8500 Calories a Day, Frank Yang Bulking Diet

Nutrition
141

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:
Let me ask you this…you make it sound disadvantageous that I can grow on lower calories. Perhaps I am better suited for muscle gain than those that have to stuff themselves & force the food down to grow? If you have to eat 8,000 calories to build muscle perhaps this is not what your body was meant for. Meanwhile my body is eager to grow and is making efficient use of calories consumed.

Also I think eating little is great. Costs so much less + I spend less time eating/preparing foods. Not to mention it lets me have a life. I would hate to be someone that had to eat every 3 hours…how do you spend time with non-bodybuilders? “Hang on guys, just gotta get a meal in” LOL yeah right.

If I had to eat 4,000-5,000 calories day in day out just to make average progress, I would just say fuck it and quit.[/quote]
^^^times a million, lol! exactly what i was trying to get at. think of the flexibility you’d have in your day if you can gain on less food. i envy you, lol!

142

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:
Let me ask you this…you make it sound disadvantageous that I can grow on lower calories. Perhaps I am better suited for muscle gain than those that have to stuff themselves & force the food down to grow? If you have to eat 8,000 calories to build muscle perhaps this is not what your body was meant for. Meanwhile my body is eager to grow and is making efficient use of calories consumed.

Also I think eating little is great. Costs so much less + I spend less time eating/preparing foods. Not to mention it lets me have a life. I would hate to be someone that had to eat every 3 hours…how do you spend time with non-bodybuilders? “Hang on guys, just gotta get a meal in” LOL yeah right.

If I had to eat 4,000-5,000 calories day in day out just to make average progress, I would just say fuck it and quit.[/quote]

The thing is, Frank gained 40 pounds in 2 months (approx). With no real noticeable fat gain. This is not “average progress.” Many factors contributed to the fact that his body was primed to gain a butt-ton of muscle in a short period of time. THIS is why it is not at all stupid for him to eat this way, and would be stupid for him to scale it back just because 8000 seems like a huge number.

Obviously, many people eating 8000+ calories/day are going to put on a ton of fat. But some are not, some people in some situations can put those calories to good use, which is what is obviously happening with Frank.

143

[quote]wannabebig250 wrote:

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:

[quote]digitalairair wrote:

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
So are you aiming for that many calories every day? Do you do more on some days than others?

How long is this planned bulk? What are the end goals?[/quote]

I’ve been doing this for 2 months. I can’t decide whether to start cutting now or continue. Even without some serious cutting, I am thinking about a deload 2 week period though, where I cut the calorie by 1/3 and lift 3-4 times a week instead of 5. What do you guys here think? [/quote]

I would not yo-yo from such extremes, but rather start from a lean point and grow from there. Bump calories when necessary. But then you wont be a big mass and look “huge” in a t-shirt like the rest of the fellas here…so its your call.

Here’s some food for thought: a pregnant woman is recommended to consume 300-450 calories over her maintenance requirements. And she’s growing a human inside of her…how much do you think building muscle is going to require? Here’s a hint: less than that.[/quote]

a baby also only weighs 7-9lbs and takes 9 months to grow LOL. if it takes a person 9 months to add 7-9lbs of mass to their frame, something is wrong.
[/quote]

Are you a beginner? Because that’s the only way you are adding more LEAN MUSCLE than that to your frame. LOL indeed at 10 pounds of muscle a year…it would only take me 10 years to be 260 lean!!! Check out Stu’s log to see what kind of gains you can expect once you advance beyond the beginner’s stage.

Adding 7-9 lbs of “mass” is entirely different, anyone could do that in a month. But that is not what this forum is about. Or maybe it is, judging by some of the responses in this thread.

144

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:
Let me ask you this…you make it sound disadvantageous that I can grow on lower calories. Perhaps I am better suited for muscle gain than those that have to stuff themselves & force the food down to grow? If you have to eat 8,000 calories to build muscle perhaps this is not what your body was meant for. Meanwhile my body is eager to grow and is making efficient use of calories consumed.

Also I think eating little is great. Costs so much less + I spend less time eating/preparing foods. Not to mention it lets me have a life. I would hate to be someone that had to eat every 3 hours…how do you spend time with non-bodybuilders? “Hang on guys, just gotta get a meal in” LOL yeah right.

If I had to eat 4,000-5,000 calories day in day out just to make average progress, I would just say fuck it and quit.[/quote]

The thing is, Frank gained 40 pounds in 2 months (approx). With no real noticeable fat gain. This is not “average progress.” Many factors contributed to the fact that his body was primed to gain a butt-ton of muscle in a short period of time. THIS is why it is not at all stupid for him to eat this way, and would be stupid for him to scale it back just because 8000 seems like a huge number.

Obviously, many people eating 8000+ calories/day are going to put on a ton of fat. But some are not, some people in some situations can put those calories to good use, which is what is obviously happening with Frank.[/quote]

  1. He’s coming off a massive diet/cut with restricted calories…this is not new muscle tissue he built.

  2. Do you think he eats like this because it makes the best gains for him? Or is it to get people talking about him? (Like this entire thread) Given that he professes to be an artist, I am putting my money on the second option.

146

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:

[quote]wannabebig250 wrote:

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:

[quote]digitalairair wrote:

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
So are you aiming for that many calories every day? Do you do more on some days than others?

How long is this planned bulk? What are the end goals?[/quote]

I’ve been doing this for 2 months. I can’t decide whether to start cutting now or continue. Even without some serious cutting, I am thinking about a deload 2 week period though, where I cut the calorie by 1/3 and lift 3-4 times a week instead of 5. What do you guys here think? [/quote]

I would not yo-yo from such extremes, but rather start from a lean point and grow from there. Bump calories when necessary. But then you wont be a big mass and look “huge” in a t-shirt like the rest of the fellas here…so its your call.

Here’s some food for thought: a pregnant woman is recommended to consume 300-450 calories over her maintenance requirements. And she’s growing a human inside of her…how much do you think building muscle is going to require? Here’s a hint: less than that.[/quote]

a baby also only weighs 7-9lbs and takes 9 months to grow LOL. if it takes a person 9 months to add 7-9lbs of mass to their frame, something is wrong.
[/quote]

Are you a beginner? Because that’s the only way you are adding more LEAN MUSCLE than that to your frame. LOL indeed at 10 pounds of muscle a year…it would only take me 10 years to be 260 lean!!! Check out Stu’s log to see what kind of gains you can expect once you advance beyond the beginner’s stage.

Adding 7-9 lbs of “mass” is entirely different, anyone could do that in a month. But that is not what this forum is about. Or maybe it is, judging by some of the responses in this thread.
[/quote]

well yea youre right, it depends on what lifter were talking about. somebody like stu who already comes in contest shape at 200, i think, isnt going to come in next year at 210 (maybe he will, but for arguments sake he wont). compared to frank who is coming off a low carb starvation diet, he can easily gain 10lbs of lean mass in a month.

and its a shame this forum has turned into the mentality that “if the gains arent happening with a full 6 pack, then they dont count, AND YOURE OBESE!!!”

147

[quote]pushharder wrote:

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
Even CT who advocates for gaining lean mass wrote in an article that you should be eating 800-1000cals over maintence for best muscle building. He said more than that is not needed…

[/quote]

Problem with that is CT himself didn’t do it that way. According to CT.
[/quote]

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_diet_mass/the_beast_evolves

gee, another huge guy who bulked up and looked fat before he leaned down and looked jacked.

148

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:
Let me ask you this…you make it sound disadvantageous that I can grow on lower calories. Perhaps I am better suited for muscle gain than those that have to stuff themselves & force the food down to grow? If you have to eat 8,000 calories to build muscle perhaps this is not what your body was meant for. Meanwhile my body is eager to grow and is making efficient use of calories consumed.

Also I think eating little is great. Costs so much less + I spend less time eating/preparing foods. Not to mention it lets me have a life. I would hate to be someone that had to eat every 3 hours…how do you spend time with non-bodybuilders? “Hang on guys, just gotta get a meal in” LOL yeah right.

If I had to eat 4,000-5,000 calories day in day out just to make average progress, I would just say fuck it and quit.[/quote]

The thing is, Frank gained 40 pounds in 2 months (approx). With no real noticeable fat gain. This is not “average progress.” Many factors contributed to the fact that his body was primed to gain a butt-ton of muscle in a short period of time. THIS is why it is not at all stupid for him to eat this way, and would be stupid for him to scale it back just because 8000 seems like a huge number.

Obviously, many people eating 8000+ calories/day are going to put on a ton of fat. But some are not, some people in some situations can put those calories to good use, which is what is obviously happening with Frank.[/quote]

  1. He’s coming off a massive diet/cut with restricted calories…this is not new muscle tissue he built.

  2. Do you think he eats like this because it makes the best gains for him? Or is it to get people talking about him? (Like this entire thread) Given that he professes to be an artist, I am putting my money on the second option.[/quote]

Pretty much agree with both points. However…

  1. In his cut he says he only lost about 20 pounds, and slowly. He has now gained 40. Either way, I don’t think the fact that it’s not all “new” muscle tissue matters in this case. 2 months ago, he did not have it, now he does. Yes, the fact that he’s coming off a very restrictive diet affects that. But that’s kind of the point. Everyone is different, everyone’s body responds to different stimuli, and saying “8000 calories is too many” does not make sense if you don’t consider the person’s specific situation. No one is suggesting that someone starting a bulk and wanting to put on some muscle should just go ahead and start eating 8000 calories/day. Of course that’s nowhere near optimal for most people. They’re just saying, if you are growing like crazy on 8000 calories/day, and not gaining much fat, why stop?

  2. I think it’s both. Yes he’s clearly doing it for attention, that’s his thing. But it is also obviously working very, very well for him.

149

I definitely third Greg’s and bigmac’s advice. if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Frank, what does your split look like for the week? while I agree that 6-8000 cals a day is not necessary for growth for most people, or even for you, I suspect that the surplus does wonders for your recovery.

hitting a body part once a week and growing is one thing. hitting a body part more than once a week, growing, and making any improvements in work capacity simultaneously is something else entirely.

150

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:
Let me ask you this…you make it sound disadvantageous that I can grow on lower calories. Perhaps I am better suited for muscle gain than those that have to stuff themselves & force the food down to grow? If you have to eat 8,000 calories to build muscle perhaps this is not what your body was meant for. Meanwhile my body is eager to grow and is making efficient use of calories consumed.

Also I think eating little is great. Costs so much less + I spend less time eating/preparing foods. Not to mention it lets me have a life. I would hate to be someone that had to eat every 3 hours…how do you spend time with non-bodybuilders? “Hang on guys, just gotta get a meal in” LOL yeah right.

If I had to eat 4,000-5,000 calories day in day out just to make average progress, I would just say fuck it and quit.[/quote]

The thing is, Frank gained 40 pounds in 2 months (approx). With no real noticeable fat gain. This is not “average progress.” Many factors contributed to the fact that his body was primed to gain a butt-ton of muscle in a short period of time. THIS is why it is not at all stupid for him to eat this way, and would be stupid for him to scale it back just because 8000 seems like a huge number.

Obviously, many people eating 8000+ calories/day are going to put on a ton of fat. But some are not, some people in some situations can put those calories to good use, which is what is obviously happening with Frank.[/quote]

  1. He’s coming off a massive diet/cut with restricted calories…this is not new muscle tissue he built.

  2. Do you think he eats like this because it makes the best gains for him? Or is it to get people talking about him? (Like this entire thread) Given that he professes to be an artist, I am putting my money on the second option.[/quote]

Why do people who make progress bother you?

151

Isn’t a pregnant woman’s activity level (and calorie expenditure) significantly different from an active, exercising male?
Isn’t Frank Yang’s activity level significantly higher than most active males?
Hasn’t Frank been training for awhile now?
Isn’t the time frame being discussed here 2 months versus 9 months?
Is protein synthesis the same process in the body as the growth of an unborn child?

you’re probably right though proud_virgin. Same thing.
You pressing more than your bodyweight overhead for reps yet virgin?

Also, @Frank, when you’re talking about deloading, my guess is you’ve been training long enough to know when you need to do it. My own perspective is that cns fatigue is the main reason to deload, with stalling gains being second. The only one who can answer to the first reason is you. Good luck with everything, always fun to follow your experiences!

152

[quote]wannabebig250 wrote:
and its a shame this forum has turned into the mentality that “if the gains arent happening with a full 6 pack, then they dont count, AND YOURE OBESE!!!”[/quote]

To be fair, I think you’re exaggerating a bit here… No one is advocating keeping a full 6 pack year round when gaining. I think the mentality has just changed a bit from the old mindset of all out gaining without paying a lot attention to fat gain.

Does that old mentality work? Sure, it can. Is it the only way? Definitely not. I think a lot of posters (especially young ones) just have a little bit different mindset when it comes to gaining.

Will you gain size slower? Definitely. Will you gain muscle slower? That’s debatable.

153

[quote]gregron wrote:

[quote]wannabebig250 wrote:
and its a shame this forum has turned into the mentality that “if the gains arent happening with a full 6 pack, then they dont count, AND YOURE OBESE!!!”[/quote]

To be fair, I think you’re exaggerating a bit here… No one is advocating keeping a full 6 pack year round when gaining. I think the mentality has just changed a bit from the old mindset of all out gaining without paying a lot attention to fat gain.

Does that old mentality work? Sure, it can. Is it the only way? Definitely not. I think a lot of posters (especially young ones) just have a little bit different mindset when it comes to gaining.

Will you gain size slower? Definitely. Will you gain muscle slower? That’s debatable.[/quote]

being one of those younger posters (22) i think its a shame that the new mentality is to stay as lean as possible while trying to put on mass. wasting away the prime anabolic years when hormones are at their highest (for most), by limiting calories and therefore limiting the amount of nutrients youre feeding your body.

i think MODOK and Prof X’s mentality to gain as much as possible without worrying about fat gain and put those noob gains and hormones to use.

in the words of MODOK, “get yourself a netflix account and start eating” LOL.

154

[quote]gregron wrote:

[quote]wannabebig250 wrote:
and its a shame this forum has turned into the mentality that “if the gains arent happening with a full 6 pack, then they dont count, AND YOURE OBESE!!!”[/quote]

To be fair, I think you’re exaggerating a bit here… No one is advocating keeping a full 6 pack year round when gaining. I think the mentality has just changed a bit from the old mindset of all out gaining without paying a lot attention to fat gain.

Does that old mentality work? Sure, it can. Is it the only way? Definitely not. I think a lot of posters (especially young ones) just have a little bit different mindset when it comes to gaining.

Will you gain size slower? Definitely. Will you gain muscle slower? That’s debatable.[/quote]

How is it debatable? If the guy slamming on the breaks every time he loses an ab is compared to the guy who all out busts his ass to gain as much muscle size as possible while only caring to reduce “too much” fat gain, there is a debate about who will get big faster?

Really?

Also, it isn’t an exaggeration when you have those people literally calling lifters OBESE when they aren’t all because they aren’t under 10% body fat.;…especially if those guys have gained more muscle overall.

I have noticed you don’t speak out about any of that.

155

^^but there is no “proof” that you’ll gain more MUSCLE that way is there? The net gain of both approaches can bet he same. No one is saying to stall muscle gains, just to mitigate excess fat gain.

I think some people get those confused.

EDIT: this post was in response to WannaBeBig’s last post.

156

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]gregron wrote:

[quote]wannabebig250 wrote:
and its a shame this forum has turned into the mentality that “if the gains arent happening with a full 6 pack, then they dont count, AND YOURE OBESE!!!”[/quote]

To be fair, I think you’re exaggerating a bit here… No one is advocating keeping a full 6 pack year round when gaining. I think the mentality has just changed a bit from the old mindset of all out gaining without paying a lot attention to fat gain.

Does that old mentality work? Sure, it can. Is it the only way? Definitely not. I think a lot of posters (especially young ones) just have a little bit different mindset when it comes to gaining.

Will you gain size slower? Definitely. Will you gain muscle slower? That’s debatable.[/quote]

How is it debatable? If the guy slamming on the breaks every time he loses an ab is compared to the guy who all out busts his ass to gain as much muscle size as possible while only caring to reduce “too much” fat gain, there is a debate about who will get big faster?

Really?

Also, it isn’t an exaggeration when you have those people literally calling lifters OBESE when they aren’t all because they aren’t under 10% body fat.;…especially if those guys have gained more muscle overall.

I have noticed you don’t speak out about any of that.[/quote]

You’re exaggerating my post.

I never said anything about putting on the breaks when you lose an AB.

I DID say that both approaches work, did I not?

I also said I don’t agree with staying full 6 pack showing lean year round.

What I have said is that there is more than one way to get the job done and just because one way works for someone doesn’t mean the other ways are wrong.

157

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Also, it isn’t an exaggeration when you have those people literally calling lifters OBESE when they aren’t[/quote]

I haven’t seen anyone undeservingly calling anyone else obese around here, can you post any examples?

158

[quote]flch95 wrote:

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
That again jsut points out maintence calories varies between people. Just because a virgin grows at a 2500 cals doesnt mean everyone else does. I really do feel bad for the poor people that gain on such low calories. I would die eating that little. My stomach would shrivel.[/quote]
so you’d rather be in a situation where your requirement for growth exceeds your capacity? shouldn’t you be in favour of life being…“easier”???[/quote]

Dont understand what you mean growth excedes my capacity? What capacity are you reffering to? And no why would i want life to be easy? I love challenges. And most that enjoy training do not like things easy other wise why would they train?

159

[quote]gregron wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]gregron wrote:

[quote]wannabebig250 wrote:
and its a shame this forum has turned into the mentality that “if the gains arent happening with a full 6 pack, then they dont count, AND YOURE OBESE!!!”[/quote]

To be fair, I think you’re exaggerating a bit here… No one is advocating keeping a full 6 pack year round when gaining. I think the mentality has just changed a bit from the old mindset of all out gaining without paying a lot attention to fat gain.

Does that old mentality work? Sure, it can. Is it the only way? Definitely not. I think a lot of posters (especially young ones) just have a little bit different mindset when it comes to gaining.

Will you gain size slower? Definitely. Will you gain muscle slower? That’s debatable.[/quote]

How is it debatable? If the guy slamming on the breaks every time he loses an ab is compared to the guy who all out busts his ass to gain as much muscle size as possible while only caring to reduce “too much” fat gain, there is a debate about who will get big faster?

Really?

Also, it isn’t an exaggeration when you have those people literally calling lifters OBESE when they aren’t all because they aren’t under 10% body fat.;…especially if those guys have gained more muscle overall.

I have noticed you don’t speak out about any of that.[/quote]

You’re exaggerating my post.

I never said anything about putting on the breaks when you lose an AB.

I DID say that both approaches work, did I not?

I also said I don’t agree with staying full 6 pack showing lean year round.

What I have said is that there is more than one way to get the job done and just because one way works for someone doesn’t mean the other ways are wrong.
[/quote]

If both approaches work, why is the OBGYN Proud virgin telling the op he is doing it wrong and that women having babies is related to a guy building muscle as far as caloric requirements? Why aren’t you speaking out about that but seem to find fault with every post of mine?

160

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:
Let me ask you this…you make it sound disadvantageous that I can grow on lower calories. Perhaps I am better suited for muscle gain than those that have to stuff themselves & force the food down to grow? If you have to eat 8,000 calories to build muscle perhaps this is not what your body was meant for. Meanwhile my body is eager to grow and is making efficient use of calories consumed.

Also I think eating little is great. Costs so much less + I spend less time eating/preparing foods. Not to mention it lets me have a life. I would hate to be someone that had to eat every 3 hours…how do you spend time with non-bodybuilders? “Hang on guys, just gotta get a meal in” LOL yeah right.

If I had to eat 4,000-5,000 calories day in day out just to make average progress, I would just say fuck it and quit.[/quote]

Perhaps you are better suited for muscle gain. Or perhanps you are more sedentary? Who knows. The beauty of the human body is the fact that each person has slightly different physiology. I think that is great. Sure maybe my body or Franks body is not meant for muscle gain. Who said life was supposed to be a cake walk. Just because the body doesnt want to put on msucle dosnt mean we can still strive to pack it on. We still kill it in the gym and then just have to eat some more. Big deal.

Eating little is great if you have a tiny stomach capacity and dont enjoy eating. I love to eat. And have no problem eating as much as frank does. Its not even a chore for me. So again the fact that more calories are needed for growth is fine. I dont eat every 3 hours. I eat 90% of my calories in 4hrs post workout at night while i relax and watch some TV. And yes i eat as almost as many calories as frank and I will be upping mine soon to be about what frank is eating

That last statement shows some pretty poor dedicatino to building a great physique. Uh oh i have to put in work in the kitchen to make progress, I give up. I dont really understand that mentalilty