Eat more?!?'

andyvo94

So I'm a 5'8" and 140lbs guy. Im a naturally skinny guy. I just started seriously tracking my calores and I'm eating 3500- 4000 calories. My goal is to get up to 170. I lift and run 5 days a week. I'm gaining weight at about half a pound per week. My diet is about 35% fat 40% carbs and 25% protein. Should I take in more calories to put on more lean weight?

jwdieter

You might be able to put on more, but 0.5 lbs/week is pretty good for lean gain. If you want to try to increase weight gain, eating more or running less would be the choices.

erickirb

So I'm a 5'8" and 140lbs guy. Im a naturally skinny guy. I just started seriously tracking my calores and I'm eating 3500- 4000 calories. My goal is to get up to 170. I lift and run 5 days a week. I'm gaining weight at about half a pound per week. My diet is about 35% fat 40% carbs and 25% protein. Should I take in more calories to put on more lean weight?

Depends on how fast you want to gain. Some of your gain will be fat and muscle, typically the slower you gain the less fat you also put on. One option instead of eating more is to run less.

jfrankic

One option instead of eating more is to run less.

^^ This, unless you are training for something specific that requires that much running. Or if the squat rack suddenly comes open. The, by all mean, RUN!!! :laugh:

ChaoticUT

So I'm a 5'8" and 140lbs guy. Im a naturally skinny guy. I just started seriously tracking my calores and I'm eating 3500- 4000 calories. My goal is to get up to 170. I lift and run 5 days a week. I'm gaining weight at about half a pound per week. My diet is about 35% fat 40% carbs and 25% protein. Should I take in more calories to put on more lean weight?

If you are looking for a steady increase in lean muscle mass, then you are on the right track.

If you are looking to put on significant body weight quickly, increase your calories.

I would just keep doing what you are doing.

headelite

So I'm a 5'8" and 140lbs guy. Im a naturally skinny guy. I just started seriously tracking my calores and I'm eating 3500- 4000 calories. My goal is to get up to 170. I lift and run 5 days a week. I'm gaining weight at about half a pound per week. My diet is about 35% fat 40% carbs and 25% protein. Should I take in more calories to put on more lean weight?

Well, if you are bulking you need a calorie surplus. Running burns calories so it is kind of counterintuitive. As long as you eat more than what you burn. I would do very minimal cardio because of this. The only reason I would do cardio on a bulk is for cardiac health. Give it time as well, since you just stated that you just started tracking.

jmg000

Stop Running, Do Barbell Squats 2-3 times a week. Get stronger. Eat enough. Gainz

TeamStriationDre

Run Less

OverDoIt

Look at a sprinter, then look at a cross country/marathon runner. You will notice a distinct difference. People have mentioned squats, but the key to size is the deadlift. There is a very smart man by the name of Louie Simmons, he owns a gym called Westside Barbell. Not only is it the strongest gym in the world, but also one of the biggest (in terms of members size). 8 time Mr.Olympia Ronnie Coleman, Louie Simmons, NFL Linebackers Etc... All of them have concrete evidence that the deadlift is the key to size, strength, and rapid gains. Do not get me wrong, squats are a very proven and well respected lift. Find your max for both lifts, then train with 50% of that load for a week and increase it 10% every week following until you reach week 6. Week 6 should be your max week. After you have reached your max, I guarantee your 50% of max lift will go up by atleast 10% the next week when you start over again. This method of training will ensure that you are always gaining strength. Training at 80% of max and maxing out regularly will only lead to injury, and bad joints over time. We all want fast results, but you are playing a game of inches my friend. Just remember " slow to grow" is the way to go. I hoped this helped a bit, and do not let anything get in the way of your dreams and aspirations.

FromHereOnOut

1/2 lb per week sounds pretty good for putting on lean weight, but are you sure your protein is high enough? Doing the numbers quickly in my head, it doesn't seem enough.

edwardkim85

So I'm a 5'8" and 140lbs guy. Im a naturally skinny guy. I just started seriously tracking my calores and I'm eating 3500- 4000 calories. My goal is to get up to 170. I lift and run 5 days a week. I'm gaining weight at about half a pound per week. My diet is about 35% fat 40% carbs and 25% protein. Should I take in more calories to put on more lean weight?

? why are you running 5 days a week if you are trying to gain weight?

Lift heavy, cut out the cardio.

Go on bulk/cut cycles. There's nothing such as a clean bulk. When you bulk/get stronger, you will gain some fat.

Aslo, your protein level is too low. You're trying to put on muscle mass right? Up it to 40 carb/ 40 protein / 20 fat... it's pretty standard ratio for what you're trying to achieve.

geebusuk

If you are actually putting on .5lb of lean weight (muscle) I'd be happy with that - it's generally considered that's around a reasonable maximum for someone not 'juicing'.

Generally it seems advised to go for a set amount of protein based on your bodyweight, similarish for fat and carbs to fill.

cwolfman13

1/2 Lb per week gain is good to minimize fat gain when you're bulking. If you don't want to eat as much, run less. One of the reasons bodybuilders and people just trying to bulk some muscle in general don't do a whole lot of cardio is because the volume of food necessary to bulk is prohibitive.

SideSteel

your protein level is too low.

Actually this is incorrect in his case.

His listed calories are 3500-4000. He could set his protein intake to about 15% and be sufficient in protein because he only weighs 140lbs. Additionally, protein requirements decrease when you are in caloric excess.

geebusuk

Yea; I hadn't done the calculations, but thought that might be the case.
However, my understanding is that at a set calorie limit, you'll do better limiting your protein and going for more carbs.

Often the percentages aren't necessarily accounting for a big lump of cardio.