Mesomorph here giving up trying to bulk :( help?

[johnom24]

I've been on a bulk now for 3 months and just cannot seem to gain weight due to the amount of cals I need daily. Being 6ft and 165 lbs I've calculated my required intake as 3,500. This high number is due to the amount of cardio I do on a weekly basis (as I am a swimmer, surfer and BJJ practitioner). I had aimed to add 8-10 lbs of muscle in the period.

However trying to get this amount daily (including 1-2 liquid meals) leaves me feeling bloated, full and really sick to the point where I lapse at every couple of weeks due to being unable to force any more quality foods or gain shakes down by throat

Has anybody else had this problem and managed to succeed or is really the only alternative to cut back on my sports for a 2 - 3 month period (something which I really do not want to do) ?

*I did weight training in the form of 2/3 spilts 2/3 times per week consisting of 90% compound exercises.

Any help, insight or encouragement greatly appreciated!

[justinjude]

MOAR potatoes and guinness stew

you could dirty bulk, but I wouldn't advise it. However, there are healthier foods that are high calorie.

More peanut butter, and fatty fish.

When I'm not driving and get home ill see what else I can come up with

[JohnDavis111]

I've been on a bulk now for 3 months and just cannot seem to gain weight due to the amount of cals I need daily. Being 6ft and 165 lbs I've calculated my required intake as 3,500. This high number is due to the amount of cardio I do on a weekly basis (as I am a swimmer, surfer and BJJ practitioner). I had aimed to add 8-10 lbs of muscle in the period.

However trying to get this amount daily (including 1-2 liquid meals) leaves me feeling bloated, full and really sick to the point where I lapse at every couple of weeks due to being unable to force any more quality foods or gain shakes down by throat

Has anybody else had this problem and managed to succeed or is really the only alternative to cut back on my sports for a 2 - 3 month period (something which I really do not want to do) ?

*I did weight training in the form of 2/3 spilts 2/3 times per week consisting of 90% compound exercises.

Any help, insight or encouragement greatly appreciated!

I dont mean this in a sh!tty way nor have I ever had your problem (the opposite for me actually) But doesn't sound like you want it bad enough yet. Some day maybe you will. Good luck man

[johnom24]

MOAR potatoes and guinness stew

you could dirty bulk, but I wouldn't advise it. However, there are healthier foods that are high calorie.

More peanut butter, and fatty fish.

When I'm not driving and get home ill see what else I can come up with

yeah i've been eating a 500g jar of peanut butter per week. Didn't think of eating more fatty fish however, usually thats pretty light on the stomach too. Thanks!

[johnom24]

I dont mean this in a sh!tty way nor have I ever had your problem (the opposite for me actually) But doesn't sound like you want it bad enough yet. Some day maybe you will. Good luck man

Maybe so. I just want to have the best of both worlds if I can I guess!

[PBateman2]

Cook all meats in olive oil.

Peanut butter on everything - breads, fruits, bagels, pancakes, etc..

Whole milk.

Whole eggs.

Ice Cream.

You should be able to do it.

[johnom24]

Post the foods you currently eat.

Great idea! My typical daily diet would consist of

Breakfast (780 cals)
-all bran
-scrambled eggs
-wholewheat bread & 20g of peanut butter

Morning snack (500 cals)
-oatmeal
-mixed nuts
-banana

Lunch (770 cals)
-chicken breast
-vegtables
-brown rice
-choc bar

Afternoon snack (510 cals)
-peanut butter 40g
-recover shake

Dinner (600 cals)
-chicken breast
-sweet potato
-carrot & parsnip
-cottage cheese
-choc bar

Evening (360)
-gain shake

Total 3,520

[PBateman2]

^Add/cook with olive oil- eggs/meats, drink whole milk, more peanut butter, add some ice cream (ex. in your "gain shake") etc..

Done.

[Bramble]

2012, still believing in body types....

[johnom24]

^Add/cook with olive oil- eggs/meats, drink whole milk, more peanut butter, add some ice cream (ex. in your "gain shake") etc..

Done.

Thanks I will try that! If i can eat less physical food and still get some good cals I might have better success

[justinjude]

16oz of salmon is almost 1000 calories

[NCepeeist]

double the pb on your toast, add more nuts to the oats, add pb to the sweet potato (very good actually!), ice cream, bacon, fatty steaks/meat/fish, cook with heavy cream, drink heavy cream. Hell a favorite of mine was to mix cream (1 tbs) with pb (2 tbs) to get a really nice whipped spread! Add butter to that (melted) and drench in chicken. Your welcome for that one!

[ShinySephiroth]

Ice cream is great. I find gummie bears pretty easy to down as well.

Good luck!

[TheMerch]

Where is the Prime Rib and cheese in your meal plan

Also peanut butter + banana sandwiches or wraps are an easy way to get 800kcal in.

[johnom24]

All great ideas! Thanks guys that gives me some better options

[AlwaysTryin]

Whinging about struggling to eat 3500 calories...

[Ajaro]

More fatty meats. I hope to god your chicken breasts are not skinless. You're eating some bro-like and filling stuff. Stick to less filling foods and follow the rest of these tips

[MTheory]

Man, I wish I had these diet problems...

[jaxfitguy]

2012, still believing in body types....

Still believing.

[IraHays]

ITT mesomorph complains he can't reach goals.

Mind blown.

[IraHays]

2012, still believing in body types....

Because anyone can look like Arnold........

[justinjude]

Because anyone can look like Arnold........

More steroids

[mattypoole]

This..

Whinging about struggling to eat 3500 calories...

And this..

ITT mesomorph complains he can't reach goals.

Mind blown.

At your height and weight 3500 should be nothing OP, just forget about any of that clean food nonsense and get into mpre pb, fatty meats, fish, oils, nuts.

Good luck with it, your only obstacle is yourself and your hunger ('xcuse the pun) to reach your goals.

[DASHTEK1]

your only training 2/3 times a week?

IMO that's what's holding you back. You will slowly gain if you continue this but I'd cut down on cardio to gain quicker.

[justinjude]

And honestly dude you wouldn't have to take as much time off as you think...

Isn't it possible to basically dirty bulk and gain 2ish pounds a week? It definitely won't all be muscle, but if you want weight, you could do it..

[johnom24]

More fatty meats. I hope to god your chicken breasts are not skinless. You're eating some bro-like and filling stuff. Stick to less filling foods and follow the rest of these tips

Thats the problem alright if I can get the cals in with less filling foods I might be able to gain. At the moment I would way prefer cutting as I feel much healthier, lean and energetic at a 10% cal deficit! The feeling of being bloated and full all the time is something I can't deal with

[johnom24]

And honestly dude you wouldn't have to take as much time off as you think...

Isn't it possible to basically dirty bulk and gain 2ish pounds a week? It definitely won't all be muscle, but if you want weight, you could do it..

That is an idea alright but I do want to gain muscle for sports so its important to me that I clean bulk if possible

[justinjude]

That is an idea alright but I do want to gain muscle for sports so its important to me that I clean bulk if possible

Well you have some great tips here for starters. Keep us in the loop on how things are going

[johnom24]

Well you have some great tips here for starters. Keep us in the loop on how things are going

Thanks for all the encouragement finished my bulk at 80kgs Kept bf low so mostly muscle. I started taking serious mass which made a HUGE difference as getting an extra 600-1200 cals a day made it easy to hit 3,500. THanks
J