I’ve recently started seriously bulking in the past 2 months and have put on about 15 pounds. I’m on a chest shoulders tri calf abs/ legs back bis split where I rotate these 2 workouts every other day so I’m in the gym 3 to 4 times a week. I was stuck in the starting strength mindset for a long time but I’ve now increased volume and really like what I’m doing.
My issue is that I’m now up to 215 pounds at 6’4 (I wasn’t counting calories, just eating clean but probably way to many carbs) and I’m getting that pregnant stomach look which I had when I was doing starting strength and got up to 228 pounds. I lost all of the weight and got down to 185 late last year, and I had been trying to get my strength back on starting strength before switching over to this new increased volume program.
Should I eat at maintenence for a month or 2 and see if I can recomp, should I go below maintenence to try to get back to around 200 pounds while still trying to add strength then eat only 300-500 over maintenece. I would say I still have potential for a lot of newbie gains because I’m lifting much less than what I was a year ago when I was on starting strength, so theres still a lot of strength to regain.
I’m on the tablet now, but I made a post last year with pictures of how I looked, basically I looked like I was 6 months pregnant. Ive read that you can only put on 1 to 2 pounds of muscle a month so me adding 15 pounds in 2 months means I put on a lot of fat and it all goes to my gut. I’m thinking about eating 3100 calories on training days and 2100 on off days and playing some light basketball. Does this sound sensible. I’m going to Vegas in 6 weeks so i want to look good for that also.
Remember water weight, glycogen stores, etc play a huuuge role in weight gain. I actually just came off of a 2 year modeling streak, where I maintained a very very low BF %. About 2 months ago, I began my bulk cycle and have increased calories slowlyyyyy. Very slowly, about 200 calories per week if that.
Anyway, Im still lean, but now my stomach is definitely BIGGER. If I let my stomach loose, it looks like a pot belly. But I can suck it in and have all abs easily visible. Distention of the stomach does not necessarily have to do with fat gain, by any means.
I used a calorie calculator and it said my maintenence calories should be around 2500, so would it be good to eat around 3100 on workout days and around 2300 on nonworkout days to slowly add muscle without to much fat gain
[quote]dapunisher1 wrote:
I used a calorie calculator and it said my maintenence calories should be around 2500, so would it be good to eat around 3100 on workout days and around 2300 on nonworkout days to slowly add muscle without to much fat gain[/quote]
being in a deficit on rest days wont limit fat gains, it will limit muscle gains. This is the time when you body is actually BUILDING and still needs a surplus of nutrients. If 2500 is your baseline, shoot for 3000 everyday and just adjust accordingly.
[quote]dapunisher1 wrote:
I used a calorie calculator and it said my maintenence calories should be around 2500, so would it be good to eat around 3100 on workout days and around 2300 on nonworkout days to slowly add muscle without to much fat gain[/quote]
being in a deficit on rest days wont limit fat gains, it will limit muscle gains. This is the time when you body is actually BUILDING and still needs a surplus of nutrients. If 2500 is your baseline, shoot for 3000 everyday and just adjust accordingly. [/quote]
Basically this. Unless someone is literally already so built they are fine tuning their physique, taking in less food on rest days makes very little sense unless you don’t like your body growing muscle.
I noticed that I gained about 3 to 4 pounds in the last week and about 15 pounds in the last 2 months. I made the mistake last year of getting too fat too fast, so I want to do it right this time. I’m in the gym every other day training half the body one day and half 2 days later, then back in 2 days later. I wasnt counting exact calories but I was probably getting around 4K calories a day eating a lot of yams, and a lot of cold cereal post workout. Should I try to cut out some of these carbs and gain about 3 to 4 pounds a month
[quote]dapunisher1 wrote:
I noticed that I gained about 3 to 4 pounds in the last week and about 15 pounds in the last 2 months. I made the mistake last year of getting too fat too fast, so I want to do it right this time. I’m in the gym every other day training half the body one day and half 2 days later, then back in 2 days later. I wasnt counting exact calories but I was probably getting around 4K calories a day eating a lot of yams, and a lot of cold cereal post workout. Should I try to cut out some of these carbs and gain about 3 to 4 pounds a month[/quote]
You base what you do on how you look perform and feel. None of us knows what you look like…and most trainers are the worst people to ask for their perspective of where they stand right now.
Without seeing you lift, everything you get here will be generic bullshit from people based on what they think sounds the coolest.
The truth is, no one should be telling you to up or lower calories without knowing more about what the hell you have built and how you look and what your overall goals are.
On training days I would drink a protein drink and have 2 or 3 bowls of cinnamon toast crunch or something like that as post workout. For the rest of the day I’d have an egg sandwitch w cheese, oatmeal with peanut butter and almond milk, cottage cheese with blueberries and strawberries, an orange, yams, chicken breast and spinach or brocolli 2 times a day.
Right now I’m deadlifting 340, squatting 215 and benching 200, military pressing 60 pound dumbells. I’m taking my time with the squats adding 10 pounds a workout, adding 10 pounds to deadlifts every workout, and bench been adding 5 pounds a workout.
[quote]dapunisher1 wrote:
I’ve recently started seriously bulking in the past 2 months and have put on about 15 pounds. I’m on a chest shoulders tri calf abs/ legs back bis split where I rotate these 2 workouts every other day so I’m in the gym 3 to 4 times a week. I was stuck in the starting strength mindset for a long time but I’ve now increased volume and really like what I’m doing.
My issue is that I’m now up to 215 pounds at 6’4 (I wasn’t counting calories, just eating clean but probably way to many carbs) and I’m getting that pregnant stomach look which I had when I was doing starting strength and got up to 228 pounds. I lost all of the weight and got down to 185 late last year, and I had been trying to get my strength back on starting strength before switching over to this new increased volume program.
Should I eat at maintenence for a month or 2 and see if I can recomp, should I go below maintenence to try to get back to around 200 pounds while still trying to add strength then eat only 300-500 over maintenece. I would say I still have potential for a lot of newbie gains because I’m lifting much less than what I was a year ago when I was on starting strength, so theres still a lot of strength to regain.
[/quote]
Do you even know your maintenance amount? You said you haven’t been counting.
(I know I said I was cutting this guy off after that thread, but it absolutely kills me that the guy gets tons of advice time and time again and still finds a way to not see good results.)
You need to fucking focus on ONE goal and stick with a well-designed plan (not something you try to create yourself) for at least 3-6 months without interruption.
(I know I said I was cutting this guy off after that thread, but it absolutely kills me that the guy gets tons of advice time and time again and still finds a way to not see good results.)
You need to fucking focus on ONE goal and stick with a well-designed plan (not something you try to create yourself) for at least 3-6 months without interruption.[/quote]
Even when you are being stern as fuck you are helpful, I like your style Colucci
