Thread: New to training and looking for advice!

Hi, firstly i would like to say im brand new to the forums so hello all and apologies if this is in the wrong section at all

Basically, just after christmas i decided i wanted to start training to try and bulk my size and strength up, i did a little research and joined a gym and took some advice from the instructors and a few friends.

Before i joined the gym i weighed 130 lbs and i am 5ft 9, 21 years of age.

I was pretty unhealthy id say, not getting much exercise at all, mostly playing video games and only really eating one, sometimes two proper meals a day, just eating junk inbetween, ive always been slim but eaten badly.

I decided to try and change this and attempt to bulk up, so i joined a local gym, and for the first two weeks i just went to get a general feel for the gym and get used to the equipment, whulst at home making a concious effort to just try and eat a little more.

After these couple of weeks of getting familiar with the gym and a little more confidence, i was really enjoying it, so i decided to start taking it a little more seriously, this is really where my questions start after the background info

As a program i am training chest and muscles monday, back and biceps wednesday and shoulders and legs on a friday, with light cardio inbetween (30-40 mins cross trainer) and doing stomach exercises these days too.

My diet has been my biggest issue, i have tried to go from eating very little, to 4-5 meals a day, in which i find myself getting very full, but i do my best to eat what i can, i try to eat cereal in a morning before work, then i will have a cheese on toast and a weight gainer/protein shake on my break, then baked potato tuna for lunch, then for my dinner usually chicken or red meat based meal with potatos rice or pasta, then after training another shake and maybe just a sandwich later on.

I have tried to get help from people and do some reading but i am getting a little confused, my big questions are really,
is my training program ok? if you need more specifics i can give these,
am i eating enough? or the right things or could i improve my diet in any way, are the shakes beneficial or the right thing for me?

In around a the 5 to 6 weeks i have been following this routine i have gained 10lbs (so upto 140 now) and noted a slight change in size and change in strength, which i am pleased with, but i am really looking for something solid and some pointers to maximise my efforts to bulk up.

Again sorry if this is in the wrong place, and thankyou for any help

Welcome to IM and good job on your current progress

Regarding your training, can you specifically outline the exercises and rep ranges that you do for each day?

Regarding your diet, the important thing is that you are gaining weight -- that suggests that you are eating in a caloric surplus. Do you have an idea of how many grams of protein, fat, and carbohydrates you are taking in each day? If not, I'd recommend tracking your intake for a few days. It'll be helpful, long term, if you have an idea of those figures.