Money On The Line: Gain Lean Muscle

Training Bodybuilding
1

A friend has challenged me to a $500 bet that will last 8 weeks. We will weigh ourselves, find out our body fat %, train for 8 weeks, and test again. The goal is to gain as much lean muscle mass as possible.

My stats: 5’10", 170 lbs. I plan on doing ABBH, and then TBT. My diet consists of egg beaters, N-Large II weight gainer, steak, potatoes, bananas, and soft tacos. I’ll be trying to eat as much clean food as often as possible.

His stats: 5’9", 187 lbs. He has a fat stomach and is currently on a bodybuilding split where he basically kills himself every workout. He will be doing no cardio, and claims his diet will consist of clean foods and lots of protein. I don’t know if he plans on consuming a lot of calories, he says he doesn’t care and just wants protein and he will build muscle.

Any thoughts on either one of our plans? What other foods should be staples of my diet? Any advice you can give me to make sure I come out on top?

Thanks.

2

This is all about the diet.

Max out on calories. Yes you will want to take in 1-1.5g/lb of protein, but don’t forget complex carbs and load up on the fish oil.

I would like to know the results in 2 mos.

3

Anything important to put on the grocery list besides steak and more fruits/vegetables? Are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with whole wheat bread a good snack?

Any vitamins/minerals I should add to my diet? I’ve heard a lot of talk about Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Glucosamine, ect.

What’s the consensus on a weight gainer like N-Large II? I’ve used a few bottles before and I think it tastes great. It also has relatively low sugar and 52 grams of protein. Also 89 grams of carbs. I’m not too worried about any fat gains.

4

Does fat gain matter? Is it in % or absolute?

If absolute, just gorge yourself on food and do the lifts that you wanted. I’d make sure to not overtrain. Quickest way to lose is to piss away a week by going backward. Make sure to get plenty of sleep.

If % watch your diet a little more strictly. If you want to take a supplement. Go for it. Alpha Male, a test booster, some PH would work great to help pack on size. I mean it is a bet. And I’d probably go all out for 10 bucks.

5

I have a few tips that might be of value to you.

  1. I strongly recommend training twice a day for the first 3 weeks if possible. I suggest 3 training days a week, 2 workouts per training day. Coach Thibaudeau and Coach Poliquin both endorse 2 a day training if your schedule permits it. Thibaudeau just posted an article on it, and Poliquin has one in the archives. I have undergone such a routine myself and the muscle mass came quick, you just cannot stay on it for too long.

  2. Supplement with creatine monohydrate. This may not put on lean muscle directly, but it will allow you to complete more reps, and that will aid in your hypertrophy gains.

  3. Make sure that your post workout nutrition is in order. Surge, nuff said

  4. Do your best to get 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Good Luck

6

After you work out, gorge nonstop until you go to bed. This is the time to use your N-Large II.

7

Read Massive Eating Reloaded…

From the few comments you have made it doesnt sound as if you have read anything about nutrition but alot about training. If this is about % then its all about nutrition and very strict dieting. AKA… no PB+J… I could elaborate but I think you need to read instead of me just expelling what someone like John Berardi has already put so graciously in his masterpiece articles presented to you on a silverplatter by the heavenly (oh how heavenly it is) T-Nation.

With that said…

And learn the faults of each bodyfat measurement you are considering.

Supplements?

Low-Carb Grow!
Surge
Fish Oil
Flax Oil

IMO you can make your own weight gainer with Low-Carb Grow! and good flax oil and save yourself the waste off extra sh-t they throw in that other stuff.

8

[quote]Msogard wrote:
A friend has challenged me to a $500 bet that will last 8 weeks. We will weigh ourselves, find out our body fat %, train for 8 weeks, and test again. The goal is to gain as much lean muscle mass as possible.

My stats: 5’10", 170 lbs. I plan on doing ABBH, and then TBT. My diet consists of egg beaters, N-Large II weight gainer, steak, potatoes, bananas, and soft tacos. I’ll be trying to eat as much clean food as often as possible.

His stats: 5’9", 187 lbs. He has a fat stomach and is currently on a bodybuilding split where he basically kills himself every workout. He will be doing no cardio, and claims his diet will consist of clean foods and lots of protein. I don’t know if he plans on consuming a lot of calories, he says he doesn’t care and just wants protein and he will build muscle.

Any thoughts on either one of our plans? What other foods should be staples of my diet? Any advice you can give me to make sure I come out on top?

Thanks.[/quote]

Can the Weight Gainer. Try this (if you can afford it):

Classic Grow! 2-3 shakes/day
Alpha Male
Methoxy-7
M
Fish Oil
Multivitamin
Flaxseed or Udo’s Choice Oil

Use Dr. Berardi’s Massive Eating. Try and sleep eight (8) hours/night (this is more important than you think). Go easy on the Cardio (unless you are shooting for weight loss).

9

You might even try picking up a copy of my new book - Scrawny to Brawny. Judging from your stats, you’re about the same as my buddy John Williams. And his results speak volumes about the efficacy of this program:

http://people.smu.edu/jowillia/scrawny_to_brawny.htm

Check out the book at www.scrawnytobrawny.com

10

Thanks for the help guys.

Here’s a little update after about 3 weeks.

I’m just finishing up ABBH, and I’m very happy with the way things are going. I’ve been eating every 2-3 hours, mainly steaks, eggs, potatoes, brown rice, wheat bread, peanut butter, milk, and fruits. I take an occasional weight gainer shake (Grow! or N-Large II) if I feel like I need some extra calories. I’m also taking creatine, a multi, and 6-8 fish oil caps a day.

I started at 170.5 lbs and 12.5% body fat. I now weigh a solid 176. Abs are still visible but I can see a little fat developing on my lower stomach and sides. I have no idea how my friend is doing.

On a side note, all of my lifts are up. My bench went from 185x3 to 225x2, in just three weeks. Squat went from 180x10 (for 5 sets, in week 1) to 215x10 (for 5 sets, in week 3). Thanks Chad.

11

[quote]Msogard wrote:
Thanks for the help guys.

Here’s a little update after about 3 weeks.

I’m just finishing up ABBH, and I’m very happy with the way things are going. I’ve been eating every 2-3 hours, mainly steaks, eggs, potatoes, brown rice, wheat bread, peanut butter, milk, and fruits. I take an occasional weight gainer shake (Grow! or N-Large II) if I feel like I need some extra calories. I’m also taking creatine, a multi, and 6-8 fish oil caps a day.

I started at 170.5 lbs and 12.5% body fat. I now weigh a solid 176. Abs are still visible but I can see a little fat developing on my lower stomach and sides. I have no idea how my friend is doing.

On a side note, all of my lifts are up. My bench went from 185x3 to 225x2, in just three weeks. Squat went from 180x10 (for 5 sets, in week 1) to 215x10 (for 5 sets, in week 3). Thanks Chad.
[/quote]

Glad you checked back in.

Maybe some Carbolin-19?

How’s the veggie intake. You’d be surprised how important a staple veggie like spinach can be. In short, it spares you from all the acidity you are building up with the high protein intake. (check out JB’s acids and bases article). Although, it is just as likely that I am beating a dead horse and you are already puttin that down as you read this.

I hope those are sweet potatoes.

Switch up the brown rice for long grain / wild rice. Lower GI + Better Micronutrients = Better Choice

Where is the oatmeal!?

Give us a good nutritional break down. We’ve got $500 on the line.

12

I do eat oatmeal almost everyday. My veggie intake has been close to zero, I will try to work on that. The potatoes are regular, not sweet. Is there something wrong with potatoes? I can switch from brown rice if necessary.

I’m getting atleast 1.5g/LB of protein. I try to eat as much protein in every meal and even more carbs. Yesterday for breakfast I had 5 eggs and a big bowl of oatmeal, with wheat toast and milk. Three hours later I had a bag of brown rice, a steak and a banana. A few hours later I had peanut butter toast, some leftover eggs and two more bananas. Before I go out I’ll down a weight gainer shake and an apple.

Anything I’m doing extremely wrong here?

13

[quote]Msogard wrote:
I do eat oatmeal almost everyday.
[/quote]

I like it.

Definitely work on that. If you add one thing make it 1 pack of frozen spinach spread out through the day.

Nothing, wrong with them. Sweet potatoes just provide all that and much more . Cook one up and eat the whole damn thing (even the peel).

Wild and/or Long Grain rice is very similar to the potato vs sweet potato. It’s all that and more. The bling bling of rice per se.

Liftin’ big… eatin’ big. I’m sure Prof X would be happy. Don’t forget the importance of good fats although I recall you mentioned fish oils. Are you flax-ing too?

[quote]
Anything I’m doing extremely wrong here? [/quote]

If I remember you went up 6 lbs in 4 weeks. Sure, there is always room for improvement, but I only see the improvement in cleaning up the food choices. Improving the “quality” of the choices will allow you to better benefit from your training and arguably decrease the amount of stored fat (not that it is such a bad thing during a mass phase). You’ve done the most important thing… built a habit around lifting without getting too caught up in the details. Now that you are in the routine you can take a look back and make minor adjustments. Make the adjustments then put 4 more solid weeks under the bar. Rinse… repeat.

14

Thanks TriGWU, I’ll be going to the grocery store tonight.

Updates to come.

15

Other things to consider:

Citrus Fruits (oranges/grapefruits)
Apples
Berries (these get $$ though)
Nuts (preferrably walnuts)
Cottage Cheese (<2%)
Flax Meal

Keep us posted.

16

Take steroids, and the $500 you win should cover your expenses

17

Buy frozen berries. They’re way cheaper and taste great.

18

Take a serving of Surge before your workout, a 2nd serving in the middle of your workout, a 3rd serving at the end of your workout and a 4th serving of Surge an hour later. An hour later eat regular food. Eat every two hours. You will be sick and tired of eating…eat again.

19

[quote]tall tom wrote:
Take a serving of Surge before your workout, a 2nd serving in the middle of your workout, a 3rd serving at the end of your workout and a 4th serving of Surge an hour later. An hour later eat regular food. Eat every two hours. You will be sick and tired of eating…eat again.[/quote]

?

20

tall tom, that is completely unnecessary. Its not even “optimal” either. Take a WO drink w/ carbs&protein and eat until you can’t afterwards(preferably carbs and lean proteins)