4000+ calories a day and still not gaining

[mac520]

Is it really necessary to worry about getting balanced meals throughout the day, or just worry about what they add up to at the end of the day? Everything I have read on this site seems to indicate the latter.

Alright, so given my diet of:

Breakfast (15g fat/131g carbs/51g protein)
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup oats
1 large banana
1 scoop whey
1 oz. honey

Pre-workout (28/53/49)
1/4 lb ground beef
1 whole wheat bun
2 cups 2% milk

Post-workout (15/131/51)
Same as breakfast shake

Dinner (40/159/51)
200g pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups 2% milk

Pre-bed (18/55/50)
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup 4% cottage cheese
1/2 cup yogurt

Total: 4168 calories (116/529/252)

How would you recommend I tweak it to get complete proteins and EFAs?

By the way, I take a 1g fish oil pill with every meal I just didn't write it down.

[suburbanPSYCHO]

everyone seems to be throwing in there 2 cents, here goes this. I can't tell you the exact science breakdown but what I can tell you is just following what has worked forever for bodybuilding really does work. I tried doing it my own way for a long time and it wasn't until I just followed what has worked for everyone else now and in the past, that I saw results. complex carbs and carbs, the protein from meat sources that they keep bringing up as well as what your eating now (more protein the better), vegetables as well as anything else you can get your hands on when bulking. Not sure how long you have done it but it is going to take time. Be patient. Also workout a little more. If it means busting out pushups till you can't do anymore here and there randomly during the day do it. pull ups are huge too. I'm not saying become mindless but sometimes you have to just stop asking and do. sucks, i know.

[reefpicker]

Is it really necessary to worry about getting balanced meals throughout the day, or just worry about what they add up to at the end of the day? Everything I have read on this site seems to indicate the latter.

Alright, so given my diet of:

Breakfast (15g fat/131g carbs/51g protein)
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup oats
1 large banana
1 scoop whey
1 oz. honey

Pre-workout (28/53/49)
1/4 lb ground beef
1 whole wheat bun
2 cups 2% milk

Post-workout (15/131/51)
Same as breakfast shake

Dinner (40/159/51)
200g pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups 2% milk

Pre-bed (18/55/50)
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup 4% cottage cheese
1/2 cup yogurt

Total: 4168 calories (116/529/252)

How would you recommend I tweak it to get complete proteins and EFAs?

By the way, I take a 1g fish oil pill with every meal I just didn't write it down.

I see a lot of milk and milk derivatives. Only one serving of meat. No eggs. No veggies. Very little carbs.

The reason you are feeling that your shakes over-fill you is because they are a lot of liquid. I would substitute the cup of milk with half a cup of yogurt, which is more dense.

Try to switch your fruits around. Bananas are not the only fruits.

I would also snack more. Add some nuts to your diet and snack on them...

No PB? You don't like PB?

Fish is cheap. Tuna is not that expensive. You can buy Tilapia and try to flavor it by frying in a 50/50 olive oil and butter.... Pepper and salt... mmm


Eat corn, peas, or w/e starchy vegetable you might like. Carbs are important for long workouts.

I honestly can't see the 4k calories but I will take your word for it. I think that if you take out the ton of milk you drink, I probably eat a lot more than you and their are days I barely break the 2.5k target that I should have....

But all in all, you have gained some weight. Slow and steady is the best way to approach your goal.

[cheece2007]

just gota eat more man... thats it

[MikeCellucor]

Water...gallon a day. Multi-V as well. Also, try a multi-enzyme with betaine HCL. This will improve digestion. Try Massive Eating by John Berardi. This was the most beneficial mass diet I have ever used. Just hard to prep foods with work now, but in college it was cake.

[mac520]

Very little carbs.

Again, not sure why this keeps coming up. I am eating over 500g a day in carbs.

The reason you are feeling that your shakes over-fill you is because they are a lot of liquid. I would substitute the cup of milk with half a cup of yogurt, which is more dense.

I tried this today, the shake tasted better, but you're wrong about yogurt being more dense. 1 cup of yogurt = 130 calories; 1 cup 2% milk = 130 calories.

I honestly can't see the 4k calories but I will take your word for it. I think that if you take out the ton of milk you drink, I probably eat a lot more than you and their are days I barely break the 2.5k target that I should have....

I counted everything using the nutrition labels so I am 100% confident I have the number of calories right within a certain margin of error.[/quote]

[balanced227]

eat more near bedtime. shift your cals towards pm.

[Tanulean]

Also, eat some chicken with your pasta for good protein source.

[betimiglive]

if you are a teen or taller its hard to get mass i have the same problem i cant get any kg

[Simmo0508]

if you are a teen or taller its hard to get mass i have the same problem i cant get any kg

No it's not. That's just an excuse you're using.

[The_Animal_79]

add a weight gainer to your diet such as cytogainer or up your mass, take them twice a day WITH milk, this will help a lot.. Also train heavier specially your legs, do deadlifts at least once a week to get more mass on your body.

[CapnPowerMonger]

Its not that hard. Your diet isnt bad, you need more protein in your dinner meal IMO.Three things to use:

1. Olive Oil - Add a tbsp to each meal, two if you have to later
2. Heavy Cream - Add this to your shakes and take a tbsp with some other meals
3. Weight Gainer Post workout - Take in about 200g of carbs post workout if you can hold it down, this can be high sugar, make sure you have enough protein also. This is a very important meal. Weight gainers at other times of the day are better at fat gaining than lean gains IMO.

Dont make it so complicated, do those things and see if the scale starts moving. Also remember that you don't want the scale to move too much, that means fat gain, and being "skinny fat" you don't want much of that. Some is unavoidable, but you should never be gaining 2-3 lbs a week. 1 is great and probably still means you are putting on a little fat.

[reefpicker]

Again, not sure why this keeps coming up. I am eating over 500g a day in carbs.

There are different types of carbs. You could be getting all of them from sugar, from bread, etc. What you want (and lack) is variety. Maybe this is the problem. The diet looks weak in general because it is not varied. Calorie-wise it might work. But it is just not something you will be able to keep up for long. Variety is the spice of life.

I tried this today, the shake tasted better, but you're wrong about yogurt being more dense. 1 cup of yogurt = 130 calories; 1 cup 2% milk = 130 calories.

It depends on the Yogurt. If its low-fat, most of those 130 calories will come from added sugar.

I do not drink cow's milk, so that's why I wasn't sure about the calorie content of milk vs. yogurt. But with soy milk, it is very different. 1 cup of soy milk = 100 cal, with 7g of protein. 1 cup of yogurt = 120 calories, with 13g of protein.

Also some yogurts are more caloric than others It depends if its low-fat, plain, etc.

I counted everything using the nutrition labels so I am 100% confident I have the number of calories right within a certain margin of error.

Maybe, but you are getting how many from shakes?

I bet if you make those calories whole-meals, you will gain more weight and mass.

Either way, I stand by my original posting and I re-iterate again: you have gained mass.

And how long have you been doing this? one month?

Patience... Keep at it... You will see, it will pay off on the long run!

[mac520]

I started taking creatine 3 days ago and I gained 3 lbs since. Wow. I know this isn't all muscle, in fact, it's probably all water, but it was a relief just to see the scale move.

I added a can of tuna to my pasta dish the other day and it tasted great. 77 cents for an additional 140 calories from protein. I think I'll do that every day since it's only like $5/week.

I do not drink cow's milk, so that's why I wasn't sure about the calorie content of milk vs. yogurt. But with soy milk, it is very different. 1 cup of soy milk = 100 cal, with 7g of protein. 1 cup of yogurt = 120 calories, with 13g of protein.

I wish they had yogurt like that where I live. I buy store brand harris teeter yogurt and it's 17g carbs, 6g protein per 1 cup.

[reefpicker]

I wish they had yogurt like that where I live. I buy store brand harris teeter yogurt and it's 17g carbs, 6g protein per 1 cup.

wow, thats crappy.

I buy mine at walmart (usually walmart's brand) but the other day I got one from safeway at a discounted price and it had 9g of protein per cup with 140 cal, 20 of which is fat.

Alan Aragon has said (at least in the stickies I think) that we should avoid fats pre-workout. But its such a small quantity that I don't care. But I do buy my yogurt fat-free, plain, with the least sugar content I can get.

[Quickfire]

Your diet is poor and your training frequency is too low imo.

[christian_adams]

I don't see a problem with the gains you have accomplished. Your muscles will get more dense before they get bigger. Building takes time, period. If everyone could gain 8lbs. of lean muscle a month with lifting and dieting then there wouldn't be such a large demand for steroids. Train hard and eat the best you can, the visual gains will come. As far as your plateau effect, try switching up your routine or concentrate more on your secondary or support muscles. (A plateau in your bench may be your body's way of telling you that your shoulders aren't ready for the extra weight.

[Renovatio925]

You just need a few tweaks:

-Only count complete sources of protein
-Add at least a cup of vegetables to your daily diet
-Add at least one more variety of protein, be it chicken, turkey, ham, eggs something!
-Try a digestive enzyme to better utilize the nutrition from your food. NOW has a great one called super enzymes and they have done wonders for me.

My last advice is to look at your stool. If your taking in the excess calories needed to build muscle it should be fluffy and pass easily. If your not passing close to 12 inches of healthy excrement then you need to seriously revamp your diet.

[tsaiwins]

lol seriously.. mac you complain way too much.. ppl give you good advice, learn to take it in. you also care too much about what you see on the scale, not what you see in the mirror.

[nholtnholt]

That dinner meal is terrible

[JaredPunch]

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.

You're are putting on weight
You were 161 on 1/12 and 165 on 2/12
What do you expect? On average most people can gain max 2 lbs of muscle of month.
If they gain 4lbs a month it's 2lbs of muscle and 2lbs of fat. If they gain 8lbs a month it's 2lbs of muscle and 6lbs of fat.
You're gaining like expected.

[ThousandEyes]

You're are putting on weight
You were 161 on 1/12 and 165 on 2/12
What do you expect? On average most people can gain max 2 lbs of muscle of month.
If they gain 4lbs a month it's 2lbs of muscle and 2lbs of fat. If they gain 8lbs a month it's 2lbs of muscle and 6lbs of fat.
You're gaining like expected.

I'm sure he'll check back after 4 years

[davidolson22]

I also can't do rows or pull-ups because I can't figure out how to utilize my back and not my arms.

I believe arms are required for both of those exercises.

[davidolson22]

Ah, poop, necro threaded.

[SaganX]

Peanut butter. Put it in shakes, sandwiches, on sweet potatoes.. eat it straight. It's not that hard. It's incredibly calorie dense and tasty.. you can eat 1/4th a jar without even noticing. Do this, and you will gain weight, if not, just give up on life and lifting because it's obviously not meant for you.

[tara19]

Peanut butter. Put it in shakes, sandwiches, on sweet potatoes.. eat it straight. It's not that hard. It's incredibly calorie dense and tasty.. you can eat 1/4th a jar without even noticing. Do this, and you will gain weight, if not, just give up on life and lifting because it's obviously not meant for you.

Lets hope in four years he learnt to put on weight.

[JaredPunch]

I'm sure he'll check back after 4 years

someone bumped this -_-

[nholtnholt]

I was doing a search for high calorie meals and responded.

[InItForFitness]

I was doing a search for high calorie meals and responded.

It's only been 3 and 1/2 months since that guy posted...I'm sure he was still waiting for your response.
Congratulations...you officially revived the same zombie thread twice...
You deserve some kind of award.