Struggling to reach target for muscle gain

Try to concentrate your fast carbs, sugars, etc around your workout. In that way you are using your insulin when you need it the most. Insulin is our most anabolic hormone.

On the other meals of the day, try to eat more fats. Raise your protein intake. Eat plenty of good carbs.

You can also take som MCT (Medium Chain Triglicerides) fat before training, which is a fat that is passing our system very quickly. Because of that MCT oil are passing our system so quickly, the glycogen is spared during physical activity.

If it's hard for you to eat all the kcals you need, you can add a Mass Gainer as a meal.

The reality of eating clean to gain is that it is excrutiating. "Clean" foods are typically lower calorie, and require that you feed a minimum of 4 times per day. the reason many bodybuilders, and power lifters eat 6-7 times a day is because eating 'clean" food to meet your macros is quite difficult with only 3-4 meals. Believe me when I tell you, it is painful to eat large ammounts of chicken breast, eggs, oatmeal, rice, etc.. I find eating red meat is helpful from time to time. You may want to look into a liquid amino supplement, as this will help feed your muscles when you cannot eat. Many people will scoff at that, but I can tell you for a fact that amino's do work if dosed correctly. The task you are trying to accomplish is quite daunting at times. Do not ever give up, because it takes alot of time and commitment. Strength and size are measured in time.

So is it ok to eat more 'crappy' deemed food (ie muffins, etc) as long as you get the calories and protein in? (without going overboard on the fats/sugars to avoid atherosclerosis/diabetes)

I believe that if you do go the 'eat anything' route whilst bulking you're going to gain more fat than if you ate 'cleaner'.

Do you have access to a barbell? You may want to change up your routine if you do. You're not going to see a lot of muscle gains with 13.5 kg. You need to be in a progressive loading program, and consider hypertrophy, to gain lean mass.

Protein powder is great to add calories and protein.

Muscle is very hard to gain under the best of circumstances. Really think about your workout first, then tweak your diet. All the protein in the world isn't going to add mass if you don't work the muscle.

what are your stats for you to maintain on 1700? seem sfairly low?

also, if you get decent peanut butter that is basically just peanut, its 'clean' and loads of cals!

5"4 high, 110lbs.
Awww I would but I can't eat nuts due to an allergy

how much are you lifting?

if you are running three times a week you are going to have a hard time adding muscle..

Remember there is no "crap food" there is just food that your body uses for energy. If you are having a hard time getting to your target then add in some ice cream …230 calories per serving ….

At the moment I'm lifting 13kg (6.5 per dumbbell), and I find I drop from 12 to 10 on a few of the last sets of 3 (especially on the tricep dumbbell kickback, I may have to use lighter weights for that one, I can do it with a 5kg dumbbell). I don't think I'd be able to go above 13kg at the moment as my reps would drop below 10, right now I push myself to achieve 10-12 on the last set. Does this sound right?

Bought some powdered whey protein today, gonna chuck it in my porridge etc to try to bump up the calorie and protein intake (especially since I'm a student, so I can't buy meat other than chicken that often, which I get fed up of!).

And I'm glad to see ice cream is ok XD It makes sense I guess (other than the calorie part), as it's made from dairy products (unless it's the cheaper vegetable oil one) - so calcium and protein, huzzah.

I went from 72kg to 82kg in 3 months chugging mass gainer shakes on top of my regular meals. The mass gainers had 800-900 calories + 60g protien per shake. Read the labels. Some mass gainers are low cal with high protein. I drank once a day after work outs.

For workouts, the tried and true method of mass building is go heavy with low reps. If you can do 10 reps per set then it's too light. Up your weight so you can manage 3-5 reps x 3 sets. The exercises you should concentrate on is deadlifts, squats, clean and press, pull ups/chin ups (with weights for advanced), push ups (many variations - clap, medicine ball, dive bomber), lastly bench press or dumbell flys if you're looking for aesthetics. I personally don't bother with bench as it has very little to do with functional strength.

Having said that, if you are new to a certain exercise, do not go heavy. Push enough weight to comfortably do 10 reps, then work yourself up to heavy after a couple weeks once your muscles get accustomed to the stress.

These are good whether you're male or female. Don't bother with isolation exercises like bicep/tricep curls. Stick with compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups for overall strength and conditioning. Basically everything I listed above minus bench. Always maintain proper form to avoid injury. If you're too fatigued to maintain form then STOP and move on to another exercise. You can finish the set later. Good luck and train safe.

Clean and Press: http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/clean-and-press
Deadlift: http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/barbell-deadlift
Squats: http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/barbell-squat
Pull ups: You know this but do full range of motion - all the way up, all the way down.
Push ups: google clap, dive bomber (Hindu), medicine ball, incline/decline, jillion others...
Lunges: at home if you don't have weights - Google lunges, side lunges, reverse lunges.

Edit: I stopped drinking the calorie shakes after my goal weight. Now I fluctuate 2kg - 4kg below 82kg (2 years since) but have not seen a loss of functional strength. 300lbs (136kg) deadlift 3x3 is not a problem. I workout to maintain and have not looked to increase my maximals. My diet now is relatively clean with very little junk food and low on simple carbs.

So is it ok to eat more 'crappy' deemed food (ie muffins, etc) as long as you get the calories and protein in? (without going overboard on the fats/sugars to avoid atherosclerosis/diabetes)

I believe that if you do go the 'eat anything' route whilst bulking you're going to gain more fat than if you ate 'cleaner'.

No. The amount of ones surplus will determine how much fat they will gain; not the quality of calories.

Do you have access to a barbell? You may want to change up your routine if you do. You're not going to see a lot of muscle gains with 13.5 kg. You need to be in a progressive loading program, and consider hypertrophy, to gain lean mass.

Protein powder is great to add calories and protein.

Muscle is very hard to gain under the best of circumstances. Really think about your workout first, then tweak your diet. All the protein in the world isn't going to add mass if you don't work the muscle.

Good question here; you can eat all you want but what is your lifting program like?

almond butter? sunflower seed butter?

There are alternatives to peanut butter! Sunflower, almond, etc. Eggs are great too! If you are looking for a muscle supplement I'm talking to my trainer in the morning about the best ones so feel free to message me and add me and I can tell you what they say!

Are you allergic to coconut as well? If not, coconut oil may help. Other options include adding cheese & butter to meals, for example having your carbs as mashed potato - made with butter, full fat milk and cheese - instead of rice or pasta.

V-Up


Any good or should I invest in another book?

try this one http://www.weightrainer.net/training/beginners.html
its actual good for any lifter first time or advanced. Check out the articles its all for natural weightlifters and why the full body is the way to go for us.