I keep gaining, but losing

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  • jcranston13
    jcranston13 Posts: 35
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    The actual percentages are up to you. You technically don't need more than .6-.8 grams of protein per lb of body weight. Figure that number out. Fats I believe it is .4-.45 gm/lb. The rest fill with carbs or more fat or more protein. Carbs and fats to me are the easiest and usually cheapest ways to fill this in. You can usually pack in some pretty calorie dense foods as well in order to minimize what looks like hours you are spending at night eating.

    I have been where you are, I started out at 6' 1" 140lbs. The heaviest I have bulked to was 214lbs @ 15% BF. Once you get the nutrition part down, everything else will fall into place with a solid lifting plan. I wish I would have learned the nutrition part sooner.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Clearly you didn't read what I wrote so let me copy and pasty it for you and put it in bold

    There is no such thing as "cheating" when you're bulking- the job is to get calories- hitting the macros on average is nice- but you just need calories.

    stop sweating the macros and eat more food.
    You can squat or deadlift with weak core and glutes, you will just have to start with lower weights than someone with a stronger core/glutes. Nothing wrong with working on weak areas though either.

    I won't get involved in why trainers do what trainers do.

    I agree, but you can only go so far with weak glutes and core. For example, in January, I tried doing StrongLifts. I got my squat to one plate, but what I realized was, because the weight was so heavy for me, I was actually using my lower back to lift the weight up. I talked to my trainer about this, and he said that my lower back was compensating for my weak glutes and core.

    Therefore, yes, you have to start with lower weights, but just doing StrongLifts alone didn't build up my core and glutes enough for me to handle the heavier weights.

    Also, the reason why I might've been squatting using my back (other than having weak glutes and core), was probably because back then, I didn't know how to engage my core. Now I do. You suck your belly in. Also, taking a deep breath at the top before you descend helps.

    Unless you were about to injure yourself, it's perfectly fine for the weight to feel heavy, it's suppose to do that. If there's issues or you fail, that's when you de-load, and work on form. Don't completely dump the exercise. Failing is part of the process. How you deal with failure, will determine how well you'll progress.

    That's like being a swimmer and having a crappy stroke. You don't stop swimming, to go do shoulder exercises. You Jump in the pool and swim!!

    De-load, work on your form, and do accessory work for your weaknesses.

    Okay Steve, I'm not going to completely dump squats and deadlifts, but, my trainer taught me this exercise called the angled bar squat, and what it is, is you put the barbell against like a corner, and you hold it out in front of you with two hands and you simply squat. I really like this exercise because it's like a squat and DL in one. The squatting motion makes it like a squat, but the fact that you have to pinch your shoulders back and down to keep your back straight, makes it like a DL. Also, you have to squeeze your glutes at the top, just like at the top of a DL.

    I'm telling you about this exercise because I feel like it kills many birds with one stone. For some reason,I find it a lot easier to pinch your shoulders back and down to keep your back straight than an actual DL, and so I feel like it would be a good replacement exercise for the squat and DL for the meantime.

    strong lifts is designed to get you stronger.

    Doing that type of squat is nice- it's a great compound exercise... but in order to get your squat up- you must squat more.

    I struggled under 185 for months- even 155 which was a solid lift for me FELT heavy- and 200 felt impossible and I switched to a program that had me squatting EVER session- my squats got better. I can now squat over 200. Sht is still heavy as hell- but it's doable. my 175/185 feels so much more solid- and doesn't seem insurmountable any more.

    In order to get better at doing the thing- you must do the thing.

    Training abs and glutes won't give you a better squat. They'll help sure- but only squatting properly will improve your squat.
  • Ashes_To_Beast
    Ashes_To_Beast Posts: 378 Member
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    Use the advise for Macro's as a guide line, their all pretty close...
    And substitutes for Deads and Squats are just not the same, don't be afraid of the lifts, start at a weight your comfortable with to build proper form and do higher sets 8-12reps. You want to gain size and your not to comfortable yet so lighter weight and more time under tension will help you build muscle, then once you have your form down to a tee and you want to get stronger start 5x5. There's no shame in squating with an empty bar, I'd rather see someone with an empty bar going *kitten* to grass then someone with bad form and 300lbs.
  • darreneatschicken
    darreneatschicken Posts: 669 Member
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    Yes! Gonna keep squatting and deadlifting! Found a trainer that can teach me directly how to squat with proper form. He told me odd things like grabbing the floor with your feet as you squat or DL. Good advice since my problem is that I have weak glutes, so I am actually leaning more towards my right when I squat rather than being directly centred.

    He also taught me weird hip positioning: before you squat, move your hips forward, then backward, then squat, and as you go up, drive hips forward like in a DL. Hence, your starting position is your ending position.

    Regarding DL, he said that my build was meant for sumo, which explains why I've been trying to learn conventional for so long and still haven't really. When I do conventional, I have to drop my hips hellaa to keep a straight back. Therefore sumo is better for me.

    I got a free personal training session with this guy but the problem is that it costs 500$ if I want 6 more sessions. I know this is expensive, but is definitely worth the value to me. I've been trying to learn how to squat and DL for the longest time and this guy showed me he could teach me!
  • darreneatschicken
    darreneatschicken Posts: 669 Member
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    Also can someone look at my diary now? Are the macros good? I increased carbs and lowered protein a bit (to a more reasonable amount).

    I feel like the fat may be too low?
  • jcranston13
    jcranston13 Posts: 35
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    Your goal fat in your diary looks pretty decent to me. That is about what I hit on workout days, rest days I like to go higher but that is a preference thing.
  • NotAFox
    NotAFox Posts: 6
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    I don't know much about this stuff, but do you always weigh yourself at the same time of day? On the same surface?

    Your weight changes over the course of the day, depending on water intake/digestion etc.. So weighing yourself one day at 9 am, and 8 pm the next day will give inaccurate readings.

    The same surface is really important, because it messes with your scales. If I weigh myself with scales on a carpet, it is about 5 or 6 lbs off the weight that I get on a hard floor.
  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
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    Forget the macro ratios. You don't need 240g protein a day unless you just like to pass gas. Shoot for 1g Protein per pound LBM minimum and .45g per pound Fat and fill the rest of your calories with carbs and additional Proteins/Fats as you see fit. I was able to gain on 3,200 cals when I weighed nearly 40 lbs. more than you do. So unless you are extraordinarily active, take another look at your tracking for accuracy. If you're still not gaining, then up it a couple hundred cals. Eat like it's your job and lift like a madman and you'll gain. As others have said, don't worry about short term fluctations up or down. Keep eating and you'll gain.

    ....and ice cream is your friend. Eating it daily works great for bulking.
  • jrodri0105
    jrodri0105 Posts: 91 Member
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    If you are not measuring all your foods accurately with a scale than your numbers will be off. Start measuring your foods. Increase your calories till you can gain 1 lb per week & meet your macros which is important especially protein. Start lifting!!!!. If you don't lift the major compound exercises you will not gain muscle. Bench Press, Squats, Deadlifts & Strict Press are the 4 most important. Look for a beginners weight lifting program. If you are not gaining with 3000 calories & you are measuring this than up your calories till you start gaining. Start drinking protein shakes if you can't meet your calorie intake.

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