Eating for gains!

Preparation, Preparedness & Prevention Fitness and Nutrition
1

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?164905-Gain-and-trim-Is-it-possible
I originally was going to update the above thread, but thought I’d create my own as my post shifted from a question to its own topic.

My weight has been fluctuating like crazy lately. Some of you may remember my gallon of milk a day diet. I started off at 182 lbs and ended up around 210 4 weeks later. Wasn’t cut at all, but I was noticeably bigger. Then I hurt my shoulder, and had to stop lifting for almost 4 months. I shrank. Started lifting again, got big and hurt my back, shrank back down. (Girls hate when I tell them that I lose weight when I stop going to the gym)

I finally learned proper routine, and now I’ve been back into it since the end of '14. I’ve put on decent, much slower gains (I am at 197), but I have some questions.

Do shakes/supplements work as well as meat? In the link, you’ll see where Smash mentions 3lbs of lean meat per day. I can eat, for sure. But 3lbs of lean mean takes a ton of time! 3lbs of Doritos I could do, but despite my flexible schedule 3lbs of lean meat means I’ll be on the skillet or on the grill all the damn time. I’ll do what it takes, I’m just looking for the easy way. Not sure if that is possible.

Aside from protein, what about calories for gains? I have a fast metabolism, so I just eat everything on the principle that calories in > calories out = gains. The problem is that I really do eat everything. Ice cream w/ brownies, clementines, fried chicken, taco bell, tortillas and salsa, chicken wings, mcdonalds, a quart of orange juice, water, and a beer is what I ate yesterday. The problem is that I am noticing I am not 16 anymore, and I’ve got a little bit of some squishiness going on. I’m torn between eating to put on weight, but not wanting to ingest a bunch of shit that makes me look like a chub. I don’t really know the question to ask here, but what should I do?

Lastly, how do you know when you’re putting on too much fat? I don’t want to eat so little it prevents muscle gain (My end goal is 225 @ 8%) but I don’t want to be walking around like Bubba with my love handles hanging out of my jeans either.

2

I have struggled with weight for years man as I started working out I ate like a monster and while I lost a little here or there it was really no effect. Until I found out what my metabolic typing was. I did the shakes and this and that but it never really worked. Once you find you metabolic typing you can find out what you need to eat as far as fat, protein and carbs and how much you need to take in to lose or gain weight. As far as meal prep goes once you have that info it makes it easier. I generally have my Sunday afternoons set aside. Most importantly to lose or gain you must eat, currently I eat 5 times a day. Over time that may change only time will tell.

3

Getting in shape and putting on lean mass is easy, it just takes a lot of hard work. Lolz

To the first question, no shakes are not equivalent to real food hence why their called supplements. As such IMO protein shakes are best reserved for your pre/post workout meals. So all told their counting for maybe 10% of daily calorie intake? If that.

What I personally found to help my meal planning was to pound a large blender shake in the AM. 5 eggs, scoop of whey, 2-3 cups of gluten free oats and maybe a banana. 1000-1300 calories, boom.

As for your total calories figure out your macros (protein, fats, carbs) and adjust your percentages from there based on your protein intake. Download my fitness pal and use it. Make further adjustments later based on what your bodyweight is telling you. If your eating 2600 calories a day but still losing weight up your percentages. Eventually you’ll find that sweet spot where your total calorie intake matches your metabolism. From there I’d just say stay in a 100 cal surplus and you should be good to go.

As an example this is a typical day for me. Probably a touch low on carbs but I’m trying lean out a little.

4

Also I don’t bother with tracking great veggies and such. But I’ll have a cup of green beans with 5oz of pork for example.

5

Bro, thanks for all the advice and everything but there ain’t no mother****ing way I am going to throw raw eggs and oats and shit in a blender lol. I will be skinny long before I eat that kind of stuff!

I downloaded the app, but it appears to only count calories. How do I input all of the other nutrients?

Nowski, I’ll look into metabolic typing.

6

Bah. That’s why you add a scoop of protein and a banana. Honestly the eggs just give a slightly creamy texture and you don’t really taste them at all. I got sick of eating rice all…the… Time… So this works better for me plus low glycemic carbs are the way to go.

As for the app under the menu click on “goals” and from there you can adjust the macro ratios.

7

What do you mean by “metabolic typing” ?

8

I will try this once. If I vomit I am going to save it and ask for a mailing address…

9

Fwiw the cellucor Cinnamon swirl whey is my favorite for the blender shakes. Dymatize blueberry muffin is good too. Don’t forget to add a handful of ice either.

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http://fourhourworkweek.com/2013/05/11/how-to-gain-20-pounds-in-28-days-the-extreme-muscle-building-secrets-of-ufc-fighters/

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Not bad for a 28-day transformation, assuming it was done naturally.

12

I do the same thing, and you can’t even taste the eggs.

13

I’ve been using that app. Pretty good stuff, but I’m still learning.

It appears to be catered toward folks trying to lose weight. It’s always congratulating me and posting “status updates” (automatically) for eating “under” my caloric goal for the day. (Yesterday, I was 70 calories under my minimum)

Also, it doesn’t count strength training as “exercise” so it doesn’t increase the amount of calories needed on those days. Also, while it is a good way to keep track of your protein ,carbs, fat, etc it doesn’t tell me how much of each I should be eating. I can adjust it, but I have no idea what to adjust it to.

Anyway, my main point for this post was realizing that I am actually overeating. Everything I said says you need to eat a “ton” (even on here), but I was starving yesterday by 5:30pm and had already reached 2910 calories. Other than boil up some vegetables, I would have started eating too many calories.

Today, it’s 9am and I’m already at 1,500 calories (I had some jimmy dean sausages, spaghetti and meatballs, and pancakes for breakfast - all of which would be normal things for me to eat).

I wonder if I should focus more on eating 3,000 calories of vegetables and meat as opposed to so many carbs?

14

Regarding the app you can set it for a surplus so you gain weight as well, .5, 1lb/week, etc. I never bothered with adding in the exercise adjustments either as everyone’s metabolism is different so its really trial and error to see what works best for you. Also you don’t need to adjust calorie intake for days you lift just shoot for same intake everyday.

As for ratios just set protein to whatever your bodyweight is and go from there. Maybe start at 35% protein, 35% carb, 30% fats. Run that for a couple weeks and adjust if need be. If recovery is good but your feeling fluffier than you want cut a little carb and add more protein or fats. Conversely if recovery is lacking add a few more carbs and reduce fats. Consistency is the key regardless if you want to be able to track and make changes.

Also in my experience the cleaner you eat the greater the volume of food you consume so that helps with the hunger. Oats, chicken, rice, and lots of vegetables. Honestly I don’t even track veggies I just eat a lot of them lol.

Lastly, meal prep is key. Take your daily calorie intake and spread it out over 5-6 meals during the day. Generally I get most all of my carbs with breakfast so the rest of my meals look like 5oz chicken and a cup of veggies or salad. I’ll through in a snack of pepperoni and cheese some days too.

I bought one of these, and its awesome.

http://www.sixpackbags.com/voyager-backpack.html

How much do you weigh now?

15

It may be old rules of thumb but when I played college ball we aimed for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. This can get difficult. I was around 215 lbs. and I tried eating around 4500 calories per day. By trying to put on bulk you will put on excess fat. We worked in cycles of putting on bulk, followed by more reps, lighter weight to tone muscles and we worked in cardio as well to remove the unwanted fat. Then back to adding bulk again.

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I cooked it all at once. 3lbs of 93/7 in a big wok, then drain, add in a big jar of Pace salsa, and put it in a big tupperware container and eat it with a big spoon. I’d eat about half that night and the other half during the next day. By the time I got home it would be time to cook 3 more lbs. repeat but with spaghetti sauce, korean bbq sauce, or something else. Or 3lbs of boneless chicken breasts or thigh meat, marinated previously, and cooks in the oven for 25-30 minutes. It takes all of 25 minutes to cook food for an entire day.

eta: I dont mind cold food and dont really care about variety, just gaining strength and size. So I cook in bulk, eat out of the tupperware and put it back in the fridge when I am full. Pull it back out again an hour later when I can eat more.

17

If you search for “strength training” in the Add Cardio section, you should find something.

18

Sounds like devastation to my innards.

Meebe +burrito for maximum effect.

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It’s finding out what mixture of fats, proteins and carbs your body needs based on your activity level and body measurements as well as how you physically react to foods.

20

Thanks for that link. This may be the perfect solution for warmer weather when I want to ride my motorcycle to work but still maintain adequate meal frequency.