How are these foods for bulking?

[Splatterfiend]

I'm 5'9.5" currently at 140 lbs coming down from 177 (with a gut). I'm just curious to see if I'm eating some of the right things and the right quantity to see if I'll do more good than harm. I'll post what I ate yesterday as an example.

6:00 am - Weight gainer shake

7:00 am - Large bowl of oatmeal

9:00 am - 2 slice of whole wheat bread and protein shake

12:00 pm - Chicken breast, decent-sized bowl of pasta

2:30 pm - Granola bar, protein shake, non-fat yogurt

5:30 pm - 2 cans of tuna with avocado; spoonful of organic peanut butter and glass of low-fat milk

Then I go to the gym around 6:00 pm and consume a weight gainer shake afterwards. around 8:30 - 9pm I'm in bed.

Does this sound like it'll get me up there in weight with minimal fat gain?

Thanks in advance.

[ManOfSteel2003]

Looks decent, although your morning meals (6 and 7am) should contain both carbs and protein together, rather than just one source of energy.

[pologod05]

Does this sound like it'll get me up there in weight with minimal fat gain?

it depends on how big the caloric surplus is. if its a big surplus, then youll put on more fat. if its smaller, youll stay leaner.

Looks decent, although your morning meals (6 and 7am) should contain both carbs and protein together, rather than just one source of energy.

agreed.

[Splatterfiend]

Thanks for the heads up guys. Much appreciated.

[Splatterfiend]

Oh yeah, I also wanted to ask.. about how long of eating like this would it take to gain 60 lbs of mainly muscle. I'm patient and have dedication, I'm just curious to know. 1-2 years?

[ManOfSteel2003]

A healthy goal is 1-2 pounds per week, although gaining strictly muscle is very hard to acheive when wanting a 60lb gain. I would say a couple years of dedication. I found that when my metabolism slowed down as I got older, it was easier to gain both fat or muscle. When I eat healthy, it goes mostly towards lean. My only problem, is that I am a perfectionist. If I miss a workout or slip up on my diet, I feel like I need to start all over. Don't let this kind of thought process consume you, just do the best you can while still enjoying healthy (and a variety) foods and lifestyle.

[Splatterfiend]

A healthy goal is 1-2 pounds per week, although gaining strictly muscle is very hard to acheive when wanting a 60lb gain. I would say a couple years of dedication. I found that when my metabolism slowed down as I got older, it was easier to gain both fat or muscle. When I eat healthy, it goes mostly towards lean. My only problem, is that I am a perfectionist. If I miss a workout or slip up on my diet, I feel like I need to start all over. Don't let this kind of thought process consume you, just do the best you can while still enjoying healthy (and a variety) foods and lifestyle.

I'm just like you dude. I'm like that with my eating or workouts. If I have a ****ty meal or a bad time working out I feel like **** afterwards, but I guess this only makes me try all that more harder the next time around.

By the way, I roughly calculated the amount of calories I've been taking in on a daily basis and it came out to something like 2, 410 calories. For a 140 pound person, is this too many calories? Is there a calorie calculator around somewhere? Thanks.

[OrdoAbchao]

I don't think your diet looks that great. How many cals are in your weigh gainer shakes? I know a lot of them are around 1200-1500 cals. I also have ready and many people believe that you should try to avoid a lot of fats before your workout so that the protein and carbs you consume with the meal before will be readily available. Maybe you can try and cut one of your weight gainer shakes. I personally eat a bowl of oatmeal with fruits and a protein shake everyday for my break fast so you could just combine that into one meal and either save an hour of sleep or just use it to fit another meal into your day. Instead of the avocadoes and PB before your workout meal maybe grab a sweet potatoe for some good carbs. Also, I barely see any vegetables or fruits in your diet. If you can somehow fit it in try to eat maybe some cottage cheese, and or milk, and PB right before you go to bed.

Cliffs...
-less fat and some good carbs before workout meal
-less weight gainer shakes
-possibly more whole food and some fruit + vegetables
-bedtime meal if possible

[ManOfSteel2003]

^definitely!

Cottage cheese is extremely high in caseine, and you should only eat fat/protein before bed. I recommend some almond or sunflower butter instead of PB.

[Splatterfiend]

The weight gainer shake contains 590 calories per serving. For good carbs I'll usually have brown rice or oatmeal, yams or sweet potatoes are in there too sometimes but rarely. Remember, I only used one day as an example, but thanks for the input as well. I do have servings of green beans or broccoli for lunch and dinner most of the time. Thanks again guys.

[The Solution]

6:00 am - Weight gainer shake (skip this and go down to ur next meal.. sleep an extra hour*)

7:00 am - Large bowl of oatmeal ( Get a protein source *whey shake or eggs* and add a piece of fruit) *maybe add a multi vitamin*

9:00 am - 2 slice of whole wheat bread and protein shake ( maybe go for a turkey/chicken/tuna sandwich) and add a piece of fruit or veggies on the side

12:00 pm - Chicken breast, decent-sized bowl of pasta ( add some veggies here or a piece of fruit)

2:30 pm - Granola bar, protein shake, non-fat yogurt (dont rely on whey so much for ur protein intake work with food more.. as you get more nutrients and vitamins.. ( maybe go with some chicken/tuna/turkey/eggs) (replace the granola bar with some brown rice or a sweet potato perhaps) *and drop the yogurt and get some fat like almonds or whatnot i see a lack of fats in ur diet)

5:30 pm - 2 cans of tuna with avocado; spoonful of organic peanut butter and glass of low-fat milk (drop the fat before the workout .. this is a good place to replace the tuna with a whey shake before the gym because whey digests quickly and it gets in ur system.. as tuna will take a lil while.. eat ur whole foods in ur above meals and move ur whey shake down here)

Then I go to the gym around 6:00 pm and consume a weight gainer shake afterwards.

around 8:30 - 9pm I'm in bed. *Before u go to bed u shuold have a PWO Meal consisting of Carbs(Complex Carbs) + Protein.. read up on nutrition under the article "proper Pre/During/Post Workout Nutrition"

It is stated that you shuold have some kind of shake meal Immeditately PWO to replenish glycogen and amino acids.. and then 1-2 hours later a meal consisting of starchy carbs(complex) + Protein

so you are going to need to restore those carbs somehow.. i dont know how much u get from ur weight gainer shake

but before bed try to get a slow digesting protein and a good fat source.. everyones favorite is cottage cheese and peanut butter.. other alternatives are lean meats, caesin shakes, and milk is a good source before bed also

and some fat sources are Peanut Butter, Olive/Fish/Flax/Sunflower Oils, Almonds

Does this sound like it'll get me up there in weight with minimal fat gain?

Yes it looks like minimal fat gain because u eat pretty clean.. good job! just try to balance out ur macros.. it seems like ur protein might be a lil know * i dont know ur body weight* and it seems like there is a huge lack of Fat.. u need to start adding some peanut butter, almonds, oil's to ur diet.. or if u dont feel like adding foods u can take fish caps to get a valueable source

just my 2 cents on the diet.. hope it helps

Thanks in advance.

those are all my suggestions next to ur times.. hope the advice will help a bit

[Soulfrost]

My advice would be to try varying the amount of carbs on daily basis, and replace the calories with those from proteins. I'd give you a hint with my typical day:

Breakfast: 8 whole eggs or large portion of cottage cheese (about 50 grams protein), no carbs except those from fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil as dressing, one tablespoon honey. Multi, Tribulus, vitamin C and Ecdy.

3 hours later: two scoops WPC in 400 ml of milk (about 50 grams of protein), tablespoon of flax oil.

Lunch: 400 - 500 g grilled lean meat (60-70 grams of protein), with as many fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil as dressing. Few slices of cantaloupe, or apples.
B 100, Tribulus, Vitamin C, Ecdy.

40 minutes before workout: NO booster tabs, Tyrosine, Caffeine/Taurine

2.5 - 3 hours later: Workout, during which I drink a shake consisting of 50 grams of protein (from WPC), about 60 grams of carbohydrates, and 5 grams creatine.

20 minutes after workout: when I'm back home, I drink the same shake again. Vitamin C.

2 hours later: the same as the lunch, this time I add thick slice of whole wheat bread. Flax Oil. Tribulus, vitamin C, Ecdy.

Occasionally I'll throw in some carbs (when I feel like eating them), but usually, out of the amounts consumed during and immediately after workout, I don't crave them at all. I forgot to mention walnuts, hazelnuts and peanuts - I choose them iwhen I want to eat some carbs.

I've noticed very good improvement in training since I incorporated additional during workout shake. I recover much faster, and I feel pumped much longer. Not to mention that muscle soreness is so lighter.

In conclusion, my advice would be that most of the time you eat a lot of protein, fair amount of good fats, and use carbs during and after training. Every 4-5 days you could eat carbs with each meal, but in reasonable amounts.

This approach gave me very good results.

Good luck, and stay well.

[The Solution]

many people are different and with a body tone like u have and almost 100 lbs more! my body needs the carbs working 8-13 hour shifts daily and always on my feet! i consume about a good 250-275g of carbs and i feel dizzy and lightheaded and barley no energy by the end of the night because of working almost all day! i dont know how you can pull it off with only carbs pre/post!

best of luck to you on that one!

[Splatterfiend]

Would it be dumb if one did cardio first thing in the morning for about 30 mins while trying to bulk up?

[Soulfrost]

I think you can bulk up even while doing cardio in the manner described. It's what you're eatin' during the rest of the day that counts. If you have a solid food dinner, it would be even easier. And if you ingest 300 grams of protein per day, with fair amount of good fats and manipulate carbs in the way that suits you, I don't see why you shouldn't put on some lean mass.

[Soulfrost]

To LayzieBone:
I think that if you'd try to switch some of the carbs with meat and fresh veggies, you won't feel exshaustion. I too work shifts, night shifts included, and have no problem. The thing is that - and it works from me - you must compensate the calories from carbs with those from proteins and fats. If one wouldn't do so, it would obvously spell disaster. I myself use some slice of whole or corn bread every third day or so and I don't feel the need fro any additional carbs. I didn't mention, but I also eat apple or two, or a slice or two of cantaloupe, but the amount of carbs there is insignificant in number, but enough for me. Keep in mind lactose from milk, which adds another 25 gram carbs for two WPC shakes with milk.

[TeddyTank]

how many calories is that? you only need 500 above ur maintenance to gain muscle without fat gains. That looks like to much to me

[Soulfrost]

I don't know to whom your question is adressed. I don't see too many calories in my diet.

[pologod05]

how many calories is that? you only need 500 above ur maintenance to gain muscle without fat gains. That looks like to much to me

damn would i love to see some science behind that claim.... EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. people will need different calorie, macro, and workout balances to gain or lose. there is no set number that works for everyone. if there was, why would there even be forums with more than one post saying "these numbers are what you need. do this at this time, and this 2 hours later, and eat this at this time". seems pretty obvious thats not true.

[bradroche]

A healthy goal is 1-2 pounds per week, although gaining strictly muscle is very hard to acheive when wanting a 60lb gain. I would say a couple years of dedication. I found that when my metabolism slowed down as I got older, it was easier to gain both fat or muscle. When I eat healthy, it goes mostly towards lean. My only problem, is that I am a perfectionist. If I miss a workout or slip up on my diet, I feel like I need to start all over. Don't let this kind of thought process consume you, just do the best you can while still enjoying healthy (and a variety) foods and lifestyle.

I have the same problem! If I eat an order of hot wings or something stupid I feel like my diet is down the drain, sometimes I quit the gym till the following monday and the diet suffers too. The old, "ill start again on monday excuse" It kills me sometimes...

[Splatterfiend]

What's the general equation for calories? Like protein is 1.5-2g per pound of your body weight, how many calories does a 140 pound person need generally speaking? Thanks.

[Human.Shield]

What's the general equation for calories? Like protein is 1.5-2g per pound of your body weight, how many calories does a 140 pound person need generally speaking? Thanks.

3000 - 3500 is a good amount of calories for someone who weighs 140lbs.

[Splatterfiend]

I just want to thank all of you for your input so far.

I do have one question regarding carbs post-workout thought. Since I work out so late in the day and try to get to sleep as early as I can shortly thereafter, is it still a good idea to consume fast-burning carbs post-workout to aid with recovery or if I consume these and go to sleep an hour later will they be stored as fat?

[Splatterfiend]

^^^ buump

[CHM]

I just want to thank all of you for your input so far.

I do have one question regarding carbs post-workout thought. Since I work out so late in the day and try to get to sleep as early as I can shortly thereafter, is it still a good idea to consume fast-burning carbs post-workout to aid with recovery or if I consume these and go to sleep an hour later will they be stored as fat?

Keep the carbs post/wo. I'd go with a mix of high and low GI carbs (ie,oats and dextrose).

[CHM]

they will not be stored as fat, as long as it fits in your caloric needs

[The Solution]

U MUST GET CARBS PWO PERIOD!

u got to have some to replenish ur glycogen needs.. i would go with a mix of slow/fast digesting as stated above.. oats and dextrose would be a great fit.. u could also do a banana and dex.. just make sure u are getting some and they fit ur macros

dont go overboard.. but still try to manage a 2:1 carbrotein ratio to replenish ur body.. thats most important

good luck to you

[Splatterfiend]

When would be a good time to do cardio? I know morning is the best on an an empty stomach, but it isn't always possible for me to do that without interrupting my sleep and my work schedule. Will doing it after lifting be sufficient? Should I have a PWO shake after lifting and then do cardio, or do cardio right after lifting and have the PWO shake/meal after everything? Thanks.

[Soulfrost]

I suggest you take one shake during workout, then do your cardio and, after about 45 mins, take one more shake, this time with smaller amount of carbs. Keep in mind that the purpose of cardio is (if executed properly) to raise your metabolism not just during the session itself, but during many hours afterwards. So your postworkout/postcardio shake won't stay in your way, but it'll help with your muscles recuperation.