How to gain mass while losing belly fat?

[ImDaMan]

Ok, so I've been in the 195-210ish range for several months now. I decided to take stuff seriously and really push for some added mass. I don't eat pizza or many fried foods and I mostly consume water or an occasional energy drink. I've managed to gain 10+ pounds in the last 2 weeks. While I see new muscle development all over, I now have a belly protruding for the first time ever! Wtf! How many calories should I be eating to gain without going over excess? How much cardio should I do?

[ironwill2008]

Ok, so I've been in the 195-210ish range for several months now. I decided to take stuff seriously and really push for some added mass. I don't eat pizza or many fried foods and I mostly consume water or an occasional energy drink. I've managed to gain 10+ pounds in the last 2 weeks. While I see new muscle development all over, I now have a belly protruding for the first time ever! Wtf! How many calories should I be eating to gain without going over excess? How much cardio should I do?

Do enough cardio to maintain your heart and lung health, not in an attempt to control your body composition; that's the job of calorie discipline.




*No requirement for supplements at your level; learn how to eat first. This thread will explain all the steps to figure your baseline of required protein, fat, carbs, and calories:
*Emma-Leigh's calorie/macro thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981



Buy an inexpensive digital food scale (~$30 at any big-box discount store), weigh your portions, and track them here: http://fitday.com

[mjf100215]

Ok, so I've been in the 195-210ish range for several months now. I decided to take stuff seriously and really push for some added mass. I don't eat pizza or many fried foods and I mostly consume water or an occasional energy drink. I've managed to gain 10+ pounds in the last 2 weeks. While I see new muscle development all over, I now have a belly protruding for the first time ever! Wtf! How many calories should I be eating to gain without going over excess? How much cardio should I do?

You're too high over maint. Reduce your cals to just a bit over maint and bulk with minimal fat added. So, if you haven't, go to the nutrition stickies and figure out what you need to live and eat a bit over that.


^^^ Damn wizards in this place!

[Jasonk282]

you should have your calories straighten out to begin with. go with consuming 200-300 over your maintence level which will gain you size but keep your fat levels low.

Seems you've been winging it in this department.

[SuffolkPunch]

You won't lose fat while bulking by the way. Choose one goal or the other and select an appropriate calorie level.

[davisj3537]

Unless you are a total noob (profile pic says otherwise) you can't really gain mass and lose fat.

Edit: My point has already been sniped off.

[ImDaMan]

Yeah, I'm not a n00b as far as lifting goes, but my diet has always been random. I've always had the fortune of being able to eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted and not really gaining weight or gaining fat. Although, it's only been recently that I've really tried focusing on gaining serious mass. I've been pounding my body with Oats, Peanut Butter, Beans, Nuts, Tuna, Avocados, Bananas, Sardines, Bread, Turkey Breast, Eggs, Potatos, etc. I figured because I stayed away from "junk" food I'd just gain muscle and end up like Flex Wheeler... LMAO.

Thanks for the advice, ya'll.

[SuffolkPunch]

I figured because I stayed away from "junk" food I'd just gain muscle and end up like Flex Wheeler... LMAO.

No... your body cannot tell the difference between "junk" food and other food. That is just a label applied by those ignorant of how the body works.

All foods break down into amino acids, free fatty acids and glucose inside your body. Their original source is irrelevant.

If you are counting calories, ensuring you meet minimum levels of protein, fat, micronutrients and fiber then you can eat what you want.

[lucidz]

Ok, so I've been in the 195-210ish range for several months now. I decided to take stuff seriously and really push for some added mass. I don't eat pizza or many fried foods and I mostly consume water or an occasional energy drink. I've managed to gain 10+ pounds in the last 2 weeks. While I see new muscle development all over, I now have a belly protruding for the first time ever! Wtf! How many calories should I be eating to gain without going over excess? How much cardio should I do?

Holy **** man. 10 lbs in 2 weeks? You realize thats like 9 lbs of fat?

Dude I am practically fasting today because I realized I was overdid it on calories the last 3 days. And I'm on a bulk.

[ImDaMan]

Holy **** man. 10 lbs in 2 weeks? You realize thats like 9 lbs of fat?

Dude I am practically fasting today because I realized I was overdid it on calories the last 3 days. And I'm on a bulk.

Yeah man you're telling me. I've been pounding more water than usual, though. Maybe a little water weight? I'm scared to eat now lol.

[Jasonk282]

Yeah man you're telling me. I've been pounding more water than usual, though. Maybe a little water weight? I'm scared to eat now lol.

not that fukin much. find out your correct calories. got a smart phone? download myfitnesspal app.

[djeffreys]

not that fukin much. find out your correct calories. got a smart phone? download myfitnesspal app.

Agreed, but don't go by their calorie estimations. Use the above linked thread from the nutrition forum here to determine calories/macronutrient requirements, and just use the MFP app to track your food. The MFP calorie estimator was not very good for me, and many others on there seem to have the same issue.

[Jasonk282]

Agreed, but don't go by their calorie estimations. Use the above linked thread from the nutrition forum here to determine calories/macronutrient requirements, and just use the MFP app to track your food. The MFP calorie estimator was not very good for me, and many others on there seem to have the same issue.

you can edit your calories to whatever you need them to be om mfp

[lucidz]

you can edit your calories to whatever you need them to be om mfp

Agreed that MFP is good, but holy cow dude, thats a LOT of extra calories. Serious question: has OP been eating a tub of ice cream every day?

[ImDaMan]

[QUOTE=lucidz;1086178453]Agreed that MFP is good, but holy cow dude, thats a LOT of extra calories. Serious question: has OP been eating a tub of ice cream every day?[/QUOTE

Haha not even.. I've just been constantly eating. I'm in-between jobs so if I'm not lifting I'm laying down (herniated disc). Kinda weird but I've been having green bowel movements pretty much ever since I started my bulk. I read that it has something to do with the bile not breaking down my food. Either that or I have Chrones. Maybe that's contributing to the weight gain..

Thanks again for all the replies fellas. Really appreciate it.

[lucidz]

[QUOTE=ImDaMan;1086185223]

Agreed that MFP is good, but holy cow dude, thats a LOT of extra calories. Serious question: has OP been eating a tub of ice cream every day?[/QUOTE

Haha not even.. I've just been constantly eating. I'm in-between jobs so if I'm not lifting I'm laying down (herniated disc). Kinda weird but I've been having green bowel movements pretty much ever since I started my bulk. I read that it has something to do with the bile not breaking down my food. Either that or I have Chrones. Maybe that's contributing to the weight gain..

Thanks again for all the replies fellas. Really appreciate it.

Well I can't speak for the weight gain unles you are not at your TDEE that you used to be because you're laying down so much. Did you go from being moderately active outside of your workout to inactive while laying down?

Also, I've had green poo myself. And yes, I believe its your bile duct not doing its job. The brown color comes from a combination of enzymes from the liver and then the bile duct.

Don't worry, its probably not the liver, because when it doesn't do its job the poo is just gray or chalky. The green clears itself up. You could probably adjust your diet to fix it.

Are you taking in a LOT of fiber now? IE: So much that the bile duct doesn't have time to process the waste? (Sorry for medical talk)

[djeffreys]

you can edit your calories to whatever you need them to be om mfp

Yeah, that's what I was saying. Determine calories and macros via the info here, and manually set up mfp goals. Don't go by the mfp calculations. Other than their calculations, it is a great tool.

[Jasonk282]

Yeah, that's what I was saying. Determine calories and macros via the info here, and manually set up mfp goals. Don't go by the mfp calculations. Other than their calculations, it is a great tool.

Ah ok, i agree 100%

[jpladers40]

I'd cut back quite a bit on eating all the food. Keep scaling back until your weight gain is at a tolerable level (this is very subjective, imo). Remember though, that the slower you go the less fat you will gain. Also, most of that 9lb. weight gain was probably water-weight. I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as you're not over-eating long-term. Good Luck!

[ironwill2008]

No... your body cannot tell the difference between "junk" food and other food. That is just a label applied by those ignorant of how the body works.

All foods break down into amino acids, free fatty acids and glucose inside your body. Their original source is irrelevant.

If you are counting calories, ensuring you meet minimum levels of protein, fat, micronutrients and fiber then you can eat what you want.

^^^^ This.










On spread, as it seems I always am.