whysix

Ok lets start with me... I am about 135 pounds, 5'10'' and 18 years old. I have very high metabolism and a lean physique. I am trying to gain weight (lean muscle) and it doesn't seem to be happening as fast as I think it could be.

I work out 3 times a week, with a week between every muscle group. I am also taking a protein supplement (shake) 2-3 times a day. I am considering creatine and possibly a weight gainer supplement, yet I am worried about the negative aspects... That is if there are any.

Any tips as to diet, workout habbits or any info regarding creatine and or weight gainer would be greatly appreciated.

Prince

welcome to IM!

To gain weight, muscle or fat, you have to consume more calories than your body burns everyday.

Are you gaining weight? Being an "ectomorph" it will always be difficult for you to gain weight, but with enough meals and calories it can be done.

Let's see a sample of your daily diet and training routine.

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whysix

Ok today I got my body fat measured and it was an astounding 9.8%... Sadly it does make sense considering my abs are barely visible. Yet now I have a dillemma... How do I gain weight while trying to lower my bodyfat. The PT here at ballys told me that all the fat was at my abs. She recommended ab workouts 4-5 times per week, yet wouldn't that be overtraining? She also said do cardio, while others have told me to not do cardio If I am trying to gain. I want to gain weight and still lower my body fat %. I need my abs to be more visible.

Help me.

gr81

losing fat and gaining muscle are two different things that cannot be accomplished at the same time without high amounts of very expensive drugs. Like prince said, you must consume more kcals than you burn to gain weight, to lose fat you must burn more than you intake, make sense. Don't listen to that woman PT at ballys, she is full of shit. You must pick a goal and go with it, whether it be losing fat or gaining muscle. Time to forget about those abs and upping those calories. Go in the diet section and do a search for a good bulking diet.

whysix

That is what I figured I would hear, even though it was also what I did not want to hear. So it is basically impossible to reduce my body fat percentage while gaining? I am not trying to drastically bulk. I am in no way a bodybuilder, I just want to gain an additional 20 to 25 or so pounds and have a nice physique.


Also could some define a kcal?

Mudge

Its not impossible, but you will have to be willing to live with a balance of progress. Your not going to get ripped and gain 50 pounds on your bench in 2 weeks at the same time.

It is however very far from being impossible, and no drugs are needed otherwise we'd all look like crap.

If you want to gain 25 pounds of muscle and lose for example 15 pounds of fat/water, keep in mind thats 40 pounds, thats no small task.

Use your fingers and feel in the ab area, can you really feel that they are deep and muscular? If they are not no matter how lean you are they wont show all that well.

kcal is a food calorie.

Kinesiology Comp Bench
MaxCalc Motivation Bench form Charles Poliquin
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu

whysix

I am not trying to gain 50 pounds on my bench in two weeks. I am willing to gain for say two months and then work on getting ripped, yet I don't know how to go about this and how long it would really take.

My stomach is firm and when I flex my abs do show, it is just when they are in the relaxed postion there isnt very much definition at the moment.

I dont understand why I would have to lose 15 pounds of fat/water though. I weigh about 135 pounds, and I have very high metabolism. Are you saying that for me to gain 25 pounds and still be ripped, I would need to initially gain 40 and then lose 15 pounds?

Mudge

Totally relaxed and abs showing, good lord you'd have to be holding no water and probably 6% bodyfat, in my opinion that is unwordly and not something to shoot for. More muscle still wont hurt.

My numbers were completely theoretical, you'd have to do the math based on what you want. I am just saying to keep that in mind.

Since your metabolism is relatively high, I myself would probably start out by simply raising the calories a bit, say 500 a day, and upping the protein to at least 1g per pound to start with, if not 1.2/1.25, but if your not watching that now there is nothing wrong with starting with 1g. Make sure also that your spreading this out through the day, taking it all in one or two meals does little good, it needs to be continual, 5-6 meals a day is recommended and balance them as best you can.

So basically it is some training theory, and very much diet oriented, everything is really, wether cutting or bulking. Your in the gym for 30-60 minutes, but your eating is throughout the day and thats what feeds the body.

Kinesiology Comp Bench
MaxCalc Motivation Bench form Charles Poliquin
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu