I'm currently "bulking up" now as I'm tired of being skinny (I usually maintain 160-165ish and my leanest I was at 150-155) and am serious about getting to my goal of 180-190lbs at 6-8% body fat. It will definitely take a lot of time and effort but I am finally ready to do what it takes to get there.

That being said, I believe I've regained some lost muscle via muscle memory (mostly in the chest) so results are not disappointing. Unfortunately my body fat percentage has gone up a slight bit and my face is becoming too full although not exactly what you'd call fat.

I will experiment and see how I progress the first three months and if I don't gain too much weight I will continue for another three until I have done this for a total of six months. I will probably want to cut down and maintain for a little while. I will do another 3-6 months later and repeat until I have reached my goal lean body weight. I believe that by mid-2014 I will look a whole lot better than I currently do, especially if I keep this up.

There is no guarantee I will be able to put on as much muscle as I want to but I know I would have added a significant amount to my frame at least and I don't care if this is going to take me longer than that. I simply won't give up no matter what.

So I'm 2 weeks into exercising after recovering from the flu. I'm not out of shape right now (well, maybe a little) but last year I was in really really good shape and I want to go to there. Insanity was tough this morning but I'm not having any trouble motivating and getting to the gym (especially since I must go there to shower before work). I am having a little harder time than I thought reducing my food intake to sub-2000 calorie levels (I tend to eat some goldfish or pretzels right when I get home from work but before dinner which is annoying). That will come with time though.

Originally Posted by AndrewCP I'm currently "bulking up" now as I'm tired of being skinny (I usually maintain 160-165ish and my leanest I was at 150-155) and am serious about getting to my goal of 180-190lbs at 6-8% body fat. It will definitely take a lot of time and effort but I am finally ready to do what it takes to get there. That being said, I believe I've regained some lost muscle via muscle memory (mostly in the chest) so results are not disappointing. Unfortunately my body fat percentage has gone up a slight bit and my face is becoming too full although not exactly what you'd call fat. I will experiment and see how I progress the first three months and if I don't gain too much weight I will continue for another three until I have done this for a total of six months. I will probably want to cut down and maintain for a little while. I will do another 3-6 months later and repeat until I have reached my goal lean body weight. I believe that by mid-2014 I will look a whole lot better than I currently do, especially if I keep this up. There is no guarantee I will be able to put on as much muscle as I want to but I know I would have added a significant amount to my frame at least and I don't care if this is going to take me longer than that. I simply won't give up no matter what.

Keep your carb levels below 100g and you shouldn't gain much, if any, fat. How frequently are you lifting?

Just put together my new toy

A little late for posting this, but between November 2011 and now I've lost about 60lbs, going from 220 to 160lb. I'm 6' so this is just about where I want to be. Where before I was a couch potato, ate what I felt like, and simply ignored the pot belly that was growing, I now workout 5 days a week with weights, and another with cardio (last day is for resting), and am actually starting to have my abs show. I've stopped eating almost all fast food and joke food, as well as most sweets, and I feel much better for it! Don't have any before pics I'm afraid, so after would be kinda useless, but just thought I'd share my little success story, as it's one of the few things in my life I'm really proud of

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Originally Posted by Feeding the Abscess Keep your carb levels below 100g and you shouldn't gain much, if any, fat. How frequently are you lifting?

IMO that's a rediculously low amount of carbs for bulking. You'd have to eat a ton of chicken to get enough calories in. For me, I've been sticking to 200g a day, and that's been working pretty well. Not sure how tall you are, but 30-40% of calories from carbs is a rather decent amount. Make sure your getting your healthy fats to, a lot of people forget them (I just eat a ton of peanut butter everyday). But obviously, I'm no health expert, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

Originally Posted by MrNinjaSquirrel A little late for posting this, but between November 2011 and now I've lost about 60lbs, going from 220 to 160lb. I'm 6' so this is just about where I want to be. Where before I was a couch potato, ate what I felt like, and simply ignored the pot belly that was growing, I now workout 5 days a week with weights, and another with cardio (last day is for resting), and am actually starting to have my abs show. I've stopped eating almost all fast food and joke food, as well as most sweets, and I feel much better for it! Don't have any before pics I'm afraid, so after would be kinda useless, but just thought I'd share my little success story, as it's one of the few things in my life I'm really proud of

Wow that is awesome. How the hell did you get all the way down to 160lbs.? I am also 6' and at the height of my kickass-ness last summer I was around 176-178 and I was pretty skinny. I wanted to lose another 8-10lbs. but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't do it. What is your secret?

Originally Posted by Javery Wow that is awesome. How the hell did you get all the way down to 160lbs.? I am also 6' and at the height of my kickass-ness last summer I was around 176-178 and I was pretty skinny. I wanted to lose another 8-10lbs. but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't do it. What is your secret?

lol idk, I think I might have been 5'11'' at the start, so growing the extra inch could have helped. I was stuck at 180lb for a long time, but I just resolved to eat better, and cut my carbs down to under 100 a day. The weight feel off pretty fast, a little to fast actually. I'm having to eat a ton now, as my metabolism has gotten so much faster. Just eat right and workout and eventually you'll lose it. The best thing eating wise, is many small meals. Split your daily calories into 4-6 meals, and eat every 2-3 hours. Along with working out, this will make your metabolism go through the roof, and you the weight will leave easily. Trust me, I was eating 1500 and losing really slowing, now I eat 2700 and am gaining lb a day to gain some muscle. Good luck, hope you reach your goals.

EDIT: this was not sarcasm, I really do hope you get where you want to be

Originally Posted by MrNinjaSquirrel IMO that's a rediculously low amount of carbs for bulking. You'd have to eat a ton of chicken to get enough calories in. For me, I've been sticking to 200g a day, and that's been working pretty well. Not sure how tall you are, but 30-40% of calories from carbs is a rather decent amount. Make sure your getting your healthy fats to, a lot of people forget them (I just eat a ton of peanut butter everyday). But obviously, I'm no health expert, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

Na, fat and protein are the way to go if you want to gain quality weight. Carbs are only good if you want to gain mass and not worry about composition. I'm 6'4" and regularly eat less than 50g a day, and after bottoming out at 207 pounds, I'm back up to 213. It's all about grassfed beef, eggs, salmon, etc.

Originally Posted by Feeding the Abscess Na, fat and protein are the way to go if you want to gain quality weight. Carbs are only good if you want to gain mass and not worry about composition. I'm 6'4" and regularly eat less than 50g a day, and after bottoming out at 207 pounds, I'm back up to 213. It's all about grassfed beef, eggs, salmon, etc.

I just think it would be hard to get enough calories on so few carbs. I know some can do it, but me personally, I just can't eat that much meat (already eating a ton). Whatever works, but carbs still have their place, as long as they're complex carbs (ie whole grain bread, oatmeal). Whatever works I suppose.

Edit: this was merely my opinion. I know very little and am happy for whoever has found something that works for them. I just meant we are all different and have different ways of going about our goals.

Originally Posted by MrNinjaSquirrel I just think it would be hard to get enough calories on so few carbs. I know some can do it, but me personally, I just can't eat that much meat (already eating a ton).

Swap out some of your chicken with red meat, add some fats. Probably wouldn't be as difficult as you think.

Originally Posted by MrNinjaSquirrel I just think it would be hard to get enough calories on so few carbs. I know some can do it, but me personally, I just can't eat that much meat (already eating a ton). Whatever works, but carbs still have their place, as long as they're complex carbs (ie whole grain bread, oatmeal). Whatever works I suppose

It's pretty easy, if you get down to it. 1/2 cup of almond meal pancakes and a few eggs supplies around 50g of fat, 35g of protein, and 10g of carbs, for about 630 calories. That's before adding any butter or coconut oil to cook with. You could easily get up to 800 calories with those added in the total, and a 1/2 cup of almond meal will make two decent sized pancakes. A full cup would easily put you over 1000 calories and only 20g of carbs. Adding healthy amounts of olive oil to salads is another way to boost caloric intake without racking up carb counts. And, as blindinglights said, eating more red meat in place of some chicken works wonders.

lol already went through a tub of peanut butter in 2+ weeks. Will have to get more when I get my paycheck (haven't been working for over a month). I eat chicken daily and sometimes other meats. It's not that difficult especially in Korea and I also opted for a meal plan at the university which usually serves meat and saves me some money. Of course I stock up on extra food since those meals alone aren't enough.

I have my protein shakes first thing in the morning, post workout and right before bed. I seem to have made some good progress but like I said I don't know if my face looks a little bigger due to bloat and/or gaining some fat. A bit of both perhaps. As long as my abs are still somewhat visible I'll continue bulking as long as I can (and try to do it cleaner in the process). Anyway I can cut back down easily so it's not too worrying but I'll have to stick with being ugly with an undefined face until the end of the school semester. But then... it'll be beach time and that will be worth it. And then bulk and cut again.

Does the protein shake in the morning give you cramps? I need to put something in my body when I wake up so when I'm at the gym 20 minutes later I have enough energy to finish my workout. I'm gassed at the end and there has to be something I can do...

Originally Posted by MrNinjaSquirrel A little late for posting this, but between November 2011 and now I've lost about 60lbs, going from 220 to 160lb. I'm 6' so this is just about where I want to be.

Really? I'm about the same height and at 160lbs I was lanky as . I'm trying to get my lean mass up to at least 180.

Holy shit I weighed myself I'm at 200 pounds hahahaha.

Ok one more cycle of my program and ill cut I swear.

Originally Posted by Allnatural Really? I'm about the same height and at 160lbs I was lanky as . I'm trying to get my lean mass up to at least 180.

IDK, I think I look alright

Edit: was not sarcasm, somehow it came off as such.

Originally Posted by blindinglights Swap out some of your chicken with red meat, add some fats. Probably wouldn't be as difficult as you think.

Honestly I can't stand red meat, and I think it would be pushing it with my half vegetarian family to start cooking that every day (they already get grossed out by the chicken)

Originally Posted by Feeding the Abscess It's pretty easy, if you get down to it. 1/2 cup of almond meal pancakes and a few eggs supplies around 50g of fat, 35g of protein, and 10g of carbs, for about 630 calories. That's before adding any butter or coconut oil to cook with. You could easily get up to 800 calories with those added in the total, and a 1/2 cup of almond meal will make two decent sized pancakes. A full cup would easily put you over 1000 calories and only 20g of carbs. Adding healthy amounts of olive oil to salads is another way to boost caloric intake without racking up carb counts. And, as blindinglights said, eating more red meat in place of some chicken works wonders.

Hmm, never heard of almond meal pancakes, but I've been missing normal pancakes so I'll look into it. Thanks for the suggestions, though I really don't like eating tons of eggs with all the cholesterol (paranoid? a little maybe). And as I said I REALLY don't like red meat

It's been a while since I've posted in here, but I'm now down 20 pounds, to 182. Hoping to be 165 prior to my wedding which is in mid June so I'm feeling good about it. That was my weight back in college, and I figure it's probably not too, too bad for somebody who's 5'9.

Definitely have lowered my food intake/junk food, which was always my down fall. Also been using the weight machine I picked up for my garage and running more consistently. I'm still playing in my hockey league and have also noticed I have more endurance during it, which has been nice.