How To Gain The Right Way?

fgcsinaban

Hi! Im trying to gain weight and not lose too much. I do boxing and total body conditioning for cardio 2 diff. days and 3 days legs, arms, full body. I also drink GNC weight gainer and wheybolic shake. What is your suggestion? Is what Im doing right?

LiftHeavyThings27105

Welcome....

If you are okay with sharing, the following would be a big help:

Gender
Age
Height
Weight
Specific Goals

It is okay if you do not want to disclose those numbers....no worries.

Generally speaking, you will need to take in more calories then you burn. So, Calories In need to exceed Calories Out.

The general rule of thumb is that Calories In exceeding Calories Out by 500 a day will - over the course of one week - equal one pound of gained weight.

That one pound of weight each week - which equates to four or five pounds a month - might be too big of an increase for an extended period of time.

So, pretty much "what you eat" lives on the "Calories In" side of that equation.

And, BMR and activity pretty much lives on the "Calories Out" side of that equation. BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. Activity is usually associated with a multiplier. You take the BMR and that multiplier and that gives you your TDEE (total daily energy expended).

That number (TDEE) can be used to determine how many calories you need on the "Calories In" side of the equation to maintain your current weight. So, to stay at your current weight - based on what you eat and your activity - you would need to eat TDEE. You want to gain weight, so you would need to increase "Calories In". As mentioned.

Do you know what your current "Calories In" number is?

And, finally, the BMR and the TDEE are numbers derived from formulas. They are not going to be 100% accurate for you. They will - generally speaking - be pretty close. So, use these numbers as a starting point.

Does this help you?

fgcsinaban

I'm 29 yrs.old.I'm 5'1, 120.8lbs, Female, Go up to 127-130lbs. Gain muscle but not shredded. I gained some but not enough to put me to that weight. Estimated BMR:1210. Im using fitness pal to put my calories up to at least almost 3000. Theres days that it doesnt cut it. Should I cut some of my cardio?

I like your info. Very detailed.

jlhflex

I can see some changes in your weight training that could help such as body part splits. No full bodies and cut some cardio. I would cut out any unnecessary cardio and add more weight training. I'm a Martial Artist and body builder so I have to be careful myself. I don't do ANY extra cardio other wise the nutritional intake would exceed 4000 Cal. My suggestion would be to do a focus on 2 groups of push pull muscles on each day with a total of 4 days. For example. Day 1 chest tries, 2 back bis, 3 rest 4 shoulders and abs, 5 legs.
No offense to the reply someone apparently copy paste but it's more to than adding and subtracting and multiplying BMI by whatever and whatever. You have to get more personal on what works for you. Keep high protein and carbs for energy. Keep the boxing but get rid in cardio.

ninerbuff

If you're not gaining, it's cause you're not supplying enough calories to promote weight gain.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

LiftHeavyThings27105

So, looks like your BMR and your TDEE look like the below:

Basal Metabolic Rate 1,211 calories per day
Sedentary 1,453 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,665 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,877 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,089 calories per day
Athlete 2,301 calories per day

So, that is for a 29yo woman who stands 5'1" and weighs 121lbs.

Also, these numbers are based on a formula and does not take into account the 'humanness' of us humans. So, please take each with a grain of salt. Better said, consider the above numbers a good starting point. You will need to play with these numbers to adjust for you. Once you do this, then you will have the experience and will know your true numbers.

So, the numbers are based off the Mifflin-St. Jeor BMR formula from 1990 and a Physical Activity Level multiplier. That PAL multiplier looks like this:

*Sedentary (little or no exercise) – your TDEE = BMR x 1.2
*Lightly active (light exercise/work 1-3 days per week) – your TDEE = BMR x 1.375
*Moderately active (moderate exercise/work 3-5 days per week) – your TDEE = BMR x 1.55
*Very active (hard exercise/work 6-7 days a week) – your TDEE = BMR x 1.725
*Ultra active (very hard exercise/work 6-7 days a week) – your TDEE = BMR x 1.9

So, you are - based on what you have provided - likely "Moderately active". But, I will let you be the final judge on that.

LiftHeavyThings27105

And, no copy and paste here! No offense taken. I like to start with the basics. And, calories in are basic. As you well know, 80% (at least) of this "stuff" is nutrition.

And, I totally agree with you. You have to look at more than just one thing. But, I like to do one thing at a time....and this is - in my opinion - Step 1. If we suggest too many changes at once then we do not REALLY know what did work for her. Yes, likely all of it working in conjunction. But we do not have any experience with her so we have to start somewhere.

One of the things that I like about these forums....there are lots of people with lots of experience. Since we are all different and we all respond to different things it is a good thing to get a lot of "this is worked for me and this is what did not work for me" posts.

And, as you well know, the calories in are the most important. Next, we discuss the breakdown of her macro's, right?

heybales

So cardio is the kickboxing 2x weekly - how many weekly minutes?

Lifting is 3 x weekly full-body each day - how many weekly minutes?

Is your daily life totally couch potato except for exercise - or are you a mom or wife with household things keeping you activity weeknights and weekends outside of exercise and job?

Because that in itself could be light-activity, combined with moderately active for just the exercise, makes you easily very active altogether.

fgcsinaban

THANK YOU GUYS I WILL TRY ALL OF THESE! I shouldve asked this community a ling time ago.

fgcsinaban

Im a beginner currently doing Muay Thai and Boxing for one hour each diff. days. It's fun and awesome. I will try all of these. I shouldve asked a long time ago.

TavistockToad

Peanut butter