Optimal calorie goal for gaining muscle + weight

mgmgmg1981
mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hey everyone !

This is my first post, you probably get a lot like that but I definitely need some advice as per getting back to my normal weight and gaining muscle while eating healthy !

I've been practicing various bodyweight programs for 3+ years, I am right now following an excellent Parallettes program and I am enjoying it a lot. I train around 1 hour and 30 - 40 minutes 3 times a week, and work on flexibility and recovery in between days. So it's Monday / Wednesday / Friday of following the parallettes routine and Tuesday / Thursday / Saturday OR Sunday as flexibility / recover exercise (around 40 minutes, with some jumping rope cardio too).

However I am reaching some sort of plateau in my training as I lack strength.
I am 1m84 (6"03) and currently weight 57kg (125 lbs), which is almost considered underweight -- I am a 37 y/o man and about to turn 38. I feel pretty great in general but I need to gain weight and build more strength.

I've been logging my daily calories so far and I only reach 1600-1800 kcal per day, which is not enough.
I'd like to gain weight slowly and build the adequate muscle. My goal is not to be super muscular ; and I feel full pretty easily.

I'd like to ask you these questions

- What calories goal should I hit everyday ? I plan to go slow so looking at months of progress here.
- What should be the optimal macro's ? I eat everything, love fish, fruits, vegetables, beans etc. I'm not too much into junk food. I like to dine out with friends on week-end though and that's probably the days I can go over 2000kcal with the couple of beers or wine I'd be drinking that day.
- I've been trying super shakes (200-500 kcal) with protein (I got some ESN Whey protein, plain & unsweetened and some leftoverer Pulsin Hemp). I like nut butters for sure. Fat + Protein really fill me up.
- This will sound dumb but sometime it's hard to make a change. I've been very disciplined as per the food I eat but I need to let go for sure if I want to build the proper strength and gain weight ! Any advice would be nice :-)

Thanks a lot everyone for any insight you can provide !
Sharing your experience is cool too -- I'd love to read some similar stories.

Have a great day !
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Replies

  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    With your stats you are not almost underweight, you are underweight so gaining is going to be priority for you.

    This link can help you get started
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10226536/bulking-for-beginners/p1

    As a male you want to gain around 0.5-1lb per week, so 250-500 cal per day surplus over your maintenance calories. You can use a calorie calculator to estimate this for you, either your maintenance (TDEE) or bulking calories depending on the goals you enter.
    In terms of macros aim for 0.8-1g protein per lb minimum, 0.35g fat per lb minimum and rest carbs. Adding more high fat foods can help you reach your calorie goals so don't be afraid to go over that since it is just a minimum, adjust your carbs accordingly. However if high fat and protein fill you up, aim for more carbs. You may have to experiment a bit to see what works best for you.
    Make sure you are following a lifting program. A full body 3x per week is a good start. See thsi link for a list

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

    You don't have to complicate any of this but just make sure you are hitting your calorie goals. Try not to worry too much about "the right foods" it may set you back since not hitting your calorie goals consistently = no weight gain.

    This is good advice. @sardelsa explained it far better then I did...
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    With your stats you are not almost underweight, you are underweight so gaining is going to be priority for you.

    This link can help you get started
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10226536/bulking-for-beginners/p1

    As a male you want to gain around 0.5-1lb per week, so 250-500 cal per day surplus over your maintenance calories. You can use a calorie calculator to estimate this for you, either your maintenance (TDEE) or bulking calories depending on the goals you enter.
    In terms of macros aim for 0.8-1g protein per lb minimum, 0.35g fat per lb minimum and rest carbs. Adding more high fat foods can help you reach your calorie goals so don't be afraid to go over that since it is just a minimum, adjust your carbs accordingly. However if high fat and protein fill you up, aim for more carbs. You may have to experiment a bit to see what works best for you.
    Make sure you are following a lifting program. A full body 3x per week is a good start. See thsi link for a list

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

    You don't have to complicate any of this but just make sure you are hitting your calorie goals. Try not to worry too much about "the right foods" it may set you back since not hitting your calorie goals consistently = no weight gain.

    What @sardelsa said is spot on. I was 55kg when I first started on here and I'm 5 foot 4/5. It wasnt until I hit 4,000 calories daily that I started to gain weight. Like @J72FIT said, increase the calories slowly 200 - 250 a week until your weight starts to go up. I'm not saying you will need 4,000 calories to gain weight as everyone is different. If you find that you get full on 1600-1800 kcal per day, pre log your day so you know that you will hit your calorie level by the end of the day instead of it being 9pm, you have a million calories left and you are stressed about how to get the rest of the calories in. Shakes are a great way to get the calories in as are a handful of almonds, cashews, daily
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks a bunch everyone ! Yeah going slow, adding some calories to reach the goal weekly is probably the best way to go for me. I have a hard time being more flexible with food, but it needs to happen !
    This will make all my training way more enjoyable.

    Now onto the reading, I will configure MFP so I can make sure to hit the goals daily.

    Cheers !
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    Any recommendation for breakfasts ? I train in the morning, get breakfast around 7 / 7.30 AM and start working out at ~10AM. Lunch / Dinner ideas would be awesome too.
    Cheers !
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    mgmgmg1981 wrote: »
    Any recommendation for breakfasts ? I train in the morning, get breakfast around 7 / 7.30 AM and start working out at ~10AM. Lunch / Dinner ideas would be awesome too.
    Cheers !

    Do you like porridge/oats? 3 scoops of porridge/oats with 4 scoops of full fat milk with a banana or whatever fruit you like, a spoonful of honey or peanut butter or both and you have nice filling calorific breakfast. If you want to go for a more protein based type breakfast, scrambled eggs or however you like your eggs on toast with bacon, tomatoes and red onion.
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    I love oats ! I eat oatmeal (different grains too, like spelt / buckwheat / millet) every day of the week.
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    mgmgmg1981 wrote: »
    I love oats ! I eat oatmeal (different grains too, like spelt / buckwheat / millet) every day of the week.

    Great. What I suggested is a great way to get a high amount of calories into you first thing every morning. Another addition would be a scoop of grounded millseed, flaxseed, sunflower seeds that you should be able to find in shops.
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    Yeah I always add nuts or seeds in my oats. Ground flaxseed, hemp hearts, hulled sunflower seeds etc. They taste great but I was only putting 1 tbsp of them.

    When you say scoop, are you talking about 1 tbsp ?

    Thanks again for your help !
    Cheers.
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    mgmgmg1981 wrote: »
    Yeah I always add nuts or seeds in my oats. Ground flaxseed, hemp hearts, hulled sunflower seeds etc. They taste great but I was only putting 1 tbsp of them.

    When you say scoop, are you talking about 1 tbsp ?

    Thanks again for your help !
    Cheers.

    When you say scoop, are you talking about 1 tbsp ? - hmm good question. Probably but cant be 100% about that. When I refer to a scoop I refer to a scoop that comes with a tin/bag of porridge.
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    Ah ! Thing is here in Switzerland, oats / raw
    cereals are just packaged in a plastic or paper sealed bag. I bought some ESN Whey Protein (German brand) and there was no scooo either.

    I usually put 45-50g of dry oats in my morning porridge which I believe is 1/2 cup.
    I should definitely put more though !

    Cheers !
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    mgmgmg1981 wrote: »
    Ah ! Thing is here in Switzerland, oats / raw
    cereals are just packaged in a plastic or paper sealed bag. I bought some ESN Whey Protein (German brand) and there was no scooo either.

    I usually put 45-50g of dry oats in my morning porridge which I believe is 1/2 cup.
    I should definitely put more though !

    Cheers !

    Gotcha. If 45-50 grams of dry oats is equivalent to 1/2 cup, than my suggestion of 3 scoops of oats which is in or around 90 grams when I weigh them would be more or less nearly a full cup.
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks @jdscrubs32 ! I guess your oat recipe should be around 600+ kcal. This is nice. I am usually around 350-400 but I am always super hungry in the morning so this should work !

    Cheers.
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    mgmgmg1981 wrote: »
    Thanks @jdscrubs32 ! I guess your oat recipe should be around 600+ kcal. This is nice. I am usually around 350-400 but I am always super hungry in the morning so this should work !

    Cheers.

    No problem. Yeah its around that 600 mark or higher on some days. I find it the best breakfast to keep me super full till mid morning and high in calories as well. Good luck bulking sir.
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks man, the struggle is mostly in the head haha but going baby steps and experimenting is the bedt approach. I need those extra pounds !
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    mgmgmg1981 wrote: »
    Thanks man, the struggle is mostly in the head haha but going baby steps and experimenting is the bedt approach. I need those extra pounds !

    No problem. It will take time to get over the mental struggle of gaining weight but think of less in the short term & more in the long term about how stronger you will be.
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    Yes I know ! Went to a Kung Fu class today and kinda scared myself on how thin I am....! Need ... to .... eat .... more !!!
  • mgmgmg1981
    mgmgmg1981 Posts: 31 Member
    One more question for the community ... If you were somewhat "afraid" to gain weight (it's dumb I know but change is hard), what helped overcome this ? I was never overweight and before I wouldn't even think about what I should or shouldn't eat...lol. I feel sometimes calorie counting can refrain for reaching goals.

    I am currently trying to hit the 2000kcal bar (which is still far from enough for my goals), and it can be pretty tricky on some days.

    Genuinely looking to hear your thoughts / experience / tips !

    Thanks !
    Cheers :-)

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