Looking to gain muscle mass.

Eat_sleep_weights_repeat

Hi all I've been training for quite sometime but I feel I'm not seeing the gains that I would expect.
I currently weight 12 st 10 and I have a very physical job.
I sometimes find it hard to eat as many calories as I burn as I can burn 3 to 4000 in a day.
I find it really frustrating.
I know there needs to be a surplus of calories in order for my muscles to grow.
Can I eat rubbish to get the calories and still pack on muscle.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

If by rubbish you mean calorie dense foods then yes you can.

Eat_sleep_weights_repeat

For example would it be ok for me to eat 100g of chocolate. Galaxy for example or would that behaviour just make me gain unwanted fat ?

trigden1991

stuartbudgen475 wrote: »

For example would it be ok for me to eat 100g of chocolate. Galaxy for example or would that behaviour just make me gain unwanted fat ?

Fat is caused by excess CALORIES. What foods you eat is up to you.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10226536/bulking-for-beginners

This thread is a good place to start.

When you over eat calories it is never going to be just as muscle. You will also put on body fat no matter what the calories were that you ate.

The above thread explains it way better than I can. Many thanks to @ndj1979 for writing it.

Eat_sleep_weights_repeat

Thank you for the thread. It makes a little more sense to me now.
I now know that in order for me to gain muscle mass I'm also going to gain body fat.
And I guess one day I'll have to shred.
That will be another whole new discussion I know nothing about.

StealthHealth

Peanut butter, bacon, chocolate, pizza, burgers & fries.

If you're really struggling to get the calories in add double cream to a protein shake.

Eat_sleep_weights_repeat

I think I'm gonna enjoy this course of bulking.
Ive spent so long trying to avoid those types of food because I've been so worried about getting fat. And In turn not getting a surplus of calories.
But needs must.
Thanks for your advice

StealthHealth

Note: be careful with the excess, the larger the surplus the more the weight gain will be fat.

Even with optimum training and nutrition there is a maximum LBM you can gain over a given time frame (this will depend upon lots of factors, not least your training history and age). So, if we say that hypothetically someone could add a maximum of 0.25lb per week and that individual is bulking at a weight gain rate of 1lb per week guess how much fat they are putting on?

At least 0.75lb per week

StealthHealth

So, for you, the $1m question becomes - what rate of muscle gain can I expect?

Eat_sleep_weights_repeat

Oh wow thanks I didn't realise that.
I thought the more calories you consume the better.
So for me I want to gain mass but ideally muscle mass.
How much of a surplus would you recommend ?.

psuLemon

stuartbudgen475 wrote: »

Oh wow thanks I didn't realise that.
I thought the more calories you consume the better.
So for me I want to gain mass but ideally muscle mass.
How much of a surplus would you recommend ?.

It's hard to find the specific ideal rate, but you can probably assume it's between .5-1lb (~250-500 calories) per week. There are just a lot of factors. If this is your first time gaining muscle, you can gain more. The more lean you are, the more muscle can gain. On the flip side, if you have gone through cycles, the less likely you are to gain muscle. If you are high body fat, the less primed you are to gain muscle. If you have inadequate training, the less muscle you will gain.

StealthHealth

As @psuLemon states, it's difficult to estimate because there are so many variables, but 0.5lb per week would seem a good starting point.

If your weight is going up, your getting stronger, your waist is staying the same but chest, legs, arms getting bigger - you're doing well. It's when the gut is the fastest growing part of your body that you need to ease off on the calories. Unfortunately, it's hard to take the daily/weekly variations in gym performance and body fluctuation out of the equation so the whole process of gaining is difficult to quantify.

Eat_sleep_weights_repeat

I guess the best thing I can do is take some measurements so I can see what's going on.
When I started working out I had this idea in my head that all I needed to do was lift some weights.
I'm now starting to realise how small a part that actually is.

psuLemon

stuartbudgen475 wrote: »

I guess the best thing I can do is take some measurements so I can see what's going on.
When I started working out I had this idea in my head that all I needed to do was lift some weights.
I'm now starting to realise how small a part that actually is.

Give yourself some credit. You at least thought training. Some people, especially women, think all they need to do is eat protein... and they suddenly turn into the she-hulk.

Eat_sleep_weights_repeat

lol I wish all I had to do was look at a dumbbell.
I enjoy training and sometimes while at the gym I don't want to leave.
Apart from leg days lol. That seems like a completely different animal.
And to be honest I have been known to skip legs.
I'm learning this is another big mistake I have been making.

StealthHealth

Mate, you're going to the gym, lifting weights, and thinking about your goals - you're ahead of 95% of the general population.

psuLemon

stuartbudgen475 wrote: »

lol I wish all I had to do was look at a dumbbell.
I enjoy training and sometimes while at the gym I don't want to leave.
Apart from leg days lol. That seems like a completely different animal.
And to be honest I have been known to skip legs.
I'm learning this is another big mistake I have been making.

Considering that legs days recruit more muscle fibers than most other lifts; they also have the greater metabolic requirement since they are the largest muscles in your body, yea.. I would say that is a mistake.


And as much as I get DOMS in my legs, friend don't let friends skip leg days.