Weight Gainers

YeaILift

On Nov 29th I will be ending my five month cutting phase and begin trying to bulk for the first time ever.

Just wondering if anyone else wants to start a group that focuses on gaining weight/building muscle. We can share tips, meals, weight lifting journals, supplements, new rep maxes, or whatever. I'll be trying to gain weight at least until the end of January. If there is enough interest we can do weekly weigh-ins and I'll post an excel spread sheet or something so we can see everyone's progress.

jdubs1201

I'm down with that! I just joined this site last week for the sake of gaining weight/muscle. Count me in!

Shash27

My boyfriend has been trying to do this on his own. I'm going to try and talk him into using this site and joining you in your weight/muscle gaining efforts. I'm sure he'd appreciate people who are going through the same thing. Especially since he lives with a girl who is trying to LOSE :-)

chrisdavey

See how I go but I've been putting on weight for the last 2 months or so and was probably going to cut it back a little in December. (It is Summer here in December :P)

YeaILift

See how I go but I've been putting on weight for the last 2 months or so and was probably going to cut it back a little in December. (It is Summer here in December :P)

Psh you should be bulking up so you can go up a weight class for your next competition :P

chrisdavey

Yeah I know, just don't want to be a fatty for Summer beach trips :P We'll see

jdubs1201

My boyfriend has been trying to do this on his own. I'm going to try and talk him into using this site and joining you in your weight/muscle gaining efforts. I'm sure he'd appreciate people who are going through the same thing. Especially since he lives with a girl who is trying to LOSE :-)

For sho Sannon!! I'm in the exact same boat he's in. I'm trying to gain and my wife is trying to lose!

YeaILift

My boyfriend has been trying to do this on his own. I'm going to try and talk him into using this site and joining you in your weight/muscle gaining efforts. I'm sure he'd appreciate people who are going through the same thing. Especially since he lives with a girl who is trying to LOSE :-)

That'd be great. Would love to have more than 3 people in this group haha :P

frogmanjared

I'm in. Its hard to find advice on this since there seems to be very few people trying to gain. It will also help me keep on track. I'm also in the same boat... wife trying to lose, I'm trying to gain. Sometimes I have to snack while she's in another room, or working out so she doesn't feel the urge to cheat!

YeaILift

Well, I am glad there is at least a little interest. I'm sure there are at least a few more. I'll make a starting weigh in post around Thanksgiving Day/that weekend and just get it in to me before 5:00PM CST Sunday (Nov 28). Group will officially start Mon, Nov 29.

mccorml

i plan on doing this after i cut to 170 i just dont wanna get fat again only 30 more pounds lol

YeaILift

i plan on doing this after i cut to 170 i just dont wanna get fat again only 30 more pounds lol

Yea, that's why I cut before I started bulking too.

chrisdavey

Good rules for clean bulk IMO (which have worked for me over the last few months, put on 6kg with minimal bodyfat increase according to accumeasure calipers)

Eat bodyweight x 20 in cals (if too much fat added adjust down slightly, I was at about BW x 17)

1g protein per lb of bodyweight (chicken and turkey breast, fish, lean ground beef, lean cuts of steak, pork tenderloin, nuts, eggs, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, protein powders, etc)

Majority of carbs should be non-processed low gi carbs.

High GI carbs postworkout.

Eat breakfast!

Get good fats from things like ish oils, flax, fish, olive oil, avocados, nuts, natural peanut butter etc

I try to eat more frequently but some research says that it doesn't matter that much. (however if you are trying to consume 3500cals for example it would be very difficult to do with clean calories in 2 meals!)

musclebuilder

I am currently in a muscle gaining phase so you can count me in.

YeaILift

I was thinking of doing an excel sheet like this, but I am def open to other ideas. Obviously you wouldn't have to do weekly measurements, just if you want.

Let me know if you have any ideas.

jdubs1201

I was thinking of doing an excel sheet like this, but I am def open to other ideas. Obviously you wouldn't have to do weekly measurements, just if you want.

Let me know if you have any ideas.

Cool man... looks good! Don't really know how to do measurements (but that's just a google search away I'm sure). What does "RM" stand for? Anyway, looks good!

YeaILift

One rep maximum (one repetition maximum or 1RM) in weight training is the maximum amount of weight one can lift in a single repetition for a given exercise. One repetition maximum can be used for determining an individual's maximum strength and is the method for determining the winner in events such as powerlifting and weightlifting competitions. One repetition maximum can also be used as an upper limit, in order to determine the desired "load" for an exercise (as a percentage of the 1RM).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-repetition_maximum

If you just give me your rep/weight for whatever exercise, I can put the RM formula in excel and calculate it.

Updated it; Makes more sense I think.
Everyone will have to let me know what they want to track and give me base stats before Nov 29. If you want to add anything you don't see just let me know.

chrisdavey

looks good, although BF% is never going to be spot on.

I've never measured my shoulders either but I keep all those other measurements and do them once a month.

I'm up an inch on thighs and .6 inch on biceps, .5 inch on waist. All the rest are the same over the last 2 months.

chrisdavey

also

20 Tips to Mass Gains
by Chris Aceto


1) Pre-Training Punch
Hitting the iron like a pro? Take in hefty dose of easy to absorb proteins and carbs 60-90 minutes before gym-time. The combo exerts anti-catabolic effect protecting your hard earned muscle while sparing muscle reserves of energy called glycogen. Good bets: 25-35 grams of whey protein mixed into a large bowl of cream of rice cereal or plop ¾ cup of fat free cottage cheese on top of a large baked potato.

2) Gouge After Training
Done training? Hit the kitchen! Training initiates a state where large amounts of carbohydrates and protein can be absorbed and utilized for muscle growth – more so than any other time of the day. Try eating 40 and up to 65 grams of protein – depending on your size – and .5 to .6 grams of carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight

3) Cycle Carbs
Really hard trainers need roughly 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight daily, though some will need 3. The best approach: eat 2 grams per pound of bodyweight daily for 4 days and on the fifth day, go to 3. The reason: cycling carbs not only helps keep you lean, but can keep growth supporting hormones like insulin, GH and thyroid levels mildly higher translating into grater growth.

4) Cheat
Pro Bodybuilders often take a cheat day – they’ll pick one day out of every 2 weeks and just go wild – eating anything and nearly everything they want. The results? They grow even better. Why? When calories zoom upwards, the body responds by increasing insulin –like growth factor (IGF) which not only help repair muscle tissue but assists in creating brand new muscle fibers, called satellite cells.

5) Creatine Load
Case closed; creatine works. It increases muscle strength and size. However, cycling it, 2 weeks at 5 grams a day, followed by 4 days off then 2 days at 20 grams might trick the muscles into holding greater amounts. How so? With a creatine “deficit” the machinery within the body that stores it, works overtime. With a greater dose – 20 grams – muscles sop the stuff up and retain larger amounts.

6) Leucine
Leucine is one of the three branched chain amino acids, but this one takes top billing. It increases insulin – the muscle building hormone – independent of carbohydrates- helping to reverse muscle breakdown. Try taking 5-7 grams 20 minutes before the gym and another 5 grams after.

7) Lucky Seven
Bodybuilders make better gains eating 4-6 meals a day and even better with 7. Multiple meals supplies non-stop muscle building nutrients without setting off fat storing hormones and enzymes associated with larger, infrequent meals. The other plus: cortisol control. The many meal approach suppresses cortisol levels, the hormone that can suppress muscle growth.

Beef
When dietary fat is kept under control, it makes room for a much higher carbohydrate. Contrary to popular bodybuilding mythology, carbs are essential and are extremely anabolic in that they increase insulin levels, a potent anabolic hormone. That said, don’t skimp on beef – though it’s a little higher in dietary fat. It’s packed with B vitamins, minerals, zinc and iron making it a must-have food for muscle building.

9) Go Fish
What do Tuna grade sushi, baked salmon, and grilled trout have in common? They’re loaded with special fast called omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3’s fight muscle inflammation, spare glutamine levels and increase the anabolic response to insulin. The result: recovery and growth. Try 4-6 ounces 3 times a week.

10) Pump It Up
What do Viagara and the amino acid arginine have in common?. Yep, they both work at, well, you know. They do so by increasing nitric oxide production, a compound in the body that allows blood to flow. Ever hear of the pump, the gorging of blood into muscles when you train? That’s a solid stimulus for growth and nitric oxide is a chief facilitator for better pumps.

11) Crush The Cortisol
What’s the opposite of anabolism? Catabolism - losing muscle - is accompanied by a rise in cortisol, a stress hormone that chews apart your hard earned mass. A trio of supplements taken after training can squelch its devilish rise. Try 1000 mgs of vitamin C, 400 ius of vitamin E and 800 mgs of the quasi fat called phosphatidylserine.

12) NightTime Morsels
What’s the best thing to eat before bedtime? You need protein to help repair tissue and 2 sources lead the pack. Casein can linger in the body for up to 7 hours – delivering sustained release amino acids for nighttime growth. Omega-3 proteins are a close second. The fat content delays the absorption of all the amino acids – providing constant delivery while the special fat is reported to support growth hormone release.

13) Glutamine and Sugar
Try this post training drink within 5 minutes of your final set. Ten grams of glutamine and 30 grams of carbohydrates – from dextrose or even sugar to kick start growth. Glutamine supports the carb-up process which signals an end to muscle breakdown and sugar kicks up insulin levels, the potent hormone that is extremely effective in reversing tissue damage.

14) Protein!
The single most important factor in growth, protein supplies amino acids, the building blocks the body uses to repair, rebuild and mend damaged muscle tissue – the result of training. Aim for at least 1 grams per pound of bodyweight per day and for maximal amino acid uptake, break your protein meals into 5 to 7 servings.

15) Play With The Protein
Did you know reducing your protein intake that to .6 grams per pound of bodyweight for 4 consecutive days out of the month might be helpful? During the shortfall, the body “fights” to protect its muscle by releasing enzymes and messengers that oppose muscle loss. When you return to a higher protein intake, the body overcompensates and retains more protein for added growth.

16) Carbs are Essential!
Don’t you let anyone tell you, you don’t need carbs for growth! Heck, they play an essential role in muscle building. First they provide fuel – and repairing the body is a fuel-requiring process. They also increase insulin, which, in turn increases other growth promoting hormones and enzymes. Carbs are also stored as muscle glycogen the essential form of fuel for brutal workouts.

17) Zinc
What’s the most underrated nutrient for mass building? Zinc. It helps the body make insulin, testosterone and it supports the immune system. It also is required for over 200 other enzymatic reactions in the body. Not bad huh? Problem is; it’s sometimes hard to get a full 18-20 mgs a day. Best bets; oysters, beans and seafood.

18) Milk
Low fat or skim, milk is a complete source of protein, and highly anti-catabolic. The amino acids in milk digest slowly – which makes it ideal in preventing muscle breakdown. Plus, milk exerts a repartioning effect – where calories become less efficient at making body fat – which means they are either used to build mass, or simply burned off the body.

19) Potassium
Potassium helps muscles contract and assists in the manufacture of muscle glycogen, the reserve fuel tank within muscles and liver that supplies energy to muscles. A low potassium intake can short circuit your ability to carbo-load your muscles. Since potassium is stored within muscles, it’s speculated that – like creatine and glutamine – it adds to the total amount of water muscle can retain and store. The benefit; more water in muscles facilitates an anabolic environment causing greater muscle growth. Good sources include lean meat, yogurt, bananas and potatoes or try supplementing with 1000-1500 mgs daily split over 5-6 meals (200-300 mgs over any 5 meals)

20) Drink
Water is the medium for metabolism; getting nutrients to muscles and helping to detoxify the body of metabolic waste products that can put a drag on growth. Water builds glycogen reserves, blood volume, and directly supports growth by signaling anabolic mechanisms in muscles for greater protein synthesis. A gallon a day is what the big boys drink; from Cutler to Coleman, you’ll find water is not for wimps.
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YeaILift

looks good, although BF% is never going to be spot on.

yea I know

I'm up an inch on thighs and .6 inch on biceps, .5 inch on waist. All the rest are the same over the last 2 months.

I'm hoping this will help me record them more often

YeaILift

Hm, maybe instead of doing all the body measurements each week we could just do RM growth on a couple exercises and do full body measurements twice: before and after the 5 weeks.

musclebuilder

Do any of you guys log your daily WO's? Personally I don't take measurements I focus on strength related goals and use that to track my progress.

YeaILift

I track every set/rep and runs. It helps me figure out when to increase my weight.

chrisdavey

Yep, I keep a workout log on another website.

I am happy to do either method

YeaILift

Making a new thread a little later tonight.

If you want to be a part of the First Round (Nov 29 - Dec 5), this is what I need by Nov 28:

Required
Username:
Starting Weight:
Goal Weight:
Age:
Height:
RM Exercise 1 and Reps/Weight:
RM Exercise 2 and Reps/Weight:
RM Exercise 3 and Reps/Weight:
RM Exercise 4 and Reps/Weight:
RM Exercise 5 and Reps/Weight:

Optional
Preferred Color:
Body Fat %:
Neck:
Shoulders:
Chest:
Arms:
Forearms:
Waist:
Thighs:
Calves:

e: Ugh, I'll fix it later.

YeaILift

YeaILift

YeaILift

YeaILift

frogmanjared

Wow, you guys have a system in place! I'm not sure how much I'll be able to do, since I don't have access to a gym, and can't gain weight easily, probably won't gain more than 1 pound a month, but I'll keep updates and listen to all your advice! My home gym consists of: perfect pushup, iron gym, slant board, a few sets dumbells, and ankle weights. I need to find some larger dumbells and heavier ankle weights to help build more muscle, I know. Any advice for the equipment I have?

I'm 74.5", 145 this is the most I've weighed my entire life, and am really taking it seriously this time. I have good upper body strength for my size, but my legs have always been scrawny. I've been doing calf raises, squats (one-legged also), lunges, side lunges... any advice on how to strengthen legs at home? I know it might seem like a lost cause, but it's all I've got to work with. Thanks for your help in advance.

whyflysouth

Nice! Count me in. I've been bulking for the past month and a half and it'll be motivating to be doing it with a team. I was first really out of shape and overweight so I used mfp mainly as a way to get back in shape and lose much of the fat. Went down from 167 at probably 24% bf (didn't measure), down to 148 at 13.5% (according to the impedance bf monitor) from Feb to Aug this year. I feel I lost some muscle along with some of the fat as my bf % pretty much stayed the same as I went down from 150 even further to 144 lbs in sept.

After that I saw myself as both skinny and flabby and felt that I need to focus back on putting on muscle and deal with the bf% later. Now I'm at 158 lbs, looking more muscular by my bf monitor varies in it's readings anywhere from 15.5% to sometimes 18% based on how it feels about me I guess. Ultimately I'd like to be at 160 and 10% body fat so at best that means I need to lose roughly 10 lbs of fat and gain roughly 10 lbs of muscle or something of that sort. That'll probably take another year given that muscle takes allot of time to grow, and that last 10 lbs of fat is stubborn, idk.

But for now my focus has been lifting heavy and often and eating roughly at maintenance, some days a little above some days below. I gained back 10 lbs really fast (like in 2 months) and Idk how much (if any) of that is muscle, so I'm looking to bulk right for at least another month or two.

Count me in!