Skinny Male Bulk Plan

Glitch267 · February 2015

I am 5'7, 105 pounds, male 19 years old. This is quite underweight.

2 Month Goal: gain 8-16 pounds in 2 months (fat or muscle, I'm too skinny). This will get me to about 115-120 at that point. I will of course continue bulking at that point, but just want a tangible goal for now.

Nutrition:
Maintenance calories: 2300(I am very active and have high metabolism)
Daily goal calories: 2300 to 3300 ( surplus of 300 to 1000 a day)
Weekly weight gain goal: gain 1 to 2 pounds
Macros: 130 protein (minimum), 80 fat (minimum), rest carbs

Exercise:
I will be doing starting strength. Here are my starting lifts:
Squat 3 x 5 105 lbs
Bench press 3 x 5 60 lbs
Deadlift 1 x 5 105 lbs
Press 3 x 5 45 lbs

Here are my starting photos. What do you think my BF % is?

http://imgur.com/9dDUD3P
http://imgur.com/dNmq0Qz
http://imgur.com/SCXPvRd
http://imgur.com/4rIWusy

trojan_bb · February 2015

maybe 10%. it's hard to tell on very skinny guys.

I would add a bit more protein and try to be on the high end of that goal calorie range. You won't need to worry about fat gain for a while. I was in a similar starting position once. basically, anything you do will work.

Wheelhouse15 · February 2015

You will need too be in a surplus of 500 to 1000 per day to hit your goal. If you don't have a lifting program check out a beginer 5x5 varuation but not madcow as that's intermediate to advanced.

Good luck.

xcalygrl · February 2015

You've posted this before.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/31093866#Comment_31093866

Glitch267 · February 2015

I will continue to update this post from time to time

ozgunsinal · February 2015

You should also have ON Serious Mass to help you to fulfill your goal. Besides, you should train your big muscle groups(chest,back,legs and butt) more. That is the only key for someone like you.

Glitch267 · February 2015

Why am I hungrier on non lifting days than lifting days?

_benjammin · February 2015

The bigger question is why are you doing cardio?

Wheelhouse15 · February 2015

Some cardio is always required and even guys like Jim Wendler, Marc Lobliner and Layne Norton advocate cardio even while bulking. Cardio, as long as it's not excessive, helps improve your endurance and will have positive affects on lifts as well as improve overall health.

Glitch267 · February 2015

It's 30 minutes of light elliptical, bike, or treadmill. It's not much.

Glitch267 · February 2015

Here are my current lifts

Squat 85
Overhead press 50
Barbell row 65
Deadlift 125
Bench press 70

My body weight has gone from 104.8-106.4 lbs
This weight gain is after 13 days.

I started taking creatine a week before I started weighing myself and am still taking it. I take 5 grams a day. Is my weight gain creatine or true weight gain? Remember, I started creatine a week before weighing myself so the water gain may have already stopped accumulating by that point.

zaxx1953 · February 2015

I would basically stick with what you're doing, but maybe not worry so much about week to week results. I also think it's a bit crazy to think 16lbs of decent weight should be put on in 2 months. Stick to a more modest goal like 5-8.5 lbs of a decent mix (fat/muscle) for the starting strength cycle (~9 weeks?).

Concentrate on getting stronger and maintaining your caloric/macro goals. Don't sweat the scale so much yet.

Also, do you take a casein/slower digesting protein before bed/at night? If your metabolism is crazy fast naturally, I might take it with some zinc/mag supplements and fish oil.

You're definitely on the right track!!!

Springfield1970 · February 2015

Glitch267 wrote: »

Why am I hungrier on non lifting days than lifting days?

That's when all the muscle repair work is being done, and it's for this reason that it's good to stay in calorie excess and not do cardio. Then you're ready for your next session, all fixed up and full of glycogen.

I'd add that if you go for more than a pound a week gain (500 cal excess per day), you run the risk of having a higher fat to muscle ratio, and that my man, is a pain in ze azz.

Glitch267 · February 2015

I binged on around 6000 calories yesterday. It was not due to hunger but was a more emotional thing. Just had a really stressful week with midterms and then was really happy since I got some grades back and they were good. So again, it was not from hunger, it was an emotional or event type thing. It was an isolated incident and does not happen often (last time I way overate was either Christmas or thanksgiving so once every six weeks or so at most which is normal).

I am currently on a bulk and trying to gain weight. My calorie surplus goal is 300-1000 a day and was eating a 300 calorie surplus everyday for last week straight.

My parents just sent me a massive care package with great foods. After the hard week and stress, I ate a lot of food. Was with friends and one thing lead to another.

This happened after I had already eaten all I planned on eating that day (I had eaten maintenance plus 300 so already in surplus). I then had the binge. I ate large amounts of frosted cookies, dessert breads, and this chocolate and peanut butter covered snack mix. And I ate a lot of it all. It was several thousand calories worth of fat and sugar, all coming after I already was eating in a surplus for the day (probably 300+ over maintenance, maybe more. End day calories estimated at 6000).

What should I do now? How do I approach food the next couple of days? Should I lower at all or continue to eat normal (like 300 surplus 1000 surplus etc)?

For the last week, my daily surplus has only been about 300 calories a day. Could I just pretend that the binge was spread out over that week and didn't happen in one day and act as if my surplus each day was more like 800 calories instead of 300? My goal is a large surplus anyways.
My logic: 6 days of 300 surplus + 1 day binge calorie surplus = 7 days of 800 calorie surplus

Wheelhouse15 · February 2015

One day isn't going to kill you. You can put in a few control days of a slight caloric deficit (maybe 250 a day for 3 days) but don't go nuts trying to make up for it. Just move on and adjust accordingly.

se015 · February 2015

Hey Glitch, so welcome to the gaining weight club! Remember right now you're fairly young, when I was your age I was in the same boat! Eat lots of carbs and fat. Protein obviously is important too. I would aim for no more than 150 grams of protein for you per day. The rest of your total calories should be carbs and fat. You're total calorie intake should be about between 2,000-2,500 calories per day.

You should NOT do ANY cardio whatsoever. I know some people are going to yell at me here. Cardio is good for your overall health but for a guy your age and your good health, right now that's not your focus. Eliminate it! You should be lifting very heavy although do not comprimise form and avoid heavy to the point of injury. Squats and deadlifts should be done but remember you need low rep range with high weights right now. Eventually you can step up the reps and bring down the weight.

Back to your diet, you got to be way more patient. It will happen, you will gain weight, just very very slowly. What's your appetite like, I know I seem to have issues trying to eat so much at a time, so I break my meals up throughout the day. Small meals spread out all day will keep your total calories high. Some of those meals could even be shakes. I recently bought a Carb powder called karbolic, it's got 50 grams of Carbs, and NO sugar, crazy! I also got a protein powder that's 30 grams of protein per serving.

Anyways, good luck and message me if you have any questions!

ndj1979 · February 2015

^ why no cardio?

Glitch267 · February 2015

Update:
I have decided to change my lifting program a bit. I am going to do the same lifts, but at different weights.

I decided to not peruse the usual progression rate of starting strength. Adding that much each workout is too much for me. I don't want to be adding that much weight because it's hurting my form.

So, I am going to do slower progression and slightly lower weight to focus on my form. I noticed my form was slipping. Being a novice, I want to focus on form over the weight I'm lifting. I don't want to build a bad foundation.

Weight update:
So far, my body weight has been increasing by 1.5 pounds a week. Is that a good rate to continue at?

auddii · February 2015

It's always best to make sure your form is solid before you get to heavy. That said, don't use form as an excuse for not increasing weights.

MKEgal · February 2015

Glitch267 wrote:

Nutrition:
Maintenance calories: 2300 (I am very active and have high metabolism)
Daily goal calories: 2600 to 3300 (surplus of 300 to 1000 a day)
Weekly weight gain goal: gain 1 to 2 pounds
Macros: 130 protein (minimum), 80 fat (minimum), rest carbs

Here's a table which explains the healthy macro ranges:
http://www.iom.edu/Global/News%20Announcements/~/media/C5CD2DD7840544979A549EC47E56A02B.ashx

page 1, carbs, 45 - 65% of calories (4 cal per gram)
page 2, fat, 20 - 35% of calories (9 cal per gram)
page 4, protein, 10 - 35% of calories (4 cal per gram)

If you aim for 3000 calories per day, taking the simplest macro distribution:
50% carbs = 1500 calories = 375 grams
25% fat = 750 calories = 83 grams
25% protein = 750 calories = 188 grams

Here are my starting photos. What do you think my BF % is?

Put your measurements into this body fat calculator.

nadr0j · February 2015

My advice, vis-a-vis your specific situation: sign up at bodybuilding.com (free), and look through Jim Stoppani, PhD's 12-Week Shortcut To Size. Also read his nutrition advice. I used to be in your shoes, though maybe not quite as skinny, and was a very hard gain my whole life (I'm 33). Stoppani's program maps everything out, and was the best thing I found to packing on very solid muscle, consistently. The first time I did that, I think I added about 8-10 lbs of muscle. As for cardio, just get it in things you enjoy doing. If you like playing basketball, go do that. Etc. I really would not worry much about forcing yourself to ride a stationary bike or jog for 30 minutes.

Glitch267 · February 2015

So I've gained 3.5 pound in 3 weeks. Good rate or two fast?

beastcompany · February 2015

nadr0j wrote: »

My advice, vis-a-vis your specific situation: sign up at bodybuilding.com (free), and look through Jim Stoppani, PhD's 12-Week Shortcut To Size. Also read his nutrition advice. I used to be in your shoes, though maybe not quite as skinny, and was a very hard gain my whole life (I'm 33). Stoppani's program maps everything out, and was the best thing I found to packing on very solid muscle, consistently. The first time I did that, I think I added about 8-10 lbs of muscle. As for cardio, just get it in things you enjoy doing. If you like playing basketball, go do that. Etc. I really would not worry much about forcing yourself to ride a stationary bike or jog for 30 minutes.

My advice is ignore this advice.

It's sad that this guy has PhD, because it makes people believe his advice is credible, when really it's completely idiotic.

Also, this member did not add 8-10lbs of muscle in 12-weeks, as the body is not naturally capable of that, even for the newbiest of trainees.

Unless of course he was running AAS supplementation to assist him, in which case, an 8-10lb gain in 12 weeks is really disappointing.

Either way, his advice is terrible and should be disregarded.

Wheelhouse15 · February 2015

Glitch267 wrote: »

So I've gained 3.5 pound in 3 weeks. Good rate or two fast?

On paper it looks like a good rate but how does it look to you? If you are working out hard and you don't notice much added to your waist then I'm going to say that where you want to be.

ndj1979 · February 2015

Glitch267 wrote: »

So I've gained 3.5 pound in 3 weeks. Good rate or two fast?

are you shooting for one pound per week or .5 per week gain?

beastcompany · February 2015

Glitch267 wrote: »

So I've gained 3.5 pound in 3 weeks. Good rate or two fast?

Honestly, I don't believe in 'optimal' rate of gain standardized for every individual. As much as a lot of the top names preach it...I also feel like anecdotal evidence plays a key role in this decision.

Personally, my first bulk I developed at right around 4lbs/month steadily for 10 months and remained lean throughout the entire duration.

However, according to "research" I progressed too quickly and should have gotten fat...yet I didn't.

Have a target in mind (such as .5-1lb/week), but the final decision should be based on how you feel and what you're seeing in the mirror. If you feel good, are getting stronger, and are happy with the progress you see in the mirror than keep going.

If you feel like you're developing too quickly/putting on too much fat then go ahead and drop calories some to slow rate of gain.

Glitch267 · February 2015

Wheelhouse15 wrote: »

Glitch267 wrote: »

So I've gained 3.5 pound in 3 weeks. Good rate or two fast?

On paper it looks like a good rate but how does it look to you? If you are working out hard and you don't notice much added to your waist then I'm going to say that where you want to be.

I feel bigger but it might also just be the placebo effect since I know I gained haha. I do think it's been mostly muscle though. My lifts have progressed but not much since I'm trying to work on form first.

ndj1979 wrote: »

Glitch267 wrote: »

So I've gained 3.5 pound in 3 weeks. Good rate or two fast?

are you shooting for one pound per week or .5 per week gain?

I'm going for .5-2 lbs week. I'm so skinny and need the weight. Also don't want to miss out on beginner gains

Unknown · February 2015

This content has been removed.

ndj1979 · February 2015

Glitch267 wrote: »

Wheelhouse15 wrote: »

Glitch267 wrote: »

So I've gained 3.5 pound in 3 weeks. Good rate or two fast?

On paper it looks like a good rate but how does it look to you? If you are working out hard and you don't notice much added to your waist then I'm going to say that where you want to be.

I feel bigger but it might also just be the placebo effect since I know I gained haha. I do think it's been mostly muscle though. My lifts have progressed but not much since I'm trying to work on form first.

ndj1979 wrote: »

Glitch267 wrote: »

So I've gained 3.5 pound in 3 weeks. Good rate or two fast?

are you shooting for one pound per week or .5 per week gain?

I'm going for .5-2 lbs week. I'm so skinny and need the weight. Also don't want to miss out on beginner gains

two pounds sounds a little too aggressive…right now you are at about 1.25 a week gain ..I would stay there and see how it goes….as the increase in calories catches up to you you may feel like you are putting on too much fat …I think you are good where you are right now...

Glitch267 · February 2015

I will post an updated weight tomorrow. I am up about 4 pounds after 4 weeks. Lifts have gone up good.

Wheelhouse15 · February 2015

Glitch267 wrote: »

I will post an updated weight tomorrow. I am up about 4 pounds after 4 weeks. Lifts have gone up good.

Good job and keep up the good work!

Skinny Male Bulk Plan

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