New to weight gain? need help?

Hello, I've just started seriously trying to gain weight since I have been underweight my whole life basically. I have no idea what to do though in terms of calories to take in/exercises to do (I know to lift heavy and I have a gym buddy now that I will start to go to the gym with this week). I've been doing cheerleading 6hrs/week for the past while but just finished season and I want to gain muscle mass now and stay fit. I recently got a few measures in a lab (I did in September as well) and this is what they said:
Weight: 42.6kg (94.0lbs)-September '14
43.7kg (96.4lbs)-March '15
Height: 163cm
% body fat (I was measured two diff ways for this): 14.9% and 20.3%-September (Note- I think 20.3% is more accurate because this
was before I was active with cheerleading)
16.5% and 18.9%-March

Lean body mass: 80.0 lb (81.5%)-September
81.0 lb-March
Total fat mass: 14.01lbs-September
16.01lbs-March
BMI: 16.1-September
16.7-March
I have iron deficiency anemia as well. Sorry for all the info but any advice I can get on what types of food I should be eating/what my macros should be/exercises to do/how many cals I should be eating would be super helpful :) I wanna get up to 110/115ish as a goal for the record!!

Replies

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    get on a lifting program.
    Figure out over the course of the month what you are eating- start logging- figure out HOW MUCH you are eating- take a month or so to do this.

    I'd suggest daily weekly measuring if you can stand it- monitor if you're actually maintaining your weight- esp now that you are dropping a significant portion of exercise.

    So.

    what that means.
    > Start lifting (starting strength, strong lifts, new rules of lifting)
    > Figure out HOW MUCH it takes to maintain the weight you are at right now.
    > Add 250-350 calories to that number for the gainz.

    Do this for anywhere from 4-8 months- you could hypothetically go longer- but mostly you're going to get sick of it- I like 5-6 months- that's a reasonable time frame for gaining and most women seem to be comfortable with the gain you can make in that time frame without wanting to stab themselves.

    Remember bulking is a game of confidence- you have to be comitted to the long term goal- no matter what you feel today. And that means- feeling- OMG I HATE MYSELF I"M SO FAT AND NONE OF MY CLOTHES FIT.

    It's part of it- you have to press on.

    As far as foods? anything- calorie suprlus means more than macro splits in a bulk.

    eat your lean meats- chickens and veggies- salmon- etc etc- round out the calories with ice cream, bagels, beer, pizza, cookies, crackers, nuts... whatever it takes. no bonus points for eating healthy on a bulk.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    edited March 2015
    do everything jo said….

    my only addition would be find a structured lifting program and do that and do not design your own ..

    starting strength ,new rules of lifting for womb, strong lifts, etc
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    what that means.
    > Start lifting (starting strength, strong lifts, new rules of lifting)
    > Figure out HOW MUCH it takes to maintain the weight you are at right now.
    > Add 250-350 calories to that number for the gainz.


    I got you boo!!! it was there- I just didn't make much of it.

    But- yes- it should have gotten more notice.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    what that means.
    > Start lifting (starting strength, strong lifts, new rules of lifting)
    > Figure out HOW MUCH it takes to maintain the weight you are at right now.
    > Add 250-350 calories to that number for the gainz.


    I got you boo!!! it was there- I just didn't make much of it.

    But- yes- it should have gotten more notice.

    whoops…

    missed that …

    :)
  • KingRat79
    KingRat79 Posts: 125 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    get on a lifting program.
    Figure out over the course of the month what you are eating- start logging- figure out HOW MUCH you are eating- take a month or so to do this.

    I'd suggest daily weekly measuring if you can stand it- monitor if you're actually maintaining your weight- esp now that you are dropping a significant portion of exercise.

    So.

    what that means.
    > Start lifting (starting strength, strong lifts, new rules of lifting)
    > Figure out HOW MUCH it takes to maintain the weight you are at right now.
    > Add 250-350 calories to that number for the gainz.

    Do this for anywhere from 4-8 months- you could hypothetically go longer- but mostly you're going to get sick of it- I like 5-6 months- that's a reasonable time frame for gaining and most women seem to be comfortable with the gain you can make in that time frame without wanting to stab themselves.

    Remember bulking is a game of confidence- you have to be comitted to the long term goal- no matter what you feel today. And that means- feeling- OMG I HATE MYSELF I"M SO FAT AND NONE OF MY CLOTHES FIT.

    It's part of it- you have to press on.

    As far as foods? anything- calorie suprlus means more than macro splits in a bulk.

    eat your lean meats- chickens and veggies- salmon- etc etc- round out the calories with ice cream, bagels, beer, pizza, cookies, crackers, nuts... whatever it takes. no bonus points for eating healthy on a bulk.

    this is solid advice, particularly advice about time frame. there is no point bulking for a few weeks and the giving in
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    what that means.
    > Start lifting (starting strength, strong lifts, new rules of lifting)
    > Figure out HOW MUCH it takes to maintain the weight you are at right now.
    > Add 250-350 calories to that number for the gainz.


    I got you boo!!! it was there- I just didn't make much of it.

    But- yes- it should have gotten more notice.

    whoops…

    missed that …

    :)

    it's okay- I didn't make a huge to - do about it- and it DID bear repeating!!! so all is good :D
  • klippeke
    klippeke Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you all for the great advice :) I started tracking my food intake today and will start lifting this week, if any questions arise I will be sure to ask!!
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    do everything jo said….

    my only addition would be find a structured lifting program and do that and do not design your own ..

    starting strength ,new rules of lifting for womb, strong lifts, etc

    I particularly enjoy new rules of lifting for womb.......;-)

  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    I bulked for about 3 and a half months, gained 10lb, probably half muscle, enjoyed every minute and loved how I looked at the TOP of my bulk, which was a massive surprise to me. I was 15% fat when I started though, so got good ratio on the muscle gains.
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    klippeke wrote: »
    Thank you all for the great advice :) I started tracking my food intake today and will start lifting this week, if any questions arise I will be sure to ask!!

    I'm so happy for you that you're discovering this at your young age. I wish I'd had the good fortune to do this 20 years ago.......
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Great advice from Jo. I'd just add, get plenty of red meat and leafy greens for the iron deficiency (and/or an iron tablet).

    Check out the 'beginners guide to bulking' stickie too.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    do everything jo said….

    my only addition would be find a structured lifting program and do that and do not design your own ..

    starting strength ,new rules of lifting for womb, strong lifts, etc

    I particularly enjoy new rules of lifting for womb.......;-)

    :laugh: