Hey this is my first post here and i’ve been really working out for only about 4-5 months so im a pretty big rookie to this so i was hoping for some tips pointers or ne thing u guys could help me out with. Ive noticed my chest and arms have gotten significantly bigger but thats to be expected because i just started out but recently its been slowing down and im thinking it might be my diet so here it is. By the way im 17 , 135lbs, 5’8
Wake Up
2scoops protein powder with 8oz low fat milk
1x Premeir Protein bar 30.0g protein
Lunch
2 or 3 PbandJ with extra peanut butter
Dinner
If at work
6in turkey sub with about 4oz turkey and the works with veges
if not at work
some kind of vegetable salad(pretty small)
rice or potato
chicken breast or beef
Before i go to bed
2x protein powder scoops
When i was reading all of ur guys meal plans i new for a fact that mine wasnt cutting it. Im kinda scared to eat to much because i really desperatly want a nice set of abs and so far u can only really see them when i flex or lay down.
And finally i was wondering wheither i should go with BSN NO-Xplode, Cell-Mass, or creatine or hell if any of u guys know any better ones i would appreciate it thanks. This is how im looking now and i gotta say its pretty pitiful so if u guys could help me out i would really appreciate it.
Wake Up
2scoops protein powder with 8oz low fat milk
1x Premeir Protein bar 30.0g protein
Lunch
2 or 3 PbandJ with extra peanut butter
Dinner
If at work
6in turkey sub with about 4oz turkey and the works with veges
if not at work
some kind of vegetable salad(pretty small)
rice or potato
chicken breast or beef
Before i go to bed
2x protein powder scoops
When i was reading all of ur guys meal plans i new for a fact that mine wasnt cutting it. Im kinda scared to eat to much because i really desperatly want a nice set of abs and so far u can only really see them when i flex or lay down.[/quote]
Frankly, you need to get over your fixation with your abs for the next few years. You’re young, and you’ll never add muscle mass easier then you will over the next few years. Do yourself a favor and focus on getting up to about 190-200lbs over the next couple of years. As long as you lift heavy and eat relatively clean, you will add mostly muscle mass. Then you can worry about trimming down.
Just looking at your diet, you need to add a snack between breakfast and lunch, and a snack between lunch and dinner. Take a look at Berardi’s 7 habits article, and adjust your meals to follow his guidelines. Try to focus mostly on solid food. Protein shakes are great, especially first thing in the morning if you have to dash out the door, but in general you should try to get your nutrition from real food where possible. If you stick with the pre-bedtime shake, try to find one that has whey and casein in it; casein is a slow digesting protein, which is what you want when you won’t be eating for another 8 hours. Having used the brand of protein you are using and the Biotest brand, I have to say that I personally have an easier time digesting the Biotest sups, but do whatever works for you.
I would keep the supplements to a minimum for now. NO boosters are generally considered to be worthless for anyone, and as a beginner you really need to get your diet in order before adding stuff.
Remember, supplements are just that, supplements, not a replacement for proper eating. If you’re doing everything else right, and are stalling out, that’s when most supplements should be used. That being said, there are a few supplements that I think everyone should use:
1 Fish oil. I like Flameout, but any fish oil is better then none
2 Greens+ or Superfood are great for helping get your veggie intake up. I like Superfood more then greens+, but both are pretty good.
3 A Post workout shake. Every time you lift heavy, you should down one of these immediately after your workout. I bring mine into the gym and slam it down before I leave. Surge is my favorite, but you can make your own with whey powder and gatoraid if cost is an issue.
4 Creatine. Get some creatine monohydrate and take 3-5g a day. Either add it to your PWO shake or take it with grape juice.
That’s it. You really don’t need any other sups for the next few years. Let me know if you have any other questions.
I agree with NinjaBoy. FishOil, a PWO shake, creatine, and vegetables are the greatest, cheapest, most effective supplements I’ve used, and the only ones I’d recommend for beginners.
And I agree with the eating of more food, the gaining of weight, the lifting of heavy and that you’ll put on mostly muscle if you keep your food sources clean.
Damici posted this in the T-cell, and I think it’s good advice.
[quote] Damici Wrote:
If you’re a male under the age of 22, still in your prime hormonal phase, crazy metabolism phase and overall “growing” phase, unless you’ve got very endo-like genetics, YOU guys should be shoveling in everything under the sun almost without restraint! You’ve got a few-year window of opportunity that you’ll never see again to make natural gains; you’ll never have this opportunity again.
Start building that foundation now by shoveling in the food. Your metabolism and hormonal profile are in a state now where lots of it will become muscle, and less of it will become fat than will be the case when you’re older. I made gains in my late teens and early twenties that built a foundation that I probably couldn’t have re-created had I waited until my mid-twenties to start doing so.[/quote]
That’s all solid advice. The only thing I would add though, is to remember that you will inevitably gain some fat with the muscle. Everybody is different in this respect, though, as far as the ratio of fat and muscle. You are in your prime for solid gains, so I wouldn’t panic about it.
Just remember, if the lifts get bigger, and the scale reads heavier, you’re doing good. You can always trim a few lbs. of fat for the beach season anyway. I’m a firm believer in taking a few months off from bulking at least once a year anyway to help stay lean.
[quote]Jeffe wrote:
I’m a firm believer in taking a few months off from bulking at least once a year anyway to help stay lean.[/quote]
Really, it depends on who much fat you add. There’s no sense in shortchanging yourself by chasing two goals at the same time. As long as you’re gaining mostly muscle, it makes more sense to keep gaining, especially when you’re young. Not saying you should get obese, but 15% bf is not really that much.
