Some help with food and building muscles!

More details are needed in order to provide you with significant help with your question - Height and weight? How many days do you weight train? Are you following a specific training program. Outside of training, do you lead a sedentary or active lifestyle? How have you calculated your surplus caloric needs?

Generally speaking however, there are things you need to have a better understanding of. Meal/nutrient timing doesn't matter. There is no need to eat every 2-3 hours or 3-4 hours as you mention. There is no need to eat "clean". Eat what/when it is convenient for you. Getting your calories in at the end of the day (or week) is what matters. Also, pick a goal. If building muscle is a priority, you must eat in a surplus. If your training program and diet is optimal, you will have around a 50/50 ratio of muscle and fat gain. Most individuals aren't performing at optimal levels, so more fat gain than muscle is probably more realistic. You can lessen the amount of fat gain however, by doing more of a lean bulk (around 250-350 cals over maintenance), aiming for .5lbs-1lbs gain/week. Calories are the most important, but minimum macros should be .8g/lbs protein, .35g/lbs fat, then the rest carbs. There is ZERO need to overdo it with protein consumption, especially in a bulk.

Understand that building muscle takes time, so trust the process. When you reach your goal, you can either eat at maintenance and focus on a recomp or cut. A recomp will be a slower process than cutting (eating at a deficit), but will save more muscle than a cut.

With that said, make sure your caloric intake is correct. Looking at your diary, 2200 or 2500 cals may be too low, but again, I don't know specifics about you.

Even if you haven't been fat read this:
http://jcdfitness.com/2009/10/the-former-fat-boy-syndrome/

Also, if you are just picking random exercises in the gym you're right that you're probably not doing the right steps to build muscle. Finding a program to follow is a better idea.

morganhelmen wrote: »

usmcmp wrote: »

morganhelmen wrote: »

I should also add, being married with children doesn't make this any easier as they eat their "normal" food and she's more or less annoyed by my chicken diet and all that. But I'm trying to stay focused

I'm a single parent and I prep for bodybuilding shows while feeding my kids "normal foods". You don't have to eat a chicken diet to bulk or cut. You're making it harder than it needs to be.

I think I put it wrong. They eat their food and I prep and eat mine. Which annoys my wife in the long term :P

But why? I eat what my kids eat when I eat with them, I just make a few minor adjustments (extra vegetables with half as much noodles/rice/bread/etc.). The only strict meal I tend to eat is lunch because I don't have lunch with my kids. It's really not necessary to prep an eat separate meals. You're making it harder than it needs to be.

Looks like we are in the same situation. I'm in the bulking faze now too. First time and I feel like I dont know what to eat. Should I just eat anything just to get the calories in or should I eat healthy. Then I have the issue of not meeting the micros.
It seems easy when people talk about it but when your a firat timer you just need a little guidance.

mmapags wrote: »

VeronicaA76 wrote: »

morganhelmen wrote: »

The past few weeks I made the portions larger, but I already feel more "bloated" and even "fatter". This might just be in my head, but still.

I'm trying to stick to "eating every 2-3" hours but it seems too much. According to others, it should be 3-4 hours. And in between all this: Snacks? Pre-workout meals? Post-workout meals? Surely this is simple but not to me...

Like today, so far:

• I had my normal 50g of oatmeal and two scoops of whey protein around 7:30 am.
• First meal of 160g of chicken and approx 100g potatoes around 10:30 am . I didn't prepare any broccoli for today I usually do, everyday.
• Had a small yogurt at around 1:00 pm.
• Second meal was exactly the same as the first around 3:30 pm.

Now I'm just drooling over my protein bar in my back pack but should I just leave it?

Well, the best advice is to find a trainer that specializes in bodybuilding. It's not cheap, but worth every penny!!! A good one will take a look at your diet & workout habits and your goals, then tweek from there. Don't worry about finding one locally, there are plenty of good ones that can help you online.

Correct me if I'm wrong but you've only been training for 4 months? Do you really think you are qualified to give advice? One doesn't need to spend lot's of money on trainers if they can read and are of average intelligence.

OP, as USMCP (a person who has lot's of experience at training) has suggested, you could be making this too complicated. There is no need to eat every 3 to 4 hours. Some of us do IF and only eat 2x per day. Get adequate protein, it can come from many sources including whey powder, .8 to 1 gram per day of lean body mass. Get .35 to .4 grams per lb of body weight of fat and do what you want with the rest. You don't need to eat tons over. Just a couple of hundred calories over TDEE.

For exercise, follow an established progressive program like Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5. There are others and there is a thread here that details them. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you#latest

Pick one and go. Simple, straight forward and easy to execute.

And that's why I recommended finding a trainer.... That specializes in bodybuilding.

usmcmp wrote: »

morganhelmen wrote: »

usmcmp wrote: »

morganhelmen wrote: »

I should also add, being married with children doesn't make this any easier as they eat their "normal" food and she's more or less annoyed by my chicken diet and all that. But I'm trying to stay focused

I'm a single parent and I prep for bodybuilding shows while feeding my kids "normal foods". You don't have to eat a chicken diet to bulk or cut. You're making it harder than it needs to be.

I think I put it wrong. They eat their food and I prep and eat mine. Which annoys my wife in the long term :P

But why? I eat what my kids eat when I eat with them, I just make a few minor adjustments (extra vegetables with half as much noodles/rice/bread/etc.). The only strict meal I tend to eat is lunch because I don't have lunch with my kids. It's really not necessary to prep an eat separate meals. You're making it harder than it needs to be.

Yes!
We sit down as a family and I eat whatever it is we are having (plus I end up cooking 2-3 times per week). I just make sure my portions are in control and I don't go over calories.

Had tater tot casserole and green beans the other night. Kept to a reasonable amount. As said above you're making this harder than it needs to be.

usmcmp wrote: »

Even if you haven't been fat read this:
http://jcdfitness.com/2009/10/the-former-fat-boy-syndrome/

Also, if you are just picking random exercises in the gym you're right that you're probably not doing the right steps to build muscle. Finding a program to follow is a better idea.

Thank you for the article!