For those trying to gain

tgh1914

So I've been trying to keep at a 50P / 30C / 20F macro ratio for a while now (P90X fat shredder phase), and I'm finding it very challenging. I usually end up around 45 P & 25 C, so I could use more protein. Frankly though, I'm having about as much meat as I can get around to making and already doing 2 or 3 shakes & a bar a day - don't wanna do more than that. With all the lean meat & veggies I'm having it's quite filling so even getting up to my total cals needed for the day is a challenge (since I don't want to do it with more carbs). But I just kinda came to a realization last night & wanted some feedback from some of y'all who may be in the same boat.

I think my priority #1 should be getting all the cals I need if I wanna gain, right? So that said, if I'm gonna get up to my required cals & can't stick exactly to my target macro ratio, isn't it much better to go over on fats (good fats - nuts, avocado, fish, etc.) than on carbs, and instead of just going short on cals. I'm thinking I'll just round out each day with some nuts.

What do ya think?

BflSaberfan

What do I think? I think I hate you. LOL jk....I have no advice, just very jealous and wish I could give you my last 15 lbs. =} Good luck!

hpsnickers1

I'm curious on this. I tried to do those numbers before I started P90X and couldn't get to 50% protein with powders and bars - and I wasn't even at full calories. Right now I'm at 45/35/25. I've gotten a bit better but I am curious on what would be better to knock down if I decide to do another P90X round and follow the nutrition plan next time.

End6ame

Focus on calories, then on 1g of protein per lb of body weight. I would say eat about 20% above your maintenance.

And honestly, I don’t think you are going to gain much on P90X, it is too aerobic for building mass. I would switch to some type of 5x5 or 3x5 barbell program. Start light and work up to a high percentage of your one rep max. This will put on muscle.

TripleJ3

I say yes, go with the good fats. I've always heard fat doesn't make you fat.

Although on the "down side" they make you more satisfied longer. I've been adding more healthy fats and its easier to stay within my calorie goal but I'm on the losing end so its been a positive for me to eat a little less cals but not feel like I want to eat an arm.

pyro13g

50% of cals from protein is over kill from a muscle building standpoint. It won't help build any more muscle any quicker. Take 20 off the protein and at least 10 off the carbs. Eat it in FAT!

Fish, pork, red, meat, olive oil, coconut oil, heavy cream if you do the dairy thing and butter too. I've got over 300 calories so far today from Coconut oil, Olive oil, and butter. I'll get a couple hundred more from them at dinner and finish off one of my remaining bags of mahi-mahi(on the fence, may just trash it)

bmontgomery87

Just make sure you get the cals. I'm closer to a 40/35/25 with carbs/protein/fat respectively.

As long as you're getting a decent amount of protein, fill in the rest of the cals however you can if its a challenge.


FF cottage cheese is a great way to add in some extra protein.

tgh1914

Focus on calories, then on 1g of protein per lb of body weight. I would say eat about 20% above your maintenance.

And honestly, I don’t think you are going to gain much on P90X, it is too aerobic for building mass. I would switch to some type of 5x5 or 3x5 barbell program. Start light and work up to a high percentage of your one rep max. This will put on muscle.

This is true. I realize that P90X isn't really meant to be a bodybuilding type of program. I just wanted to give it a full go again, this time with strict adherence to the nutrition, then re-evaluate & modify my program.

bmontgomery87

This is true. I realize that P90X isn't really meant to be a bodybuilding type of program. I just wanted to give it a full go again, this time with strict adherence to the nutrition, then re-evaluate & modify my program.

Judging from your avi, I'd say p90x doesn't really have much to offer you at this point.
You're already pretty lean. Time to find a bodybuilding program and bulk.

pyro13g

Focus on calories, then on 1g of protein per lb of body weight. I would say eat about 20% above your maintenance.

And honestly, I don’t think you are going to gain much on P90X, it is too aerobic for building mass. I would switch to some type of 5x5 or 3x5 barbell program. Start light and work up to a high percentage of your one rep max. This will put on muscle.

This is true. I realize that P90X isn't really meant to be a bodybuilding type of program. I just wanted to give it a full go again, this time with strict adherence to the nutrition, then re-evaluate & modify my program.

Part of the problem is you're burning too many calories on P90X. If you want to gain, the best thing you can do is not use P90X or even try doing it every 3rd day and adjust calorie down to a slight surplus over the course of a week. But in the end, use a program better suited to the job.

tgh1914

50% of cals from protein is over kill from a muscle building standpoint. It won't help build any more muscle any quicker. Take 20 off the protein and at least 10 off the carbs. Eat it in FAT!

You know, I think the creators' idea in the 50/30/20 ratio is not that they think we'd NEED 50% protein, but it becomes a matter of ruling out the other two. I think their idea is that you have to get X number of cals (a fairly high number given the workouts). Then they want you to limit the carbs for a month to try to burn existing stores. They also want you to limit the fat intake at first, for the same reason. That leaves you with only protein to get all your remaining cals from. I could be wrong there, but it's been explained to me that way and, for the short term, I don't see a problem with it.

I will be adding more carbs & fat soon, so that'll be nice.

@bmontgomery - FF cottage cheese is one of my staples; it's just so dang high in sodium, can't have too much.

bmontgomery87

You know, I think the creators' idea in the 50/30/20 ratio is not that they think we'd NEED 50% protein, but it becomes a matter of ruling out the other two. I think their idea is that you have to get X number of cals (a fairly high number given the workouts). Then they want you to limit the carbs for a month to try to burn existing stores. They also want you to limit the fat intake at first, for the same reason. That leaves you with only protein to get all your remaining cals from. I could be wrong there, but it's been explained to me that way and, for the short term, I don't see a problem with it.

I will be adding more carbs & fat soon, so that'll be nice.

@bmontgomery - FF cottage cheese is one of my staples; it's just so dang high in sodium, can't have too much.

If you're trying to gain, you don't need to be worried about watching your carbs though. You're gonna get bigger by eating big and lifting heavy.
Put the FF cottage cheese in a collander (strainer for noodles) and rinse it. Takes most of the sodium off and you're left with the curds. You waste a little cottage cheese, but if you're worried about sodium that would be the way to go.

I usually just dont watch my sodium.

End6ame

I usually just dont watch my sodium.

Ditto. I eat FF cottage cheese very frequently and I have no problems with sodium.

raelynnjordan

I have a question, even though I'm not trying to gain but trying to LOSE! I have my goals set at 40P/40C/20F. Should I change this?? I have been doing pretty well sticking to it, but I have actually noticed a small gain in weight since I started P90X LAST Monday. (The 11th). Kind of discouraging.... =( Is that normal?? Also, about the cottage cheese. I learned that although it is high in sodium, it is not bad sodium. It is caused from the natural enzymes in it so eat up!! Its really good for you, just try not to worry about the sodium! Kind of like how fruit is high in sugar , but the good kind, and nuts and avocados are high in fat, but the good kind

tgh1914

I have a question, even though I'm not trying to gain but trying to LOSE! I have my goals set at 40P/40C/20F. Should I change this?? I have been doing pretty well sticking to it, but I have actually noticed a small gain in weight since I started P90X LAST Monday. (The 11th). Kind of discouraging.... =( Is that normal?? Also, about the cottage cheese. I learned that although it is high in sodium, it is not bad sodium. It is caused from the natural enzymes in it so eat up!! Its really good for you, just try not to worry about the sodium! Kind of like how fruit is high in sugar , but the good kind, and nuts and avocados are high in fat, but the good kind

I'd definitely give it a fair chance. For those like you that are already lean and trying to get leaner, what you're really after is muscle tone (I presume), not just a scale reduction. Added muscle will help to burn off fat round the clock. And the muscle gives that lean look.

The closer we get to our "ideal" weight, the less meaningful the scale becomes - there's just so much variability in what the scale shows. The best things to monitor your progress with on a program like P90X are things like measuring tape, the mirror, body fat measurements, dropping pant sizes, etc. If those things are improving you know you're making progress.

I think your ratios are good. It's basically what P90X will set us to in Phase 2 anyway, so I'd keep it the same.

Keep bringing it Raelynn! And take those progress pics. I totally learned my first time around that they will inspire you later when you're not so sure of your progress.

ETA: You might be interested in following this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/211420-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner

bmontgomery87

^^agreed.


I rarely step on a scale anymore. I'm near a decent weight i guess. I'm looking for changes in my body composition now, not a number that really doesn't mean anything.
I was 165 this time last year. Now I'm like 152 but look much bigger (in a good way).

raelynnjordan

Well I wouldn't say I'm lean quite yet. I am still looking for some pounds to disappear!! I started at about 145-150.... Now I am about 133, but like a week later it said 135 and then this morning it said 135. So who knows. I'd like to get down to about 115-120, but I know that's going to be hard! I took measurements after I had already been at this for a month and I know I had already lost some inch(es) but then a month after the 1st ones were taken I had only lost a whopping total of 1.5 inches over my entire body! I was kinda pissed! I am definitely sticking to P90X, not giving up! I have a friend who has done it and Insanity and some other BeachBody programs, and she's currently on Asylum. She told me the 1st 30 days of P90X are discouraging because you really won't notice a change. She said the next 30 days I will see some change, and then the last month is where I'll REALLY notice the changes. I HOPE SO! Lol! But yes I definitely want to gain muscle and just have that lean look about me.

Yall know any good quick ab routines? Ab Ripper X kills my tailbone!!! =(

raelynnjordan

I have a question, even though I'm not trying to gain but trying to LOSE! I have my goals set at 40P/40C/20F. Should I change this?? I have been doing pretty well sticking to it, but I have actually noticed a small gain in weight since I started P90X LAST Monday. (The 11th). Kind of discouraging.... =( Is that normal?? Also, about the cottage cheese. I learned that although it is high in sodium, it is not bad sodium. It is caused from the natural enzymes in it so eat up!! Its really good for you, just try not to worry about the sodium! Kind of like how fruit is high in sugar , but the good kind, and nuts and avocados are high in fat, but the good kind

I'd definitely give it a fair chance. For those like you that are already lean and trying to get leaner, what you're really after is muscle tone (I presume), not just a scale reduction. Added muscle will help to burn off fat round the clock. And the muscle gives that lean look.

The closer we get to our "ideal" weight, the less meaningful the scale becomes - there's just so much variability in what the scale shows. The best things to monitor your progress with on a program like P90X are things like measuring tape, the mirror, body fat measurements, dropping pant sizes, etc. If those things are improving you know you're making progress.

I think your ratios are good. It's basically what P90X will set us to in Phase 2 anyway, so I'd keep it the same.

Keep bringing it Raelynn! And take those progress pics. I totally learned my first time around that they will inspire you later when you're not so sure of your progress.

ETA: You might be interested in following this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/211420-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner

Ohhhh I took the before pics!!! LOL but I'm not posting them until I have some after pics to put with them! Hahaha!

bmontgomery87

Yall know any good quick ab routines? Ab Ripper X kills my tailbone!!! =(

I just do weighted situps, medicine ball situps on a decline bench, oblique twists, and planks.
Not really big on working my abs.

pyro13g

Yall know any good quick ab routines? Ab Ripper X kills my tailbone!!! =(

I just do weighted situps, medicine ball situps on a decline bench, oblique twists, and planks.
Not really big on working my abs.

Pull ups, pull downs on a machine, in addition. If you can find someone to part with Cardio Abs from Insanity, it is way better than ARX with plenty of work not on your tailbone.

Personally. The only ab move I do is a weighted crunch or oblique crunch and the incidental hard work they get from other weightlifting moves.

tgh1914

Ohhhh I took the before pics!!! LOL but I'm not posting them until I have some after pics to put with them! Hahaha!

I hear ya; doing the same. I think we think alike.

raelynnjordan

Pull ups, pull downs on a machine, in addition. If you can find someone to part with Cardio Abs from Insanity, it is way better than ARX with plenty of work not on your tailbone.

Personally. The only ab move I do is a weighted crunch or oblique crunch and the incidental hard work they get from other weightlifting moves.

I just really need something to help me burn this extra fat off my belly! I mean I do need stronger abs also, but I still have a semi-jiggly belly! =(

pyro13g

Pull ups, pull downs on a machine, in addition. If you can find someone to part with Cardio Abs from Insanity, it is way better than ARX with plenty of work not on your tailbone.

Personally. The only ab move I do is a weighted crunch or oblique crunch and the incidental hard work they get from other weightlifting moves.

I just really need something to help me burn this extra fat off my belly! I mean I do need stronger abs also, but I still have a semi-jiggly belly! =(

I'm sure you have heard that you can't spot burn the fat off. It comes off systemically. If the belly is your problem spot, it will be the last to go.

MistyMtnMan

Dude check out this info I just posted that has some good answers for you I think:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/223771-how-to-loose-fat

tgh1914

Dude check out this info I just posted that has some good answers for you I think:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/223771-how-to-loose-fat

Good read. I like how he keeps in line the most important principles & kinda sorts out some of the less impactful things that we hear so much about - sodium, meal timing, etc.

THanks.