Trying to Bulk, critique please

[lovely_89]

My stats-
5' 11"
157lb
ectomorph (so hard to gain weight)

After experimenting with how much I can eat, how much I can workout and researching alot on this site and Arnies BB book, I have put together what I believe to be a great bulking plan. Here is what I had in mind-

Workout days-

Vitamins= 1 multi (all day), fish oil, evening primrose, flaxseed oi and zinc
Dinner= 1 potatoe, half a carrot, half cup peas, corn coblet, chicken or steak

07.30- Wake Up

08.00 Meal 1- Oats, Protein shake (WPI), glass of milk, vitamins

10.00 Meal 2- Penutbutter sandwhich (1 serve PB and 1 slice multigrain bread), handful almonds

10.10 - WORKOUT

12.00 Meal 3- 3 eggs, protein shake (WPI), glass of milk, 25g dextrose, vitamins

2.00 Meal 4- Rissoto- tuna, onion and brown rice, 50g of tuna

4.00 Meal 5- 1 crumbed fish, greens, 1 boiled egg

6.00 Meal 6- tuna

8.00 Meal 7- Dinner, vitamins

9.30 Meal 8- yogurt and banana

10.00- BED

2.00am Meal 9- Protein shake (WPC(slow release) or stick with WPI??)

-Should be noted- not sure about my 2am protein shake.. should it be wpi or slow release?? and i know i have alot of fat but its all good stuff so shouldn't be an issue and i tried to limit the carbs to early in the day.. except the potatoes which is the only carbs (large amount) after 2pm

Stats from Fitday-
(attachments)

My workout is-
Day 1-
Squats- 5x5
Bench- 5x5
Bent over rows- 5x5
3x10 or failure-
Dips, Hypers and Wrist curls

Day 2-
Squats- 2x5
Military- 5x5
Deadlift- 5x5
3x10 or failure-
Curls, Chinups, Calfs and situps

and of course the days are rotated and workout 3 days a week... and my pure goal is mass and strength not worrying too much about fat..
thnkz

[RePz]

Seems pretty solid to me. I gained 40lbs in a year on less well thought out food (didnt have a washboard abs, but I still saw abs), with shakes in between. I did mostly low sets and reps to failure, my arms were murdered by stretchmarks.

[lovely_89]

Seems pretty solid to me. I gained 40lbs in a year on less well thought out food (didnt have a washboard abs, but I still saw abs), with shakes in between. I did mostly low sets and reps to failure, my arms were murdered by stretchmarks.

That is sweet man.. i plan on getting similar results if all goes well. Will report back in a year : )

[NorwegianGuy92]

I would drop the 2am protein shake, you will get more out of actually sleeping at that time, then waking up to have a shake! Your body needs sleep!

And btw, do you have a link to that food template thing?

[Hymn]

Ignore anything 'bodygain' said.

[Ravish]

Dextrose is pointless after post-workout, its been proven to be useless as long as you have ate enough carbs pre-workout. Perhaps some protein and grinded oats instead, and even then that is subject to debate.

You have listed your diet at very specific times, kind of overboard isn't it? Stick to the basics, try and get 6 meals a day, 3 hours apart. Write down everything you eat for 2 weeks and then assess how many cal's you are getting and improve from there. Have a look at this thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3749901

Don't be waking up in the middle of the night to drink a shake. Instead aim to get enough cal's in your meals and ensure you are getting 8 hrs of sleep every night.

[lovely_89]

I would drop the 2am protein shake, you will get more out of actually sleeping at that time, then waking up to have a shake! Your body needs sleep!

And btw, do you have a link to that food template thing?

yea its at fitday.com

i am already getting 9.5 hours sleep and the drink will be on my bedside table in a flask all ready : ) my body is deprived of protein for 9.5 hours shouldnt it get some protein so work with??

[lovely_89]

Dextrose is pointless after post-workout, its been proven to be useless as long as you have ate enough carbs pre-workout. Perhaps some protein and grinded oats instead, and even then that is subject to debate.

You have listed your diet at very specific times, kind of overboard isn't it? Stick to the basics, try and get 6 meals a day, 3 hours apart. Write down everything you eat for 2 weeks and then assess how many cal's you are getting and improve from there. Have a look at this thread:

Don't be waking up in the middle of the night to drink a shake. Instead aim to get enough cal's in your meals and ensure you are getting 8 hrs of sleep every night.

this is just workout days... other days i just eat heaps of meals and make sure i never get full.. but still clean food.

im gettin 9 and a half hours sleep!!! i have the protein shake next to my bed in a flask to drink in 5 secs.. then go straight back to sleep. my body is deprived of protein for 9 hours shouldnt it just get some more to work with??

[RePz]

Lol at some of the comments. Whats your total calorie count per day/week/month? Keep a record of that- its just as improtant as how much weight you lifted in your log.

Small meals every 3 to 4 hours is good. It will be harder for your body to take the excess calories to fat if its reduced in portion, and the division of food also helps eliminate hunger from the otherwise small meals.

[Fifty+]

My stats-
5' 11"
157lb
ectomorph (so hard to gain weight)

After experimenting with how much I can eat, how much I can workout and researching alot on this site and Arnies BB book, I have put together what I believe to be a great bulking plan. Here is what I had in mind-

Workout days-

Vitamins= 1 multi (all day), fish oil, evening primrose, flaxseed oi and zinc
Dinner= 1 potatoe, half a carrot, half cup peas, corn coblet, chicken or steak

07.30- Wake Up

08.00 Meal 1- Oats, Protein shake (WPI), glass of milk, vitamins

10.00 Meal 2- Penutbutter sandwhich (1 serve PB and 1 slice multigrain bread), handful almonds

10.10 - WORKOUT

12.00 Meal 3- 3 eggs, protein shake (WPI), glass of milk, 25g dextrose, vitamins

2.00 Meal 4- Rissoto- tuna, onion and brown rice, 50g of tuna

4.00 Meal 5- 1 crumbed fish, greens, 1 boiled egg

6.00 Meal 6- tuna

8.00 Meal 7- Dinner, vitamins

9.30 Meal 8- yogurt and banana

10.00- BED

2.00am Meal 9- Protein shake (WPC(slow release) or stick with WPI??)

-Should be noted- not sure about my 2am protein shake.. should it be wpi or slow release?? and i know i have alot of fat but its all good stuff so shouldn't be an issue and i tried to limit the carbs to early in the day.. except the potatoes which is the only carbs (large amount) after 2pm

Stats from Fitday-
(attachments)

My workout is-
Day 1-
Squats- 5x5
Bench- 5x5
Bent over rows- 5x5
3x10 or failure-
Dips, Hypers and Wrist curls

Day 2-
Squats- 2x5
Military- 5x5
Deadlift- 5x5
3x10 or failure-
Curls, Chinups, Calfs and situps

and of course the days are rotated and workout 3 days a week... and my pure goal is mass and strength not worrying too much about fat..
thnkz

You've developed a nice schedule. Give it 100%, be consistant and you'll do very well. A couple of suggestions regarding the nutrition plan. You don't need the almonds after the PB sandwich. Add a glass of l/f milk to it for the protein. If you can get use to eating foods that aren't crumbed or have usless crap baked or fried on them, do so. Instead of the yogurt (sugar) and the banana (sugar) before bed, have a 1/2 cup of l/f cottage cheese with a tsp. of PB. then you won't have to worry about the 2am feeding. Your sleep is far more important. Good luck with your goals.

[brocksanders]

My stats-
5' 11"
157lb
ectomorph (so hard to gain weight)

After experimenting with how much I can eat, how much I can workout and researching alot on this site and Arnies BB book, I have put together what I believe to be a great bulking plan. Here is what I had in mind-

Workout days-

Vitamins= 1 multi (all day), fish oil, evening primrose, flaxseed oi and zinc
Dinner= 1 potatoe, half a carrot, half cup peas, corn coblet, chicken or steak

07.30- Wake Up

08.00 Meal 1- Oats, Protein shake (WPI), glass of milk, vitamins

10.00 Meal 2- Penutbutter sandwhich (1 serve PB and 1 slice multigrain bread), handful almonds

10.10 - WORKOUT

12.00 Meal 3- 3 eggs, protein shake (WPI), glass of milk, 25g dextrose, vitamins

2.00 Meal 4- Rissoto- tuna, onion and brown rice, 50g of tuna

4.00 Meal 5- 1 crumbed fish, greens, 1 boiled egg

6.00 Meal 6- tuna

8.00 Meal 7- Dinner, vitamins

9.30 Meal 8- yogurt and banana

10.00- BED

2.00am Meal 9- Protein shake (WPC(slow release) or stick with WPI??)

-Should be noted- not sure about my 2am protein shake.. should it be wpi or slow release?? and i know i have alot of fat but its all good stuff so shouldn't be an issue and i tried to limit the carbs to early in the day.. except the potatoes which is the only carbs (large amount) after 2pm

Stats from Fitday-
(attachments)

My workout is-
Day 1-
Squats- 5x5
Bench- 5x5
Bent over rows- 5x5
3x10 or failure-
Dips, Hypers and Wrist curls

Day 2-
Squats- 2x5
Military- 5x5
Deadlift- 5x5
3x10 or failure-
Curls, Chinups, Calfs and situps

and of course the days are rotated and workout 3 days a week... and my pure goal is mass and strength not worrying too much about fat..
thnkz

That looks pretty good... as you start to follow your diet you will change things and learn what works better for you or worst... Diets are hard to just jump on and completely change over night.


One thing that I would personally recommend (I'm sure some may disagree with me on this) but with it being hard for you to gain weight you always want have calories goin in...even when you are sleeping...assuming you get a full 8 hours of sleep (which you should) you're body is still going 8 hours without any nutrition.. One of the most helpful and easy changes iv ever made to my diet was taking a protein shake right before i went to bed..that way you don't wake up starving with your body on empty. some may say this is bad because you are not burning anything and you will develop fat however I'm assuming it is hard for you to put fat on as it is and right now you are concerned about bulking so this shouldn't be a problem..

casein protein is a good protein for this. takes longer to digest than whey.

[ironwill2008]

You've developed a nice schedule. Give it 100%, be consistant and you'll do very well. A couple of suggestions regarding the nutrition plan. You don't need the almonds after the PB sandwich. Add a glass of l/f milk to it for the protein. If you can get use to eating foods that aren't crumbed or have usless crap baked or fried on them, do so. Instead of the yogurt (sugar) and the banana (sugar) before bed, have a 1/2 cup of l/f cottage cheese with a tsp. of PB. then you won't have to worry about the 2am feeding. Your sleep is far more important. Good luck with your goals.

^^^^This; solid advice, OP.

[x Idealist x]

Like Mentioned before stay consistant with your diet. Everyone will react differently to the number of Calories they are taking in. I would weigh yourself once a week at the same time if in that week your numbers go up like you want keep things the same if the scale won't budge add 50-100 more calories and if they go up too much cut out some.

Good Advice above about eating before bed, It is the best thing that I have done as well mostly because I am not hungary during the night, Cottage Cheese is also a good and cheap pre bed meal, the only time you should eat during the night is if you are already up but like said before sleep in the long run is much more beneficial then eating at night.

[lovely_89]

Ignore anything 'bodygain' said.

haha will do

Lol at some of the comments. Whats your total calorie count per day/week/month? Keep a record of that- its just as improtant as how much weight you lifted in your log.

Small meals every 3 to 4 hours is good. It will be harder for your body to take the excess calories to fat if its reduced in portion, and the division of food also helps eliminate hunger from the otherwise small meals.

I havnt looked at calorie count past 1 day yet, ill keep track of everything on non workout days and weekends too.

You've developed a nice schedule. Give it 100%, be consistant and you'll do very well. A couple of suggestions regarding the nutrition plan. You don't need the almonds after the PB sandwich. Add a glass of l/f milk to it for the protein. If you can get use to eating foods that aren't crumbed or have usless crap baked or fried on them, do so. Instead of the yogurt (sugar) and the banana (sugar) before bed, have a 1/2 cup of l/f cottage cheese with a tsp. of PB. then you won't have to worry about the 2am feeding. Your sleep is far more important. Good luck with your goals.

no almonds?? ill consider it but i feel im having enough milk, unless i take out the 2am drink.
im thinking about taking out the crumbed fish and having the lean stuff. maybe i could replace the almonds with yoghurt and then have the cottage cheese and pb before bed?? ill figure it out lol

That looks pretty good... as you start to follow your diet you will change things and learn what works better for you or worst... Diets are hard to just jump on and completely change over night.


One thing that I would personally recommend (I'm sure some may disagree with me on this) but with it being hard for you to gain weight you always want have calories goin in...even when you are sleeping...assuming you get a full 8 hours of sleep (which you should) you're body is still going 8 hours without any nutrition.. One of the most helpful and easy changes iv ever made to my diet was taking a protein shake right before i went to bed..that way you don't wake up starving with your body on empty. some may say this is bad because you are not burning anything and you will develop fat however I'm assuming it is hard for you to put fat on as it is and right now you are concerned about bulking so this shouldn't be a problem..

casein protein is a good protein for this. takes longer to digest than whey.

yes this is a diet that has been changed alot so far!! ill be getting 9 hours sleep assuming a good 30 mins to get to sleep and the protein shake will be prepared in a flask next to my bed so no sleep will be lost and i do want to gain weight.

Of all the articles you could have plagarized, why in the hell would you pick this one? Horrible advice all around.

what a douch bag... haha

Like Mentioned before stay consistant with your diet. Everyone will react differently to the number of Calories they are taking in. I would weigh yourself once a week at the same time if in that week your numbers go up like you want keep things the same if the scale won't budge add 50-100 more calories and if they go up too much cut out some.

Good Advice above about eating before bed, It is the best thing that I have done as well mostly because I am not hungary during the night, Cottage Cheese is also a good and cheap pre bed meal, the only time you should eat during the night is if you are already up but like said before sleep in the long run is much more beneficial then eating at night.

i wont be losing more than 2 mins sleep, there will be a flask beside my bed and i can go back to sleep fast... but ill try cottage cheese for now

[Cyclist8]

This isnt a bad article to look at, http://www.tmuscle.com/readArticle.do?id=1268956

[lovely_89]

This isnt a bad article to look at, tmuscle.com/readArticle.do?id=1268956

Yer good article and i agree to a point... its just im small so i want to get big before i cut.... also im not eating junk food.. its all clean and its actually the same calorie intake the page suggests!!

[Cyclist8]

Yer good article and i agree to a point... its just im small so i want to get big before i cut.... also im not eating junk food.. its all clean and its actually the same calorie intake the page suggests!!

I agree man, I just wanted to point it out because I thought it was interesting. I am actually very similar in size and I am also bulking right now. I have already gained 10lbs!!

[lovely_89]

I agree man, I just wanted to point it out because I thought it was interesting. I am actually very similar in size and I am also bulking right now. I have already gained 10lbs!!

good work.. i just started strictly today.. been experimenting for like a month..

[SledgeHammer01]

You wake up in the middle of the night to down a protein shake? Wow. Thats hardcore. I haven't seen that kind of dedication since that one dude became g@y just for the extra protein .

[lovely_89]

You wake up in the middle of the night to down a protein shake? Wow. Thats hardcore. I haven't seen that kind of dedication since that one dude became g@y just for the extra protein .

its not like its difficult.. set alarm, wake up, skull drink fall straight back to sleep!! wtf people!! if this dont give me the results i want i will take it to the next level

[zephed56]

My workout is-
Day 1-
Squats- 5x5
Bench- 5x5
Bent over rows- 5x5
3x10 or failure-
Dips, Hypers and Wrist curls

Day 2-
Squats- 2x5
Military- 5x5
Deadlift- 5x5
3x10 or failure-
Curls, Chinups, Calfs and situps

and of course the days are rotated and workout 3 days a week... and my pure goal is mass and strength not worrying too much about fat..
thnkz

This is nearly Starting Strength, with the barbell rows subbed for cleans, with more volume on squats than is needed, and WAAAAAAAAAAAY more volume on deads.

I predict you will stall sooner on this (and progress much slower) than if you just ran SS. If you're dead set on the squat arrangement (are you adding weight on day 2?), I would make sure the deadlift volume is reduced dramatically. If you're squatting 3x a week you don't need much DL volume to keep progressing on it. Stick with 1 set of 5.

I'd also suggest you learn how to do a power clean. It's not that hard and you can teach yourself. And last thing, do your chins before you do curls.

[jmoodster]

you gotta stick with the staples like chicken breasts, lean cuts of beef, oats, brown rice, potatoes and pastas. Those foods will get you BIG

[lovely_89]

This is nearly Starting Strength, with the barbell rows subbed for cleans, with more volume on squats than is needed, and WAAAAAAAAAAAY more volume on deads.

I predict you will stall sooner on this (and progress much slower) than if you just ran SS. If you're dead set on the squat arrangement (are you adding weight on day 2?), I would make sure the deadlift volume is reduced dramatically. If you're squatting 3x a week you don't need much DL volume to keep progressing on it. Stick with 1 set of 5.

I'd also suggest you learn how to do a power clean. It's not that hard and you can teach yourself. And last thing, do your chins before you do curls.

ive took your advice and have cut alot of the volume back... still tough assss workout!! getting good gains... so far..

ive already gained 15kg on my 5rm squat!!
15kg on my 5rm deadlift
6 on military press
7 on bench
5 on rows

verry happpy so far!!