Is There Any Hope for Me?

Training Beginners
1

Hey,

My name’s Tim, and I think you’ll find my case is rather rare. I’m 22 years old, and have been smaller sized ALL my life. I’m 5’10 and only weigh 130 lbs. I can eat as much as the next guy but I wont gain a pound. It pisses me off, to be honest. I guess I have a high metabolism.

I look like I’m 16, and people refer to me as “boy” and “little boy” all the time, which is my main motivation to get freaking HUGE! I have a very small frame, also, just thought I’d throw that in.

I’ve read several beginner’s articles through this site, but it seems to me EVERYONE here has an OVERweight issue, well what does a skinny UNDERweight person do?

Also, I can’t go to the gym, because of my long working hours. I’ve been personally debating whether to get a bowflex or total gym, but I’m seeing MOST bodybuilding websites are for free weights. Where can I get a GOOD free weight set up for home use? Any help greatly appreciated.

2

A GOOD free weight set can be had at www.elitefts.com as well as various other suppliers (NewYorkBarbell, someone else help me out with some links).

You need to lift and you need to eat more. You could be eating a lot, but you still need to eat more to gain weight. I don’t care if you are eating 6000calories a day, if you aren’t gaining weight, try 7000 calories.

(In all honesty, I doubt you are eating as much as you think, consistently. Eating 1 huge meal doesn’t count.)

Post your current diet and training routine. You’ll get some responses.

3

Power Rack
Bench
Olympic Bar
Weight Plates

4

If you are having problems gaining weight. I would personally see a Dr. to see why before trying to toss down 7000 calories. But I really think you need to do a gut check like the other poster before me said to make sure you are eating a lot. Some people think eating 3 pieces of pizza is a ton, but to me that is a warmup.

Best of luck!

Track those calories!

5

Yes there is hope for you if you stick around and put forth a serious effort. Keep posting and get to know folks here so we know you’re not a one post wonder. Read the articles and sample lifting programs. Read the nutrition articles especially. I have seen before and after pics on this site of very thin guys turn rock solid. Do a search.

6

[quote]yasser wrote:
Power Rack
Bench
Olympic Bar
Weight Plates
[/quote]

Cheaper than a Bowflex and much more useful.

7

Your case is not rare. You’re exactly like hundreds and thousands of people in a similar situation. The good news is that, as has been mentioned above, other people like you have made good progress by hard lifting and big eating.

Check out craigslist. You can almost always find very reasonably priced power racks there and a utter glut of people dumping their olympic bars/plates. It’s not unreasonable to expect to be able to pick up the whole lot for much less than you would pay for a bowflex.

9

I think you’ve all got me on the “You’re not eating as much as you think you are”. My diet is mostly fast-food, unfortunately. I know it’s garbage, but I figure if I eat enough of it, I’d gain more weight. I only eat 2 meals a day because I sleep until noon most of the time.

I’ve never tried any supplements or anything. Guess I’ll find a good nutrition guide on here somewhere. I’ve heard opinions about the bowflex, but what about the Total Gym? A pile of junk as well?

10

You have ways to go then. You’ll never make gains with 2 meals a day of fast food. You should start by reading the Beginner articles in this forum.

I was in a similar situation as you. I used to use the same excuse “I eat so much and I never gain weight”. From experience, I can tell you that’s bullshit. Two years ago I was 25 years old and 130 lbs. Now I am 27 years old and 155 lbs. It can be done. Eat right, eat alot, lift hard and rest.

Good luck.

11

to reiterate the point

“if your not eating, your not growing” I highly doubt you have such a crazy life you cant eat 5 to 6 meals a day. Also, getting a bag of bagels, covering them with peanut butter and munching on them in between meals isn’t a bad idea, it worked for my office mate.

12

http://www.shermworks.com/index.html

Cheaper than a power rack and probably safer too, I ordered one for this summer when I’ll be moving and converting to a home gym lifter. so no experience with it yet, but if it works out it is a great invention.

As far as the “I eat and can’t gain weight” I’ve said it, thousands, probably millions of others have said it.

The fact is, your perception of what a lot of food is, is not accurate. I was 6’1" 120lbs at one point, after years of struggling I got to 150. Then I learned to squat, started drinking a gallon of milk a day ON TOP OF WHAT I WAS ALREADY EATING, and then gradually increased the amount of regular food I was eating. In a little over a year I was 220 competing in my first powerlifting meet. In the beginning, I puked twice from over stuffing myself. That was taking it to the extreme, but it was necessary for me to change my body’s perception of what “a lot of food” really is.

Try this, change nothing about your current eating habits, except:

ADD (this means don’t replace food with, but ADD to what you’ve been eating)

-2 glasses of whole milk with each meal

-4 tbsp of peanut butter between each meal
-wash it down with a glass of milk

-Squats

-Deadlifts

That really is the whole secret. Its not easy, but it is that simple!

EVERYBODY CAN GAIN WEIGHT - if more goes in than come out, whats gonna happen?

EDIT: I just read your other post about 2 fast food meals a day. Scratch what I said about changing nothing about your current eating habits. If you’re serious about gaining weight, you need to change almost everything about your current eating habits.

3 normal meals a day, (breakfast lunch dinner) you don’t need to get to anal about this yet, but just don’t make it mcdonalds. add 2 glasses of milk to each.

3 snacks consisting of milk and peanut butter between each meal, and before bed.

this is simple, you’ll find more complicated stuff on here that will come in handy in the future, but for now you just need to focus on eating a lot, and with milk and peanut butter thats easy because milk is drinkable, and peanut butter is super dense in calories. Plus both have lots of protein.

13

[quote]StickBoyTim wrote:
I think you’ve all got me on the “You’re not eating as much as you think you are”. My diet is mostly fast-food, unfortunately. I know it’s garbage, but I figure if I eat enough of it, I’d gain more weight. I only eat 2 meals a day because I sleep until noon most of the time.

I’ve never tried any supplements or anything. Guess I’ll find a good nutrition guide on here somewhere. I’ve heard opinions about the bowflex, but what about the Total Gym? A pile of junk as well?[/quote]

Don’t get a bowflex, a total gym, a pilates bar or anything like that. Buy heavy pieces of metal, then a rack and a bench, in order of importance. Personally, I’d rather pay to go to a well equipped gym than have a poorly equipped home gym, so unless you’re going to go all out, that might be a better option.

If you really want to get big and are willing to shut up and work hard, join a powerlifting club. You’ll have to get stronger and heavier, assuming you give it an honest effort and stick with it.

For food, you’re going to have to clean up your diet, period. Well, I shouldn’t say “clean up” because if you’re really, truly needing to put on size, fast food is fine. But I’m willing to bet your two McD’s visits a day aren’t putting in that many calories. A couple thousand, three thousand maybe?

Start eating breakfast. Lot’s of protein. Get a Sam’s Club membership and use it. Lot’s of shitty greasy ground beef patties and cottage cheese. Have a scoop of protein powder with all your meals. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and ground flax to your meals.

There’s lots more tips and tricks for putting on weight, but I’m sort of reluctant to share them if you don’t need them. I don’t want you getting pig-fat and small. No sense in going overboard if you don’t need it.

14

[quote]StickBoyTim wrote:

Also, I can’t go to the gym, because of my long working hours.

[/quote]

You should rephrase that to read “Also, I don’t want to go to the gym, because of my long working hours.”

If you start like this then you’re never going to get bigger and you should give up now.

15

If you aren’t willing to go to the gym for other reasons (eg. confidence, intimidation etc.) you’re going to have to get over that.

Once you start working out, your appetite will improve.

Excuses are for pussies. Get to it mate.

16

If you have 3-4 hrs/wk to work out then you can get bigger and stronger. The harder you work the quicker the gains.

If you are sleeping until noon and not working graveyard, then you are either depressed, lazy, or both. Eating only shitty food and not enough of it is a good way to suppress your BMR and also an easy way to trigger physiological/psychological depression.

You need to eat nutritious food. You need to grocery shop and plan meals. If you are truly as busy as you say you are then you need to prepare meals ahead of time and freeze them.

I think your diet and lifestyle are most likely your limiting factors. You will not be able to change your body composition without changing them as well. There is no way you will be able to start and maintain a vigorous routine if you don’t.

18

My working hours are 4:30 pm - 3:00 am. Yesterday, I made myself wake up at 10:00 am and checked out the local gym, and paid for a membership. I’m not sure what my daily calorie intake is. Right now I dont think I’m putting on more than 2K, so I figure I’ll go for 4K.

I assume everyone here works out every other day?

19

I lift 3days/wk, HIIT cardio 2-3days/wk.

Try Starting Strength

It’s designed for beginners and is nearly universally recognized as en excellent beginner program. Milk it for all you can, follow the program and EAT and you WILL get stronger.

Good luck and keep us posted,
MC

20

Of course there’s hope. You just gotta eat more. Read Dr. John Berardi’s articles on this site.

When I started training I was 31 and had never even cracked 140 pounds at 5’10". I’ve since organized my life around eating 7-8 meals a day and in a little over a year got up to over 190 pounds. Now I’m leaning down (but still above 180 lbs) and plan to get back to gaining mass soon.

21

If I had those hours, I would drive from work to the gym bang out a nice workout get home and sleep like a baby.

Unless your job is labor intensive, then maybe I would sleep first.

22

Heh just a year ago I was about 126 wet. Now I sit at around 155. Plan on hitting 175-180 by the end of this year. Pm me if you need help. I also work around 60 hours a week, labor intensive. Hard to get my meals in everyday. I do my best tho.

Forget fast food. Go out right now buy your self the following: Sirloin or Round steak, chicken breasts fish or turkey, sweet potatoes, olive oil, almonds, coconut oil, fish oil, creatine, beta alinine, apples, oranges, couple dozen omega rich eggs(kroger gots 660 mg ones)good whey supplement, good casein-whey MRP. If you broke just buy the food get supps later.

typical day for me

6 omega eggs fried wit coconut oil and maybe 3-4 slices of turkey bacon. Orange Apple

2nd MRP 40gs Protein blend
40gs low gi carbs + TBSP Peanutbutter

3rd 8oz steak, cup pineapple, TBSP fish oil (or i’ll spread it out during day)

4th MRP + TBSP almond butter

Then I’ll workout while drinking Malto+Whey drink and then after I’ll drink another Malto+Whey drink with some dextrose.

5th Meal 8oz chicken breast and large sweet potatoe, half cup almonds

6th meal MRP + TBSP olive oil and orange

7th (if I have time or wake up at night)
3 eggs + TBSP peanutbutter

Do something like that and if you don’t gain atleast 20-24 lbs in a year with good routine, then I can’t help you