source of protein, a source of carbs, some EFAs, and that's it. That's a complete meal. You do that x times per day with varying portion sizes and caloric contents of each, pertaining to your goals.

Get used to eating things like eggs, chicken, fish, steak, tuna, cottage cheese, whey powder, on a daily basis in order to comprise your protein intake totals. They're bodybuilding staples when it comes to protein.

[BadBoySouth]

Shorten the length of your workouts and stop burning so many calories. Put in 30-45 minutes with a decent amount of time in between sets.

[xl Achilles lx]

You guys do know that certain incomplete protein sources can combine with others to form complete protein sources right? At 4k calories/day, I highly doubt that it's the incomplete protein sources that are hindering his results.

[Colawa]

are you sure thats 4000 man? spread across just 4 meals, too

I am currently eating 6+ cups of rice (aka a lot of damn rice!!!), 3 LARGE chicken breasts, a whole gallon of milk, 2 bagels and more per day, but what I listed is about 4500 cals and I'm FINALLY gaining weight around the 210 mark, and thats all spread out across 4 or 5 meals, a bunch of mugs of milk, PLUS pre and post WO shakes that I didnt even include... maybe you are around the same, your numbers do seem to add up but you might have to get over your disliking for rice and potatoes, they're simply great sources of carbs!

but as everyone says just eating more is the simple solution


...and wait, whats this about milk protein is bad/useless?!

[barbarian1543]

Digestion:
chew your food more
be in a positive mood while eating
relax after eating for 15mins

[The Shoeless Wonder]

try CL's black hole. I have read some positive reviews on it. Check it out.

[hypnotikk]

dang dude, what was your diet like BEFORE you started training???

[matty666]

Have you heard of the term 'Metamorph'

**** me dead i wish i could eat 4000 calories and not put on weight

[mac520]

Oats & pasta are carb sources mate. You don't eat them for the protein first n foremost. Know what i mean? Sure it has a bit of protein in it, but it's not why we eat it. It's an incomplete protein like the guy above said.

You base a meal around a source of protein, a source of carbs, some EFAs, and that's it. That's a complete meal. You do that x times per day with varying portion sizes and caloric contents of each, pertaining to your goals.

Get used to eating things like eggs, chicken, fish, steak, tuna, cottage cheese, whey powder, on a daily basis in order to comprise your protein intake totals. They're bodybuilding staples when it comes to protein.

It would be impossible for me to get a complete protein, a carb, and EFAs in every single meal.

are you sure thats 4000 man? spread across just 4 meals, too

Yes, I have counted.

dang dude, what was your diet like BEFORE you started training???

I was about 115 lbs and ate approximately 1000-2000 calories a day.

[Simmo0508]

Why?