Trying to gain weight

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most people try and lose weight, im trying to put some on, im 22 year old male, im 5'7 and 136lbs, im trying to get into shape, i have a little gut on me but im tryin to gain weight/muscle in my arms,chest,shoulders.. Whats the best way to do that? i can eat fast food,junk food whatever i want and my weight doesnt change... im planning on doin p90x, but im unsure on what i should be eating... I will admit i dont eat alot of veggies and fruits, which im gonna start eatting more of.. Should i just stop with the junk food, and eat more veggies and fruits? i hear eatting chicken breasts and fish is good also? I was thinking of taking protein shakes and creatine, good idea?

Any advice is appreciated !!

Thanks

Replies

  • xStargazerx
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    You sound just like my husband. He has a really fast metabolism and if he doesn't work out he loses weight. What he does is works out for 1-1.5 hrs 6 days a week. He did P90x but didn't have the pull up bar so it didn't do anything for him. We have a bowflex so he uses that to workout and has a post workout protein shake with protein powder, yogurt, some kind of juice and frozen fruit. He also tries to eat more than the amount of calories he should be burning a day and eats healthy. I hope this might help! good luck
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    most people try and lose weight, im trying to put some on, im 22 year old male, im 5'7 and 136lbs, im trying to get into shape, i have a little gut on me but im tryin to gain weight/muscle in my arms,chest,shoulders.. Whats the best way to do that? i can eat fast food,junk food whatever i want and my weight doesnt change... im planning on doin p90x, but im unsure on what i should be eating... I will admit i dont eat alot of veggies and fruits, which im gonna start eatting more of.. Should i just stop with the junk food, and eat more veggies and fruits? i hear eatting chicken breasts and fish is good also? I was thinking of taking protein shakes and creatine, good idea?

    Any advice is appreciated !!

    Thanks

    I'm not an expert by any means. However, P90X is a cardio routine not a mass building routine. I also know you need to have a calorie surplus to build muscle.

    You should probably consult with a certified trainer/nutritionist. And I don't mean the guy at the gym who is incharge selling you the gym membership. I would also do a lot of research on my own. From my past listing routines there are tons of good resources on the web.

    Finally. You might want to clarify if you want to cut fat and appear "ripped". or do you want to build muscle? Everyone I've known that is building muscles does not exactly look ripped, at least if they're doing it naturally.
  • smiles04
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    i'm also trying to gain weight. :smile: i find that peanut butter and nuts are really great sources of good fats. I also drink these nutrition supplements from CVS or target and they don't taste half bad. just some suggestions. good luck.
  • tweeter84
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    Hi Chris,

    While my goal is the opposite of your's right now, I used to be involved in bodybuilding and here is my advice regarding gaining muscle mass. The first thing you want to do is figure out how many calories you are averaging per day right now. If you don't already know this, eat the way you normally eat for a week, count all your calories, and then find the average. I say to do it for a full week because you can have a lot of variance from day to day. Then after you get your average calories consumed per day, add anywhere from 300 to 500 to it, and that is what you should shoot for. So let's just say for example that your average calories per day is 2,000, and you decide to add 400 to it. So now you are going to be eating 2,400 calories per day, and you want to divide that up among at least 5 or 6 meals. By breaking it up into smaller meals, you can keep your metabolism up and give your muscles a steady supply of fuel throughout the day. Here is an example of what a typical day might look like:

    Meal 1:
    2 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 2 pieces of toast w/ low-fat butter, orange juice, banana

    Meal 2:
    Lean steak or grilled chicken, sweet potato, vegetables

    Meal 3:
    Protein shake, orange

    Meal 4:
    Salad w/ grilled chicken and oil/vinegar dressing

    Meal 5:
    Grilled fish, vegetables

    Meal 6:
    Protein shake, apple

    Try to stick to complex carbs such as oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and whole grains. Its good to add a protein shake or two in there, but it isn't necessary. Whole food is actually better but its tough to eat 5 or 6 full meals a day. Also, eat the majority of your carbs earlier in the day and start to taper off as the day goes on. I recommend complex carbs an hour before your workout and then a protein shake and some simple carbs, such as fruit, after you are finished. I don't really know much about P90X. As long as you are stimulating those muscle fibers, whether it be with free weights, machines, or bodyweight exercies, you should see some gains. The most important part of it is your diet. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.
  • chris1985
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    thanks for all the help guys....im doin p90x because my cardio is terrible too...haha..since i got out of highschool 4 years ago i havent stayed in shape at all...i used to play every sport possible, now i dont play sports much at all...Id like to just add some muscle weight to my arms, shoulders and chest..i dont want to get huge, i just want to get toned up and get a 6 pack....Tweeter84 i will give that a try..Thanks!