How to gain muscle mass gain?

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asaldana10
asaldana10 Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
I've lost all the fat ive wanted to lose (22lbs) and now would like to transition over to gaining muscle mass to fill out my body. Ive calculated my body would need 160g of protein a day to buid mass (I weight 172). My question is should I increase my caloric intake as well? MFP allows me 1800 cal per day. Also any workouts i complete, I enter my calories burned into MFP. I then know I need to introduce those back into my meals.

So should i stick to the 1800 cal per day or increase it? If so by how much? Is my logic correct with just introducing protein? How do i gain mucles?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

Andres

Replies

  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    The same rules as losing weight apply to gaining, suplus size = gain rate.

    That calorie intake is way, way, way, way, way too low to gain any muscle.

    Pretty much everybody, no matter how small, will need a gross intake >3K cal/day (not subtracting exercise cals, which most chronically underestimate). Most guys will need to be closer to 4K/day gross intake.

    @6'1, 200 lb, my MFP net goals when bulking is 3200 cal/day (actual intake is usually over 4K/day as my exercise is usually north of 800 cal/day). That has me gain at 1 lb/wk.

    Don't worry about fat gain. You'll gain a little, but strength training and being male (having testosterone) will combine to make it very minimal. If you are gaining at 1 lb/wk or slower, it will take a few months before you gain any noticable amount of fat, even then it'll be small (if you can see your abs, they'll take a while to disappear). Many guys starting out will get leaner at first (muscle gain will be greater than 90% of weight gain for many early on their first time bulking).
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Double post
  • jdholland5508
    jdholland5508 Posts: 162 Member
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    The same rules as losing weight apply to gaining, suplus size = gain rate.

    That calorie intake is way, way, way, way, way too low to gain any muscle.

    Pretty much everybody, no matter how small, will need a gross intake >3K cal/day (not subtracting exercise cals, which most chronically underestimate). Most guys will need to be closer to 4K/day gross intake.

    @6'1, 200 lb, my MFP net goals when bulking is 3200 cal/day (actual intake is usually over 4K/day as my exercise is usually north of 800 cal/day). That has me gain at 1 lb/wk.

    Don't worry about fat gain. You'll gain a little, but strength training and being male (having testosterone) will combine to make it very minimal. If you are gaining at 1 lb/wk or slower, it will take a few months before you gain any noticable amount of fat, even then it'll be small (if you can see your abs, they'll take a while to disappear). Many guys starting out will get leaner at first (muscle gain will be greater than 90% of weight gain for many early on their first time bulking).


    I would go online and find TDEE calculator. From there increase that number by 10%. See how that works for you for a couple weeks and adjust so you are gaining between .5 and 1 lb a week. For reference. I am 6' 185lbs and I bulk at only 2800 calories. Its different for everyone. I would not start at >3000 calories right away because you will put on more excess fat than is needed.
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
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    Try 250 kcal over maintenance with adequate protein.

    As I understand things, on a very basic level, to gain muscle you need:

    1) Work
    2) Energy (calories)
    3) building blocks (protein)

    If you're as lean as you want to be, the energy component of that is pretty much going to have a be a smallish surplus.
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/848374-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners-2013-edition
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
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    As a 170lb male, I find it hard to believe MFP put you at 1800 calories unless you still have it set for weight loss. That is the number it gives ME (a 130lb female) to maintain my weight, and it underestimates I actually maintain around 2000-2200.

    Set it for maintenance or better yet weight gain since that is what you really want to do.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    Options
    The same rules as losing weight apply to gaining, suplus size = gain rate.

    That calorie intake is way, way, way, way, way too low to gain any muscle.

    Pretty much everybody, no matter how small, will need a gross intake >3K cal/day (not subtracting exercise cals, which most chronically underestimate). Most guys will need to be closer to 4K/day gross intake.

    @6'1, 200 lb, my MFP net goals when bulking is 3200 cal/day (actual intake is usually over 4K/day as my exercise is usually north of 800 cal/day). That has me gain at 1 lb/wk.

    Don't worry about fat gain. You'll gain a little, but strength training and being male (having testosterone) will combine to make it very minimal. If you are gaining at 1 lb/wk or slower, it will take a few months before you gain any noticable amount of fat, even then it'll be small (if you can see your abs, they'll take a while to disappear). Many guys starting out will get leaner at first (muscle gain will be greater than 90% of weight gain for many early on their first time bulking).


    I would go online and find TDEE calculator. From there increase that number by 10%. See how that works for you for a couple weeks and adjust so you are gaining between .5 and 1 lb a week. For reference. I am 6' 185lbs and I bulk at only 2800 calories. Its different for everyone. I would not start at >3000 calories right away because you will put on more excess fat than is needed.

    Is that 2800 net cals or 2800 gross cals?

    That makes a huge difference.

    Most women I know eat north of 3000 gross cals to bulk (net is obviously much lower).
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    I strongly suggest the OP eat at maintenance and not at a surplus. The OP seems to be new to lifting and the first few months will be about form, not mass and strength. 10% over tdee is much to much of a surplus, imo. 160 grams of protein should be fine.
  • cburn4492
    cburn4492 Posts: 10
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    Check out stronglifts 5x5.
  • jdholland5508
    jdholland5508 Posts: 162 Member
    Options
    The same rules as losing weight apply to gaining, suplus size = gain rate.

    That calorie intake is way, way, way, way, way too low to gain any muscle.

    Pretty much everybody, no matter how small, will need a gross intake >3K cal/day (not subtracting exercise cals, which most chronically underestimate). Most guys will need to be closer to 4K/day gross intake.

    @6'1, 200 lb, my MFP net goals when bulking is 3200 cal/day (actual intake is usually over 4K/day as my exercise is usually north of 800 cal/day). That has me gain at 1 lb/wk.

    Don't worry about fat gain. You'll gain a little, but strength training and being male (having testosterone) will combine to make it very minimal. If you are gaining at 1 lb/wk or slower, it will take a few months before you gain any noticable amount of fat, even then it'll be small (if you can see your abs, they'll take a while to disappear). Many guys starting out will get leaner at first (muscle gain will be greater than 90% of weight gain for many early on their first time bulking).


    I would go online and find TDEE calculator. From there increase that number by 10%. See how that works for you for a couple weeks and adjust so you are gaining between .5 and 1 lb a week. For reference. I am 6' 185lbs and I bulk at only 2800 calories. Its different for everyone. I would not start at >3000 calories right away because you will put on more excess fat than is needed.

    Is that 2800 net cals or 2800 gross cals?

    That makes a huge difference.

    Most women I know eat north of 3000 gross cals to bulk (net is obviously much lower).

    This is gross cals. Desk job, no cardio only strength training.

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