Im curious on how little you must have been eating before you started trying to gain.
Then dont train them that heavyā¦
2 Likes
Actually i track everyday since started on fitness pal and most of the days i eat above 2500..because you cannot be perfect when it comes to kcal.Only 4 days i have been under my maint.Two days after my bday and for new year also 2 days.Other than that i am very disciplined and track everything.
1 Like
Umm,lets say very little,i would drink a lot of coffee and eat maybe couple of eggs with cheese and oatmeal,and made protein shake with peanut butter.Meat i ate every other or third day.Was doing calisthenics like i said.And from time to time ice cream but not that much.
Im going on the limb in guessing most of your family members run on the thin side?
1 Like
Yes..that is correct.
It looks like thatās specifically where youāre super setting your work, right? Iād stop doing that so you can focus on progressing the big lifts without battling acute fatigue. Iād imagine youāll get some mileage out of that.
Hack squat is likely to be friendlier to your lower back (assuming thatās where you have the herniations) than leg press, and I think itās a more brutal movement, so Iād vote that in.
Progressing in any meaningful short-term way on DB side raises is really difficult because of the loads involved. Fortunately, it also doesnāt matter much. Progress on your presses and get some volume on the side raises.
Getting in more calories is really where youāll, obviously, have to spend your major focus.
2 Likes
Good point about the 1.87 pounds gained per month. And at that pace, the 14 month timeline to reach the goal bodyweight.
This for sure makes things seem achievable. Even if gains slow down, thereās still time.
4 Likes
Yes,you are right supersets maybe hindering the incline bench progress.I should try and see how much,example one workout i start with the bench instead of peck deck and no SS.Herniated disc is l5-s1 lower back.I will set a goal of 4 plate a side hacksquat,which is doable i think.Last time i tried i did for 70lbs a side for 6 reps,clean.But i have to watch the form otherwise my back will send a hint to me about it 
I appreciate the help and the informations,its hard this days to know what is right or wrong.Regarding food from yesterday like i said i am aiming for 2800kcal roughly per day since food is crucial.
2 Likes
Going to have to strongly disagree here.
It sounds like the OP and I share a similar body type. I read in another thread how āweight is gained by the pound, and lost by the ounceā and have had the total 180 expeirence all my life. By default, I simply lose weight. Iām only 175 at 6ā, been training 20 years and the moment I stop shoveling food in my face my weight begins to plummet. My dad literally had the worst diet of anyone Iāve ever known; 90% fast food, sugary drinks, and candy all day, and at his heaviest he was wiry with a slight pudge (though he DID die early).
2lbs a month, especially of clean weight, sounds like excellent progress to me.
@Darkseidxxone, I too have lumbar issues. Lunges are okay but can bother the knees. I love higher handle trap bar deadlifts and belt squats (if you have access to one). Also pushing/pulling a sled works well for added volume.
3 Likes
When it is the initial weight gain, I find the rate should be accelerated. The first 4-5lbs tends to be water, glycogen and food mass in the gut. And then, when factoring in the extremely underweight starting point, I anticipate an even more accelerated rate to start.
Concur that 2lbs a month AFTER establishing that initial baseline is a fine rate, but I was evaluating under the context of starting from square one.
I got you, and that makes sense. I think still, it took me a year plus to go from 135 at 6ā to 150lbs. And I was chugging mass gainers (the gross early 2000s kind), doing crazy high volume, and was like 19. Iāve been elated with being on trend to gain 24lbs in a year. I think it took me about three years to get to 170ish.
Its such the hard gainer story. They eat a bunch and then burn it all off, haha. Its what Stuart McRobert had right.
1 Like
oh yeah, ha! I took inspiration from a magic pill box that had to go with the super supplement from some long lost rainforest. Dead serious.
1 Like
All this calorie talk has me thinkingā¦
You started at 122, and calculated Maintenance and added some calories.
Then you grew to 135. You put on muscle, so now youāre burning more calories. Did you re-calculate your ānewā Maintanence?
Or, you added 12 pounds of muscles, or 10% to your lean body mass. Did you also add 10% to your Maintinece calories?
I assume you did. And if not, you already mentioned that you were going to try increasing your cals by 200-300 anyway. So, youāre probably covered for now.
But going forward remember youāll need to eat more as you gain more muscle mass.
2 Likes
From 122 to 135 i ate pretty much the exact same calories..Someday even more like i mentioned.But since yesterday i started my log and 2026 fitness journey i bump up the calories by 300.I noticed one maybe flaw,i eat a lot of fat(mostly from butter,eggs,and almond butter,and some walnuts here and there).The workouts since increasing the calories have been really nice,pr s on all exercises and feeling great.Also added multi and minerals to my diet.Creatine is also a option but im skeptic due to the fact i read that will add water weight and once i stop it will be gone.And you are right after increase in weight i need to recalculate the calories again.I spoke with the gym owner and he said its fine if i take some pics and videos,so next week i will upload pictures also.
2 Likes
Thatās not all it does, but even if it were, what would be your concern?
Great!
1 Like
Hmm,after i did more research on internet about creatine i am eager to try it,and see how it will work for me because everyone is different.Also there are a lot of types of creatine its like mind blowing,but i think reading a lot of reviews mono its still unbeaten.The concern was that by taking creatine i will get bloated like puffer fish,thats what most of the guys at the gym told me at first,but these are your typical gym bros(same routine and exercises and no progress whatsoever.)After learning few things i now know how misguided are a lot of lifters,and i am open to learn(no ego here)new things and be better day by day.I wish i found out this forum earlier and started working out younger.
2 Likes
I take it and share no qualities with a puffer fish. Lol. Iām sure it has advantages with lifting, but I take it for the mental benefits.
There is a lot of helpful information on this forum and a lot of helpful people. Itās been wonderful for me. Iām glad you found your way here. I look forward to seeing you progress.
2 Likes
Yeah just use monohydrate. Expect to gain a couple lbs of water, but like @BethB said, the only quality weāll share with puffer fish is our general toxicity.
Itās the most researched and effective supplement in our history. Not everyone gets a ton out of it, but itās going to be particularly beneficial for those that arenāt eating 1 lbs of red meat dailyā¦ so I think youāll like it.
No problem if you add now, but I personally would ride out the increased calories for a bit - one variable at a time kind of thing. You said youāre hitting PRs; once that slows down, it will be great for your motivation to add in creatine and get a bit more.
2 Likes