Trying to build muscle - can someone check my diary please

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foxyhotgal
foxyhotgal Posts: 79 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey

At the moment i'm trying to build my muscle, i'm doing limited cardio and lots of weights, could someone please look at my food diary (it should be open!) and tell me how i could improve please xx
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Replies

  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I guessing you're light on calories without knowing your actual weight. Eat in a surplus of 10-20% over TDEE.
  • foxyhotgal
    foxyhotgal Posts: 79 Member
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    my weight at the moment is 138lbs and height 5 foot 4
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I guessing you're light on calories without knowing your actual weight. Eat in a surplus of 10-20% over TDEE.

    Agreed. I was eating around 3000 calories when trying to gain muscles. I'm 5'9" and started at 150lbs.
  • foxyhotgal
    foxyhotgal Posts: 79 Member
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    ok thanks both of you for your help!! its scary eating loads though but i guess if it gets me where i want then i shall do it :D
  • Quickster34
    Quickster34 Posts: 209 Member
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    up your protein too, go for at least 1g per lb if your workoing out with the intent of building muscle
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    Get your calories up to 2,000. Track progress for a few weeks and see if you gain any weight. If not, add 250 calories and give that a few weeks. Repeat as necessary.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    Listen to Acg, Rae, and Rock..they know their stuff.

    Also remember that when you eat a surplus of calories, you are going to gain a little fat along with the muscle. It's the nature of the beast. But you can cut again after you put on a little mass. Also remember that women build muscle twice as slow as men do. If your diet is spot on, and your training is good, about 1lb of muscle in a month is fantastic.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    It IS scary. I almost gave up a few times. You will gain some fat with your muscle. It's unavoidable. But comparatively fat is much easier to lose than muscle is to gain, so don't sabotage your muscle gain with fear of fat. (A friend of mine gave me the same pep-talk).
  • foxyhotgal
    foxyhotgal Posts: 79 Member
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    how long should i bulk for?
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    how long should i bulk for?

    Until you feel "too fat". For me this was at about 10lbs gained. Suddenly I felt like my abs were gone, and my thighs had gained about a pound each.
  • foxyhotgal
    foxyhotgal Posts: 79 Member
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    ok thanks so much x
  • laurcampbell
    laurcampbell Posts: 54 Member
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    I guessing you're light on calories without knowing your actual weight. Eat in a surplus of 10-20% over TDEE.

    Agreed. I was eating around 3000 calories when trying to gain muscles. I'm 5'9" and started at 150lbs.

    holy amazing abs and holy jealous I would love to eat around 3000 calories a day - I am such a fat kid at heart haa!
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    Interesting. I want to build muscle too. I just followed the NROL4W, somoene posted it, but basically I am eating at TDEE and I add 200 cals on lifting days. That is still way over what MFP gave me for maintenance, so it seems like a lot, but I wonder, maybe it is not enough?
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I guessing you're light on calories without knowing your actual weight. Eat in a surplus of 10-20% over TDEE.

    Agreed. I was eating around 3000 calories when trying to gain muscles. I'm 5'9" and started at 150lbs.

    holy amazing abs and holy jealous I would love to eat around 3000 calories a day - I am such a fat kid at heart haa!

    Thank you.

    Me too. I've been trying to go back on a diet for 2 months now after eating that much all winter.... Yeah, haven't made it more than a few days yet.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Interesting. I want to build muscle too. I just followed the NROL4W, somoene posted it, but basically I am eating at TDEE and I add 200 cals on lifting days. That is still way over what MFP gave me for maintenance, so it seems like a lot, but I wonder, maybe it is not enough?

    You're not gaining muscle if you're weight. If the scale isn't moving up, add more food.

    P.S. I sound like I'm smart but most of the info I pass on I read somewhere else. I think that ^ came from Lyle McDonald.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
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    regular eggs have great fats in them. dont forget you need to be in a caloric surplus to build muscle.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    Interesting. I want to build muscle too. I just followed the NROL4W, somoene posted it, but basically I am eating at TDEE and I add 200 cals on lifting days. That is still way over what MFP gave me for maintenance, so it seems like a lot, but I wonder, maybe it is not enough?

    You're not gaining muscle if you're weight. If the scale isn't moving up, add more food.

    P.S. I sound like I'm smart but most of the info I pass on I read somewhere else. I think that ^ came from Lyle McDonald.
    I meant to say I follow the calorie-guidelines from NROL4W.
    But, if I can only expect to gain a pound of muscle each month, how much fat do you think I should count on? I mean, the scale has been within a couple pounds of 112 for awhile. I am at 114 but that could change in a couple of days... Do you think I should be seeing more changes on the scale? I am surprised that I am still hungry at night, maybe I will eat more. Just eating the right things is hard.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    regular eggs have great fats in them. dont forget you need to be in a caloric surplus to build muscle.
    If I eat at TDEE and +200 on lift days, isn't that a surplus?
    MFP says maintenance for me is 1490, but I upped it to 1800 (TDEE) and add 200 on lift days. I am not doing any cardio.
  • Hotrodhoodlum
    Hotrodhoodlum Posts: 148
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    YES THIS
    up your protein too, go for at least 1g per lb if your workoing out with the intent of building muscle
  • Anthonydaman
    Anthonydaman Posts: 854 Member
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    Have a 30-40 g whey protein shake post work out. this will blunt the cortisol released by your body via exercise. the cortisol is a catabolic hormone, and the whey will blunt its affects.

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