Suggestions for gaining lean mass

Daniel3634

Since I'm totally overwhelmed as to what to do, I'm looking for suggestions, the more specific the better. Universe help please!!! I'm looking to gain .5 lbs of lean muscle per week (minimum fat gains). Currently I weigh 161 lbs, stand at 5 ft 11 inches, male, with 15.7% body fat. See attached pictures.

I'd like to know exactly how many calories to consume per day, as well as how many grams of protein fat and carbs. Workout frequency suggestions would be nice too!!!


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wakamaka

Yooooo do you have the my fitness pal app? It tells you all that data! Just input your weight, goal weight, body fat %, and weight goal per week. It will typically break down your diet to usually 20% protein, 30% fat, and 50% carbs. I'd also recommend you to count your calories, input them in on your phone daily either after meals and such. There is another thread called "what living program is best for you" that you may want to check out for us gainers. Here are the suggestions from that thread (I'm running fierce 5):

Strong Lift 5x5
StrongCurves Template, StrongCurves 5x5
Ice Cream Fitness 5x5
The New Rules of Lifting
Starting Strength
Grey Skull
Big 6
All Pro
Fierce 5
Body Beast, by Beachbody

Daniel3634

Cool thanks for the recs. Yeah I do have the app. Will use it for tracking. But here's a question...doesn't the 20% protein, 30% fat, and 50% carb ratio seem off? Shouldn't protein be higher and carb less?

Fluffy2Fit2Shredded

Step up your protein to build mass, increase carbs 4-5hrs before workout to maximize use of energy in the gym. When you lift weights, FOCUS on form #1 and put enough weight so all u can do is 8-10 reps max before you can't do anymore, then squeeze two more reps out. You need to tear the muscle fibers so it can build stronger. And take 70% of your calorie maintenance daily. If u do cardio, do 20min HIIT sessions. And frequency of working muscle groups. A guy hitting arms, chest, and legs 1x a week hard vs someone hitting each 3x a week with same intensity. After 4 months, The latter will have 3x as much muscle and leaned out than the first guy. Also look up "refeed/carb reload" to do once a week instead of all out "cheat meals." Something you should do to let your body know to keep burning fat and not muscle. Since your body develops a metabolic adaptation if you don't remind it to keep burning fat only. Just sharing what's worked for me for last 5 months going from 230lb and plump to 178 and muscles showing with more still to do. And I eat whatever I want to anytime I want to, I just do it in moderation mixing with lots of foods that are high in volume size but low in calories and plenty of water!! YouTube it all! Good luck bro!

wakamaka

Daniel3634 wrote: »

Cool thanks for the recs. Yeah I do have the app. Will use it for tracking. But here's a question...doesn't the 20% protein, 30% fat, and 50% carb ratio seem off? Shouldn't protein be higher and carb less?

No, protein I don't think is ever higher than carbs. Your body won't use it all and you would mostly be wasting your money at that point. Carbs are the cheapest, then fats, then protein. General rule is to eat 1.1.2 grams of protein per your body weight (in lbs). So a 100 lb person should try to eat 100-120g protein per day. Read up on some nutrition articles on bodybuilding.com, they go into further details. Here's an example:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/built-by-science-nutrition.html

psuLemon

I would recommend that you still cut. At 15%, which I think you are actually higher, you would be at the top end of the spectrum of bulking and at a higher propensity to gain more fat than muscle. The leaner you are, the more likely you will be able to build new muscle.

So use a TDEE calculator and cut 10-20%. You can use fitnessfrog or IIFYM.com for calculations. And then follow one of the structured programs in the below thread.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

You don't need to refeed or use cheat meals but can incorporate if you feel they will be beneficial.

RoxieDawn

wakamaka wrote: »

Daniel3634 wrote: »

Cool thanks for the recs. Yeah I do have the app. Will use it for tracking. But here's a question...doesn't the 20% protein, 30% fat, and 50% carb ratio seem off? Shouldn't protein be higher and carb less?

No, protein I don't think is ever higher than carbs. Your body won't use it all and you would mostly be wasting your money at that point. Carbs are the cheapest, then fats, then protein. General rule is to eat 1.1.2 grams of protein per your body weight (in lbs). So a 100 lb person should try to eat 100-120g protein per day. Read up on some nutrition articles on bodybuilding.com, they go into further details. Here's an example:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/built-by-science-nutrition.html

Dainel, yes you should up the protein. A good rule .8 gr to 1 gr per body weight.

Find you or pick out a progressive strength training program and eat the calories that MFP gave you to gain .5 lb/week as you noted.

Check this link out.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

b16kvv

You will need a proper diet plan and your macros worked out for you to gain some lean muscle. With you being a beginner you can definitely cut fat and gain muscle but only on a proper diet and workout plan. Don't listen to bro science or you will do more harm than good. Protein definitely at 1g per lb of body weight and fats at about 20% of your macros with the rest made up in carbs. Protein is the building blocks of muscle and carbs will give you the energy to have a hard workout. Fats are minimal as only there to keep the testosterone pumping. You will need someone to keep an eye on your progress week to week in order to make sure the diet is working and tweek any changes. I'm happy to help with it all as I've done it myself losing 34lbs of fat in 4 months and building lean tissue and competed in my first bodybuilding show. If your interested let me know I can give you my email

b16kvv

My 4 month changes

MityMax96

If your BF% is what you say it is, you need to drop some weight.
The various programs listed in the first response is a good place to start, I would say look at StrongLifts 5x5

You need to get your macros and calories set up right, to lose around 1lb / week.

I personally set my numbers up like this (again my way of doing things)
Protein == 1.0 - 1.2 gr / lb of body weight
Fat == 0.4 gr / lb of body weight
Carbs == 1.5 gr / lb of body weight (on a cut, and you can drop that down again as needed to continue losing weight)
For a bulk, carbs at 2.5 gr / lb of body weight and adjust accordingly to meet your weight gain desires/goals.

MityMax96

nice work @b16kvv

b16kvv

MityMax96 wrote: »

nice work @b16kvv

Thanks I appreciate it

pbryd

Aim your macros for these figures rather than the % based scheme.

Protein 1g per lb of bodyweight
Fat 0.4g per 1lb of bodyweight
The rest of your calories comes from carbs.

At 160lb the figures would look like this...

160g of protein = 640 calories
64g of fat = 576 calories

And use carbs to make up the rest to your calorie goal.

Daniel3634

I'm going to read these over in more detail when I get a second, but upon quickly reviewing the comments y'all have provided I'm surprised at the suggestions to lose weight. Yeah my body fat % at 15.7% is on the high end of the scale, but I was thinking I'm skinny (at 5 ft & 11 inches weighing 161 lbs). Guess that makes me "skinny fat" lol. No prob I'll tackle it. Thanks for all the comments guys and again I'll read more thoroughly when I get a break from work

MityMax96

Yeah skinny fat....
161 is not a bad weight but with your muscle to fat ratio being what it is right now, you don't want to add more weight to yourself....it will just increase that ratio even more....cause you can put on fat quickly....muscle not so quickly

So you would do best to drop some fat for now...

SideSteel

Regardless of whether you bulk or cut right now the major things you should focus on IMO should be as follows:

1) Making progress in the gym
2) Doing adequate volume to promote hypertrophy
3) Consuming enough protein to maximize hypertrophy
4) Don't go too far away from maintenance intake in either direction

I'm making the assumption here that you are new to lifting and based on that you're going to make progress regardless of state of energy balance.

As long as you train your *kitten* off and observe the above conditions you're going to make great progress.

bioklutz

Daniel3634 wrote: »

I'm going to read these over in more detail when I get a second, but upon quickly reviewing the comments y'all have provided I'm surprised at the suggestions to lose weight. Yeah my body fat % at 15.7% is on the high end of the scale, but I was thinking I'm skinny (at 5 ft & 11 inches weighing 161 lbs). Guess that makes me "skinny fat" lol. No prob I'll tackle it. Thanks for all the comments guys and again I'll read more thoroughly when I get a break from work

You don't necessarily have to lose weight. Head over here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

ninerbuff

SideSteel wrote: »

Regardless of whether you bulk or cut right now the major things you should focus on IMO should be as follows:

1) Making progress in the gym
2) Doing adequate volume to promote hypertrophy
3) Consuming enough protein to maximize hypertrophy
4) Don't go too far away from maintenance intake in either direction

I'm making the assumption here that you are new to lifting and based on that you're going to make progress regardless of state of energy balance.

As long as you train your *kitten* off and observe the above conditions you're going to make great progress.

He said what I say.

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