Need a little help here...

[fitness4life]

I just started another cycle of var and I’m into my 4th week on it. Now, I've been gaining some muscle and my strength has gone up but I’m not sure if I’m eating enough. I'm goal here is to gain and then cut once I’m done my cycle. I've been averaging 1350-1500 calories, 25-40g fat, 135-155g protein, taking my multivitamin everyday and 15mg var. My current weight is 155lbs, 5'5" and I’ve gained about 2 lbs since I started. I haven't gone up in dress size and I’m looking to gain a bit more muscle. I want to make sure I’m getting full use of my var!!! I train for about 45 mins a day 5 times a week, no cardio as I have no time. I train on my lunch hour!! Any suggestions?

 

[heavy_duty]

4 weeks 2 lbs 15mg?
could be bunk gear.

 

[fitness4life]

4 weeks 2 lbs 15mg?
could be bunk gear.

No, this stuff is good, same bottle I used last time....i've also lost some fat as well. I'm going into my 4th week and I think my issue is that i'm not eating enough

 

[heavy_duty]

I'll let the regulars offer their two cents.

No, this stuff is good, same bottle I used last time....i've also lost some fat as well. I'm going into my 4th week and I think my issue is that i'm not eating enough

 

[Sassy69]

What does your diet consist of? (Macro ratios) And if this is supposed to be a bulking cycle I'd probably suggest eating more like 1.5-2x your weight. Right now you're sort of just barely eating at maintenance.

To compare - even off season my body tends to like to hang around 162-165 lb - mostly just my bodyfat ratio changes. But I generally eat around 1750-1800 cals. But I also cut on that down to 140 - so I think you need more food in general. But I'd like to know what those cals are being distributed into.

 

[fitness4life]

What does your diet consist of? (Macro ratios) And if this is supposed to be a bulking cycle I'd probably suggest eating more like 1.5-2x your weight. Right now you're sort of just barely eating at maintenance.

To compare - even off season my body tends to like to hang around 162-165 lb - mostly just my bodyfat ratio changes. But I generally eat around 1750-1800 cals. But I also cut on that down to 140 - so I think you need more food in general. But I'd like to know what those cals are being distributed into.

This was Monday

Cal 1366
Fat 19%
Carbs 34 %
Protein 47%

Morning

Coffee w. Sugar & Cream

ISO XP Whey Protein w/ frozen fruit

Sliced Ham 125g

Afternoon

Beef Stir Fry w/ Brown Rice

Salad w/mushrooms, baby carrots, yellow pepper / dressing

Cottage Cheese 1/2 cup

Totals 1366 27 124 153



Yesterday

Cal 1421
Fat 21%
Carbs 39%
Protein 40%

Morning

Coffee w. Sugar & Cream

ISO XP Whey Protein

Egg, boiled

Afternoon

Salad w/mushrooms, baby carrots, yellow pepper / dressing

Subway, Roasted Chicken Breast

Supper

Mac 'n' Beef Soup made w/ whole wheat pasta & lean ground beef

Cottage Cheese 1/2 cup

Totals 1421 32 147 138


Now yesterday, my carb intake was higher than a normal day and my protein intake was below normal. I eat throughout the day while i'm at work, so the food is spread out over the day. The morning I usually just have my shake then around 1130-12 i'll have my egg, ham etc.

After looking at this, doesn't look like much food, but at the end of the day, i'm not looking for anything.

 

[fitness4life]

Let me add one more thing...I work at a callcenter and been working 12 hour days and will be doing this for another month or so (as this place is closing), so I don't have alot of activity in my daily lifestyle other then the gym. That's why I tend to keep my food intake low

 

[Sassy69]

I understand the challenges of working around your work schedule and all that - but if your goal is to bulk and you aren't - that means u arent' eating for it. Esp w/ var. Altho to my example above - my weight doesn't change much but my body composition does - it might help to get an accurate BF reading every week so you can tell for sure. But you still arent' eating enough. And the fact that you aren't hungry is telling me your body is probably adapted to the fuel it gets --- try upping your food a bit and see how it goes. Regardless of the var, w/ an increase in cals you should be able to build up some really nice strength just w/ that. I'll point u to both Treilin & sbt's logs on this board for evidence of that.

I'm a desk jockey as well - have been for 20 yrs - 10yrs as a software engineer, 10 as a product mgr for software companies. I've spent an avg of easily 15 hrs / day in at a desk for 20 yrs. I still need to eat more if I want to build muscle mass. If you arent' eating enough to support the activity you are doing, you might even be catabolizing your muscle to support that.

I'd suggest upping your cals to around 2000 for a week and just see how you feel. I'd keep the ratios around 40/30/30 -- increase a little each day if you need to just so you don't feel stuffed -- but if your point is to bulk, then bulk. It didnt' sound like you are going to compete - but if you were, then you'll find that it really doesn't matter how comfortable u are w/ your body day to day (meaning if u are bulking & u feel stuffed & fat, tough shit - you're bulking... you'll be cutting at cuttign time and your goal is to have a certain look on stage on show day, not to feel comfortable each day up until then - because then you probably won't hit your goal of tight on show day -- the two goals conflict.)

But honestly I'd just say try it and see what happens. If you dont like your results now -its obviously due to your diet so IMO time to change the diet.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

I agree with Sassy ... you sound like you are eating enough calories for a CUTTING cycle - not a bulking one.

Cutting is usually around 10xBW calories, which sounds like where you are right now. You would likely benefit from an increase to around 13-15xBW if your goal is to gain.

Als0 - training 5x a week is not really necessary. What is your split like? Rep range? Sets? Exercise choices?

 

[fitness4life]

I understand the challenges of working around your work schedule and all that - but if your goal is to bulk and you aren't - that means u arent' eating for it. Esp w/ var. Altho to my example above - my weight doesn't change much but my body composition does - it might help to get an accurate BF reading every week so you can tell for sure. But you still arent' eating enough. And the fact that you aren't hungry is telling me your body is probably adapted to the fuel it gets --- try upping your food a bit and see how it goes. Regardless of the var, w/ an increase in cals you should be able to build up some really nice strength just w/ that. I'll point u to both Treilin & sbt's logs on this board for evidence of that.

I'm a desk jockey as well - have been for 20 yrs - 10yrs as a software engineer, 10 as a product mgr for software companies. I've spent an avg of easily 15 hrs / day in at a desk for 20 yrs. I still need to eat more if I want to build muscle mass. If you arent' eating enough to support the activity you are doing, you might even be catabolizing your muscle to support that.

I'd suggest upping your cals to around 2000 for a week and just see how you feel. I'd keep the ratios around 40/30/30 -- increase a little each day if you need to just so you don't feel stuffed -- but if your point is to bulk, then bulk. It didnt' sound like you are going to compete - but if you were, then you'll find that it really doesn't matter how comfortable u are w/ your body day to day (meaning if u are bulking & u feel stuffed & fat, tough shit - you're bulking... you'll be cutting at cuttign time and your goal is to have a certain look on stage on show day, not to feel comfortable each day up until then - because then you probably won't hit your goal of tight on show day -- the two goals conflict.)

But honestly I'd just say try it and see what happens. If you dont like your results now -its obviously due to your diet so IMO time to change the diet.

Thanks, lol, I just finished telling my fiance yesterday that i'm feeling fat!! I'm sticking to my dress pants and away from my jeans until i'm done this!! Anyways, i'll give that a shot, but a little confussed. Wouldn't I need to have my protein a little higher then 30%