Still a scrawny turd...

[threeloaves]

This has been my routine for the last few months:

 

5x5's of everything except pushups i do 5 sets of 10

 

Monday & Thursday

 

Bench

Bent Rows

Dips

Incline dumb bell Press

 

Wednesday & Saturday

 

Squat

Deadlift

Military dumb bell press

pushups with the perfect pushup bars

 

Im 5' 9" barely 123lbs. I've always been really skinny/malnourished looking. I was fed up with it so I started weight training a couple years ago. Now, I've been really trying to focus on combining a healthy diet with a steady workout, but Im still lacking the results I want.

 

Im not striving to be a gianormous slab, but I currently look like the machinist. What improvements should I make?

[Zack]

What is your diet like?

[threeloaves]

What is your diet like?

I copied this from a previous post:

 

Daily:

Oatmeal or Kashi cereal

Almond Milk

Peanut butter

Sprouted Bread

Fresh Fruit

Various Frozen veggies

2 protein shakes (2 scoops of nutribiotic, water, and a handful of frozen fruit)

 

Other things in the mix ( but not always daily ):

 

Quinoa

Beans (lentils, black, chickpeas)

Hummus

Tempeh

 

Here's an example of what i had today:

 

Breakfast: 7:30am

 

- 1/2 Cup of Oatmeal

 

10:30am

 

- Banana

 

Lunch: 12:30

 

- Peanut butter sandwich on sprouted bread

 

4pm

 

Banana

Orange

1 cup of Kashi GoLean dry

 

6:00pm

 

Post workout Shake

- 2 scoops of rice protein

- water

- handful of frozen strawberries

 

9pm

 

Tempeh jambalaya

- quinoa

- sauteed red, green peppers, onion, and garlice

 

Peanut Butter sandwich on sprouted bread

 

Bowl of Kashi Golean with a splash of almond milk

 

Couple pieces of dark chocolate

 

I usually drink around 1.5 - 2 liters of water throughout the day.

I have oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon almost every morning. It doesn't hold me off very long though. Seems like a couple hours later Im either wiped out, starving, or both.

[Zack]

Seems somewhat low on calories for someone trying to bulk up? Maybe not though due to your weight. Any idea on total calories in a day?

[Guest]

It doesn't seem like your lacking much. Do you want to get bigger for everyone else or for you??? If you've been eating decently over the years then this could be your natural weight...sure its low but not that abnormal for runners, and cyclists at your height.

[threeloaves]

Seems somewhat low on calories for someone trying to bulk up? Maybe not though due to your weight. Any idea on total calories in a day?

I used to count calories, but i found it drove me mad. So, no I don't really know. If i had to guess on todays probably around 1800. What I ate today seemed rather mild though compared to what ive been trying to consume.

 

Ive been trying to eat every 3 hours or so, which in turn is making me feel like garbage. Bloated, full, and ing. And, when i start eating I have a hard time stopping. I don't know if I can consume any more food in a day. I feel like im eating constantly.

[Zack]

Try to get more liquid calories (smoothies and such).

[threeloaves]

It doesn't seem like your lacking much. Do you want to get bigger for everyone else or for you???

If I understand this correctly, are you implying that I might be trying to impress or fulfill someone else expectations? That's not the case at all, and never has been. The lifestyle Ive chosen is based solely on my well being, and desire to maintain a healthy physique.

 

If you've been eating decently over the years then this could be your natural weight...sure its low but not that abnormal for runners, and cyclists at your height.

I think I have been eating pretty well over the years. I used to play soccer, and ride bikes alot. But, that has since slowed down.

 

2 months ago i was teetering around 116-118lbs. I was eating a ton, not doing any cardio, but not lifting as hard as I am now either. Im currently trying to lift harder, and ive cut back on the cardio drastically. I usually jump rope on my off days.

 

Should I make some changes to my routine?

Edited February 8, 2008 by threeloaves

[xveganjoshx]

1800 calories? Not nearly enough.

I don't see any substantial sources of protein until 5 hours after your awake. Not good either.

 

Up cals, up protein, focus on protein rich foods, especially upon awakening. Good luck.

[threeloaves]

1800 calories? Not nearly enough.

I don't see any substantial sources of protein until 5 hours after your awake. Not good either.

 

Up cals, up protein, focus on protein rich foods, especially upon awakening. Good luck.

 

I usually try to get a shake in there before lunch, but I was running late today. What about my routine - is it weak? What can i do to improve it?

[SwoleNSexified]

If i had to guess on todays probably around 1800.

 

Bump that up to 3000 and then get back to us if it doesn't help

[xveganjoshx]

If i had to guess on todays probably around 1800.

 

Bump that up to 3000 and then get back to us if it doesn't help

I was gonna recommend 3000 as a starting point, actually.

[robert]

I made my best gains at 5k, but can't stomach it anymore, so I'm around 3500 or so.

 

But yeah, for any athlete 3000 should be a good starting point.

[corbomite]

 

 

I usually drink around 1.5 - 2 liters of water throughout the day.

I have oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon almost every morning. It doesn't hold me off very long though. Seems like a couple hours later Im either wiped out, starving, or both.

If you are starving your brain is usually letting you know your body is about to start eating itself. If you are wiped out your body doesn't have the proper nutrients to fuel itself.

It seems like you were born with a metabolism a model would kill for, but its a curse for you. I would try snacking more. Eat a handful of nuts anytime you think about it, or throw in something else in your shake.

As far as being full, get some more fiber so you um... cleanse out the bloated feeling(I mean poop!) more often. If you slowly try to eat more, you'll eventually be able to handle it.

[Aaron]

Fried tempeh sandwich with avocado and mayonaise can be a nice calorie heavy dish.

 

Mmm.

 

I kind of want one now. Used to eat those a while back when I started lifting.

[xveganjoshx]

Tempeh makes me barf.

[VeganDude]

Yes, eat more!!

I'm less tall as you and I'm eating about 3500 cals a day.

Looking at your meal example; have another cup of oats with your banana at 10.30. Make your lunch bigger. Add some(more) seitan/tofu/tempeh and pasta/rice/etc..

Soymilk is cool to, 1liter is about 33gprotein and 400cals.

 

About working out, I think its good to change things up regulary.

Your current one looks ok, maybe deadlifting 2 times a week is a bit much, it is for me anyway.

Make sure you make your workouts intense.

 

Eat eat eat!!!!

[threeloaves]

I made my best gains at 5k, but can't stomach it anymore, so I'm around 3500 or so.

 

But yeah, for any athlete 3000 should be a good starting point.

 

Thats where Im a little concerned. I don't really participate it any sports anymore. Especially now, with all this lovely Pittsburgh weather. I basically workout, and thats it. I mean I don't sit around on the couch hoggin down chips. I think im pretty active. Just not as much as I used to me.

 

If you are starving your brain is usually letting you know your body is about to start eating itself. If you are wiped out your body doesn't have the proper nutrients to fuel itself.

It seems like you were born with a metabolism a model would kill for, but its a curse for you. I would try snacking more. Eat a handful of nuts anytime you think about it, or throw in something else in your shake.

As far as being full, get some more fiber so you um... cleanse out the bloated feeling(I mean poop!) more often. If you slowly try to eat more, you'll eventually be able to handle it.

 

Im going to work on that. Thanks. I thought I was eating too much fiber, and that was causing the bloatedness?

[corbomite]

If the high fiber thing is new, it could be that your body isn't used to it. If you've always eaten a lot of fiber, then you may never get used to it.

 

Another option is to get different types of fiber. Fruit has pectin, which is a healthy fiber but it does not speed up movement of food through the digestive tract as fast as vegetables. Vegetables have cellulose which moves through the digestive track much more quickly. Throw in some green leafy vegetables a few hours before you start getting bloated. Maybe 3 to 4 hours before a workout and again at night. They shouldn't make you too full and can be added to just about anything. Also, a bag of spinach or some celery isn't expensive or hard to prepare.

[threeloaves]

If the high fiber thing is new, it could be that your body isn't used to it. If you've always eaten a lot of fiber, then you may never get used to it.

 

Another option is to get different types of fiber. Fruit has pectin, which is a healthy fiber but it does not speed up movement of food through the digestive tract as fast as vegetables. Vegetables have cellulose which moves through the digestive track much more quickly. Throw in some green leafy vegetables a few hours before you start getting bloated. Maybe 3 to 4 hours before a workout and again at night. They shouldn't make you too full and can be added to just about anything. Also, a bag of spinach or some celery isn't expensive or hard to prepare.

Excellent. I always steam frozen veggies for dinner. Maybe ill try to incorporate them into more meals throughout the day.

[threeloaves]

Should I change up my routine, and how? I would like to stick to compound exercises. Im questioning the sets and reps I should be doing. Thoughts?

[phillipeb]

Just as a side note i did my bmr today and it recommended that i increase my calories by 1000 to gain muscle effectively. That being said im more tall and with more weight that the OP.

 

Basically it said based on my stats that i needed 1928-2118 calories a day to maintain weight. then it said i should get 2360-3080 a day to effectively gain mass, so perhaps 3000 calories might be too much for him. I don't know much about bulking as im new to weight lifting but i always thought calories consumed has to be measured against intensity of exercise as well. Eating a shit load of calories might mean nothing if the work out is not intensive enough.

[threeloaves]

Just as a side note i did my bmr today and it recommended that i increase my calories by 1000 to gain muscle effectively. That being said im more tall and with more weight that the OP.

Where or how did you calculate this? With a calculator online?

 

Basically it said based on my stats that i needed 1928-2118 calories a day to maintain weight. then it said i should get 2360-3080 a day to effectively gain mass, so perhaps 3000 calories might be too much for him. I don't know much about bulking as im new to weight lifting but i always thought calories consumed has to be measured against intensity of exercise as well. Eating a shit load of calories might mean nothing if the work out is not intensive enough.

Im on my feet all day at work. Lifting, bending, contorting, etc. Its not very labor intensive, but it requires more exertion than sitting at a desk all day. As far as total calorie consumption i was shooting for around 2500 - 3000. Im not completely sure thats correct though.

[phillipeb]

Just as a side note i did my bmr today and it recommended that i increase my calories by 1000 to gain muscle effectively. That being said im more tall and with more weight that the OP.

Where or how did you calculate this? With a calculator online?

 

Basically it said based on my stats that i needed 1928-2118 calories a day to maintain weight. then it said i should get 2360-3080 a day to effectively gain mass, so perhaps 3000 calories might be too much for him. I don't know much about bulking as im new to weight lifting but i always thought calories consumed has to be measured against intensity of exercise as well. Eating a shit load of calories might mean nothing if the work out is not intensive enough.

Im on my feet all day at work. Lifting, bending, contorting, etc. Its not very labor intensive, but it requires more exertion than sitting at a desk all day. As far as total calorie consumption i was shooting for around 2500 - 3000. Im not completely sure thats correct though.

 

 

It was called a BMR calculator. I actually found another one on www.nutritiondata.com that recommended a higher calorie per day increase to gain mass.

 

the one i origonally used can be found here:

 

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/bmrcalc.htm

 

Again im a newbie as well so i just was throwing in friendly conjecture

[threeloaves]

Just as a side note i did my bmr today and it recommended that i increase my calories by 1000 to gain muscle effectively. That being said im more tall and with more weight that the OP.

Where or how did you calculate this? With a calculator online?

 

Basically it said based on my stats that i needed 1928-2118 calories a day to maintain weight. then it said i should get 2360-3080 a day to effectively gain mass, so perhaps 3000 calories might be too much for him. I don't know much about bulking as im new to weight lifting but i always thought calories consumed has to be measured against intensity of exercise as well. Eating a shit load of calories might mean nothing if the work out is not intensive enough.

Im on my feet all day at work. Lifting, bending, contorting, etc. Its not very labor intensive, but it requires more exertion than sitting at a desk all day. As far as total calorie consumption i was shooting for around 2500 - 3000. Im not completely sure thats correct though.

 

 

It was called a BMR calculator. I actually found another one on www.nutritiondata.com that recommended a higher calorie per day increase to gain mass.

 

the one i origonally used can be found here:

 

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/bmrcalc.htm

 

Again im a newbie as well so i just was throwing in friendly conjecture

Thanks mate. I'm lookin into it.