3 month bulk. NO muscle gain, ONLY fat... Help!

[eswift1983]

3 months ago I went and got a professional body composition scan. I believe it's some sort of xray or something but it spits out muscle mass, bone mass / density, and fat mass within a high degree of accuracy. Based on my muscle mass ~135lbs my BMR is 1700cal and with daily activities, workout etc i was advised to eat about 3000cal for gains.

Diet:
40% Fat, 30%P, 30%C
Eating clean 80% IFFYM the other 20% NO SUGAR (except fruit post workout)

I traing 5-6 days per week. Mixture of OLY lifting strength training, BB workours and xfit WODS.... what i'm trying to say is that there is definitely HYPERTROPHY here...

After 3 months of training like a beast and logging EVERYTHING I eat. I gained 3lbs fat and 100g muscle.... My trainer was flabbergasted.

With approximately 10,000 calories converted to fat and eating at least 200g or protein per day the only thing I can think of that would prevent muscle growth would be LOW TEST, or a triglyceride metabolization disorder (highly unlikely but would cause me to not be able to convert fat to energy efficiently or at all)

I have been lifting for 2-3 years and just thought I was a hard gainer but after this quantifiable data... I am starting to think that maybe there's something wrong with me....

Thoughts?

[AFC96]

1. Whatever you do whether it is eating clean, keto or anything.. it is ALWAYS IIFYM. Unless you are not tracking what you eat.


2. How the hell do you know you gain 3lbs of fat and 100g of muscle. Did you get tested in a lab or something? I doubt it.


3. You are over thinking things. Probably stop doing crossfit, so that you actually gain muscle.

notsrs about the crossfit

[ErikTheElectric]

Lots of misinformation and bioscience in your post OP.

I highly suggest you read the stickies.

[rhadam]

3 months ago I went and got a professional body composition scan. I believe it's some sort of xray or something but it spits out muscle mass, bone mass / density, and fat mass within a high degree of accuracy. Based on my muscle mass ~135lbs my BMR is 1700cal and with daily activities, workout etc i was advised to eat about 3000cal for gains.

Diet:
40% Fat, 30%P, 30%C
Eating clean 80% IFFYM the other 20% NO SUGAR (except fruit post workout)

I traing 5-6 days per week. Mixture of OLY lifting strength training, BB workours and xfit WODS.... what i'm trying to say is that there is definitely HYPERTROPHY here...

After 3 months of training like a beast and logging EVERYTHING I eat. I gained 3lbs fat and 100g muscle.... My trainer was flabbergasted.

With approximately 10,000 calories converted to fat and eating at least 200g or protein per day the only thing I can think of that would prevent muscle growth would be LOW TEST, or a triglyceride metabolization disorder (highly unlikely but would cause me to not be able to convert fat to energy efficiently or at all)

I have been lifting for 2-3 years and just thought I was a hard gainer but after this quantifiable data... I am starting to think that maybe there's something wrong with me....

Thoughts?

lmao ya there's definitely something wrong with you

[Canadiantuxedo]

Are you lifting heavy weights with linear progression or doing functional exercises on a BOSU ball?

[Mrpb]

I traing 5-6 days per week. Mixture of OLY lifting strength training, BB workours and xfit WODS.... what i'm trying to say is that there is definitely HYPERTROPHY here...

Sounds like your training is the problem.

Tell us what your lifts were before and after these 3 months.

[eswift1983]

So the test is called DEXA and is documented as being the most accurate assessment of body composition.

My training is on point. My OLY lifts are heavy, and my BB workouts are all to failure in the correct rep ranges for hypertrophy. My lifts have all increased, some more than others. My deadlift for example went up by about 40 lbs, squat by 30, etc. I am getting stronger.

Here's the odd part, I feel like I look bigger and am just as cut which I guess can't be true though....

I forgot to mention that I take SSRIs which there is anecdotal evidence of Test. decrease but nothing clinically decisive....

[Mrpb]

"Mixture of OLY lifting strength training, BB workouts and xfit WODS"

This screams ineffective training.

And DEXA scans have an individual error rate of ± 5-10%. So they're not that accurate. See: http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=260

PS. the amount of progress on your lifts means nothing without knowing your starting lifts.

[Canadiantuxedo]

It sounds like your workout needs some direction and progression. Try that and see if you like the results.

[eswift1983]

It sounds like your workout needs some direction and progression. Try that and see if you like the results.

I should have been clearer about my lifts. All of what can be considered "metric" lifts such as bench press, back squat, dead lift etc are following progressive overload. The accessory work is less structured but I'm not looking to get crazy biceps or anything. What I am concerned about is supposedly gaining 10,000 calories worth of fat and NO muscle. I'm not a newb by any standards and I'm concerned that there is perhaps an underlying hormonal issue (which I am going to get tested asap) and whether or not anyone has experienced this before and what they suggest.

I really appreciate all of the input. The members here are always very helpful however when calories and protein intake is there, even if training is only 80% on point, there should be some muscle gain. Especially considering I am roughly 60lbs of lean mass from my estimated genetic potential.

[psalms1441]

I should have been clearer about my lifts. All of what can be considered "metric" lifts such as bench press, back squat, dead lift etc are following progressive overload. The accessory work is less structured but I'm not looking to get crazy biceps or anything. What I am concerned about is supposedly gaining 10,000 calories worth of fat and NO muscle. I'm not a newb by any standards and I'm concerned that there is perhaps an underlying hormonal issue (which I am going to get tested asap) and whether or not anyone has experienced this before and what they suggest.

I really appreciate all of the input. The members here are always very helpful however when calories and protein intake is there, even if training is only 80% on point, there should be some muscle gain. Especially considering I am roughly 60lbs of lean mass from my estimated genetic potential.

i dont have trouble building muscle with functional stuff

[Jcart159]

I should have been clearer about my lifts. All of what can be considered "metric" lifts such as bench press, back squat, dead lift etc are following progressive overload. The accessory work is less structured but I'm not looking to get crazy biceps or anything. What I am concerned about is supposedly gaining 10,000 calories worth of fat and NO muscle. I'm not a newb by any standards and I'm concerned that there is perhaps an underlying hormonal issue (which I am going to get tested asap) and whether or not anyone has experienced this before and what they suggest.

I really appreciate all of the input. The members here are always very helpful however when calories and protein intake is there, even if training is only 80% on point, there should be some muscle gain. Especially considering I am roughly 60lbs of lean mass from my estimated genetic potential.

You could make your life a lot easier and go by the mirror instead of a Dexa scan...

If you look and feel good in the mirror, then who gives a chit what the tests are telling you man! You look fine in your avi.

Quit worry about the small things in life and get back to smashing weights!

[CidBronwen]

Why don't you go see a doctor....they can order bloodwork and eliminate any issues of anything being wrong with you.

Otherwise, eat, lift, rest....

[Squier5]

To me it seems like there are a few different issues here. First I agree with Jcart.. Those scans are incredibly flawed and have a wide variance. You should be going by what you look like in the mirror. After saying that though if you are wanting to put on weight you cannot be afraid of adding a little fat. By the looks of your avatar you are already quite lean and the leaner you are the easier it should be for you to put on lean mass. With your diet the recommended 3000cals may not be correct and it is important to remember that this is just a guide. The best way to establish your requirements is through trial and error. Start off at set amount e.g. 2500cals then gauge how your body responds over a week or two. If you lose weight simply add another 5-10% then repeat. Keep going until you start to add on mass but try and limit your gains to around 500g (1lb) a week otherwise you may run the risk of putting on a little extra fat. Since you want to stay lean while gaining maybe keep it under 500g but again this depends on how your body responds.

Lastly if you are trying to put on size you may be doing too much. If you still want to develop your strength while gaining size maybe consider a 3 day cycle where the first 3 days you work for strength then have a day or two break then the following 3 days work for hypertrophy e.g.

Monday : Legs : reps 4-6 (compound lifts)
Tuesday : Chest : reps 4-6 (compound lifts)
Wednesday : Back : reps 4-6 (compound lifts)
Thursday : Off
Friday : Legs : reps 8-12 (compound and isolation mix)
Saturday : Chest reps 8-12 (compound and isolation mix)
Sunday : Back reps 8-12 (compound and isolation mix)
Monday : Off

Limit your cardio and keep your diet in check and you will have no problems gaining size. You are still working your bodyparts twice per week but leaving enough time to recover. Hope this helps!

[eswift1983]

I'd like to thank everyone for their comments on here. Still struggling but have made some progress. My body seems to respond well to 3 days a week full body it would seem.

Got my results. My test is HIGH which is really odd. 38 nmol/l (range is 8-28.8). Wtf???

[magician27]

I am roughly 60lbs of lean mass from my estimated genetic potential.

dont think anyone gaining that much muscle naturally in life time

[jdl22]

"100g of muscle."

Hmm.

[Mrpb]

I'd like to thank everyone for their comments on here. Still struggling but have made some progress. My body seems to respond well to 3 days a week full body it would seem.

Got my results. My test is HIGH which is really odd. 38 nmol/l (range is 8-28.8). Wtf???

That confirms once again, your training is the problem.

[ryanduvall504]

3000 kcalories might be too much for you, which is why you are gaining more fat than muscle. You only need to eat a few hundred kcalories over maintenance.

[dest0]

Diet:
40% Fat, 30%P, 30%C
Eating clean 80% IFFYM the other 20% NO SUGAR (except fruit post workout)

I traing 5-6 days per week. Mixture of OLY lifting strength training, BB workours and xfit WODS.... what i'm trying to say is that there is definitely HYPERTROPHY here...

The accessory work is less structured but I'm not looking to get crazy biceps or anything. What I am concerned about is supposedly gaining 10,000 calories worth of fat and NO muscle. I'm not a newb by any standards and I'm concerned that there is perhaps an underlying hormonal issue (which I am going to get tested asap) and whether or not anyone has experienced this before and what they suggest.

I tend to disagree with you in several areas, besides, you keep saying you're not a newbie, yet still you're making rookie mistakes like:

1- Overtraining or choosing a mix of programs that aren't right for you.
2- Using percentages for Macros rather than actual grams
3- Eating clean? really??

Couple of questions:

What's your TDEE?
What are your macros (Grams not percentages please)?

[eswift1983]

I tend to disagree with you in several areas, besides, you keep saying you're not a newbie, yet still you're making rookie mistakes like:

1- Overtraining or choosing a mix of programs that aren't right for you.
2- Using percentages for Macros rather than actual grams
3- Eating clean? really??

Couple of questions:

What's your TDEE?
What are your macros (Grams not percentages please)?

TDEE is around 1700-1800 depending on activities
Macros P180, C240, F80 @ 2400 cal

3 day full body

Day 1
Deadlift 3x8-12
Inclne dbell press 3x8-12
Lat pull-down 3x8-12
Dumbbell lunges 3x12
Barbell upright row 2x8-12
Decline triceps extension 2x8-12
Weighted crunches 2x8-12

Day 2
Squat 3x8-12
Bench press 3x8-12
Bent over barbell row 3x8-12
Shoulder press 3x8-12
Leg extension 2x8-12
Leg curl 2x8-12
Dumbbell incline hammer curls 2x8-12
Machine deltoid raise 2x8-12

All sets taken to failure. Weight increased once last set is no less than 8 reps. Days alternate so week one will have two squat days week two deadlift etc.

Been on this for a month and a bit. Body seems to be responding better than a 5 day split. It's a longer workout than I like given my metabolism but just started with an intra-workout shake which seems to help.

I think my sleep might be the problem but who knows. Someone told me that high test gives you high estrogen which makes no sense.