Very Confused...

[suraj]

Hello, I have recently started bulking, I am 5 ft 10 male age 18 and used to weigh 135 lbs when I started bulking, I was origionaly on a 1200 cal diet which is a very bad thing to do, lost all my muscle and got left with allot of fat so I became skinny fat (looked very skinny and boney but have allot of flab on stomach and chest), I continued loosing muscle and moved onto atkins diet (another stupid decision for me since I was allmost underweight) I lost a bit more weight and then FINALY realised that I need to bulk, loosing weight too fast means MAJOR muscle loss.
So I started bulking, just a bit to start with, doing a little bit of lifting, and then started spliting it to 2-3 days a week for upper body then lower body then upper body etc...I was still quiet low on cals, then when christmas came allong I ate allot and that was not long after lifting heavy weights, I gained about half a stone but didnt really see much change inmy stmach size, my belt still was as tight as it was before, I decided after christmas I was going to bulk properly so I started a 4 day workout plan, concentrating on each muscle group each day, also including common lifts on apropriate days like squats, dead lifts and bench press.
I was eating 1900 cals like advised from other users on forum but didnt have enough enrgy and it took too long to repair muscle so I upped it to 2500-2700 about 4 or 5 days workout 5 days if I decide to do abs and forearms, I had done half my routine doing the legs the week before and then chest and triceps on monday and biceps and back on tuesday, I also been walking around a bit, not much because I am trying to bulk, just like 30-60 mins about 2 days a week.
Right now that you have read all that let me tell you what confused me, I steped on the scales today and realised my weight has gone up by about 3-4kg, now I tried my belt and it still feels the same on me, since the stomach is the main place fat gets stored first I am thinking could that mainly be muscle gain? I have definately been geting stronger since I have can lift 5-10kg on more lifts and it was also the first time I tried a proper squat and deadlift in my workout in my life, I also heard about NEWBIE GAINS, and also since I have nearly no muscle mass on me from my low cal diet could it be that I am gaining muscle very fast to start off with?

Like others have said, try use internet before askig questions, I have asked this question on yahoo answers and also checked all over online I cant find any answers so this is really the only place I can get the answer.
Thanks

EDIT: I am also not looking at myself in the mirror till the end of the week because if I look every day I wont see much change, I think I will start taking before and after pics to, how long do you think I should wait before looking in the mirror? once every week?

 

[Powermaster]

So you've gained a few kg but not gained any fat, that's good sign to keep it going.
Gaining muscle and losing fat takes months and years and you'll most likely not do both at the same time unless you have some freaky genetics.
Being a newbie you may not see changes for a month or so at a time. Being a newbie also means you'll be perfecting form on allot of movements you've never done before so once that is done you'll progress faster as well.

 

[suraj]

Oh great, thanks, so should I just continue on 2500-2700 cals and 4 day workout or should I start uping the cals because I have now gained weight? I was thinking since mantainance is 2300-2400 now because of the weight gain should the intake for cals a day be 2700-3000

 

[grotto72]

dont get ahead of urself with upping ur food. u've only been doing it for a week or 2 so keep going on the current calories until it starts to stop gains. if u go a month without gaining weight then increase it. once u get past newbie gains they will come a lot slower. i gained 10kg of muscle in a year and maybe only increased my waist less than 1 inch. then the gains slowed right down and gained only 2kg in 3 months. thats when i decided to increase calories and started gaining weight again.

 

[suraj]

Thats great, thanks, I will keep my cals steady until gains stop, I am thinking about adding the abb workout to make it 5 days a week workout but I dont think the ab workout will last long enough, the most I could do is weighted crunches(I know 2 different types the normal crunch with weights and the one where you move you elbows to opposite knee and keep going back and forward) I was also thinking of adding forearm workout on the same day, do stuff like reverse hand barbell curl and I know one more the behind back wrist curl.

If I start the ab workout will it make it harder for me to see if I am gaining fat or muscle because the waist will also be geting bigger.

 

[Powermaster]

If I start the ab workout will it make it harder for me to see if I am gaining fat or muscle because the waist will also be geting bigger.

Not really. Stronger abs will help with your deadlift & squats though.

 

[nugget13]

the weight you gained this week was mostly water weight/bloat. the amount of sodium/ different carb sources will greatly effect how your body retains water. You will learn exactly which foods do this as you progress over the next few months, just keep weighing yourself fasted each morning before you eat if you want your 'true' weight.

Lifting and bodybuilding in general is something you learn on your own, as you go. No one can teach you everything in a day. Just continue to take advantage of this forum as a resource, and you will be way ahead of the learning curve.

 

[suraj]

Thanks for all your help, rarther than starting a new thread can you tell me if this is a clean diet please.

1 scoop whey with water
Oats skim milk
2 bowls lentil soup 1 wholgrain bread
banana
whey 2 scoops 1 tsp creatine 400ml water
lentil soup 2 bowls and 1 wholegrain bread
egg whites with 1 whole egg
200g lamb with wholgrain bread
cotage cheese

I dont usualy have lamb on the night, just leftovers from christmas, would usualy be more lentils or tuna or chicken, I am not sure if too many lentils would be bad...I eat about 1 cup measured raw.

I eat at a 40/40/20 ratio 70g fat 250g carb 250g protein but allmost allways go 30g+ on carb and -30g on protein.
My whey is concentrate and contains dex, is it alright in the morning?

 

[Vibrant]

You have to get more protein from whole foods.

 

[suraj]

Should I cut the whey down? only having 3 scoops (20g pro per scoop) lentils full of protein and I eat loads and I allways have atleast 1 serving of lean meat throughout the day mainly just eggs and lentils and either tuna/salmon/pork/lamb or chicken on the night, I have bag fulls of chicken in the freezer so that is the more popular choice unluckily for me it doesnt come with the skin so I have to eat nuts to get the fats in.

 

[Powermaster]

My whey is concentrate and contains dex, is it alright in the morning?

The dex is probably the culprit in putting on water weight. That should be post workout only.

 

[Powermaster]

(20g pro per scoop)

Keep whey up to about 30gm minimum per serving that way you get enough luecine to promote muscle protein synthesis.

 

[rc771]

don't drop any shakes...

Increase whole food intake, I try to get at the very minimum the same amount of protein from whole food as shakes.

Honestly at your age and weight just eat your ass off and don't count calories. Eat clean obviously and train hard don't skip any muscle groups.

 

[suraj]

So I should skip the morning whey? It contains dex in it so I think I will leave it off unless you think I should take it, how about use one post workout and one pre workout? I use 2 scoops in my post workout so it has 40g protein in it, the shake contains dex allready, should I be having some simple carbs with it?

Also I have just bought some cottage cheese, I hate it but I am sure if I mix it with some spices and salt and pepper it could taste nice, I was thinking of adding 50g of it to my diet on the night thats only about 5g protein, should I add more or will that be enough?

To the reply above: should I use my shake in the morning even though it contains dex? I only count cals because of the stupid diet I was on before, it was very low cal and has caused me to ahave a tiny apetite, I count the cals so I know I am geting enough or even more than enough.

EDIT: also just wanted to add, I just bought the whey yesterday and this is the first time in the morning I took it so it cant be the reason for water weight, unless it was because I had my shake before I weighed myself.

 

[rc771]

the shake with carbs in it might be ok in the morning but personally i wouldn't use that stuff at all.

Use straight protein powder throughout the day and then add maltodextrin or dextrose post workout to create an insulin spike. Follow that with a solid food meal 1 hour later, Protein, carbs, and some vegetables or fruit, leave the fat out of this meal because your insulin level will still be elevated from your shake and will increase the probability of storing any fat you take in..

 

[suraj]

Going off topic for a second but is 50g cottage cheese enough to take before night or do I need more, it comes to like 5g protein.

Back to the topic, the protein shake I bought was cheaper than the rest because they gym owner makes it, it contains dex in it, I was told you need simple carbs in the morning an dpost workout because in the mornin you have just left a 8-10 hour fast and you need to replenish the glucose and make sure the body comes out of some sort of mode so that it does not eat away at your muscle, I was planning on replenishing that energy with my whey like most people do but it contains Dex and I am not sure if it will be a good thing or bad thing to have before breakfast.

Does lentil soup not count as a whole food? I have it because it takes 2 mins to make and it contains ALLOT of protein and quite a few carbs, I thought it would be a nice protein meal since it fits in well with my macros, I have atleast 0.5-1 cup measured raw daily but that doesnt mean I dont eat meat, I allways have meats but when I have lentils I cut them down a bit and increase the nuts for fats which also provide protein.

 

[suraj]

Can anyone please tell me if 100g (about 1/2 cup) of cottage cheese will keep going through the night?
AND
My protein shake is made with dex allready in it, will it be okay to drink it first thing in the morning (only 1 scoop(20g pro))?

 

[suraj]

It's ok, I found my answers through other forums and loads of research, people have said Dex in the morning is alright if you want to bulk and also they say 1 cup of cottage cheese but I could never do that without being sick so I will start with half, how can I make it taste better? trying splenda in it tonight any other ideas?

 

[nugget13]

i'm not sure if you enjoy cottage cheese or not... i personally can't eat that shit.

Get some beef and poultry in that diet

 

[ironlifter]

Going off topic for a second but is 50g cottage cheese enough to take before night or do I need more, it comes to like 5g protein.

Back to the topic, the protein shake I bought was cheaper than the rest because they gym owner makes it, it contains dex in it, I was told you need simple carbs in the morning an dpost workout because in the mornin you have just left a 8-10 hour fast and you need to replenish the glucose and make sure the body comes out of some sort of mode so that it does not eat away at your muscle, I was planning on replenishing that energy with my whey like most people do but it contains Dex and I am not sure if it will be a good thing or bad thing to have before breakfast.

Does lentil soup not count as a whole food? I have it because it takes 2 mins to make and it contains ALLOT of protein and quite a few carbs, I thought it would be a nice protein meal since it fits in well with my macros, I have atleast 0.5-1 cup measured raw daily but that doesnt mean I dont eat meat, I allways have meats but when I have lentils I cut them down a bit and increase the nuts for fats which also provide protein.

in the morning you should give your body some protein like whey. not only dex. but bro, use supplement from well known brand. otherwise there might be some risk and it might be harmful. its my personal opinion.

 

[Big G]

In full agreement with everything in here. Eat your ass of and try to get as much whole food as possible. There's "stuff" in real food. Stuff that no-one has even identified. Eat a broad & varied diet, and pack protein in regularly throughout the day. Stick to complete proteins like meat & fish and supplement with whey as needed. Casein is a great option before bed as it takes ages to process, so you get a constant supply throughout most of the night.

Whey is a great option for morning because it is ingested quickly, but ditch the dex and blend a banana into your shake, plus have a bowl of oatmeal if you want a nutritious insulin spike.

I hate cottage cheese too. How anyone eat that shit is a mystery to me! =)

Don't worry about looking or not looking in the mirror. You'll see changes either way, over time. If you notice you're getting fat ease up on the calories a little bit, but bare in mind that a little fat gain is natural while bulking.

For now, just eat up, lift heavy & enjoy yourself.

 

[stewy101]

First thing you want to do is figure out what works for you as an individual. You can workout a 3 day week but trying to get all of what you need in that time especially if you want to do legs is very hard. I learned a long time ago to do a 4 day split routine that spreads all your body parts out through the week so you are only working 1 body part at a time. And it is spread out just right so that it wont interfere with the push and pull of repeating exercises that can use the same muscles more than you want in the same day.

They will be spread out through the week to give you and them just the right amount of time to rest and heal before you use them again. Example: you don't want to do chest and triceps on the same day because even though you are primarily exercising your chest, you are pushing your triceps hard to do them. so there you are using the pushing affect. Example 2: Never do back and biceps on the same day. When you work your back you are also using your bicep muscles to do so with the pulling affect.

You want to spread these body parts and exercise apart far enough in the week so you get at least 3 days rest before you hit them hard again.

This is my 4 day a week split routine:

Mondays: Back and Abs with 30 t0 45 minutes cardio of my choice.

Tuesday: Shoulders, Triceps and Abs with 30 t0 45 minutes cardio of my choice.

Wednesday OFF

Thursday: Full Leg routine including Calves, NO Abs

Friday: Chest, Biceps and Abs with 30 t0 45 minutes cardio of my choice.

Weekend OFF

This is just what I do and what works for me. Just remember whatever routine you do make sure to only work 1 body part a week (except abs if you want) so that you give them enough time to rest , heal and grow while you are feeding the hell out of them. You do NOT make your muscles grow while you are in the gym working them. You are breaking them down. They ONLY grow after you leave the gym and give them time to rest and heal while you are feeding the hell out of them. Then and ONLY then will they repair themselves and come back bigger, badder and stronger.



DIETS FOR BUILDING LEAN MUSCLE:

To gain weight of any type, you must consume more calories than you burn through exercise and daily activities. If your goal is to gain weight in the form of lean muscle mass, choose the right balance of calories to give your body the fuel to build muscle. Combine this with a strength training, muscle building exercise routine, and you will see the muscles begin to build.

Overall Calories:
Finding the right amount of calories for your current size is the key to building lean muscle and not adding fat. recommend consuming 18 to 20 calories per pound of body weight each training day if you are trying to gain lean muscle mass, dropping to 12 to 14 calories per pound on rest days. These calories should be divided amongst six to eight small meals.

Protein:
Protein provides the body with amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle tissue. recommend consuming 40 to 60 g of protein at each meal. Sources of protein include lean cuts of meat such as chicken or turkey breast, pork, low-fat dairy products, and nuts or nut butters. You may also use a protein powder to make a protein shake if you need additional protein at a meal. Keep your protein intake the same on days you train and days you rest, because your muscles need the protein to repair themselves after training.

Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates provide energy for your workouts. Aim for 40 to 80 g of carbohydrates at each meal on days you train, for a total of between 240 and 480. On days you do not train, aim for between 100 and 200 g of carbohydrates. Choose carbohydrates that are high in fiber because these help your digestive system to function at its best. High-fiber sources of carbohydrate include fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Fats:
Fats also provide energy for workouts, but too much fat can lead to gaining fat tissue instead of lean muscle tissue. Recommend 5 to 10 g per meal come from healthy fats, including fatty fish, olive oil or nuts. These healthy fats will help fuel muscle growth and aid in your energy levels while you work out. Recommend keeping your fat intake to 15 to 20 percent of your daily diet.

 

[zemellachiro]

do not rush as well as in terms of building up all these muscles as it can be a problem since abrupt muscle building can cause problems to your ligaments

 

[justhav2p]

lentils? are you a poor jew? Get some Chicken breasts and eat 4oz 6 times a day