Hard Gainers

ptjolsen

Mostly for the fellow guys on here, but women feel free to chime in...
I was just curious if anyone else out there is out of the majority and looking to gain? Bulking? I was looking for some people to complain to when times get rough for us "hard-gainers" haha.

Bakkasan

Serious compound lifting and a good diet should overcome most hardgainers issues. Deads, squats, bench, rows!

DavPul

I don't really qualify as a hard gainer but if you're looking for people where lifting and getting stronger is a priority then I would count myself as one of those types.

jofjltncb6

Classic hard-gaining ectomorph here. (Hey, I have the extremely low-normal T level tests to back this up too.) Been eating at a 500-800 daily calorie surplus for 9ish months to go from 153 on 1/1 to 168 on 9/23. I try not to complain about eating 3000+ calories daily to my "normal" MFP friends, but sometimes can't help it.

ptjolsen

Classic hard-gaining ectomorph here. (Hey, I have the extremely low-normal T level tests to back this up too.) Been eating at a 500-800 daily calorie surplus for 9ish months to go from 153 on 1/1 to 168 on 9/23. I try not to complain about eating 3000+ calories daily to my "normal" MFP friends, but sometimes can't help it.

Nice!...Yeah I've went up about 3lbs in 3 months....sometimes the place I struggle is the diet, that is why I am on MFP

Bakkasan

Classic hard-gaining ectomorph here. (Hey, I have the extremely low-normal T level tests to back this up too.) Been eating at a 500-800 daily calorie surplus for 9ish months to go from 153 on 1/1 to 168 on 9/23. I try not to complain about eating 3000+ calories daily to my "normal" MFP friends, but sometimes can't help it.

The low-t is MURDER man. Sub 100's here. Went on HRT, then found out it makes you infertile, so had to stop until the wife gets laid up. It is just KILLING me to be off my therapy. It makes me a whole person.

VelociMama

Not a guy nor looking to gain, but welcome.

There are a lot of guys who are doing bodybuilding here that might be a good match for information and fitness.

Good luck to you with your goals.

wellbert

I know that people say "Hard gainer = under eater" but man. I can gain fat super easy. Just can't put on muscle.

Well below average, but not 'medically low' T here.

Jynus

weight gain is 100% diet. period. lifting does NOT make you gain weight. The ONLY way to gain is to eat more than your body needs. When you lift, that extra you gain is prioritized to muscle repair and hypertrophy rather than fat. Thats why you gain muscle, but only happens because of diet.

If you're not gaining weight, eat more. thats the ONLY solution. If you're finding it really hard to eat more, then drink more food. start drinking milk in place of water. 2L of milk a day = 1000 calories. That should help putting you over the hump.

ashfuse

Serious compound lifting and a good diet should overcome most hardgainers issues. Deads, squats, bench, rows!

YOU have to EAT along with these compound moves. Find out what your TDEE is and eat MORE than that during your bulk. Eating clean will be beneficial. Focus on hitting your proteins and the rest should fall into place.

wjranch

I am female, and I am trying to gain as well.
I have gone thru the process of loosing excess body fat (down 55lbs ish)
and have spent a good 6 months or so getting this 42yr old butt used to lifting weights!! I am now ready to start building some 'real' muscles..... i want curves again.... only this time in the Right places!!

Determinednoob

I'm trying to gain atm. Did 2 weeks at 3200 cals with no gain, another 5 days at 3500 with no gain, and am now on day 4 of 4000 per day. Eating is like a fuggin second job for me.

And in general yeah hardgainer=undereater but obviously low t would make a legitimate hardgainer with no therapy of any kind.

JNick77

Classic hard-gaining ectomorph here. (Hey, I have the extremely low-normal T level tests to back this up too.) Been eating at a 500-800 daily calorie surplus for 9ish months to go from 153 on 1/1 to 168 on 9/23. I try not to complain about eating 3000+ calories daily to my "normal" MFP friends, but sometimes can't help it.

The low-t is MURDER man. Sub 100's here. Went on HRT, then found out it makes you infertile, so had to stop until the wife gets laid up. It is just KILLING me to be off my therapy. It makes me a whole person.

Wow, glad I'm not alone; I thought mine was bad at 196. Will your doc give you HCG to deal with the fertility issue? I've read it helps. It's awesome that you can even lift; I couldn't do **** without feeling utterly exhausted but my E2 level was ****ed as well.

Hormone issues aside, hard-gainers typically don't gain because they don't eat enough. I've seen all kinds of recommendations for this up to and including drinking an entire gallon of Whole Milk a day.

Eating is like a fuggin second job for me.

Yup...

almc170

Hard-gainin' woman here

Bumping for info

JNick77

Hard-gainin' woman here

Bumping for info

Drink a 1/2 gallon of whole milk a day. All kidding aside most likely you just need to eat more. Checkout PrecisionNutrition's or the IntermittentFasting site for eating to gain. The calories required will probably shock you.

wellbert

I'm trying to gain atm. Did 2 weeks at 3200 cals with no gain, another 5 days at 3500 with no gain, and am now on day 4 of 4000 per day. Eating is like a fuggin second job for me.

And in general yeah hardgainer=undereater but obviously low t would make a legitimate hardgainer with no therapy of any kind.

I'm jealous of people that can't put on weight at 3000+

I'm 6'7 245lbs, and anything over 2600 cals or so packs fat on me like crazy!

LaurenAOK

Currently trying to buik for the first time in my life! I'm doing Stronglifts 5x5 and trying to eat 2200 calories a day, which is just above maintenance for me, but it's hard

Determinednoob

I'm trying to gain atm. Did 2 weeks at 3200 cals with no gain, another 5 days at 3500 with no gain, and am now on day 4 of 4000 per day. Eating is like a fuggin second job for me.

And in general yeah hardgainer=undereater but obviously low t would make a legitimate hardgainer with no therapy of any kind.

I'm jealous of people that can't put on weight at 3000+

I'm 6'7 245lbs, and anything over 2600 cals or so packs fat on me like crazy!

Back when I was cutting I was all excited about eating 3200. Eating 3200 isn;t that bad, but trying to eat 4000 is honestly work. Now I could go dirtier and make it easier of course... I'm already eating some B+J ice cream almost daily

It really makes no sense to me. I was maintaining ~190 at ~2800 now at 177 I had to go to 4k to gain?

ilovedeadlifts

I put on about 25 pounds in a little over a year. Dairy went a long way.

Jersey_Devil

Also, to make sure you have that surplus (right now i try to eat 3,000 calories as clean as possible, but its still dirty, but i find it hard to get to 3,000)..I take gainers. I personally love optinum nutritutions gainer. Its helped me gain weight with little fat and does not have a lot of junk in it. You can also try making your own homemade gainers. Ive done this by blending oatmeal, a scoop of whey, extra virgin olive oil, whole milk. ill take this in between meals.

ilovedeadlifts

^^I definitely prefer to make my own for the money saving.

Whey, PB, whole milk, ice cream, chocolate. whatever.

it's hard to eat over 3000 calories cleanly. if you're trying to gain weight, slam some junk

Determinednoob

Let me give you a quote from orca23554 at bb.com forums

Discard weight gainer after you finish the current tub, eat more real food

As skinny folks we need to up the food intake as much as possible in first 2 years of lifting if we are serious about this in the long run. Start with mass gainers and we'll end up not improving our ability to eat real food. I am easily eating 1.5X of what I was eating before starting to lift - and its improving further all the time. All I take is a protein supp ONLY because I am a veggie and can't realistically hit 150g of protein a day from just food, eggs and milk

Before someone rips me apart saying BS coming from a 160lber - I Started at 128lbs and am practicing every word of ^^^^

I will consider a weight gainer/meal replacement only when I get to point where I just cannot eat any more solid food. That's at least 1-1.5 yrs from where I am today

Determinednoob

^^I definitely prefer to make my own for the money saving.

Whey, PB, whole milk, ice cream, chocolate. whatever.

it's hard to eat over 3000 calories cleanly. if you're trying to gain weight, slam some junk

I got some B+J ice cream. I am not concerned with having a 100% clean diet. Maybe around 80%

DavPul

Discard weight gainer after you finish the current tub, eat more real food

^^^^^^^^^ YES!

Back when I was trying my hardest to make my first gains, I used to spend $200 a month at GNC on weight gainers and other products. Then I dropped that and spent the money on steak, hamburgers, eggs and potatoes instead. That's when I started putting on mass. Saved money and ate more food that I loved. If you're a vegetarian, then you probably have to do what you have to do, but if not, eat real food. Those weight gainers were a joke compared to the size and strength I gained eating red meat.

wjranch

Discard weight gainer after you finish the current tub, eat more real food

^^^^^^^^^ YES!

Back when I was trying my hardest to make my first gains, I used to spend $200 a month at GNC on weight gainers and other products. Then I dropped that and spent the money on steak, hamburgers, eggs and potatoes instead. That's when I started putting on mass. Saved money and ate more food that I loved. If you're a vegetarian, then you probably have to do what you have to do, but if not, eat real food. Those weight gainers were a joke compared to the size and strength I gained eating red meat.

AMEN! I am in complete agreement with this philosophy.... I am struggling to take in enough to build....but, I keep trying! Check out my diary today!! LOL 2 chicken breast, 7 eggs, protein bar, cottage cheese.... etc etc... and I don't shy away from healthy fat either!! Don't care if I go over on fat if it's decent quality for me.
Real food is the way to go... it amazes people who look at me and think "skinny little b***h" ,but when they finally see that I seem to constantly be eating?.... LMAO it's awesome!

Determinednoob

I dare you to look at my diary from yesterday

zaph0d

Pump serious iron and drink a gallon of milk a day.

Determinednoob

Pump serious iron and drink a gallon of milk a day.

I've been meaning to ask if your last name is Beeblebrox. I just read your profile and got my answer.

PixelTreason

Female trying to gain.

Now that I eat healthy, I find it very difficult to eat enough calories to gain muscle! I'm also afraid of gaining more fat after losing 50 pounds. I think that "chubby girl" inside me is very hard to get rid of and she freaks out when I gain a pound.

But I've gone up almost 7 pounds - though that's taken about 7 months to do!

I'm 5'8" and I eat about 2,100-2,200 calories a day.

PixelTreason

I've been meaning to ask if your last name is Beeblebrox. I just read your profile and got my answer.

Just look at his picture! Two heads are better than one!

wjranch

I dare you to look at my diary from yesterday

Well done!!
I prefer the Chili n Lime Almonds tho LOL

It is difficult to keep your palate entertained and keep it all clean, while still reaching that protein goal.