Gaining weight, is it purely about the number of kcals?

Jamal_Guildford

Hi,

I have been browsing on some website and it seems if someone wants to gain 1lb per week, he/she needs to eat 500 kcal above his/her TDEE. Do you think it's as simple as that? Is there any morphology factor?

Some people eat like horses and never gain weight....

Jamal

Edmond_Dantes

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

Jamal_Guildford

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

TheObservr

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

Metabolism. If you metabolise your food quick enough you wont gain a lot of weight. If not you will.

TO answer your opening question - yes if your goal is just to gain weight and not worry about whether the weight is fat or muscle - eat away.

EolAcalia

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

Because the people who eat that massive plate of food, probably don't eat all that much else throughout the day, the person eating smaller portions eats tons and hence why they gained weight. Metabolism plays such a small factor, most people use it as an excuse.

If your aim is to gain muscle, then yes 500 calories over your TDEE is a decent way of doing it without gaining too much fat.

Jamal_Guildford

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

Because the people who eat that massive plate of food, probably don't eat all that much else throughout the day, the person eating smaller portions eats tons and hence why they gained weight. Metabolism plays such a small factor, most people use it as an excuse.

If your aim is to gain muscle, then yes 500 calories over your TDEE is a decent way of doing it without gaining too much fat.

My aim is to maintain my weight (summer time here in the UK) and I have a couple of races in the next weeks so I don't have to be too heavy. Probably try to gain a few more pounds next winter. So I am doing quite a lot of cardio at the moment (7 hours per week): rowing, running and cycling. My TDEE is around 2900kcal, just a question (for next winter), do I need to eat 3400kcal every day if I want to gain one pound a week?

I find 3400kcal is quite a lot and very expensive. Do you have any tip to raise your number of kcal?

Also I think I can gain weight very easily, I believe my metobolism is very slow and am used to be quite chubby. I am now quite skinny (193cm for 70kg) but I gained almost 10kilos since last November.

Thanks,
J

Jamal_Guildford

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

Because the people who eat that massive plate of food, probably don't eat all that much else throughout the day, the person eating smaller portions eats tons and hence why they gained weight. Metabolism plays such a small factor, most people use it as an excuse.

If your aim is to gain muscle, then yes 500 calories over your TDEE is a decent way of doing it without gaining too much fat.

I think eating so irregularly (e.g. Skipped breakfast and have a big lunch) will you gain weight. Because your body gets used to not getting food, and receive a lot of food in a short period of time. This is what I think... (sorry for my English, I am on my phone ).

EolAcalia

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

Because the people who eat that massive plate of food, probably don't eat all that much else throughout the day, the person eating smaller portions eats tons and hence why they gained weight. Metabolism plays such a small factor, most people use it as an excuse.

If your aim is to gain muscle, then yes 500 calories over your TDEE is a decent way of doing it without gaining too much fat.

I think eating so irregularly (e.g. Skipped breakfast and have a big lunch) will you gain weight. Because your body gets used to not getting food, and receive a lot of food in a short period of time. This is what I think... (sorry for my English, I am on my phone ).

Nope, if you delay eating by a few hours your body isn't suddenly going to store what it gets as fat... its as simple as Calories In vs Calories Out, if you want to gain weight, you have to eat more calories that you put in.

likitisplit

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

Because the people who eat that massive plate of food, probably don't eat all that much else throughout the day, the person eating smaller portions eats tons and hence why they gained weight. Metabolism plays such a small factor, most people use it as an excuse.

If your aim is to gain muscle, then yes 500 calories over your TDEE is a decent way of doing it without gaining too much fat.

My aim is to maintain my weight (summer time here in the UK) and I have a couple of races in the next weeks so I don't have to be too heavy. Probably try to gain a few more pounds next winter. So I am doing quite a lot of cardio at the moment (7 hours per week): rowing, running and cycling. My TDEE is around 2900kcal, just a question (for next winter), do I need to eat 3400kcal every day if I want to gain one pound a week?

I find 3400kcal is quite a lot and very expensive. Do you have any tip to raise your number of kcal?

Also I think I can gain weight very easily, I believe my metobolism is very slow and am used to be quite chubby. I am now quite skinny (193cm for 70kg) but I gained almost 10kilos since last November.

Thanks,
J

Milk. Peanut butter. Icecream

MityMax96

Hi,

I have been browsing on some website and it seems if someone wants to gain 1lb per week, he/she needs to eat 500 kcal above his/her TDEE. Do you think it's as simple as that? Is there any morphology factor?

Some people eat like horses and never gain weight....

Jamal

For just putting on weight??

Yes it is about taking in more calories than your body needs on a daily basis.

cwolfman13

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

Because calculators use statistical averages of individuals of similar stats and activity levels to determine TDEE...plenty of people fall outside of those statistical averages due to any number of factors. It's still math...if you eat above YOUR TDEE you will gain weight...if you eat below YOUR TDEE you will lose weight. These calculators just give you a reasonably good place to start working from...you still have to make adjustments as per real world results.

LazSommer

I thought it was genetics.

heybales

My aim is to maintain my weight (summer time here in the UK) and I have a couple of races in the next weeks so I don't have to be too heavy. Probably try to gain a few more pounds next winter. So I am doing quite a lot of cardio at the moment (7 hours per week): rowing, running and cycling. My TDEE is around 2900kcal, just a question (for next winter), do I need to eat 3400kcal every day if I want to gain one pound a week?

I find 3400kcal is quite a lot and very expensive. Do you have any tip to raise your number of kcal?

Also I think I can gain weight very easily, I believe my metobolism is very slow and am used to be quite chubby. I am now quite skinny (193cm for 70kg) but I gained almost 10kilos since last November.

You don't mention what your winter workout is going to be.
Will it really be the same level of cardio stuff you are doing now, or will it lighten up because of winter?
If it lightens up, then your TDEE won't be 2900.

Of course, that's assuming you know that rough 5 level TDEE chart is right, which it isn't.

Also, just gaining fat is alright with you, because doing those workouts, or similar, in the winter isn't going to do anything but add fat eating too much.

Or do you mean you want to add some muscle, though I didn't notice a comment about lifting weights.
In which case 1 lb weekly gain by eating 500 over TDEE will NOT be all muscle, not by a long shot.

Jamal_Guildford

My aim is to maintain my weight (summer time here in the UK) and I have a couple of races in the next weeks so I don't have to be too heavy. Probably try to gain a few more pounds next winter. So I am doing quite a lot of cardio at the moment (7 hours per week): rowing, running and cycling. My TDEE is around 2900kcal, just a question (for next winter), do I need to eat 3400kcal every day if I want to gain one pound a week?

I find 3400kcal is quite a lot and very expensive. Do you have any tip to raise your number of kcal?

Also I think I can gain weight very easily, I believe my metobolism is very slow and am used to be quite chubby. I am now quite skinny (193cm for 70kg) but I gained almost 10kilos since last November.

You don't mention what your winter workout is going to be.
Will it really be the same level of cardio stuff you are doing now, or will it lighten up because of winter?
If it lightens up, then your TDEE won't be 2900.

Of course, that's assuming you know that rough 5 level TDEE chart is right, which it isn't.

Also, just gaining fat is alright with you, because doing those workouts, or similar, in the winter isn't going to do anything but add fat eating too much.

Or do you mean you want to add some muscle, though I didn't notice a comment about lifting weights.
In which case 1 lb weekly gain by eating 500 over TDEE will NOT be all muscle, not by a long shot.

My plan for next winter is to almost stop cardio and do heavy weight lifting session. I tend to eat more in winter so I think I will gain a couple of pounds by doing this. By the way, if you know a good program to follow to gain weight, can you please send it to me?

heybales

My plan for next winter is to almost stop cardio and do heavy weight lifting session. I tend to eat more in winter so I think I will gain a couple of pounds by doing this. By the way, if you know a good program to follow to gain weight, can you please send it to me?

Again, I think you need to be more specific with your words.

Gaining weight is about diet, eat more than you burn, simple as that. You will gain weight, fat mass.

A good program to gain muscle though means exercise and diet.

Strong Lifts 5 x 5.

You can start it during the last of the cardio season to start getting form down and doing the lighter weights. By the time you want to do the serious lifting and eating in surplus, you could be at the higher weights to really benefit.

Jamal_Guildford

My plan for next winter is to almost stop cardio and do heavy weight lifting session. I tend to eat more in winter so I think I will gain a couple of pounds by doing this. By the way, if you know a good program to follow to gain weight, can you please send it to me?

Again, I think you need to be more specific with your words.

Gaining weight is about diet, eat more than you burn, simple as that. You will gain weight, fat mass.

A good program to gain muscle though means exercise and diet.

Strong Lifts 5 x 5.

You can start it during the last of the cardio season to start getting form down and doing the lighter weights. By the time you want to do the serious lifting and eating in surplus, you could be at the higher weights to really benefit.

Thanks for your advice. I just checked the Strong Lift 5x5 program. Maybe I will try to follow it in the next weeks.

Basically, there are 75 reps per work out session. It should not take too long for a session. Do you usually do this program with heavy weight?

But as you said, weight gaining is all about food. Some people eat every three hours to gain weight.

skinnyinnotime

It is a decent starting point. Nothing is ever quite as simple as a nice math equation when it comes to the body. What does "morphology factor" mean?

I mean there are some people, they gaming weight by eating a few food. Others can eat massive portion of food and they will never gain weight. How can you explain this difference?

Because the people who eat that massive plate of food, probably don't eat all that much else throughout the day, the person eating smaller portions eats tons and hence why they gained weight. Metabolism plays such a small factor, most people use it as an excuse.

If your aim is to gain muscle, then yes 500 calories over your TDEE is a decent way of doing it without gaining too much fat.

I think eating so irregularly (e.g. Skipped breakfast and have a big lunch) will you gain weight. Because your body gets used to not getting food, and receive a lot of food in a short period of time. This is what I think... (sorry for my English, I am on my phone ).

Not at all...in fact Intermittent Fasting is used in this manner and it's supposed to help shift stubborn fat.

skinnyinnotime

My plan for next winter is to almost stop cardio and do heavy weight lifting session. I tend to eat more in winter so I think I will gain a couple of pounds by doing this. By the way, if you know a good program to follow to gain weight, can you please send it to me?

Again, I think you need to be more specific with your words.

Gaining weight is about diet, eat more than you burn, simple as that. You will gain weight, fat mass.

A good program to gain muscle though means exercise and diet.

Strong Lifts 5 x 5.

You can start it during the last of the cardio season to start getting form down and doing the lighter weights. By the time you want to do the serious lifting and eating in surplus, you could be at the higher weights to really benefit.

Thanks for your advice. I just checked the Strong Lift 5x5 program. Maybe I will try to follow it in the next weeks.

Basically, there are 75 reps per work out session. It should not take too long for a session. Do you usually do this program with heavy weight?

But as you said, weight gaining is all about food. Some people eat every three hours to gain weight.

You don't beed to eat every 3 hours to gain weight.

kdeaux1959

Depends on your purpose... If you are underweight and just want to gain a little weight, then it is that easy. However, if you are looking at bulking, you want a little closer look at the macros and follow a good lifting nutrition routine... Carbs for the energy and protein for the recovery. I would recommend pushing the protein a bit for the lifting.

Jamal_Guildford

Depends on your purpose... If you are underweight and just want to gain a little weight, then it is that easy. However, if you are looking at bulking, you want a little closer look at the macros and follow a good lifting nutrition routine... Carbs for the energy and protein for the recovery. I would recommend pushing the protein a bit for the lifting.

I already take whey protein. If I want to bulk what kind of supplement I have to take? high in carbs and protein? or low in carbs and high in protein? I find very hard to have massive meals, so that's why I consider to eat or drink every three hours.

I also started thinking about my training program, I think i am doing too much cardio at the moment (5 sessions per week), maybe replace 3 sessions of cardio by weight lifting. For my weight lifting session, should i do heavy or light?

heybales

I already take whey protein. If I want to bulk what kind of supplement I have to take? high in carbs and protein? or low in carbs and high in protein? I find very hard to have massive meals, so that's why I consider to eat or drink every three hours.

I also started thinking about my training program, I think i am doing too much cardio at the moment (5 sessions per week), maybe replace 3 sessions of cardio by weight lifting. For my weight lifting session, should i do heavy or light?

So the cardio isn't for some race or event or test or something?
I thought it kinda needed to be done, at the expense of putting on muscle right now hence the reason to wait until winter.

If you aren't training for something specific, you are dead on correct, massive cardio will impact ability to put on muscle from lifting, as it'll tend to destroy muscle mass depending on how much you do.

If you can do the lifting now, for goodness sake do it now. Why put it off. Well, unless you are a member of Procrastinator's Anonymous, in which case you have to put off today what could be done tomorrow.

The only way to tell your body you want more muscle, is to overload it with weight. If you overload it with reps and light weight you are telling it you want more endurance, which is more glucose stores, not more muscle. If just light weight, you aren't asking it to do anything.
And make the cardio on between days easy going, as you don't want to tire out muscle you will use the next day or you won't be able to overload them with weight, nor do you want to kill the recovery and repair from the prior day's workout.

You don't need supplements until you are experienced after several years and it's difficult to get any kind of improvements, they really won't make a difference right now where what you eat and how you lift has a much bigger effect on making improvements.

Get your protein to 0.82 grams per lb of body weight, fat to 0.35, and carbs is the rest.
In MFP, lower the protein % until the fat is right, and then lower the carb % until the protein is right.