Weight gain plateau on 3600kcals/day

decentyouth

Hi everyone

Over the last 3 years, I have attempted to put on healthy weight through strength training and running. I am happy with the results. I have increased from 10st 10lbs to 13st 0lbs and I consider myself to be pretty lean at 15%BF. For the first time in my life, I am happy with my appearance; clothes fit me properly and my strength has increased no-end.

The problem I have now is that I am finding it difficult to gain more weight, despite consuming an inordinate amount of calories; lifting heavier weights and cutting the running back to once per week.

I've logged all my calorie intake and expenditure during this time. I joined MFP approximately 3 weeks ago and have continued doing so there.

I am 5'10" and currently 13st 0.2lbs (182.2lbs), 15%BF (measured by calipers)

I upped my daily calorie goal from that recommended to 2600kcals/day on 10th May 2013. And for three weeks I stuck to it rigidly. I also started incoporating the Strong Lifts 5x5 Program into my strength training routines at that time too. No signifiacnt weight gain after those 3 weeks.

I've purposely exceeded my daily energy intake by an average of 1000kcals since then, which means 3600kcals/day - and yes, some of it was alcohol - that was for the last three weeks. I weighed myself this morning and there was no significant change in weight. In fact, I'd lost a little.

I just don't understand what's happening. By rights, I should be gaining weight in the order of 2lbs/week, even it was just fat.

I have been aiming to consume protein at 1g/lb lean body weight that I want to be. I therefore eat around 200g protein per day. Carb and fat consumption are the usual recommended targets. I strength train at least 4 times per week and run once per week, a distance between 4 and 6 miles. The rest of the time, I'm basically looking after my 2 year old son.

My only explanations are:-
1) Strength training is consuming the calories I deem to be excess.
2) I'm expecting too much too soon - and the weight gains may be delayed
3) Alcohol is interfering with my weight gain.
4) My macro nutrients are all wrong.
5) I'm seriously ill.

And I hope it's not the latter.

Today, I have upped my daily calorie target to the 3600kcals I now consider to be my maintenance level. But it does seem a lot. I will continue to monitor the situation carefully.

My wife does say that my body is like a furnace with the unusual amount of heat I give off. Could this be a clue? Could my metabolism have radically altered to burn any excess?

Help appreciated..

tsimblist

I don't have any experience with this sort of situation. But that doesn't stop me from expressing an opinion.

Explanations #1 & #2 sound reasonable to me. Also the body furnace heat suggestion.

I wonder if overtraining would sabotage your efforts. You might check out http://hrvtraining.com/ and http://myithlete.com/ for some ideas.