What am I doing wrong? I cant gain weight.

[Eightimmortals]

hey everyone,

I'm a bit new to the forum but not to bodybuilding. I need some advice regarding my diet plan, I'm obviously doing something wrong since I'm not able to gain weight.

I'm currently consuming about 3500 calories a day. Eating 5 meals a day.

1st Meal (8am): Syntha 6, 1 scoop
2nd Meal (12pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
3rd Meal (3pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
4th Meal (6pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
5th Meal (9pm): 4oz Chicken breast

Snacks: PB&J sandwhich, ritz crackers, apple or tangerine, coffee, green tea.

I've been at about 147 pounds for the last 3 months and have been unable to actually gain any weight. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Thanks.

[necon76]

Can't be serious.

[Former300lber]

What are you doing wrong?


Well, pretty much everything.

[health4life24]

I suggest you read the stickies and gain a basic knowledge about nutrition and then come back with any questions you may have. I don't know if you feel that you have to eat chicken and brown rice all day long because that is what "the pro's" do, but you don't.

[peequi]

Chicken and brown rice for every meal, that sucks. Simple answer, eat more. Of course there is more to it, but you can read about it from smart people on this forum.
You most be very active and have high metabolism to not gain weight with 3500 calories.

[determined4000]

Have you tried eating chicken, broccoli or rice?
I hear those are good.

[Raphyx]

VERY strong join date for a possible troll.

[Jamii89]

I've been at about 147 pounds for the last 3 months and have been unable to actually gain any weight. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Thanks.

Two questions:

1) How old are you?
2) How much physical activity do you do a day?

Depending on your answers, I'd probably add more variety to your meals (you don't need to limit yourself to chicken breast and brown rice EVERY meal), and I'd probably just eat more. You must be really active if you are really maintaining from 3,500 calories at 147 lbs.

[Eightimmortals]

Two questions:

1) How old are you?
2) How much physical activity do you do a day?

Depending on your answers, I'd probably add more variety to your meals (you don't need to limit yourself to chicken breast and brown rice EVERY meal), and I'd probably just eat more. You must be really active if you are really maintaining from 3,500 calories at 147 lbs.

Hi Jammi!

1. I'm 27 years old.
2. I'm a teacher, I teach elementary school. Due to my job it can be said that I'm at least moderately active throughout the day.

[Eightimmortals]

What are you doing wrong?


Well, pretty much everything.

Such as? This is not a very helpful statement.

[Charlie581]

1st Meal (8am): Syntha 6, 1 scoop
2nd Meal (12pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
3rd Meal (3pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
4th Meal (6pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
5th Meal (9pm): 4oz Chicken breast

Snacks: PB&J sandwhich, ritz crackers, apple or tangerine, coffee, green tea.

This doesn't seem like 3500kcals. How are you tracking your intake?

Also goddamn man, eat something else and get some variety. Chicken + brown rice and broccoli only? I hope you love that stuff or something....
Also If that eating schedule fit's you best, go ahead, but don't think you need to be eating every 3hrs to get to your goals, whatever best fits your schedule and maintains your sanity and satiation is best.

[Eightimmortals]

This doesn't seem like 3500kcals. How are you tracking your intake?

Also goddamn man, eat something else and get some variety. Chicken + brown rice and broccoli only? I hope you love that stuff or something....
Also If that eating schedule fit's you best, go ahead, but don't think you need to be eating every 3hrs to get to your goals, whatever best fits your schedule and maintains your sanity and satiation is best.

I'm actually using an app on my phone called lose it. I design my meal plans within the app, then I cook about 9-12 meals every sunday and wedneday.

[health4life24]

Have you tried eating chicken, broccoli or rice?
I hear those are good.

Lol'd

[AljoBrah]

hey everyone,

I'm a bit new to the forum but not to bodybuilding. I need some advice regarding my diet plan, I'm obviously doing something wrong since I'm not able to gain weight.

I'm currently consuming about 3500 calories a day. Eating 5 meals a day.

1st Meal (8am): Syntha 6, 1 scoop
2nd Meal (12pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
3rd Meal (3pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
4th Meal (6pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
5th Meal (9pm): 4oz Chicken breast

Snacks: PB&J sandwhich, ritz crackers, apple or tangerine, coffee, green tea.

I've been at about 147 pounds for the last 3 months and have been unable to actually gain any weight. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Thanks.

1st: Cant be 3500 cal/day. Im sitting on 3000 cal/day maintanence right now and I eat double that at least.
2nd: Your 1st meal....not sure if srs. Have, protien, carbs and fats in your morning meal, just like any other meal (eggs, prtorien shake, rolled oats, almonds etc.
3rd: Add some variety, i would neck myself eating that every day. Add things like, sweet potatoe, wholegrain pasta, oats, meusly, turkey, beef, eggs etc.
4th. Calculate your cals again, increase to 3500 when done.
You look like an ecto, so to start off using a general macro template. Make your carb intake 50% of your daily calories, protien 30, fats 20. (THIS IS ONLY A ROUGH MACRO SET UP, WITH INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE YOU WILL ALTER THIS DEPEDNING ON YOUR GOALS)
3rd:

[Charlie581]

I'm actually using an app on my phone called lose it. I design my meal plans within the app, then I cook about 9-12 meals every sunday and wedneday.

I've heard reviews of LoseIt before, IMO MyFitnessPal is probably of better accuracy.
Regardless, really, that doesn't look like 3500 calories at all. Are you weighing your food as well?

You look like an ecto, so to start off using a general macro template. Make your carb intake 50% of your daily calories, protien 30, fats 20. (THIS IS ONLY A ROUGH MACRO SET UP, WITH INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE YOU WILL ALTER THIS DEPEDNING ON YOUR GOALS)

lol ignore this ^ And just go to the nutrition stickies, especially this one http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...6380183&page=1.
Basing macro intake off of percentages is rather faulty, "rough setup" or not.

[AljoBrah]

I've heard reviews of LoseIt before, IMO MyFitnessPal is probably of better accuracy.
Regardless, really, that doesn't look like 3500 calories at all. Are you weighing your food as well?



lol ignore this ^ And just go to the nutrition stickies, especially this one Basing macro intake off of percentages is rather faulty, "rough setup" or not.

Good point. Read the stickies. Best source of advice. The setup was just supposed to get him on the road.

Are u saying Charlie581 that dividing your macros into percentages is the WRONG way to go? Or just one of many ways you can do it?

[Charlie581]

Are u saying Charlie581 that dividing your macros into percentages is the WRONG way to go? Or just one of many ways you can do it?

One of the many ill-advised ways to do it. "Wrong" gives a bad implication i think, but it is not a good way to go IMO. It's better than nothing.

Grams/pound still gives a rough estimate, but hell, everything gives a rough estimate. No calculator or formula will give you a spot on number, it's merely the best educated guess. Trial and Error will prove to be better AFTER finding a starting point.

PS: Some people don't even use formulas, they track their normal food intake, gauge weight gain/loss/stall, find if it's their maintenance (after adjustment) and then go from there. It's more accurate than using a formula but takes longer.

Also PPS: ****totypes mean literally nothing

[ironwill2008]

hey everyone,

I'm a bit new to the forum but not to bodybuilding. I need some advice regarding my diet plan, I'm obviously doing something wrong since I'm not able to gain weight.

I'm currently consuming about 3500 calories a day. Eating 5 meals a day.

1st Meal (8am): Syntha 6, 1 scoop
2nd Meal (12pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
3rd Meal (3pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
4th Meal (6pm): 4oz Chicken breast, broccolli, 1 cup of brown rice
5th Meal (9pm): 4oz Chicken breast

Snacks: PB&J sandwhich, ritz crackers, apple or tangerine, coffee, green tea.

I've been at about 147 pounds for the last 3 months and have been unable to actually gain any weight.



Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Yes. You're not not eating enough to keep a hummingbird alive.

[AljoBrah]

One of the many ill-advised ways to do it. "Wrong" gives a bad implication i think, but it is not a good way to go IMO. It's better than nothing.

Grams/pound still gives a rough estimate, but hell, everything gives a rough estimate. No calculator or formula will give you a spot on number, it's merely the best educated guess. Trial and Error will prove to be better AFTER finding a starting point.

PS: Some people don't even use formulas, they track their normal food intake, gauge weight gain/loss/stall, find if it's their maintenance (after adjustment) and then go from there. It's more accurate than using a formula but takes longer.

Also PPS: ****totypes mean literally nothing

In that case I completely understand. Bodyuilding is and has always been a rough science. You can never be exact. I am completely aware of this. And like you said there are many different ways of doing this.
The only reason I use %'s is because every body type is different and thus requires different macro nutrient portions. %'s are especially usefull for calculating your daily macros and getting that number to stick to.

[necon76]

Hi Jammi!

1. I'm 27 years old.
2. I'm a teacher, I teach elementary school. Due to my job it can be said that I'm at least moderately active throughout the day.

A teacher who can't spell broccoli or sandwich correctly.


Such sad.

[Charlie581]

The only reason I use %'s is because every body type is different and thus requires different macro nutrient portions. %'s are especially usefull for calculating your daily macros and getting that number to stick to.

No. Percentage ratios don't account enough for individual variance, it's very much one size fits all. Also all ****totyping does, is make it 3 different sizes, that fit all.

Percentages are pretty much bunk. G/lb (or lbm) calculators or formulas give a rough estimate as well to start out with, but a significantly more evidence based and logical rough estimate.

[AljoBrah]

No. Percentage ratios don't account enough for individual variance, it's very much one size fits all. All ****totyping does, is make it 3 different sizes, that fit all.

Percentages are pretty much bunk. G/lb (or lbm) gives a rough estimate as well to start out with, but a significantly more evidence based rough estimate.

Hmm, interesting. The way iv been lead to believe (and i guess through reasearch) is that every body is different and will have different reactions to macronutrients. Some people are sensitive to carbs while others may be sensitive to fats. Some may need slight bit of fats/ carbs to bulk while others will need a larger amount. My brother eats as much sugar, carbs or fats as he wants, and will not gain weight (or hardly will). I on the other hand can not do the same. What Im trying to say, 1 gram of carbs is different to 1 gram of protien. Your body will use them differently and for different purposes (despite all calories being energy in the end).

[Charlie581]

What Im trying to say, 1 gram of carbs is different to 1 gram of protein

Duh?

Your body will use them differently and for different purposes

Again, duh? Also http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat...different.html

This has nothing to do with percentage ratios btw, so idk what you're trying to explain at this point...

[rolandszi]

dairy is good for bulking

[asmcriminal]

1 reason why people don't gain weight. They're not eating more calories than they burn. That's it.

You need to figure out your TDEE(how many calories you burn per day) and eat more calories than that. This implies you need to track what you're eating. Eat high calorie foods, what you listed is mostly low calorie foods. If you want long term results, ask yourself "Can i do this for the rest of my life?" Eating that way, more than likely not.

[AljoBrah]

Duh?



Again, duh? Also

This has nothing to do with percentage ratios btw, so idk what you're trying to explain at this point...

I have a million macro ratio articles I can post too, but i cbf.

In the end theres too many articles online, too many ways to do things, too many opinions. BBing is too large a topic to get one definative answer.

Theres a million different ways to do things, in regards to diet and training. OP, in the end, find what works for you, as long as u eat healthy, eat a lot and lift weights, u will get somewhere.

[Charlie581]

I have a million macro ratio articles I can post too, but i cbf.

and im sure they all have plenty of credible sources and logical backing....

FYI, that article had nothing to do with ratios. You should read it. It's good.

[asmcriminal]

Hmm, interesting. The way iv been lead to believe (and i guess through reasearch) is that every body is different and will have different reactions to macronutrients. Some people are sensitive to carbs while others may be sensitive to fats. Some may need slight bit of fats/ carbs to bulk while others will need a larger amount. My brother eats as much sugar, carbs or fats as he wants, and will not gain weight (or hardly will). I on the other hand can not do the same. What Im trying to say, 1 gram of carbs is different to 1 gram of protien. Your body will use them differently and for different purposes (despite all calories being energy in the end).

You can't completely disregard % of macro nutrients. So i agree with your OP on it. Charline581 also has a point. What method you choose depends on your goals and who you are.

When i was about 300lbs I stalled out, I was an anal food nazi focusing so much on my macro nutrient %. When I said "screw it" and i decided to relax my weight loss started to go down. I got down to about 240 then I was hit by a pretty bad illness. I went from 240 to 207 in about 1 month. I am better now and just started to enjoy food again back up to 238 or so. I am trying to get back in to the swing of things and just eating whatever within my calories just isn't working. When I eat more carbs, I have a tendency to just keep on eating. I have increased my protein which has helped with satiety big time. I believe the leaner I go the more I'd have to cut back on carbs for this reason. This can easily be turned in to % of macros.

Ultimately it depends where you are and what your goals are to determine if you should go by % or not. I do believe each of us have a specific % that works best for us.

[asmcriminal]

Duh?



Again, duh? Also http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat...different.html

This has nothing to do with percentage ratios btw, so idk what you're trying to explain at this point...

Everything to do with macro nutrient ratios. Everything is a ratio actually... Even if someone doesn't focus on ratios, we can calculate their avareage carb, protein, and fat intake and come up with their daily average % of macro nutrient ratios.

[AljoBrah]

and im sure they all have plenty of credible sources and logical backing....

FYI, that article had nothing to do with ratios. You should read it. It's good.

Yeah they have sources. There's countless jacked and ripped guys who follow macro ratios and percentages.
Like I said, there's many different ways to build your body in regards to diet and training. Find one that works for you and go with it. Cbf arguing over diet.
And I will read it. On my phone atm