I Need a Diet to Gain Muscle

[monty2589]

I need a diet to gain muscle. I'm skinny right now and want to gain a lot of muscle mass. I need a what meals to eat each day and at what time for at least a week. Thanks in advance.

 

[YoungIntricateMuscle]

you can't ask such a general question......research first......everyone's diet is unique but follows the same rules....learn how much calories and what kind you need first

 

[Rabid_Goose]

What's your stats? Age/Weight/Height, any know how on your current BF%? What is your routine, do you do cardio?

And don't except it to be a one, two, three of even four month start to finish, you want to get big, it'll take time.

 

[monty2589]

What's your stats? Age/Weight/Height, any know how on your current BF%? What is your routine, do you do cardio?

And don't except it to be a one, two, three of even four month start to finish, you want to get big, it'll take time.

I'm 17, 150, 5'11" and I really don't know my body weight. I'm a runner so I'm sure it's kinda low. My routine right now is Monday chest and arms, Tuesday back and legs, Wednesday off, Thursday arms and chest, Friday off, Saturday back and legs, Sunday off. I run 40's everyday so I guess that counts as cardio. Is this a good routine or should I be doing something different? Oh yeah I usually do abs when I do my legs and back. I know it's gonna take time, I just a need a good diet to get me going.

 

[GymGuru]

I'm 17, 150, 5'11" and I really don't know my body weight. I'm a runner so I'm sure it's kinda low. My routine right now is Monday chest and arms, Tuesday back and legs, Wednesday off, Thursday arms and chest, Friday off, Saturday back and legs, Sunday off. I run 40's everyday so I guess that counts as cardio. Is this a good routine or should I be doing something different? Oh yeah I usually do abs when I do my legs and back. I know it's gonna take time, I just a need a good diet to get me going.

If you weigh so little and your doing that much cardio youll never gain muscle. I suggest you do some research.

 

[monty2589]

If you weigh so little and your doing that much cardio youll never gain muscle. I suggest you do some research.

I've been thinking about cutting out the cardio for a while what do you guys think?

 

[Rabid_Goose]

I know a guy at work that is frustrated with the fact he gains very little weight when he eats big, and he cuts out his cardio too. He loves to run but it is a sacrifice he is making to get bigger on his lifts and eating more. I would cut out the cardio if you could, or cut it way down if you can't stand without it but eat to make up for the loss.

What are you looking to gain, you just want to get bigger on all your lifts, or anything you are specifically training for?

 

[GymGuru]

I've been thinking about cutting out the cardio for a while what do you guys think?

If you want to gain weight, you have to eat a lot of food man. Buy whey protein, eat lots of carbs, eat at mcdonalds everyday, or anything! you want. Just eat eat eat eat eat eat eat.
Workout plan should be more like this.
Chest/tri
off
Back/bi
off/
legs/shoulders
off
repeat. Hope this helps. good luck.

 

[monty2589]

If you want to gain weight, you have to eat a lot of food man. Buy whey protein, eat lots of carbs, eat at mcdonalds everyday, or anything! you want. Just eat eat eat eat eat eat eat.
Workout plan should be more like this.
Chest/tri
off
Back/bi
off/
legs/shoulders
off
repeat. Hope this helps. good luck.

What about abs? What days should I work them?

 

[GymGuru]

What about abs? What days should I work them?

you can work them twice a week on your workoutdays, use weighted abs, crunches leg ups, etc.

 

[ZGzaZ]

If you want to gain weight, you have to eat a lot of food man. Buy whey protein, eat lots of carbs, eat at mcdonalds everyday, or anything! you want. Just eat eat eat eat eat eat eat.
Workout plan should be more like this.
Chest/tri
off
Back/bi
off/
legs/shoulders
off
repeat. Hope this helps. good luck.

Okay....this is terrible advice, don't ever eat at mcdonalds everyday.

Work on working up to eating around 3,500cals a day to start, split those into 6-8 meals throughout the day, include a protein source at each of the meals. At your weight, don't be afraid of foods that arent that "clean" but don't go overboard and think that eating McDonalds and other fast food is going to help you put on muscle.

Some foods you can base your diet, but not your limit yourself too are things like steak, chicken, beef, turkey, oats, pasta, eggs, milk, nuts etc. I've noticed that drinking a big glass of milk at every meal adds a lot of cals throughout the day, especially if its whole milk. Don't worry about supplements right now, however a whey protein shake immediately after your workout would be a good idea.

Once you hit 3,500 cals per day you'll gain some weight over a couple weeks, then bump your cals up to around 3,750 if you're not gaining there do 4,000. I wouldn't go ridiculously overboard and start eating 5,000 a day right now, as you'll gain more fat than muscle. GL to ya...

 

[monty2589]

Okay....this is terrible advice, don't ever eat at mcdonalds everyday.

Work on working up to eating around 3,500cals a day to start, split those into 6-8 meals throughout the day, include a protein source at each of the meals. At your weight, don't be afraid of foods that arent that "clean" but don't go overboard and think that eating McDonalds and other fast food is going to help you put on muscle.

Some foods you can base your diet, but not your limit yourself too are things like steak, chicken, beef, turkey, oats, pasta, eggs, milk, nuts etc. I've noticed that drinking a big glass of milk at every meal adds a lot of cals throughout the day, especially if its whole milk. Don't worry about supplements right now, however a whey protein shake immediately after your workout would be a good idea.

Once you hit 3,500 cals per day you'll gain some weight over a couple weeks, then bump your cals up to around 3,750 if you're not gaining there do 4,000. I wouldn't go ridiculously overboard and start eating 5,000 a day right now, as you'll gain more fat than muscle. GL to ya...

Thanks a lot. That's prolly the best advice I've had. I just have one more question, should I keep doing the routine I'm doing right now or change it? And what do you think about Weight Gainer?

 

[GymGuru]

Thanks a lot. That's prolly the best advice I've had. I just have one more question, should I keep doing the routine I'm doing right now or change it? And what do you think about Weight Gainer?

zgaz is right. Dont eat at mcdonalds everyday, but if you were to, it wouldnt hurt that much. Try and eat as clean as possible, but enjoy your food.
The workout I posted would be a good start. Focus on compound lifts, for you can lift the most weight with these and build the most muscle. Barbell bench, deadlifts, squats, bentoverrows, these are the main lifts you want to focus on, start light and add some poundage every week. Good luck again!

 

[ZGzaZ]

Thanks a lot. That's prolly the best advice I've had. I just have one more question, should I keep doing the routine I'm doing right now or change it? And what do you think about Weight Gainer?

Not to preach about it anymore than I do, but Bill Starr's 5x5 program is great for adding mass if youre eating right. It's a 3 day split, focused around improving big compound movements, and has really helped me pack on some mass. My journal is in the training section if you want to see my progress thus far on it. As far as weight gainers, you won't need them. Real food is going to give you much better calories, often times in weight gainers they're full of sugar and aren't really a good substitute for any food. Stick to 6-8 meals a day, when I say this I don't mean you have to have 6 meals of the same thing either, here's a random day this week for me (I'm also bulking).

9AM - Immediately upon waking - 30g protein shake in 1 cup whole milk
9:30AM - 6 Eggs scrambled (only 2 yolks though), oatmeal, on whole wheat toast.
11:30AM - Plate of pasta, with meat balls, and shredded cheese, 20oz milk.
2:00PM - Chicken, brown rice, green veggies, 24oz milk.
4:00PM - 40g protein shake w/flax, milk
6:00PM - Steak, baked or mashed potatos or yams, veggies, 20oz milk.
8:00PM - 40g protein shake in milk.
10:30PM - 1cup cottage cheese w/splenda, 1 1/2oz almonds.

I usually wake up around 1-2AM to goto the bathroom too, so I more cottage cheese, or a bigger shake to hold me over till morning. Hope the example helped a little, I often eat more or less on diff days, but this was just a random one from this week.

 

[ZGzaZ]

zgaz is right. Dont eat at mcdonalds everyday, but if you were to, it wouldnt hurt that much. Try and eat as clean as possible, but enjoy your food.
The workout I posted would be a good start. Focus on compound lifts, for you can lift the most weight with these and build the most muscle. Barbell bench, deadlifts, squats, bentoverrows, these are the main lifts you want to focus on, start light and add some poundage every week. Good luck again!

He hit it right on the head, perfect. Big lifts, increasing weight each week = muscle and strength gains... good advice GymGuru. That's the key, increasing weights each week and eating above maintenance.... if you're doing both of those, you are gaining weight and getting stronger.

 

[monty2589]

Not to preach about it anymore than I do, but Bill Starr's 5x5 program is great for adding mass if youre eating right. It's a 3 day split, focused around improving big compound movements, and has really helped me pack on some mass. My journal is in the training section if you want to see my progress thus far on it. As far as weight gainers, you won't need them. Real food is going to give you much better calories, often times in weight gainers they're full of sugar and aren't really a good substitute for any food. Stick to 6-8 meals a day, when I say this I don't mean you have to have 6 meals of the same thing either, here's a random day this week for me (I'm also bulking).

9AM - Immediately upon waking - 30g protein shake in 1 cup whole milk
9:30AM - 6 Eggs scrambled (only 2 yolks though), oatmeal, on whole wheat toast.
11:30AM - Plate of pasta, with meat balls, and shredded cheese, 20oz milk.
2:00PM - Chicken, brown rice, green veggies, 24oz milk.
4:00PM - 40g protein shake w/flax, milk
6:00PM - Steak, baked or mashed potatos or yams, veggies, 20oz milk.
8:00PM - 40g protein shake in milk.
10:30PM - 1cup cottage cheese w/splenda, 1 1/2oz almonds.

I usually wake up around 1-2AM to goto the bathroom too, so I more cottage cheese, or a bigger shake to hold me over till morning. Hope the example helped a little, I often eat more or less on diff days, but this was just a random one from this week.

Where do I find Bill Starr's 5x5 program? Is it on the forums?

 

[ZGzaZ]

Where do I find Bill Starr's 5x5 program? Is it on the forums?

http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

Let me know if you have any more questions..

 

[GymGuru]

Where do I find Bill Starr's 5x5 program? Is it on the forums?

The truth is, as long as you keep the principal, increasing the big lifts, youll gain as much as your body possibly can. I did bill starrs 5x5, i didnt really like it, I burned my body out.

 

[ZGzaZ]

The truth is, as long as you keep the principal, increasing the big lifts, youll gain as much as your body possibly can. I did bill starrs 5x5, i didnt really like it, I burned my body out.

Hard to burn out only lifting 3x a week...weird.

 

[monty2589]

http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

Let me know if you have any more questions..

Thanks for everything. I'll let you know if I have anymore questions and keep you all updated on my progress.

 

[ZGzaZ]

Good deal bro, can't wait to hear about your gains.

 

[monty2589]

Good deal bro, can't wait to hear about your gains.

I've actually got another question, what weight should I go up to before I start cutting? Does it depend on how big I want to be? I've got some pics if that would help. Just tell me and I'll post them.

 

[ZGzaZ]

I've actually got another question, what weight should I go up to before I start cutting? Does it depend on how big I want to be? I've got some pics if that would help. Just tell me and I'll post them.

It's all a matter of your preference, if you gain some good weight just make sure you are moving in the direction of how you want to look, keep in mind when you cut you're going to lose a little muscle too...so maybe go above a few pounds to allow for that.

 

[monty2589]

It's all a matter of your preference, if you gain some good weight just make sure you are moving in the direction of how you want to look, keep in mind when you cut you're going to lose a little muscle too...so maybe go above a few pounds to allow for that.

Well I would like to weigh around 180 cut. I want to weigh that much and be ripped pretty good so should I go up to 200 or 190 before I start cutting?

 

[pitbullrocco]

all natural peanut butter. half a jar a day.

if you're gonna bulk, THEN CUT later anyway.....why not pig out on whatever the hell you want. screw eating clean. whats up with the "lean bulk"? bulk or don't. fat aint gonna kill ya. you'll get stronger too.

still, these guys give good advice, so i don't mean to diss them......i've done both clean and dirty bulk and i got better results (weight gain and strength) by not limiting my foods......but not necessarily micky d's everyday.....lol

 

[monty2589]

all natural peanut butter. half a jar a day.

if you're gonna bulk, THEN CUT later anyway.....why not pig out on whatever the hell you want. screw eating clean. whats up with the "lean bulk"? bulk or don't. fat aint gonna kill ya. you'll get stronger too.

still, these guys give good advice, so i don't mean to diss them......i've done both clean and dirty bulk and i got better results (weight gain and strength) by not limiting my foods......but not necessarily micky d's everyday.....lol

Yeah I definitly planned on bulking before cutting.

 

[monty2589]

Yeah I definitly planned on bulking before cutting.

So should I go up to 190 or 200lbs before I start cutting?