Struggling to gain weight!

Options
everdaybulking
everdaybulking Posts: 5 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I currently weigh at 65kg, exercise 5times a week and am consuming approx 3000 calories per day. My strength is increasing dramatically but my weight does not move up. I've now bumped it up to 3500calories but am not too sure as to how many portions I should be eating. I currently consume 3 large meals a day and usually snack a lot in between my meals.

Any kind of advice would be great!
«1

Replies

  • rjmudlax13
    rjmudlax13 Posts: 900 Member
    Options
    HULK SMASH!!!!!!!!!!

    BUMP!

    I will be doing a bulk soon, so interested. Where is everyone??
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Options
    I currently weigh at 65kg, exercise 5times a week and am consuming approx 3000 calories per day. My strength is increasing dramatically but my weight does not move up. I've now bumped it up to 3500calories but am not too sure as to how many portions I should be eating. I currently consume 3 large meals a day and usually snack a lot in between my meals.

    Any kind of advice would be great!

    Your current portioning is probably just fine. I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the partitioning of meals provided that you're eating at least a few mixed meals per day.

    I'd watch your current weight and give it a good two weeks at that intake before you make any changes. Set a realistic rate of weight gain and adjust calories to remain in that slot.
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    Options
    3000 might have been maintenance since you are burning calories being in the gym 5 times a week, give 3500 a couple weeks!
  • CarmenSRT
    CarmenSRT Posts: 843 Member
    Options
    The advice to give 3500 a day a couple of weeks and see what the effect is is good advice.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Options
    yep, give it a few weeks and adjust if necessary. 3000 "should" be enough to gain weight from 65kg unless you are very active in general life as well.
  • JayWalk39
    JayWalk39 Posts: 68 Member
    Options
    "exercise 5times a week "

    What does that mean??? You may be focusing too much on the food part and not enough on the workout / routine part.

    Are you lifting or doing cardio (or both). If you want to gain then start lifting heavy. Full body compound movements 3 times per week. Something like an AllPro workout would work.

    Cardio maybe twice a week if you still want to keep up with your fitness level, but if you really are having such a hard time gaining you need to stop the cardio.

    Also you never said what your macro breakout of the 3,00 calories looks like. How much Protein and fats are you getting per day?
  • andresconejo
    andresconejo Posts: 264
    Options
    Wow! 3500? U should be gaining, how tall and old r u? And do u have an active life?
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    Options
    It's possible you may not be getting enough rest or you are doing too much cardio, or a combination of both. You could switch to 3 times a week exercising and cut down on cardio.

    Or you could try upping the calories a little and see where it gets you.
  • Roughy92
    Roughy92 Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    As others have said, what exercise are you actually doing? It seems the common mantra is '80% nutrition, 20% training' but you've gotta make sure that 20% is spot on!
    I'm at a similar weight to you and am gaining on around 2800-3000 calories. Post up your typical diet and training routine.
  • Roughy92
    Roughy92 Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    Edit: Double post
  • Fithealthyforlife
    Fithealthyforlife Posts: 866 Member
    Options
    Listen to SideSteel's advice!!

    I can add a bit, as I am at a similar weight to you, and am eating at 275 over maintenance on average, which is roughly 3000 cal. I have one more week of this and then will evaluate results. I may need another 50 calories per day; we'll see...especially since I was eating under maintenence before I started this. My gut feeling is that 3500 cal will be enough for you. But it does take *at least* 2 weeks before you can evaluate it, if not more. Be sure to track weight/calories/macros/bodyfat for best results. And move cautiously.

    I've learned that most of us men need a lot of calories to maintain...let alone gain.

    Edited to add: I'm eating 4-6 times per day. If I've eaten and logged for the day and I am still hungry, I just eat more.
  • everdaybulking
    everdaybulking Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    Here's a little more info.

    I'm 20yrs old and 177cm tall. My diet consists of mainly rice, meats (chicken, steak) and pasta. The occasional junk food every so often :D

    Cardio is at bare minimum. Being a collage student and working as a kitchen hand 2-3 days a week, there's no need for more cardio.

    My workouts consist of mainly free weight exercises and compound movements. I've been on and off training for quite some time now, but really became consistent in the last 3weeks.

    I tend to change up my workouts quite often so this is my current workout plan.

    Mon: Pullups 10reps x3 sets
    Cable Row x3 8reps
    Deadlift x3 8reps
    Overhead Press x3 8reps
    Barbell Curl x3 10reps

    Wed: Flat Bench x3 x8reps
    Incline Dumbell Press x3 6-8reps
    Dumbell Flys x3 8reps
    Cable crossovers or dips x3 8reps
    Skull Crushers x3 8reps
    Tricep pulldown x3 8reps



    Thurs: Squats x3 8reps
    Dumbell Lunges x3 8reps
    Calf raises x3 8reps


    Sat: Currently training for muscle ups, so consists of some bodyweight bar workouts,
    wide grip/close grip pullups and dips
  • antoniomar0029
    antoniomar0029 Posts: 1
    Options
    Don't worry buddy, i'm sure you will gain weight soon with that big head of yours :tongue:
  • Soccermavrick
    Soccermavrick Posts: 405 Member
    Options
    Talk about flash backs. Teens and twenties I could not gain an ounce either. Of course I ignored nutrition. Pounded calorie shakes an over-trained, working the same body parts every other day. Of course I also allowed different sports to distract me from constant training.

    Unfortunately it sounds like you have a motabolism that burns everything. My thought is while your gains will be slow, give the current calorie count a month or two to work.give you routine a month or two to work to. The only thing you might want to do is at the micro-level make sure you are taking in enough protein.
  • RobP1192
    RobP1192 Posts: 310 Member
    Options
    Talk about flash backs. Teens and twenties I could not gain an ounce either. Of course I ignored nutrition. Pounded calorie shakes an over-trained, working the same body parts every other day. Of course I also allowed different sports to distract me from constant training.

    Unfortunately it sounds like you have a motabolism that burns everything. My thought is while your gains will be slow, give the current calorie count a month or two to work.give you routine a month or two to work to. The only thing you might want to do is at the micro-level make sure you are taking in enough protein.

    I can relate to this. I remember being in my late teens and early twenties, eating fastfood and other crap and never really getting fat. I think for people with high metabolisms, you just have to eat more. Basically, your maintenance is higher than you're accounting for. People use these basic calculators and think it's all they need, then call themselves hard gainers. Bottom line, it's all about eating enough. Use a calculator as a guide. Trial and error until you know what your maintenance calories really is. Then bump it up until you see growth. Calling yourself a hard gainer sounds like an excuse to me. Gotta eat to grow.
  • passmetheducksauce
    passmetheducksauce Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    keep eating until you start puking.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    Options
    Here's a little more info.

    I'm 20yrs old and 177cm tall. My diet consists of mainly rice, meats (chicken, steak) and pasta. The occasional junk food every so often :D

    Cardio is at bare minimum. Being a collage student and working as a kitchen hand 2-3 days a week, there's no need for more cardio.

    My workouts consist of mainly free weight exercises and compound movements. I've been on and off training for quite some time now, but really became consistent in the last 3weeks.

    I tend to change up my workouts quite often so this is my current workout plan.

    Mon: Pullups 10reps x3 sets
    Cable Row x3 8reps
    Deadlift x3 8reps
    Overhead Press x3 8reps
    Barbell Curl x3 10reps

    Wed: Flat Bench x3 x8reps
    Incline Dumbell Press x3 6-8reps
    Dumbell Flys x3 8reps
    Cable crossovers or dips x3 8reps
    Skull Crushers x3 8reps
    Tricep pulldown x3 8reps



    Thurs: Squats x3 8reps
    Dumbell Lunges x3 8reps
    Calf raises x3 8reps


    Sat: Currently training for muscle ups, so consists of some bodyweight bar workouts,
    wide grip/close grip pullups and dips
    Changing your routine often is a mistake. How do you know if it's working or not if you keep changing it. Do the same routine for at least 3 mths but you can change minor things, i.e., t-bar rows for cable rows or dumbbell press for barbell press.
  • Roughy92
    Roughy92 Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    keep eating until you start puking.
    Well that's not much good if your calories end up in the toilet. :P

    Workout looks alright to me, although I find it's better to stick with a routine and be consistent rather than shaking it up too much. In any case, just up your calories some and see what happens.
  • mjoy2015wilson
    mjoy2015wilson Posts: 1
    Options
    I need to gain
  • demuz
    demuz Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    Ok you're now eating 3500 calories, great, but you want to make sure your macros are in check as well, 50% from carbs, 30% pro, 20% fat. If you're not gaining I suggest upping the carbs and you WILL gain weight.

    I was on 4500 calories, couldn't gain any weight Bcoz I listened to peoples advice of having whipped cream, peanut butter, oil (as snacks) in my shakes which are all high in fat, as soon as I switched these out for carb snacks like pop tarts, bowls of rice. I had to reduce my calories because I was gaining too much weight

Categories