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

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
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Replies

  • Edmond_Dantes
    Edmond_Dantes Posts: 185 Member
    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
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    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
    TheObservr Posts: 2
    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
    EolAcalia Posts: 18 Member
    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
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    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
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    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
    EolAcalia Posts: 18 Member
    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
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    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
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    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
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    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
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    I thought it was genetics.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    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
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    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
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    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
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    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
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    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
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    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
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    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
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    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
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    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.
  • Jamal_Guildford
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    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.

    Thanks heybales for your response. I am going to follow the Strong lift 5x5 training program from today (after my race). I will try to do it with the maximum of weight I can lift. I also think it's never good to totally give up on cardio, so I will probably try to add one or two session of cardio.

    Regarding the diet, I have to eat 3000kcal a day, below will be my typical diet (can you tell me what you think):
    Breakfast: Two toast of peannut butter with one coffee and one tea (300kcal)
    11am Snack: Milkshake or protein drink (around 250kcal)
    1pm lunch: one baguette with chicken or tuna or eggs plus milkshake or latte plus treat: 900kcal
    post work out drink: milkshake or protein drink (around 250kcal)
    pre work out drink: protein shaker (250kcal)
    7pm drink: Beer (this is my treat ;)): 250kcal
    Dinner: tuna or eggs with some dressing plus vegetables + treat (500 kcal)
    10pm drink: hot chocolate or milkshake (250 kcal)

    The total is 2950 kcal. I find very hard to eat big amount of food so that's why I am trying to get my calories in drink.

    let me know what you think of this.

    Cheers,
    Jamal
  • Hey, I was wearing hoodie to hide how skinny I was. Even if I was eating a lot and going to gym nothing seems to work. My breakthrough moment came when one girl told me that it isn´t attractive and I decided to really do something with it and start working on myself hard.

    Different things work for different people and I was lucky enough to find one that worked for me. I gained 8 lbs in one month and it's been a life changer. I'm a little embarrased to post my before and after photos here but if anyone actually cares to hear what I've been doing then I'd be happy to help in any way.
  • Jamal_Guildford
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    Hey, I was wearing hoodie to hide how skinny I was. Even if I was eating a lot and going to gym nothing seems to work. My breakthrough moment came when one girl told me that it isn´t attractive and I decided to really do something with it and start working on myself hard.

    Different things work for different people and I was lucky enough to find one that worked for me. I gained 8 lbs in one month and it's been a life changer. I'm a little embarrased to post my before and after photos here but if anyone actually cares to hear what I've been doing then I'd be happy to help in any way.

    Hey, I know skinny is not nice at all. I forgot to mention, I think I have an ED.... but now I dont see the food as enemy. If I choose the right aliments, I see it as a way to build a strong body.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Thanks heybales for your response. I am going to follow the Strong lift 5x5 training program from today (after my race). I will try to do it with the maximum of weight I can lift. I also think it's never good to totally give up on cardio, so I will probably try to add one or two session of cardio.

    Well, make sure you read the program, don't just jump in and do the lifts as heavy as you can. It's very specific as to starting for a reason.

    And true on cardio, in fact great time for a heavy cardio workout like intervals or such is right after the lifting, part of the workout. True your performance will be impacted once you get up to heavier weights, but it's exactly the kind of training that benefits a race, running tired. So you are training for the end of race.
  • Jamal_Guildford
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    Thanks heybales for your response. I am going to follow the Strong lift 5x5 training program from today (after my race). I will try to do it with the maximum of weight I can lift. I also think it's never good to totally give up on cardio, so I will probably try to add one or two session of cardio.

    Well, make sure you read the program, don't just jump in and do the lifts as heavy as you can. It's very specific as to starting for a reason.

    And true on cardio, in fact great time for a heavy cardio workout like intervals or such is right after the lifting, part of the workout. True your performance will be impacted once you get up to heavier weights, but it's exactly the kind of training that benefits a race, running tired. So you are training for the end of race.

    I just broke my rower. It maybe a sign I have to do less cardio and do more weight lifting. This morning I run the 10k in 35 minutes and 36 seconds. Not too bad I think.

    I started to read the program. Correct me if I am wrong but there is no exercise to work out the biceps. Is that correct? So basically if I want to bulk muscle I need to lift heavy weight, is that correct?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I just broke my rower. It maybe a sign I have to do less cardio and do more weight lifting. This morning I run the 10k in 35 minutes and 36 seconds. Not too bad I think.

    I started to read the program. Correct me if I am wrong but there is no exercise to work out the biceps. Is that correct? So basically if I want to bulk muscle I need to lift heavy weight, is that correct?

    Great pace, strength can help that for sure, but not much because that's good already.

    The bent over row works the bicep, and since you get up to some heavy weight for the back to get a workout, your bicep really gets one.
    If you like, you can throw in some chin-ups at the end of one of the days, palms back, and work the back and biceps some more big time.
  • Jamal_Guildford
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    I just broke my rower. It maybe a sign I have to do less cardio and do more weight lifting. This morning I run the 10k in 35 minutes and 36 seconds. Not too bad I think.

    I started to read the program. Correct me if I am wrong but there is no exercise to work out the biceps. Is that correct? So basically if I want to bulk muscle I need to lift heavy weight, is that correct?

    Great pace, strength can help that for sure, but not much because that's good already.

    The bent over row works the bicep, and since you get up to some heavy weight for the back to get a workout, your bicep really gets one.
    If you like, you can throw in some chin-ups at the end of one of the days, palms back, and work the back and biceps some more big time.

    Hi heybales,

    Thanks again for your response. I will try this training program from tomorrow.

    Also, the weight gain is all about the diet. The thing is I never know if I eat enough food for that (I dont really count the number of kcal).

    Today I had one pot of peanut butter, two toast, one cookie, 2-3 latte, one eggs cress baguette. I am going to train now. This evening I am planning to have a can of tuna with some vegs and dressing. For the desert, probably some ice cream with a mug of milk. For me this is a big amount of food, do I need to eat that every day to gain weight? or should I just reduce cardio?

    I am trying to eat high protein food (peanut butter, milk and eggs) and stay away from the ****ty food (e.g. cookies)

    Thanks,
    Jamal
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Also, the weight gain is all about the diet. The thing is I never know if I eat enough food for that (I dont really count the number of kcal).

    Today I had one pot of peanut butter, two toast, one cookie, 2-3 latte, one eggs cress baguette. I am going to train now. This evening I am planning to have a can of tuna with some vegs and dressing. For the desert, probably some ice cream with a mug of milk. For me this is a big amount of food, do I need to eat that every day to gain weight? or should I just reduce cardio?

    I am trying to eat high protein food (peanut butter, milk and eggs) and stay away from the ****ty food (e.g. cookies)

    You'll probably need to log for for a couple weeks to get an idea of where a number is, just so you know how much you have to go up.

    And if ever the level of food seems high, or expensive for amount of protein trying to obtain, then indeed, less cardio will mean needing to eat less.

    You can keep cardio gains with a few well placed cardio workouts. Once weekly slower paced run to keep the lower fat-burning aerobic system in shape, and once weekly interval session to keep the higher carb-burning system in shape. Anything else would be about improving, or just getting the feet used to total time on them for a race.
    But at your level of pace, to see increased performance would require doing a bunch more very specific training, but those 2 work outs would at least keep your gains.
  • Jamal_Guildford
    Jamal_Guildford Posts: 214 Member
    Also, the weight gain is all about the diet. The thing is I never know if I eat enough food for that (I dont really count the number of kcal).

    Today I had one pot of peanut butter, two toast, one cookie, 2-3 latte, one eggs cress baguette. I am going to train now. This evening I am planning to have a can of tuna with some vegs and dressing. For the desert, probably some ice cream with a mug of milk. For me this is a big amount of food, do I need to eat that every day to gain weight? or should I just reduce cardio?

    I am trying to eat high protein food (peanut butter, milk and eggs) and stay away from the ****ty food (e.g. cookies)

    You'll probably need to log for for a couple weeks to get an idea of where a number is, just so you know how much you have to go up.

    And if ever the level of food seems high, or expensive for amount of protein trying to obtain, then indeed, less cardio will mean needing to eat less.

    You can keep cardio gains with a few well placed cardio workouts. Once weekly slower paced run to keep the lower fat-burning aerobic system in shape, and once weekly interval session to keep the higher carb-burning system in shape. Anything else would be about improving, or just getting the feet used to total time on them for a race.
    But at your level of pace, to see increased performance would require doing a bunch more very specific training, but those 2 work outs would at least keep your gains.

    Hey heybales,

    My new training program consists of 3 cardio session and 3 weight lifting session. Before I was doing 5 cardio sessions. I need to keep cardio session for fat burning.

    Just got back from my cardio session. I felt all the fat in the peanut butter, I really struggle on the treadmill. I think I need to reduce the amount of fat. Peanut butter is a good food but there is a bit too much fat. I am thinking about taking more whey protein shake: one in the morning and one in post work out session (it will increase my protein intake by around 500kcal). What do you think?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    My new training program consists of 3 cardio session and 3 weight lifting session. Before I was doing 5 cardio sessions. I need to keep cardio session for fat burning.

    Just got back from my cardio session. I felt all the fat in the peanut butter, I really struggle on the treadmill. I think I need to reduce the amount of fat. Peanut butter is a good food but there is a bit too much fat. I am thinking about taking more whey protein shake: one in the morning and one in post work out session (it will increase my protein intake by around 500kcal). What do you think?

    Ah, that is a reduction.
    And the cardio session may, if you go slow enough, burn more fat than the lifting. But you got the wrong idea. And I doubt you are going that slow anyway to burn that much fat during the cardio.

    Good strength training causes a repair process that really uses up your food eaten, so fat is used more for daily use, hence burning more of it. You are viewing things for merely the time of the workout - view the 24 hrs, not the 45 minutes.
    You don't actually need to keep the cardio for the fat burning. If you were trying to lose weight the diet would actually take care of that better. And lifting would burn more fat in 24 hr period than cardio. Intervals would improve on easy cardio, but that's only because it's getting closer to lifting in nature and response. But the lifting is the best.

    If you think there is fat to burn, leave enough energy and strength in muscles to do the best lifting workout you can get, that way they need the most repair, and cause the most fat to be done.

    You don't need protein after cardio, nor after lifting for that matter. As long as you get in enough daily.
    After intense cardio, if planning do to intense tomorrow, then a snack of carb and protein with 4:1 ratio would be best within 30 min. But you are going to be eating enough, and not doing intense cardio day after day, that doesn't matter as much. But if you do want a snack, at least make it that ratio.

    And yes, peanut butter is a great calorie booster because of the high fat, not good for protein or carbs because fat is so much higher.