How to bulk up a little and get over my fear of gaining weight?

Options
JTennis1995
JTennis1995 Posts: 24 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I'm a 20 year old male, 6'1" and 148 pounds. Though I unfortunately have quite wide hips naturally, I have avery slim, slight frame otherwise. What are some exercises I can do to bulk up a little, specifically my shoulders and arms (my arms have almost no muscle on them)? Also, how much weight will I gain by adding muscle? Even though it would be muscle, I hate seeing the number on the scale go up, so I need to get over that paranoia to do this :/ thanks guys!

Replies

  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Options
    When you gain any weight, it's not all muscle. Some of it will be fat. That's just life.

    However, you can minimize fat gains by adding a small surplus to your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)...such as +250 calories daily, with a progressive lifting program - and you can minimize the fat gain.

    As for how much weight you will be gaining by adding muscle - that would have to be entirely up to you. Some people say 'bulk until you hate yourself' which would be the point in which you dislike how your bigger figure looks but that is different for everybody.
  • JTennis1995
    JTennis1995 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    Can I still build a little muscle and get more toned by being right on my TDEE? Because if I have to gain fat to gain muscle, I don't want to do it. Not worth it to me.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,484 Member
    Options
    Keeping to your maintenance TDEE and starting a weight lifting programme will give you a recomp.

    As you are young and male you could gain both strength and muscle doing this in a relatively short time.

    Remember to include weight lifting in your TDEE.

    If you haven't started a programme yet there is a good post that covers most- 'what lifting program is best for me?' Or similar title.

    Cheers, h.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,395 MFP Moderator
    Options
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    There is the link to the lifting program.


    I would also add to @middlehaitch post by saying eating adequate protein and carbs during a recomp can be highly beneficial. Protein should be around 1.5 to 2.2g per kg of mass.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,484 Member
    Options
    Good heavens @psulemon, I can't believed I missed protein out of the post B)
    Being the opposite of @jtennis, a little older woman who lifts, most times I harp on about it way too much.

    Probably drooling over the ease the young man is going to recomp at threw me off.

    Cheers, h.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,395 MFP Moderator
    Options
    JTennis1995 wrote: »
    Can I still build a little muscle and get more toned by being right on my TDEE? Because if I have to gain fat to gain muscle, I don't want to do it. Not worth it to me.

    Yes you can. It's considered a recomp.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    @middlehaitch its cool, it got your back ;)
  • JTennis1995
    JTennis1995 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    psulemon wrote: »
    JTennis1995 wrote: »
    Can I still build a little muscle and get more toned by being right on my TDEE? Because if I have to gain fat to gain muscle, I don't want to do it. Not worth it to me.

    Yes you can. It's considered a recomp.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    @middlehaitch its cool, it got your back ;)

    Does this work? :O
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,395 MFP Moderator
    Options
    JTennis1995 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    JTennis1995 wrote: »
    Can I still build a little muscle and get more toned by being right on my TDEE? Because if I have to gain fat to gain muscle, I don't want to do it. Not worth it to me.

    Yes you can. It's considered a recomp.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    @middlehaitch its cool, it got your back ;)

    Does this work? :O

    Yes it can. But the results would be based on your nutrition and training. I know it's a long read, but really worthwhile.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Options
    OP, Recomp is definitely a possibility but it is a longer journey. It depends on how much time you want to give yourself.

    I also think you have to get over your fear of gaining fat. That is going to hinder your journey. In order to build muscle, you need a surplus of calories. You can't just make muscle out of thin air. Your body needs the calories, along with a progressive strength training routine to build the muscle. When you lose weight, you lose a combination of water, fat, and muscle. The same goes when you gain weight.
  • Wetterdew
    Wetterdew Posts: 142 Member
    Options
    When you start bulking, you might tend to gain 5-10 pounds very quickly. This isn't fat, and it isn't muscle. It's water.

    It used to intimidate me. But after the first two weeks, the weight gain petered out to the rate I was expecting.

    Don't let the water weight scare you out of it. After you've bulked for a few weeks, it stops being scary.
  • HamsterManV2
    HamsterManV2 Posts: 449 Member
    edited August 2016
    Options
    JTennis1995 wrote: »
    I'm a 20 year old male, 6'1" and 148 pounds. Though I unfortunately have quite wide hips naturally, I have avery slim, slight frame otherwise. What are some exercises I can do to bulk up a little, specifically my shoulders and arms (my arms have almost no muscle on them)? Also, how much weight will I gain by adding muscle? Even though it would be muscle, I hate seeing the number on the scale go up, so I need to get over that paranoia to do this :/ thanks guys!

    First off, I am 5'7" at 165lbs with around 14% bodyfat (visible abs). You have a much taller frame and you weight much less. I personally think you are underweight and you have a long way to go before you consider yourself overweight. Also you are 20 years old. Look at it this way:You are in the best possible point in your life build muscle: you are young, you are underweight, you are a novice when it comes to lifting. That means you can get 'noob gains' - building muscle and strength at an almost unnatural rate.

    My suggestion: Program wise, get on a novice barbell program for strength, size, and aesthetics. A good program will have progression. I.E. you squat 3x times a week, each time you increase the weight lifted by +5lbs... in 1 month your squat will have increased by 60lbs, in 3 months by 180lbs. If you do this on a proper diet, you will see significant muscle, strength, and aesthetics increase with minimal fat gain. Do Strong Lifts for the first 4 weeks, then switch to ICF 5x5 (it's a more aesthetic routine which I know you want). It is important to do it in this order as ICF has low volume but you NEED to get used to the main lifts before you add tons of other (vanity) work.

    Note: I am long past the novice stage, and I increase my weight every month. You are increasing your weight multiple times a week, which is incredibly fast. As you progress, your increases slow down (see this chart). Just make sure your form is on point.

    Diet wise: You are scared to gain fat, I can understand that. However you NEED to bulk to build muscle, and some fat is inevitable (but with muscle, you will look 100 times better than before - you are building the ice chest to put the 6 pack in). To bulk, you calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) - this is how much you eat to maintain weight. Bulk = eat +500 calories over that to gain +1lb per week. If you are lifting, you will gain mostly muscle with some fat. But since you are afraid of gaining fat, here is the key point: do a slow bulk: TDEE + 250 calories = +0.5lbs gained per week. You will gain mostly muscle and minimal fat, but your lifts will not go up as quickly. If you are patient, this will be the better option for your goals - to gain strength and muscle with minimal fat. Do not be afraid to gain weight. You are fueling your body and building muscle instead of fat. Look at this example of a female lifter, who gained significant weight, mostly of muscle. She is the one who inspired me to start lifting, and I'm a guy.

    More information about beginner programs here.

    Let me know if you have any more questions.
  • janejr2016
    janejr2016 Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    Fat is easy to rid off muscle takes time
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    Options
    You have to think of it as being a means to an end. Nobody wants to gain fat, but it serves a purpose...it's temporary....and it comes back off. If people stayed fat nobody would do it, right?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    I'm a fan of recomping but seriously your stats made me blink!
    I'm a 20 year old male, 6'1" and 148 pounds.
    I'm 56, 5'9" (on a good day...) and feel underweight at my best cycling weight of 161lbs.

    Really think you should eat just above TDEE and let yourself gain some weight slowly.
    At 20 and new to weights your ratio of muscle to fat added should be really, really good as long as you don't eat a big surplus.
  • butterbuns123
    butterbuns123 Posts: 150 Member
    Options
    I haven't read the other comments so sorry if I say something already said. But if u wanna build muscle you have to gain fat. There is no work around. But fret not, just eat and lift. Eat around 120g of protien as u are 148lbs. Do compound lifts. Squats, deadlifts, bench and over head press( this is ur shoulder builder) once you have lifted for around 3-4 months you will know where ur strenght is weakest and you can start doing isolation exercises to help with that. Don't be afraid of wieght gain! You will shoot up at the start because ur body will store more water and glycogen.
  • JTennis1995
    JTennis1995 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    Thank you guys
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    Options
    Hey JTennis, I wanted to point out that your hips probably aren't wide, it's just that you are very thin and not yet fit, and they are looking wide in proportion to the rest of you. Once you put on some muscle your profile will improve. Hips will stay around the same width but shoulders will look wider and arms bigger, it will balance out.

Categories