Looking to gain weight and muscle!

kristenelaine001
kristenelaine001 Posts: 3 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hello! I just downloaded this app yesterday after visiting with my local GNC. The staff member told me about it! I am 5’4 currently 119 lbs and I’m finally becoming active with my gym (only weight lifting, no cardio) to try and put on weight and build muscle. Growing up I was always the thin girl who needed to “eat a cheeseburger”. I did not restrict food, ate when I was hungry, so I couldn’t help it. *shrugs shoulders* Luckily my metabolism did slow down in my mid 20’s. (27 y/o now). I want to hit 135 lbs and be thicker but also strong, hence the weight lifting. Anyone else?? :)

Replies

  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,128 Member
    Plenty of us here. I’m 3 months into my first bulk. Currently 138 aiming for 150 ish.
  • kristenelaine001
    kristenelaine001 Posts: 3 Member
    I really didn’t know anything about bulking/training and I still only know a little. Every other IG page nowadays is a fitness account so I’ve learned a little from some fitspo accounts.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    edited February 2020
    Welcome! Be mindful of those IG accounts, there is so much misinformation there. Definitely want to do your research. The stickies at the top of this page are great to get your started, heres a link

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300326/most-helpful-posts-goal-gaining-weight-must-reads#latest

    Basically though in a nutshell..
    -Keep the surplus reasonable, less than 0.5lb per week gain or 250 extra cals per day or less. Any more than that and your fat gains will be more likely to increase. (this is the general recommendation for females)

    -Macros... minimum protein 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight, fats 0.35-0.6g per lb, rest carbs.

    -Programming, I would make sure you are following a progressive lifting program, something geared towards your goals. This link is helpful too with a list of lifting programs.
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Feel free to ask any other questions you may have.

    I have run 3 successful bulks (gaining cycles), currently I am maintaining (recomping) hoping to bulk in the fall :)

    Good luck!
  • GaryRuns
    GaryRuns Posts: 508 Member
    Please, for the love of all that's holy, before you start getting fitness advice via IG watch this:

    https://youtu.be/XCodZf8LFOY
  • kristenelaine001
    kristenelaine001 Posts: 3 Member
    Yeah, I probably need to lower my weight gain to 0.5 on this app. When it asked me my goal, I said 1 lb per week. But I think that’s a little hard to meet those calories per day!
  • Abs_magee89
    Abs_magee89 Posts: 127 Member
    Hi! I just saw your post right after I made mine lol. I'm semi new to the mass gaining side of fitness although I've been maintaining a lean build and lifting heavy for about 10 years. I'm also aiming for .5lb gain/week (currently 143, goal is 150) I'm 5'8 and want to add a little bit of curve to my physique. I'm eating 2200 to 2300 calories/week. But I wasn't doing extremely low calories before that. If you were dieting before this, I would look into reverse dieting. Adding calories back very gradually to repair you metabolism. Anywho, I don't know your history, I just like to talk about what I'm learning and hopefully it helps! Nice to meet you :smile:
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    edited February 2020
    Find a full body weight training program that focuses on the large compound lifts like squat , deadlift, press, benchpress.
    Strong Lifts is a good place to start. Alan Thrall and Mark Rippetoe are good choicies for you tube videos to help you learn how to do the lifts.
    Don't go too crazy with eating too much - Sardelsa gave you some good advice, you aren't going to gain a lot of muscle, quickly. 0.5 lbs per week is good - get 100 - 120 gms of protien , 40 gms fat & the rest can be carbs - eat your veggies

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