My problem:
For as long as I can remember I have always weight 150 lbs. I eat, quite often and I still don’t seem to gain any weight. I have tried working out, and usually I don’t see any results and I give up too soon… I have tried P90X for about 6 weeks, started to see abs but I didn’t seem to bulk up any at all.
My goal:
I would like to be able to bulk up, I don’t want to be BIG I just want to be bigger than what I am now. I would like to have 6 pack abs, bigger biceps, chest, etc. I just want to be bigger and in shape!
My only problem is if I get abs, but not bulk up it will look stupid, just a skinny guy with abs, nothing impressive. If anyone could please, please, please point me in the right direction or give me some advice as to how I can bulk up, not with fat but with muscle mass, and just overall look better. I would greatly appreciate it.
I will try to get a picture of myself to put on here so you can get a better idea of my body size.
Also: what is a good way to motivate yourself to stick with it. I WANT to do it, but it always seems I fall through.
Diet is key here. You really need to learn to eat. Skinny guy always think they eat tons, when in fact they don’t. FOOD IS ANABOLIC!
Seriously, write down what you eat in a day and look up the Calories in each food. You’ll get a feel of what you’re consuming for overall calories. Then you’ll need to add 800-1k cal more.
Find a decent routine that includes SQUATS and DEADLIFTS. Learn these exercises, they will add mass the fastest and help fill out your back and legs. Obviously you should be doing Bench, OHP , Dips, pull ups/rows and some direct arm work.
Find out your total daily calories first…and learn to eat a hell of alot more.
“Also: what is a good way to motivate yourself to stick with it. I WANT to do it, but it always seems I fall through.” is a false statement.
How can you say you want it (with capital letters, I mean come on) but then still “fall through”. Clearly you don’t really want it. For maybe a day, two days or even a week you are excited by the idea of change. But then when something remotely less challenging and easy comes through, lets say FIFA. You skip the session and BAM! your out of routine.
Anyone here can give you sound advise (often the same thing for beginners) but unless you can repeat what they say on a consistent basis, long enough to make a change then it’s all a waste of time.
If you really do need motivation, then follow this - the 100% rule. Make a plan, as simple or as difficult as you like, preferably with the advice of T-Nation members. Make sure on paper, in mind and in reality you can follow it. Then do it as is written, EXACTLY as is written. As soon as you miss one set, one session, one meal you cannot say you followed it to a tee or 100% and then you need to start again.
I committed myself to 5 sessions a day and challenged myself to not miss a session for A WHOLE YEAR. I did it. Sept 28th marked that year. Now I can say I have been training solid for a year. I have made significant changes to my physique…Now I am looking for 2 years solid. If I miss one session now, I have to go back to 0. Repeat year 1, then go try again for 2.
Well this worked for me so it’s advice, that’s all it is…you can do whatever the FUCK! you wanna do.
And then use FitDay to count your calories every day for a couple of weeks. It’s handy because you can add/remove foods to see how it affects your total calories, as well as giving you % for your protein, carbs, and fat.
I started off in the same position as you, except I was 5’10" and 140lbs. The first thing you need which TrapsLatsnHat already mentioned is dedication. I’ve been working for 5 months and only put on 25 pounds. You won’t become a beast overnight but with a structured routine and time you will eventually.
Also don’t get caught up on that bullshit about seeing your abs and having a six pack. Eat a lot, lift heavy and when you reach your weight goal you can cut to get ripped.
What helped me the most was doing boring but big:
But if that routine doesn’t appeal to you, thats fine, just pick an already proven program such as starting strength or even pick a program from here:
The biggest mistakes you can make when starting (and I’ve done both) is not eating enough and trying to design your own program
5/3/1 is a good program to follow. The hardest thing for me is making sure I’m eating enough. If you don’t eat enough you will not get the size you are looking for. I was told that a diet is 80 to 90 percent of a weightlifting program.
I think the only thing that hasn’t been mentioned is to not be afraid of a little fat.
When I was in your shoes (and I still somewhat am), I was told to eat enough so that the scale is going up around 2 pounds a week. As long as you’re training HARD in the gym – with adequate recovery and good food – you will put on more muscle than fat.
Once you get a better idea of how your body responds to hard training and increased calories, you can make adjustments. Don’t just take a calculator and figure out your BMR… actually take the effort and give yourself a ton of calories with the hard training, and then adjust from there.
[quote]orbikk wrote:
I eat, quite often and I still don’t seem to gain any weight.[/quote]
What, exactly, did you eat yesterday?
[quote]I have tried working out, and usually I don’t see any results and I give up too soon.
…
Also: what is a good way to motivate yourself to stick with it. I WANT to do it, but it always seems I fall through.[/quote]
Read:
and
Also…
[quote]My goal:
I would like to be able to bulk up, I don’t want to be BIG I just want to be bigger than what I am now. I would like to have 6 pack abs, bigger biceps, chest, etc. I just want to be bigger and in shape![/quote]
That’s a confusingly vague “goal.” Legit goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based. Oh, look, another relevant article from Matt Kroc http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=4884698
Eat abundant protein, fats, and carbohydrates while following a well-designed weight training program 3-5 days per week for 16-36 weeks. Sounds simple, and it kinda is.
I have tried P90X for about 6 weeks, started to see abs but I didn’t seem to bulk up any at all.
[/quote]
This is one of your big problems. P90X is a fat-loss/conditioning program coupled with a calorie restricted diet. It isn’t designed to make you big and strong. For that, you need heavy weights on your back and in your hands and a lot more food going down your gullet.
