Are you a hard gainer, please read!

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Replies

  • pbryd
    pbryd Posts: 364 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    jamezbond wrote: »
    Totally don’t agree with the ‘hard gainers are a myth ‘ statement. When I was in my 20s and pretty thin, the big guys of the gym is to say add some weight to the bar and you’ll grow. By the time I had a 500 pound deadlift, 450 squat and 300 bench, I had added weight to the bar. However, my weight was 165.

    Read the latest studies on exercise non-responders and excess cortisol production. We’re starting to see why some people don’t exhibit a typical hypertrophy response to the same program that another individual would.

    Link to the evidence? I can tell you that the people who struggle to put on size and/or weight all don't adequately control calories and/or follow a horribly designed lifting program. Once those parts of the equation are addressed, it's a non issue.

    Now, if you were like me when I was in my 20s, I was extremely active, which means for me to put on size, I would have needed 4 to 5k calories.

    https://www.strongerbyscience.com/non-responders/
    At the end of the day, it’s crystal clear that some people simply respond way better to training than others. It’s also clear that damn near everyone gets stronger when they start training. However, muscle growth is a bit trickier, and almost every study (especially large studies) has some non-responders.
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,216 Member
    pbryd wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    jamezbond wrote: »
    Totally don’t agree with the ‘hard gainers are a myth ‘ statement. When I was in my 20s and pretty thin, the big guys of the gym is to say add some weight to the bar and you’ll grow. By the time I had a 500 pound deadlift, 450 squat and 300 bench, I had added weight to the bar. However, my weight was 165.

    Read the latest studies on exercise non-responders and excess cortisol production. We’re starting to see why some people don’t exhibit a typical hypertrophy response to the same program that another individual would.

    Link to the evidence? I can tell you that the people who struggle to put on size and/or weight all don't adequately control calories and/or follow a horribly designed lifting program. Once those parts of the equation are addressed, it's a non issue.

    Now, if you were like me when I was in my 20s, I was extremely active, which means for me to put on size, I would have needed 4 to 5k calories.

    https://www.strongerbyscience.com/non-responders/
    At the end of the day, it’s crystal clear that some people simply respond way better to training than others. It’s also clear that damn near everyone gets stronger when they start training. However, muscle growth is a bit trickier, and almost every study (especially large studies) has some non-responders.

    Also from the very same link and study:

    Addendum, June 2017:

    A new study showed that there were way fewer nonresponders when people were put on personalized training programs instead of one-size-fits-all standardized programs. This study was primarily looking at aerobic fitness, but it also examined strength measures (bench press and leg press 5RM). It found that all the subjects on personalized programs got stronger, while only 64.3% of the subjects on standardized programs got stronger. This gives us more evidence that “nonresponders” in scientific studies aren’t necessarily “true” nonresponders.
  • pbryd
    pbryd Posts: 364 Member
    jseams1234 wrote: »
    Also from the very same link and study:

    Addendum, June 2017:

    A new study showed that there were way fewer nonresponders when people were put on personalized training programs instead of one-size-fits-all standardized programs. This study was primarily looking at aerobic fitness, but it also examined strength measures (bench press and leg press 5RM). It found that all the subjects on personalized programs got stronger, while only 64.3% of the subjects on standardized programs got stronger. This gives us more evidence that “nonresponders” in scientific studies aren’t necessarily “true” nonresponders.

    My bad, I missed that bit.

  • jods2014
    jods2014 Posts: 10 Member
    Please tell me how to minimize fat gain
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    jods2014 wrote: »
    Please tell me how to minimize fat gain

    Moderate surplus (10-15% above maintenance), a good lifting, and adequate protein.
  • mejleon
    mejleon Posts: 2 Member
    Now I'm not saying I'm a hard gainer but the way my body burns fat because of my body temp is true. Without a diet or working out, most of my life I've bee. Under 10% bf. Now I went from 135lbs to 185 now at a 13% bf with a high calory intake and absolutely no cardio. I'm going for the 200lbs and I'll see what my bf % will be. Let's get it.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    edited July 2018
    mejleon wrote: »
    Now I'm not saying I'm a hard gainer but the way my body burns fat because of my body temp is true. Without a diet or working out, most of my life I've bee. Under 10% bf. Now I went from 135lbs to 185 now at a 13% bf with a high calory intake and absolutely no cardio. I'm going for the 200lbs and I'll see what my bf % will be. Let's get it.

    What do you consider high intake? And what are your workouts like?
  • Blue0137
    Blue0137 Posts: 1 Member
    So am it hard for me gain weight any idea how gain I weight like 143 need to be 160
  • paola11013
    paola11013 Posts: 1 Member
    So for bulking, we have to eat like *kitten*? I want to gain weight but I dont want to kill myself in the process. Many of the things you listed, well I kind of feel like I might as well tattoo diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases on my forehead. I'm honestly confused
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    paola11013 wrote: »
    So for bulking, we have to eat like *kitten*? I want to gain weight but I dont want to kill myself in the process. Many of the things you listed, well I kind of feel like I might as well tattoo diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases on my forehead. I'm honestly confused

    Riiiiiight.

    Nowhere does it say to only eat what's on the list... Eat a balanced diet, hit your protein, eat some fruit & veg, go to the list for calorie dense food to make up your calories.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    paola11013 wrote: »
    So for bulking, we have to eat like *kitten*? I want to gain weight but I dont want to kill myself in the process. Many of the things you listed, well I kind of feel like I might as well tattoo diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases on my forehead. I'm honestly confused

    Please read the whole thread.
  • kingkam21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    can you add that hard gainers are a myth too please?
    If a fast metabolism is a myth than why do I poop after every meal?? I've been skiny my whole life, as a kid I used to eat over 10 pb&js back to back and remain skinny. I used to eat lettuce bowls of ice cream to myself, 2 large burritos from Alberto's to myself and after all this, I still ate more as a kid. And I am the same way now, except I go to the gym now and eat more beneficial foods. As a kid, I ate more than anyone in my family. And I literally pooped after every meal, 4+ times a day. My dad told me he was the same way as a kid, and his dad was the same aswell. If this is not a fast metabolism than what is it??? Yes I was active as a kid, but aren't all kids active. I'm 8 months into my body building journey and I am confused about this topic, because I believe I have a fast metabolism because I poop 4-6 times a day (after eating 4-6 meals a day). If it's a myth than is there something wrong with me internally??

    No, not all kids are active. I wasn't and ate a lot. I could put down bags of cookies and at least a half gallon of ice cream by myself. I always had a problem with sweets!
  • aydamn
    aydamn Posts: 1 Member
    I'm trying my best to bulk.. I am on 3500 calories a day... but I am still struggling.

    I have to eat mainly clean because I need to.lower inflammation in my body and sugar from processed crap. No choice.

    But I do include some junk for.quick calories

    I workout 5 times a weak heavy lifting.

    I eat 5 times a day.. I have a desk job

    But my body is burning calories.too fast... I can't maintain more than 3500 i dont have the time..

    Hard gainer is not a myth.... I just need 5 kilos more.
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
    @Aydamn 2 things to consider:

    1.are you weighing your food?
    2. Could you workout less (maybe full body workouts 2 or 3 times a week)?

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    aydamn wrote: »
    I'm trying my best to bulk.. I am on 3500 calories a day... but I am still struggling.

    I have to eat mainly clean because I need to.lower inflammation in my body and sugar from processed crap. No choice.

    But I do include some junk for.quick calories

    I workout 5 times a weak heavy lifting.

    I eat 5 times a day.. I have a desk job

    But my body is burning calories.too fast... I can't maintain more than 3500 i dont have the time..

    Hard gainer is not a myth.... I just need 5 kilos more.

    There are plenty of high quality whole foods that are very high in calories that can be eaten to help get your calories up. Fstty fish, red meats, dark meat chicken, avocado, chocolate milk, full fat milks, etc.... And 3250-3750 is about average for most male bulks. But if you very active than you shoule consider lowering activity level if you can.
  • empresslove295
    empresslove295 Posts: 2 Member
    Yes
  • daveed925
    daveed925 Posts: 4 Member
    Hmmm... just a word on my experince. I have always said that I was a hard gainer until I really started scrutinizing my macros/calorie intake. With a goal in mind the first hurdle was learning what to eat to make my body repond. Mixing up my protiens from mulitple variaties of meat and the like as an example. I decided that every ounce of food I put in body was going to be as calorie dense and as healthy possible to make my goals a reality while maintaining health. Other factors were envolved like workout intesity and rest of-course but honestly my bigest weaknes at the beginning was just plain accountability for the food and quantities I was choosing. There are basic macro numbers that anyone can follow but the bottom line is a math equation; calories in vs calories out as stated in previous posts in other words. Ultimately I wanted to keep things simple and achievable and so making small changes became sustainable. If I was not gaining I ate more spread out over multiple meals.
    The second hurdle I faced was food timing, frequency of meals and specificly what foods I ate depending on how I felt. I really needed to listen to my body and journal how I was feeling from day to day. Anything from how I was feeling in the am out of bed to how I was feeling before/durring and after a WO. Based on that I augmented my food choices to improve performance and my well being.
    My third hurdle was being flexable and trusting the process. We all want to achieve the goal we set for outselves but often we dont allow for time to achieve those goals. Stay the course, Dont listen to negativity and be focused.
    These were some preliminary struggles I had and there have been much more but once I got into the swing of things I was able to gain 16lbs of leam muscle mass hovering at 6-7% body fat and competing for the first time. Its doable!
    I am a firm beliver that 90% of my personal achievements have been met in the kitchen followed up by determination, plain hard work and patients in the gym. No substitutions or shortcuts.
  • AthenaBosi
    AthenaBosi Posts: 27 Member
    I just read at the top that calorie fluctuations can cause fat gains. So let's say I didn't reach my calorie goal one day. Is it bad to make up for it the next day? Cuz I've tried doing it even tho it's hard. Is it better to let it go and start the next day fresh?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    AthenaBosi wrote: »
    I just read at the top that calorie fluctuations can cause fat gains. So let's say I didn't reach my calorie goal one day. Is it bad to make up for it the next day? Cuz I've tried doing it even tho it's hard. Is it better to let it go and start the next day fresh?

    Start the day fresh. Your body csn only create so much muscle in a given day. So its not like fat loss where you can make up.