I need help with gaining weight

[mamiafit]

I was hoping someone can help me with my goal that I am wanting to achieve.

I am 1-1.5 years of strength training, and I built a good amount of muscle so far. I want to gain more, but I feel I am stuck and I haven't been able to see progress. Because of stomach issues I had a couple of months ago I wasn't able to eat a lot for two weeks, and I dropped down to 105 pounds. I gained a couple pounds in the last month, so I am now 107. By the way, 22 years old, I am 5'4", fast metabolism, always been skinny/skinny-fat.

My goal is to build a booty (because I am skinny, I don't have a booty and it's always been flat). About three months ago, I started to track my daily caloric intake on Myfitnesspal. It states my calorie goal is 1700 calories, but I read that I should be eating more in order to gain weight/muscle. My starting goal is to get to 115 pounds, reevaluate when I reach to that point, and decide to gain more or if I am comfortable with how I look and maintain. I don't do cardio because I am not trying to lose weight. If I do, I only jumprope for 5 minutes to warm up in the morning.

My current weight training is at 5:30AM:
Monday: Legs
Tuesday: Biceps and Triceps
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Shoulders
Friday: Back
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Quick all body to get ready for Monday

My current diet is usually
Morning: Protein shake w/ Glutamine after workout (7AM)
Coffee (10AM)
Snack: Yogurt / Banana
Lunch: Turkey OR Roast Beef sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, spinach, avocado, mayo, mustard with carrots ; OR leftovers from dinner the night before.
Snack: Sweet and Salty Peanut Bar (Nature Vally)
Dinner: Chicken Breast with veggies and brown rice; Fish; Ground Turkey; etc.. OR Korean food like tofu soup or kimchi soup with lean meat in it. (All homemade)

Sunday's are when I have my cheat meal. Something like Popeye's or Pasta or a cheat snack (: My diet is overall clean, I'm not really a sugar eater, never have been really.

ALSO: I do fast some days. I don't eat until 11AM and finish eating at 7PM. During 11-7 that is my eating window, so I eat all of my calories during that time, and eat again at 11AM (this includes my protein shake). Has been working really well, since my stomach problem a couple of months ago. I feel I can eat more and be fully alert, happy and no stomach problems when I fast (:

What would you suggest I do? Should I eat more? I lift heavy to about 8-10 reps and 3-4 sets depending on what exercise I am doing.

I am also now starting to get into the "Stronglift 5X5." I feel that will give me more of a overall body strength. So, instead of working out each body part each day, I was going to give this a shot starting tomorrow. Then, my workout will look like this:

When starting Stronglift 5X5's:
Monday: Glutes and Abs
Tuesday: Stronglift 5X5
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: Stronglift 5X5
Friday: Glutes and Abs
Saturday: OFF (Maybe incorporate HIIT cardio on this day for 10 minutes at home)
Sunday: Stronglift 5X5

I also work Monday-Friday from 8:30AM-6:00PM, so my workout mornings is at 5:30AM Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

I really want to build a booty and gain more weight/muscle. According to the stronglift 5X5 I will be working out my whole body, so there is not much needed to do different exercises each muscle each day. Is this ideal? Will this work for me? I want to be able to lift more, so I feel this will help me gain strength all over.

Oh, and I also have done the Erin Stern's plan and completed it all the way through. Such a great training program!

Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate your feedback.


P.S. Would you suggest me starting strong lift 5X5 or the simply shredded training program? I also want to squat my body weight! I currently squat 80 pounds? Trying to get to my body weight and go up from there (: Thanks!

[kimm4]

1700 calories would be around maintenance for you. If you want to continue building/gaining you need to eat above that number. I would set around 1900-2000 calories and monitor from there.

I would run the 5x5 exactly the way it is. You'll be able to build up strength/make some gains if you're staying in your surplus. I would get rid of the glute/ab days because there's no need for extras. The 5x5 is taxing to the body. As you continue getting stronger you're going to need proper rest days for recovery. If you want to throw in some random cardio just make sure you're eating enough to support the work load.

[mamiafit]

1700 calories would be around maintenance for you. If you want to continue building/gaining you need to eat above that number. I would set around 1900-2000 calories and monitor from there.

I would run the 5x5 exactly the way it is. You'll be able to build up strength/make some gains if you're staying in your surplus. I would get rid of the glute/ab days because there's no need for extras. The 5x5 is taxing to the body. As you continue getting stronger you're going to need proper rest days for recovery. If you want to throw in some random cardio just make sure you're eating enough to support the work load.

Thank you! Will I still build a booty from omitting the glute workouts? I'm guessing I will from the deadlifts and squats, but I just wanted to ask. I will stick with the 5x5 the way it is, and do that for a good 90 days to see how much progress I get from it.

Would you happen to have any suggestions on keeping progress? How often should I take photos and measurements? I get pretty down when I always see myself in the mirror and look that I haven't had any progress.. What would you suggest?

[VO2Maxima]

Thank you! Will I still build a booty from omitting the glute workouts? I'm guessing I will from the deadlifts and squats, but I just wanted to ask. I will stick with the 5x5 the way it is, and do that for a good 90 days to see how much progress I get from it.

Would you happen to have any suggestions on keeping progress? How often should I take photos and measurements? I get pretty down when I always see myself in the mirror and look that I haven't had any progress.. What would you suggest?

You'll get a booty from eating. No amount of squats and deadlifts will build glute muscle without eating at a caloric surplus. Food PLUS squats and deadlifts will build your glutes.

Progress happens slowly. Think months/years, not days/weeks. It's not something you look in the mirror and see, since the changes happen so slowly, and since you're seeing yourself every day, it's not something that's really noticeable to yourself. Don't get down on yourself, that's just how the body works. Be patient, eat enough, work hard, and take recovery seriously, and the gains will come!

[mamiafit]

You'll get a booty from eating. No amount of squats and deadlifts will build glute muscle without eating at a caloric surplus. Food PLUS squats and deadlifts will build your glutes.

Progress happens slowly. Think months/years, not days/weeks. It's not something you look in the mirror and see, since the changes happen so slowly, and since you're seeing yourself every day, it's not something that's really noticeable to yourself. Don't get down on yourself, that's just how the body works. Be patient, eat enough, work hard, and take recovery seriously, and the gains will come!

I really appreciate your words and advice. I set a goal time frame, and I know it's going to take a lot of work, time and recovery.

I have one more question:

I do take whey protein with glutamine once a day (in the morning). Would you suggest I take Creatine as well? I read mix reviews, and I just thought I asked since I already started a thread. I believe that is the last question I have for now. (:

[VO2Maxima]

Creatine is great. 5g/day every day for the first month, then 3-5g on workout days thereafter to maintain saturation. No need to load or cycle. Creatine monohydrate is cheap and very well-studied.

No need for glutamine. It's not even absorbed by your muscles unless combined with alanine, and even then, it's more for gut health and immunity. Isn't proven to do anything for muscle building. Plus you already get a ton of glutamine in your diet.

As far as whey protein, only needed if you're not hitting your protein macros through whole foods.

[mamiafit]

Creatine is great. 5g/day every day for the first month, then 3-5g on workout days thereafter to maintain saturation. No need to load or cycle. Creatine monohydrate is cheap and very well-studied.

No need for glutamine. It's not even absorbed by your muscles unless combined with alanine, and even then, it's more for gut health and immunity. Isn't proven to do anything for muscle building. Plus you already get a ton of glutamine in your diet.

As far as whey protein, only needed if you're not hitting your protein macros through whole foods.

Great! And as far as Creatine goes, when I am ready to cut after gaining my goal weight will I just reduce the amount of creatine or just stop completely?

And for Whey Protein, would you suggest taking them right after working out in the morning (Since I workout at 530AM) or at the end of the day if I didn't get enough protein in my diet through whole foods that day?

You are SUCH a huge help! I'm glad I joined bodybuilding.com it's been very helpful

[VO2Maxima]

Keep taking creatine at the same dosage when you're cutting.

Whey protein timing doesn't matter at all. It's seriously just powdered food...same as chicken. Results will be the same whether you're getting your protein through whey or through regular whole foods. The whole anabolic window thing is blown way out of proportion. You're not going to go catabolic if you don't eat within an hour of working out or whatever. Just hit your macros for the day and you're fine.

[mamiafit]

Keep taking creatine at the same dosage when you're cutting.

Whey protein timing doesn't matter at all. It's seriously just powdered food...same as chicken. Results will be the same whether you're getting your protein through whey or through regular whole foods. The whole anabolic window thing is blown way out of proportion. You're not going to go catabolic if you don't eat within an hour of working out or whatever. Just hit your macros for the day and you're fine.

Thank you very much for all the information you provided! I promise, this is one last question but as far as supplements I only take 1 fish oil daily. Will I need more supplements or should I be fine? I used to take a daily vitamin, fish oil, and Vitamin C until I realized I got most of my vitamins/nutrients from whole foods, so I just stuck with one fish oil a day.

[LexiHexi]

You shouldn't need any supplements. Fish Oil is fine but it's unnecessary as well if you're eating fresh fish a couple times a week. I'd take a good multi-vitamin just to be sure you're getting all your vitamins and minerals. You might think you're getting all of them from the whole foods you eat, but I've read our soil has depleted throughout the years and isn't as nutrient rich as it once was.

There's nothing wrong with creatine and a lot of people rage about it so that may speed things along for you. And whey protein is good because it's a convenient source of protein to help you reach your daily requirement. But again, neither is required for results. These are supplements just so you know, and I'm just reiterating what VO2 has already said + my 2 cents.