Am I a Skinny-Fat Hardgainer?

Training Beginners
1

(Warning: Long post!)

Hi all,

I am relatively new to the site (probably only about 3-4 months or so), and have done a ton of research on the site, reading countless articles about workouts, nutrition, etc. The latest article however ( http://www.T-Nation.com/article/most_recent/all_hardgainers_are_not_created_equal ) has got me thinking. Am I a skinny-fat hardgainer?

I’m 25 years old, and have been working out on and off since high school (probably about 17 years old). I admit, until the last year, I have not been very consistent with it, usually working out in the summers, and then on a month, off a month, and so on. After being out in the real world for a while, and making a decision that it was time to stop half-assing what I could do for myself, I started a pretty regular workout regimen. Mostly, it was a Men’s Health type routine that had some heavy lifts, and some basic smaller lifts as well.

The workouts i’ve touched on are the home grown muscle series, scrawny to brawny, and most recently the TNT workout program. Most of these workouts have you working out three times a week, and it’s more of a total body type workout aimed towards beginners (which I still consider myself).

Granted, I realize that most people take years upon years to reach their final goal (does anyone ever have a FINAL goal? hmmm), but most research seems to point to that a beginner following any type of (decent) program will see sizable gains in the first few months, just because you are finally being consistent and working hard. For some reason, I do not feel like I’m seeing these “beginner” gains.

Some info about me: I’m 25 (stated before), 6’, and fluctuate between 162 and 167 lbs (on my scale at least). I also believe myself to be between 11%-13% BF.

I realize everyone’s first reaction is to hit reply and say “EAT MORE!”, but I also would like to run through a typical day for me.

-Wake up at 4:30
-Bowl of Shredded Wheat + 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, with Whey Protein + Milk as the milk in my cereal
-Workout from 5:15-6:30 (currently in last phase of TNT diet workout)
-Another bowl of shredded wheat + blueberries + tablespoon flax seed + protein milk mix
-Breakfast at 7 o’clock consisting of 2 eggs, 4 egg whites, 3 slices of turkey bacon
-Head to the desk job
-Snack at 10, usually a slice of cheese (fatty, 0g sugar) handful of nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or something like that)
-Lunch at 12 or 1, which is usually leftover dinner (see below)
-Snack again at 3, usually another small block of cheese, and 4-5 slices of deli meat (turkey, ham, beef, etc)
-Dinner around 6, usually a salad (spinach or mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, crumbled blue cheese, dressing (red wine vinegar and olive oil), meat (fish/chicken/lots of shrimp) and plenty of veggies (usually a variety of onions, green peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, squash, zucchini, 1/2 avocado)
-Final snack around 8:30-9, usually another block of cheese, and either deli meat, or a can of tuna (in water) with some mayo (fatty, 0 sugar) mixed in.
-Bed by 10:30

Other research I’ve done has said that a low-carb diet, with carb loading periods is more beneficial to someone trying to bulk. The TNT diet is basically low carb during the week (except around workouts), and then high carb on the weekends. When I do eat high carb, it’s 100% whole wheat carbs, and not junk carbs.

The most I cheat is I will grab a few grapes, or maybe sneak an apple during the week sometimes (TNT claims fruit is high in sugar as well, and should be avoided until reload periods).

Am I just being an impatient newbie? Or is there something obviously flawed with what i’m doing?

I usually average about 6 hours of sleep a night, and am always drinking water/green tea at my desk at work (usually go to the bathroom at least 4-5 times during work hours, which says to me i’m getting plenty of fluids)

I apologize for the long post, and I have read tons of articles on T-Nation, and do not believe that I need to “clean” up my diet more than it already is. After I complete my last 3 weeks of the TNT workout, I will be switching to a workout on here, one of the beginner recommended workouts I’m sure. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and if any of you feel you need more info from me about something I didn’t include, please just ask.

I also have been taking Creatine (with my coffee…in a hot liquid and not cold) for about 4 months now with no noticeable size difference,

And if i’m totally off the wall somewhere, or just some annoying newbie that acts like he expects to look like Arnold after a year and just needs to have about 6 more years under the belt to weight 180, well tell me that too.

The reason I quote the article, is that I am definitely a worry-wart, and worry about not gaining weight (hence the long post), and am now concerned it’s not just me not trying hard enough.

Thanks guys/gals

2

Unless you have absolutely awesome genetics (and it doesn’t sound like you do) then you will not make progress without consistency. Lift for the next 5 years while not missing more than a few handfulls of workouts. Eat like you want to gain muscle while only missing a few handfulls of meals.

If you’re still skinny-fat then you might be on to something.

Edit: And don’t try to make things too complicated. Unless you’re morbidly obese or trying to get really shredded don’t worry about carb cycling, carb reloads or any of that stuff. Just lift, eat, and repeat.

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But who doesn’t want to be really shredded? lol

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[quote]cgsaunde wrote:
But who doesn’t want to be really shredded? lol[/quote]

I guess I should clarify: If you don’t have muscle to shred, don’t worry about being shredded.

5

Ah, yes that is true.

So, just glancing over the nutrition, you mentioned “eat enough to gain”…I don’t see how I should be eating even more than I do…and I want to grow, but I don’t want to grow only around the belly as well

6

The major points in the article your referencing is.

Insulin Resistant
Excessive Cortisol
Low CNS Recovery

(Maybe a couple others)

Really the only person who can tell you if this is you is probably a doctor. There might be some tests out there you can do to test your CNS recovery and Insulin Resistance but I am not aware of them.

7

I worry about your Creatine and Coffee mix. Caffeine in low amounts is not (according to another article here) supposed to affect Creatine by much, but mixing it in… hmmm.

8

Get more sleep!

6hrs may be enough for your mind, but perhaps your body needs more!!!?

Hell, i sleep about 8hrs typically, and 10hrs a night if i’ve just done deadlift day.

“Stop worrying” - like you wouldn’t if you could. As Wimpy said, don’t overcomplicate things, i’d be chugging peanut butter sandwiches and milk in your spare time.

9

I’m a skinny fat guy. I have been gaining weight and my lifts have been going up, but I haven’t noticed any dramatic physical changes. By the end of March I’ll be into my third month. Just curious, when should physical changes be more noticeable? I do worry about progress…however, I suspect if my lifts are going up then that’s all that matters. Correct?

10

Digity:
What lifts and how much?
I don’t see that much of a physical change from let’s say 120 to 185 bench press. But I would expect a change from 200 to 300 let’s say.

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[quote]A-Dog wrote:
“Stop worrying” - like you wouldn’t if you could. As Wimpy said, don’t overcomplicate things, i’d be chugging peanut butter sandwiches and milk in your spare time.[/quote]

this exact method made me gain 35 poudns in a year. Take it to heart.
Zephead4747 the slightly less skinny bastard

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[quote]yasser wrote:
Digity:
What lifts and how much?
I don’t see that much of a physical change from let’s say 120 to 185 bench press. But I would expect a change from 200 to 300 let’s say.[/quote]

First off, I have been at this since beginning of January, but for a week I had a bad cold and missed workouts or had crappy workouts for two weeks.

Okay, you answered my question with the 120 to 185 comment. I’m pretty embarrassed by my lifts, but I started WS4SB working up to 100 lbs 5 max rep for the BB bench…very lame, I know. It’s currently at 120 lbs (5 max rep). Also, for inclined DB press I started off with 20 lb DBs and I’m now using 35s. I do notice a bit of a difference in my chest, but nothing dramatic. I guess I’m going to have to add some serious weight to the bar. Anyway, I am making progress…even though I’m pretty weak to begin with.

My weight has gone from about 137 to 143 since the beginning of January when I started. I think that’s okay. I’m afraid of going crazy with the food because of my skinny-fat gut. I do eat about 3000 calories a day, but usually a bit less than that (probably by 250 calories).

I can’t wait to attack my stomach fat. I want to lose it bad. It just annoys me, but my focus is on putting on muscle at the moment…so it’ll have to wait.

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[quote]cgsaunde wrote:

So, just glancing over the nutrition, you mentioned “eat enough to gain”…I don’t see how I should be eating even more than I do…and I want to grow, but I don’t want to grow only around the belly as well[/quote]

cg, first of all, good job deciding to get serious about a goal and reading about how to get there.

But, if you’re not making progress, you simply must make changes. It’s that simple. And if you’re not gaining weight, then you ARE gonna have to eat more, right?

There are a few big holes in your program IMO. First, I don’t see a post-workout drink like Surge. If you are a hardgainer, you MUST get the workout nutrition in line.

Second, it’s hard to get great workouts that early in the morning.

Third, make sure you’re going after your goal 100%. Your attitude seems more geared to cutting than gaining. For example, you’re feeling that you’re “cheating” to have a little bit of fruit.

Fourth, you’re not sleeping enough. If you are a hardgainer, you will HAVE to get more sleep.

Log your exact number of calories for the next week and let’s see how they add up. Record your scale weight every day along with your your diet and calorie count.

14

Alright:

  1. Fitday.com - Use it Mr. Hardgainer. And BE HONEST. - Don’t worry after a bit it becomes like copy/paste pretty much.

  2. ATTACK THAT IRON! Maybe working out in the morning is all that’s available to you, or what you like(I know I do) so if you go in that morning, don’t be dragging, don’t be sagging, be fucking aggressive. Do what you have to, to be motivated. Me for example, on deadlifts or squats I like to sing The Fray lyrics…no I’m not kidding either, that’s my motto. After awhile the other gym-goers can get used to it…and well I LIKE my singing voice =)

  3. Look for ways to “cheat” your food, ie. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter after every meal, add this to it, or add that too it. Grill up 7 chicken breasts on Sunday, eat throughout the week.

My favorite though is to buy supplies of workout bars-Powerbar Recovery(available in most grocery stores) is my personal recommendation for the taste/benefits-and chomp one of these mothers down as soon as you blast out that last set, even if the other gym-goers give you odd looks…eat the other some other time during the day.

  1. Follow a good-damn routine. Stop looking at Men’s Health and look at T-Nation for a workout article…find out what you want and find an article geared towards that. Plain and Simple.

  2. As for cutting, put on some muscle, then cut. Otherwise you’ll just look sad.

  3. I know what you’re going through, I’m going through it myself. I’ve been lifting hardcore for only a few months but I have seen some amazing gains listening to this site, do the same.

From Up 7 lean pounds since January,

A former 121-lbs hardgainer. Now I’m a 128-lbs know-what-I’m-doiner

15

Save this stuff for POST workout AFTER your SURGE. Man O’ man, something heavy like that sitting in the gut before a workout will take a while to empty out and you need nutrients (ie. Surge) in your system pronto.

16

Diet is now and has always been the answer to get the look you want. Powerlift if you want size and cardio if you want to be lean. There is no other need read anything else.

Don’t WASTE your money on bullshit supplements that will not work…It’s all the same crap with a different name and really great advertising to make it sound like its a break through in modern science. Hard Work and Diet is all you need to worry about.

17

What supplement are you raging against?

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Anything at all in the Muscle & Fiction.

The whole purpose of that crap is to trick you into buy usless supplements. Example…
you have a high profile bodybuilder in there with his magic work out that promises lean muscle mass. Oh but there is always a catch…If you purchase the new what ever that they are trying to pimp that month. Then you will achieve greatness.

There are plenty of great (organic)foods that you can buy that will give you the same results. So it’s hard to choose which supplement to rage against when there are so many that are flat out crap.

19

[quote]Digity wrote:
I’m a skinny fat guy. I have been gaining weight and my lifts have been going up, but I haven’t noticed any dramatic physical changes. By the end of March I’ll be into my third month. Just curious, when should physical changes be more noticeable? I do worry about progress…however, I suspect if my lifts are going up then that’s all that matters. Correct?[/quote]

Results vary depending on what your eating and more importantly When you eat it…In 12 weeks if you havent noticed anything in you appearance then you seriously need to look at your diet and adjust it to the look you want… I suggest you get a few books on diet & nutrition…Nothing specific because they all point you in the right direction. Key is find what works for you.

20

[quote]yasser wrote:

-Bowl of Shredded Wheat + 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, with Whey Protein + Milk as the milk in my cereal

Save this stuff for POST workout AFTER your SURGE. Man O’ man, something heavy like that sitting in the gut before a workout will take a while to empty out and you need nutrients (ie. Surge) in your system pronto.[/quote]

So what type of pre-workout nutrition should I aim for? If I’m waking up at 4:30 in the morning, I need to get some type of energy to get in there and lift

And I’ve gotten so used to it, that I do have plenty of energy to lift in the mornings, I’m not dragging myself in there and half asleep on the bench. Once I eat some type of b-fast (that bowl of cereal with protein mix) I am usually good to go.

Is Surge one of the best post-workout drinks to have? I thought having a carb + protein mix would suffice, what makes Surge so much better?