HamsterManV2 Member

Calculate your TDEE - this is how many calories to eat to MAINTAIN weight. Scientifically, 3500 calories = 1lb. So if we divide 3500 calories by 7 days of the week, you need to eat TDEE plus 500 calories to gain 1lb per week (and conversely, TDEE-500calories for -1lb per week). So that means you need to log and measure…

Habits. Motivation is great to getting people started, but like emotions, it fades. You need to force yourself to be consistent for 3 weeks - that's how long it takes to build an unconscious habit. It is not motivation but habit that gets you into the gym after a long day of work. Habit is what makes you brush your teeth…

GZCL leg day for intermediate or advanced lifter. You have a Tier 1 movement, Tier 2 movements, and Tier 3 accessories. Work set of squats (Tier1 movement). Week 1: 85% of 1RM - 3setx4reps, rep out on last set Week 2: 90% of 1RM - 4setx3reps, rep out on last set Week 3: 95% of 1RM - 5x2reps, rep out on last set Week 4:…

Eat TDEE+250 calories for +0.5lbs per week or +2lbs per month (weight fluctuates, but this should be the average trend). While eating at a surplus, lift weights 3x a week or more. Look up good programs for your goal (strong curves is a good one). Proper nutrition while lifting are essential to each other to achieve the…

Bodyweight fitness is important. You can work up to advanced maneuvers like chin/pull ups, L-sits, dragon flags, etc. While these are not pole dancing moves, the mastery of bodyweight movements will carry over greatly. Here is an excellent bodyweight program (note, you require a pull up bar and parallettes for bodyweight…

ICF, Starting Strength, Strong Lifts, Grey Skull LP, GZCL LP, etc. These are all fantastic beginner programs for several reasons:* They work compound movements (multiple muscles used at once) instead of isolation movements (1 muscle group used) which is best for beginners who don't need that much stress to promote growth *…

It is 5 reps because the weight is increased every session. No novice will be repping high weight for long if they do 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 5 reps is the perfect balance between strength and size - and once they get the strength up, hypertrophy will follow more easily. i.e. who gets more gains? Guy1 who reps out 20lbs or…

You are not a 'hardgainer'. You need to eat your TDEE + 500 calories, CONSISTENTLY. Weight your food every day, track calories every day, and do this for months (it takes 3 months for ~10lbs of gain). If you go over TDEE+500 calories, the gains will become fat as you can only build so much muscle at once. If you are not…

Hi there, I wrote this for someone else, but I think you will benefit from this:

You don't have abs because you haven't built them yet. Go on a regular bulk (TDEE+500 calories) or a slow bulk if you are scared of fat gains (TDEE+250 calories). Be sure to include abs exercises 2 to 3 times a week. Abs are built in the gym on a bulk (surplus plus abs exercises), then revealed on a cut (deficit plus abs…

You want to stick to the reputable brands. There have been instances of false advertisement on the protein powder. I.e. American Pure Whey is absolute garbage. A reddit poster has tested several big brands to determine the actual protein content. Source:…

What have you been doing differently? Eating, drinking, sleeping, whatever. Did you weight yourself the same time of day as every other weight in day? Sometimes weight just fluctuates - there are too many variables to track. Just stay consistent with your nutrition and exercise, and you will get to where you want to be.…

Hi there! Please read the below. I wrote this for another poster but you and your husband will benefit greatly from this advice as well. If a deficit of TDEE-500 calories is too much for you, you can start off slower at TDEE-250 calories for -0.5lbs/week or -2lbs/month. Remember, this is not a fad diet, but a lifestyle…

This will be useful for you: Basically, your diet determines whether you gain or lose weight. So for you, calculate your TDEE on google, and eat TDEE+500 calories to gain 1lb per week (if you go higher than that, excess calories become fat instead of muscle - there is only so much muscle a human can naturally build). Your…

Agreed. Also, have you lifted before? Do you have experience with the big compound movements (squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press)? And what is your previous workout history / experience?

Doing GZCL program, 4 days a week. It's a program which has primary lifts (squats/deads/bench/OHP/etc.) at high weight, low rep, strength focus, followed by secondary lifts which compliment the primaries (i.e. for squat, you can do front squats, pause squats, or more squats at lighter weight) at medium weight medium reps…

Protein shakes are roughly 120 calories per shake... That's not very high calorie. You want to aim for high calorie foods - there is a list floating around here somewhere. Eat above your TDEE

Build more chest muscle. What is your program? If I were you, I'd be doing ICF3x5, and possibly add an extra chest exercise (incline barbell/dumbbell press OR cable flies) at the end (on top of doing your regular bench work). When I was doing an upper/lower split (PHUL), I found that two chest exercises really helps the…

Just to specify, do NOT use your BMR (Basal metabolic rate)- this is the calorie amount of just living and breathing (aka just existing). TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is how much you actually use in a day - it accounts for activity level,age,height,weight,etc. Just nitpicking now, because you said you will be…

Eat at maintenance for a couple of weeks (i.e. calculate your TDEE level and stay there for a while). Then go on a bulk. Since you are afraid of fat, you can do a slow bulk. Go at TDEE+250 calories = gain of 0.5lbs per week or 2lbs per month. I know those who are afraid of fat gains but still need to bulk to build muscle…

As for building muscle, get on a lifting program. Since you are a beginner (relative to lifting), most people including myself recommend something with Linear Progression - the weights steadily climb between sessions. Examples include: Starting Strength, Strong Lifts, ICF5x5, GZCL LP, Grey Skull LP, etc. You are a novice -…

Also, if +500 over your TDEE is too aggressive, try +250 instead for +0.5lbs per week = 2lbs per month

I wrote something for another user, I think this will benefit you: Since you are a smaller person, +500 calories may be too much for you. You can do +10% to 20% of your TDEE instead as that is more in line with your weight. Or else you can do +250 calories for +0.5lbs per week (or +2lbs per month). I will say DO NOT GIVE…

Calculate your TDEE - this is how many calories to eat to MAINTAIN weight. Scientifically, 3500 calories = 1lb. So if we divide 3500 calories by 7 days of the week, you need to eat TDEE plus 500 calories to gain 1lb per week. So that means you need to log and measure EVERYTHING you put in your mouth, and eat TDEE + 500…

Technically, the excess protein your body consumes sits in your gut until you consume it - it's why your excrements are not messy-protein-filled-runs. You are confusing excess vitamins which you do pee out. Good sources of protein: chicken, tilapia, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lean cuts of steak, whey protein powder are…

First off, I assume you are training for the Big 3 lifts but not actually in a powerlifting competition... Basically you are Strength Training on a cut. You can do this, just note that the lifts will progress slower than on a bulk. So don't go on any intensive programs looking to smash PRs all the time - you are getting…

Both. For fat, by going on a caloric deficit, you are losing fat all over your body. The order in which depends on your genetics. Just keep cutting weight to lose fat overall until you reach the desired results. For strength training, you are building muscle which will become more apparent/aesthetic as you decrease your…

Keep in mind you are working each body part once a week only.. That is sub-optimal. I suggest you either get into a upper/lower split (4 days a week, hits each body part twice per week), or a full body routine (3 days a week, hits whole body 3 times per week). IF YOU ARE A NOVICE, DO NOT MAKE YOUR OWN WORKOUT. You will get…