CAG Lose It weight loss challenge.

Gaining size on forearms is much like trying to gain size on your calves, it is extremely hard to do.

Naturally as you keep lifting heavier your forearms and calves should follow. For forearms focus on grip type training, something that causes your wrist to open and contract or other workouts that forces your hand to grip on to larger than normal objects.

I am not a fan of wrist curls and the such, because that provides no benefits for me (I need grip strength not forearm size). If you want bigger forearms and better grip strength, look into adding these to your family of gear:

http://heavygrips.com/

http://www.fatgripz.com/

The Heavy grips are not easy to learn at first and the attachment type product that is the Fat Gripz is pretty damn awesome but extremely annoying too.

As for calves, just keep plugging away...


/edit: Now at 172lbs, my goal of 165lbs in nearing in. Hope to be there in three weeks!
 
[quote name='j-cart']Gaining size on forearms is much like trying to gain size on your calves, it is extremely hard to do.

Naturally as you keep lifting heavier your forearms and calves should follow. For forearms focus on grip type training, something that causes your wrist to open and contract or other workouts that forces your hand to grip on to larger than normal objects.

I am not a fan of wrist curls and the such, because that provides no benefits for me (I need grip strength not forearm size). If you want bigger forearms and better grip strength, look into adding these to your family of gear:

http://heavygrips.com/

http://www.fatgripz.com/

The Heavy grips are not easy to learn at first and the attachment type product that is the Fat Gripz is pretty damn awesome but extremely annoying too.

As for calves, just keep plugging away...[/QUOTE]

Ok, thanks for the advice:) so what would you recommend instead of wrist curls? My calves are actually not doing to bad (or maybe I'm just gaining fat, idk), I do step ups and calf raises for them
 
Getting a set of those heavy grips will be a great start. Also doing pull ups with towels is an awesome exercise, like a super awesome exercise.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=veVRiVuNTLs


Did you see his rack of heavy grips?!

Also farmer walks allows for you to do heavy weights and improves grip strength aswell. Functionality is my main goal and size will likely follow with strength.
 
[quote name='j-cart']Getting a set of those heavy grips will be a great start. Also doing pull ups with towels is an awesome exercise, like a super awesome exercise.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=veVRiVuNTLs


Did you see his rack of heavy grips?!

Also farmer walks allows for you to do heavy weights and improves grip strength aswell. Functionality is my main goal and size will likely follow with strength.[/QUOTE]

that looks good, but I'm rather lousy at pullups already (struggle to complete 8 good ones:cry:), so I think I'll pick up some grips. Farmers walks aren't very easy to do for me, as my plates are mismatched and slip easily. Don't want to risk breaking my toes:whistle2:#
 
8?! then you sir need to work on them!

Everyone, regardless of size (unless you are extremely overweight) should be able to do 15-20 pull ups. Pulls up are the perfect example of weight vs strength and the easiest lift to make gains in. Seriously it takes less than six weeks to get up to 20 pull ups, even if you can only do 8 at the beginning.

http://twentypullups.com/20-pull-ups_ilka-helo.pdf

Get on IT!
 
[quote name='j-cart']8?! then you sir need to work on them!

Everyone, regardless of size (unless you are extremely overweight) should be able to do 15-20 pull ups. Pulls up are the perfect example of weight vs strength and the easiest lift to make gains in. Seriously it takes less than six weeks to get up to 20 pull ups, even if you can only do 8 at the beginning.

http://twentypullups.com/20-pull-ups_ilka-helo.pdf

Get on IT![/QUOTE]

yes, it's rather embaressing:cry: could you explain what that link is, I'm not sure I understand it. Currently I do 8x10 alternative pullups and cin ups, as many as I can filling the rest with negatives. This has been helping, but I've been stuck on 8 for a few weeks:(
 
So week -2 and week -1 are for people that cannot complete single pull ups. Skip those and start on Week 1.

Since you say you can do 8 pull ups (note I assume that you know the difference, from here on out, everything you do with this program is a pull up. Palms away and all back lift), start in the middle of the section that says 6-9 pull ups.

So it is very simple, for your first day, you will be doing five sets of an alternating amount of reps. So week 1 day one will be:

Set 1- 4 reps
Set 2- 3 reps
Set 3- 2 reps
Set 4- 4 reps
Set 5- 5 reps

Rest the maximum amount of time as described in the program. From week to week you will be doing this three times a week with at least a day inbetween each workout for three times a week. When it says "max", you max the fuck out. Go for broke and if your max is higher than the described section you were once in, move to the next section up the following week.

This is a non-heavy lifting program and should be done to supplement whatever lifting program you currently have in place. I also saw your other thread about you deadlifting (sucks bro!) and I just wanted to share an experience with you that I encountered. During my college days I was this big guy that weighed 215+lbs and could lift heavy. I would rep out my deadlifts with 365lbs on a consistent basis, but at the time I could barely get through 10 pull ups. Then I saw some tiny girl at the gym pull off 20+ pull ups and then proceeded to do 225lbs on her deadlifts. It kind of hit me straight in the balls that my deadlift numbers were totally off for my size and that having proper weight to strength number is more important than over all numbers.

To give you an idea of where you are and want to bee check out this link:

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

Was a big slap to the face in my heavy lifting days.
 
[quote name='j-cart']So week -2 and week -1 are for people that cannot complete single pull ups. Skip those and start on Week 1.

Since you say you can do 8 pull ups (note I assume that you know the difference, from here on out, everything you do with this program is a pull up. Palms away and all back lift), start in the middle of the section that says 6-9 pull ups.

So it is very simple, for your first day, you will be doing five sets of an alternating amount of reps. So week 1 day one will be:

Set 1- 4 reps
Set 2- 3 reps
Set 3- 2 reps
Set 4- 4 reps
Set 5- 5 reps

Rest the maximum amount of time as described in the program. From week to week you will be doing this three times a week with at least a day inbetween each workout for three times a week. When it says "max", you max the fuck out. Go for broke and if your max is higher than the described section you were once in, move to the next section up the following week.

This is a non-heavy lifting program and should be done to supplement whatever lifting program you currently have in place. I also saw your other thread about you deadlifting (sucks bro!) and I just wanted to share an experience with you that I encountered. During my college days I was this big guy that weighed 215+lbs and could lift heavy. I would rep out my deadlifts with 365lbs on a consistent basis, but at the time I could barely get through 10 pull ups. Then I saw some tiny girl at the gym pull off 20+ pull ups and then proceeded to do 225lbs on her deadlifts. It kind of hit me straight in the balls that my deadlift numbers were totally off for my size and that having proper weight to strength number is more important than over all numbers.

To give you an idea of where you are and want to bee check out this link:

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

Was a big slap to the face in my heavy lifting days.[/QUOTE]

Alright, I'll get started on this in my workout today (usually do pullups/chinups today anyway). Should I still do chin ups seperately? My biceps have really blown up recently, and I think it's mainly thanks to that. Yeah, my deadlifts are a joke, I only do them out of hope that one day they will help me in someway. And one final question: should I do other back exercises? I haven't been doing any (yes, there is a lot I don't know, please don't hate me for it) other than the pullups.
 
If you can, do this pull up workout on non-upper body days and on your off/rest days. This is really a non-high impact program that is best done when fresh.

Pull ups are a pure endurance thing, everyone has the ability to do 20 pull ups, your back and arms just don't realize it yet! I consider pull ups to be the best back exercise, but if you want to add more, Bent Over rows is apart of my long list of second favorites.

BBBentOverRow.gif
 
[quote name='j-cart']If you can, do this pull up workout on non-upper body days and on your off/rest days. This is really a non-high impact program that is best done when fresh.

Pull ups are a pure endurance thing, everyone has the ability to do 20 pull ups, your back and arms just don't realize it yet! I consider pull ups to be the best back exercise, but if you want to add more, Bent Over rows is apart of my long list of second favorites.

BBBentOverRow.gif
[/QUOTE]

well I suppose then I should do them on my 2 leg days, and my cardio day, but that just seems to make my shoulder and bicep day really empty. Should I maybe do chin ups still on Wednesday, and add in rows, then on tuesday thursday saturday do the pull ups with my other standard workout? Structuring it all is really the most annoying part of working out for me, hence me keeping the same routine for a lot longer than I probably should:cry:
 
Sounds like you have a full routine of volume going on. Experiment and proceed accordingly :D

Right now I lift, but it isn't my main focus, jiu jitsu training is. My current lifting is roughly 4-5 lifts per lifting session, which is only three times a week. I do sprints two times a week and do a single 4 minute tabata session afterward my sprint workout. So that makes it five "workout" sessions per week and on top of that I train 2+ hours at night monday through thursday for jiu jitsu. Weekends I try to practice roll for at least 3-4 hours. Not to mention my dailies of 100 push ups/100 sit ups/100 body squats/20 pull ups.

I consider this a lot for just one week :p Granted my body takes a lot more injuries from jiu jitsu than from my lifting and sprinting.
 
[quote name='j-cart']Sounds like you have a full routine of volume going on. Experiment and proceed accordingly :D

Right now I lift, but it isn't my main focus, jiu jitsu training is. My current lifting is roughly 4-5 lifts per lifting session, which is only three times a week. I do sprints two times a week and do a single 4 minute tabata session afterward my sprint workout. So that makes it five "workout" sessions per week and on top of that I train 2+ hours at night monday through thursday for jiu jitsu. Weekends I try to practice roll for at least 3-4 hours. Not to mention my dailies of 100 push ups/100 sit ups/100 body squats/20 pull ups.

I consider this a lot for just one week :p Granted my body takes a lot mor injuries from jiu jitsu than from my lifting and sprinting.[/QUOTE]

ok, will do, thanks for all the help:D It feels great for someone to actually answer my questions for once. I've tried asking ones like this on actual exercise forums, and no luck. Never would have guessed CAG would be the place I should go;)
 
[quote name='j-cart']So week -2 and week -1 are for people that cannot complete single pull ups. Skip those and start on Week 1.

Since you say you can do 8 pull ups (note I assume that you know the difference, from here on out, everything you do with this program is a pull up. Palms away and all back lift), start in the middle of the section that says 6-9 pull ups.

So it is very simple, for your first day, you will be doing five sets of an alternating amount of reps. So week 1 day one will be:

Set 1- 4 reps
Set 2- 3 reps
Set 3- 2 reps
Set 4- 4 reps
Set 5- 5 reps

Rest the maximum amount of time as described in the program. From week to week you will be doing this three times a week with at least a day inbetween each workout for three times a week. When it says "max", you max the fuck out. Go for broke and if your max is higher than the described section you were once in, move to the next section up the following week.

This is a non-heavy lifting program and should be done to supplement whatever lifting program you currently have in place. I also saw your other thread about you deadlifting (sucks bro!) and I just wanted to share an experience with you that I encountered. During my college days I was this big guy that weighed 215+lbs and could lift heavy. I would rep out my deadlifts with 365lbs on a consistent basis, but at the time I could barely get through 10 pull ups. Then I saw some tiny girl at the gym pull off 20+ pull ups and then proceeded to do 225lbs on her deadlifts. It kind of hit me straight in the balls that my deadlift numbers were totally off for my size and that having proper weight to strength number is more important than over all numbers.

To give you an idea of where you are and want to bee check out this link:

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

Was a big slap to the face in my heavy lifting days.[/QUOTE]


According to that link I'm an intermediate level :)
 
ugh, I need help. I know this is a weight loss thread, but I need to post somewhere. I just can't manage to keep the weight on. Two weeks ago I was eating roughly 2500 calories a day. I managed to gain 2lbs, but it seemed light mostly fat, so I cut down to 2300 or so a day. I just weighed in and I've lost 3.5lbs:hot: This drops me lower than when I started trying to gain weight. I'm now 156 and sorta freaking out. Wii Fit says I'm still in a healthy weight range, but I feel like some anorexic chick. I'm going to try and eat 2600-2700 a day for the next couple of weeks, and do my best to stop being so critical of possible fat gain. I could just really use some advice or support, and this is the only place I have left:cry:

And BTW, thanks a ton for the pullups routine. As lousy as the rest of my week has been, I've definitely managed to make some progress with them, which has felt really good. They're probably my favorite part of my workouts now:D

EDIT: I realize I sound pretty stupid in this post, would be nice if you didn't rub it in. Not trying to sound rude, but I really could do without snarky comments:whistle2:(
 
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If you're an active person - and I assume you are since you dropped a bunch of weight - 2500 calories a day is probably not enough for you to gain weight. It's likely that 2500 is right around the amount needed to maintain your weight. If you really want to put on weight, and not just go through some slight fluctuations in water weight and whatnot, you're going to have to really eat. Can be pretty hard to do when you've rewired yourself in the process of losing weight.
 
[quote name='blindinglights']If you're an active person - and I assume you are since you dropped a bunch of weight - 2500 calories a day is probably not enough for you to gain weight. It's likely that 2500 is right around the amount needed to maintain your weight. If you really want to put on weight, and not just go through some slight fluctuations in water weight and whatnot, you're going to have to really eat. Can be pretty hard to do when you've rewired yourself in the process of losing weight.[/QUOTE]

indeed. I really only want to gain .5-1lb a week, basically a really really slow bulk to keep fat loss at a minimum. It's just that after losing so much weight I'm nervous about gaining it all back. I really just want to get to 170lb with 10% or so bodyfat, and I'd pretty much be fine. I just can't hold my self to a plan well enough:whistle2:( do you have any ideas on the weird 2lbs I gained the weeks before? I don't even know how it's possible, I was probably freaking out of something stupid like water weight:cry:
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']indeed. I really only want to gain .5-1lb a week, basically a really really slow bulk to keep fat loss at a minimum. It's just that after losing so much weight I'm nervous about gaining it all back. I really just want to get to 170lb with 10% or so bodyfat, and I'd pretty much be fine. I just can't hold my self to a plan well enough:whistle2:( do you have any ideas on the weird 2lbs I gained the weeks before? I don't even know how it's possible, I was probably freaking out of something stupid like water weight:cry:[/QUOTE]

Your weight is going to change quite a bit day to day depending on what you eat (salt and water weight) and your bathroom habits. The bigger you are the more it will vary but unless you are on a very consistent diet and have consistent bathroom habits expect it to vary a few pounds.

Also gaining .5 to a pound a week would be a fast bulk. If you gained .5 a week you'd be up 26 lbs in a year.
 
[quote name='Dokstarr']Your weight is going to change quite a bit day to day depending on what you eat (salt and water weight) and your bathroom habits. The bigger you are the more it will vary but unless you are on a very consistent diet and have consistent bathroom habits expect it to vary a few pounds.

Also gaining .5 to a pound a week would be a fast bulk. If you gained .5 a week you'd be up 26 lbs in a year.[/QUOTE]

well obviously I'd stop at a point. What would be slow then? should I just stick with 2500 and see what happens?
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']well obviously I'd stop at a point. What would be slow then? should I just stick with 2500 and see what happens?[/QUOTE]
Based on what I've heard/read (and I admit it could be brosciense) .5lbs is about as much *lean* mass as you can realistically gain per week. More than that and you're packing on some fat as well.
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']ugh, I need help. I know this is a weight loss thread, but I need to post somewhere. I just can't manage to keep the weight on. Two weeks ago I was eating roughly 2500 calories a day. I managed to gain 2lbs, but it seemed light mostly fat, so I cut down to 2300 or so a day. I just weighed in and I've lost 3.5lbs:hot: This drops me lower than when I started trying to gain weight. I'm now 156 and sorta freaking out. Wii Fit says I'm still in a healthy weight range, but I feel like some anorexic chick. I'm going to try and eat 2600-2700 a day for the next couple of weeks, and do my best to stop being so critical of possible fat gain. I could just really use some advice or support, and this is the only place I have left:cry:

And BTW, thanks a ton for the pullups routine. As lousy as the rest of my week has been, I've definitely managed to make some progress with them, which has felt really good. They're probably my favorite part of my workouts now:D

EDIT: I realize I sound pretty stupid in this post, would be nice if you didn't rub it in. Not trying to sound rude, but I really could do without snarky comments:whistle2:([/QUOTE]


  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon stevia
  • few drops of vanilla bean extract
  • cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of butter for pan
Eat with a couple of eggs on the side or full fat Greek yogurt (the 17g fat, 7g carb type) and you're looking at an easy 800-1000 calories. And about 20g of carbs.


Tomato sauce/diced tomatoes (preferably one without sugar as an ingredient)
Either grassfed ground bison or ground beef, or chicken breast. Go at least a half pound of meat per can of sauce, preferably closer to a pound (you'll probably eat 1/4 or 1/3 of the sauce per sitting, for 25-40g of protein a pop)
Add as much garlic, onion, oregano, pepper, and basil as you like. This combination essentially makes marinara.


Serve with grated Kerrygold cheese and you're adding more fat and protein.


Add unsweetened coconut milk (5g fat, 1g carb variety) to any protein shakes

Keep your carbs to primarily things like yams, apples, blueberries... stuff with nutritional value. Avoid grains and sugary fruits.
 
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so no oatmeal:cry: not sure I can live with that, but thanks for the suggestions anyway. I already eat greek yogurt, but half to mix it with regular because it's to expensive for me to buy twice a week. I'll try adding tomato sauce to my chicken from now on, sounds like a nice change of pace from just mustard. My macros for 2500-2700 a day are basically: 50-80g fat (mostly from peanut butter, natural of course), 200+ protein (from tilapia, chicken mainly), and 180-200g carbs (from oatmeal, two slices bread, and soy milk mainly). Is that alright, or do I really need to cut down on my carbs? I try to space my meals all 2-3 hours apart, so it's a big pain to have to cook so much fish and chicken, not to mention it's also expensive (I have a big, very hungry family). I don't eat many apples, mainly because I always thought they were rather high in carbs/calories ratio (an 80 calorie apple has 22g carbs:hot:) which just seemed like a waste to me as I'd have to eat something else anyway. Anywho, sorry for the wall of text, I really do appreciate all the advice:D
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']so no oatmeal:cry: not sure I can live with that, but thanks for the suggestions anyway. I already eat greek yogurt, but half to mix it with regular because it's to expensive for me to buy twice a week. I'll try adding tomato sauce to my chicken from now on, sounds like a nice change of pace from just mustard. My macros for 2500-2700 a day are basically: 50-80g fat (mostly from peanut butter, natural of course), 200+ protein (from tilapia, chicken mainly), and 180-200g carbs (from oatmeal, two slices bread, and soy milk mainly). Is that alright, or do I really need to cut down on my carbs? I try to space my meals all 2-3 hours apart, so it's a big pain to have to cook so much fish and chicken, not to mention it's also expensive (I have a big, very hungry family). I don't eat many apples, mainly because I always thought they were rather high in carbs/calories ratio (an 80 calorie apple has 22g carbs:hot:) which just seemed like a waste to me as I'd have to eat something else anyway. Anywho, sorry for the wall of text, I really do appreciate all the advice:D[/QUOTE]

Ditch the oatmeal, bread and soy milk and add an apple if you need carbs. Apples at least have digestible antioxidants, enzymes, and other nutrients. Oatmeal, bread and soy milk don't, and have just as many carbs (if not more). An apple and decent sized yam a day will put you at about 50g of carbs. If those are your main carb sources, getting an incidental 20g or so carbs from almonds, blueberries, Greek yogurt, veggies, or whatever else is gravy. Eating apples occasionally and using yams as your primary carb source lowers your carb intake even further and will keep you lean while bulking.

Lower the peanut butter intake (if not eliminate it entirely, it's loaded with omega 6), add copious amounts of EVO olive oil to salads and veggies (grate some grassfed cheese on a side of broccoli and squash for even more calories), cook with coconut oil or grassfed butter. Flip the fat and carb ratios and you'll add a few hundred calories a day and not gain much bad weight.

Eating meals heavier in fat as opposed to carbs will allow you to eat every 4-5 hours, since you can essentially eliminate a meal thanks to greater caloric density.

I know this is a little scatterbrained, but I'm coming down from a workout so I'm all over the place. Sorry mang.
 
[quote name='Feeding the Abscess']Ditch the oatmeal, bread and soy milk and add an apple if you need carbs. Apples at least have digestible antioxidants, enzymes, and other nutrients. Oatmeal, bread and soy milk don't, and have just as many carbs (if not more). An apple and decent sized yam a day will put you at about 50g of carbs. If those are your main carb sources, getting an incidental 20g or so carbs from almonds, blueberries, Greek yogurt, veggies, or whatever else is gravy. Eating apples occasionally and using yams as your primary carb source lowers your carb intake even further and will keep you lean while bulking.

Lower the peanut butter intake (if not eliminate it entirely, it's loaded with omega 6), add copious amounts of EVO olive oil to salads and veggies (grate some grassfed cheese on a side of broccoli and squash for even more calories), cook with coconut oil or grassfed butter. Flip the fat and carb ratios and you'll add a few hundred calories a day and not gain much bad weight.

Eating meals heavier in fat as opposed to carbs will allow you to eat every 4-5 hours, since you can essentially eliminate a meal thanks to greater caloric density.

I know this is a little scatterbrained, but I'm coming down from a workout so I'm all over the place. Sorry mang.[/QUOTE]

As good as this all sounds, you really can't expect me to change just about everything in my diet all at once. I'll try to lower the carbs, but I really don't like using oils on salads. And oatmeal, well I'm sorry, but as stupid and sad as it is, it's really one of the only things I look forward to, and seems to be best at keeping me full for breakfast and as a before dinner snack. Is it really that bad for you? I've always read that it's a very slow digesting carb, and that it's one of the few foods that are ok to eat before bed. And what exactly is grassfed cheese? I don't recall ever seeing it in store. And if not soy milk, what would you suggest to mix with my protein shake? I've been doing 1 scoop whey, 2 cups organic soy milk, and just recently added two tablespoons of peanut butter, as my post workout meal/snack.
 
Unsweetened coconut milk. 5g of fat and 1g carb per serving. Kerrygold brand cheese and cheeses from New Zealand are grassfed. Kerrygold and New Zealand cheeses can be found at Trader Joe's, and Kerrygold is also carried at Costco. Grassfed cheeses have much higher concentrations of CLA, and they taste stronger (in my experience).

And oatmeal is awful! It's bland and needs to be loaded with butter, cinnamon, salt, stevia and/or protein powder to taste like anything. Plus it has over twice the amount of carbs as an apple, gram for gram. Not to mention the phytic acid, which is an antinutrient and prevents the absorption of the protein you're consuming with the oatmeal.

If you want to take your physique to the next level, you're going to have to fuel your body with next level foods. Do it man!
 
[quote name='Feeding the Abscess']Unsweetened coconut milk. 5g of fat and 1g carb per serving. Kerrygold brand cheese and cheeses from New Zealand are grassfed. Kerrygold and New Zealand cheeses can be found at Trader Joe's, and Kerrygold is also carried at Costco. Grassfed cheeses have much higher concentrations of CLA, and they taste stronger (in my experience).

And oatmeal is awful! It's bland and needs to be loaded with butter, cinnamon, salt, stevia and/or protein powder to taste like anything. Plus it has over twice the amount of carbs as an apple, gram for gram. Not to mention the phytic acid, which is an antinutrient and prevents the absorption of the protein you're consuming with the oatmeal.

If you want to take your physique to the next level, you're going to have to fuel your body with next level foods. Do it man![/QUOTE]

Well I really like the taste of oatmeal, but maybe I'm just weird. I'll see if I can find coconut milk and those cheeses you mentioned, but there isn't a Costo or Trader Joe's near me. And even though it might have more carbs, oatmeal has way less sugar, which I tend to think makes me gain weight the most (I cut out basically all sweets when I started dieting and seriously working out, and it's mostly worked out well for me). I understand I'm probably hurting my potential gains, but honestly I never expected to be some super model bodybuilder. I simply don't have the dedication or desire necessary to get there. Simply not being fat, and having some useful muscle, is all I really want. I probably sound like a snob for turning down so much of your advice, so please don't take it that way. I just can't do all your asking:whistle2:(
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']Well I really like the taste of oatmeal, but maybe I'm just weird. I'll see if I can find coconut milk and those cheeses you mentioned, but there isn't a Costo or Trader Joe's near me. And even though it might have more carbs, oatmeal has way less sugar, which I tend to think makes me gain weight the most (I cut out basically all sweets when I started dieting and seriously working out, and it's mostly worked out well for me). I understand I'm probably hurting my potential gains, but honestly I never expected to be some super model bodybuilder. I simply don't have the dedication or desire necessary to get there. Simply not being fat, and having some useful muscle, is all I really want. I probably sound like a snob for turning down so much of your advice, so please don't take it that way. I just can't do all your asking:whistle2:([/QUOTE]

Simply eliminating breads, peanut butter and soy milk and replacing them with yams, apples, bananas, blueberries (you'll want to eat fruit with fat and protein, obviously, and not huge amounts of it), coconut milk and oil, olive oil, grassfed butter, and more fat in general will put you ahead of where you are now. Who knows? Maybe you'll come to like it and take it further. If not, incorporate at least some and you'll benefit at least a little.
 
[quote name='Feeding the Abscess']Simply eliminating breads, peanut butter and soy milk and replacing them with yams, apples, bananas, blueberries (you'll want to eat fruit with fat and protein, obviously, and not huge amounts of it), coconut milk and oil, olive oil, grassfed butter, and more fat in general will put you ahead of where you are now. Who knows? Maybe you'll come to like it and take it further. If not, incorporate at least some and you'll benefit at least a little.[/QUOTE]

well I already started cutting back on peanut butter and carbs. Tonight instead of my usual Fish, two tablespoons of peanut butter, and maybe some soy milk or refried beans to push me to 500, I had two tilapia filles covered in tomato alfredo sauce, with a lettuce, green bean, and tomato salad topped with extra virgin olive oil, and a glass of unsweetened almond milk (1 carb, 2.5g fat, 30 calories). I don't know if this is any better, but it felt way more filling and healthy. And I am going to try to incorporate as much of what you said as I can. I have cut back on bread lately. I used to eat 4+ slices a day, but now I limit myself to a single sandwhich. Clearly you want me to try yams, which I've actually never eaten, so I'll be sure to get some when I'm out. This really is helpful, thanks again:applause:
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']well I already started cutting back on peanut butter and carbs. Tonight instead of my usual Fish, two tablespoons of peanut butter, and maybe some soy milk or refried beans to push me to 500, I had two tilapia filles covered in tomato alfredo sauce, with a lettuce, green bean, and tomato salad topped with extra virgin olive oil, and a glass of unsweetened almond milk (1 carb, 2.5g fat, 30 calories). I don't know if this is any better, but it felt way more filling and healthy. And I am going to try to incorporate as much of what you said as I can. I have cut back on bread lately. I used to eat 4+ slices a day, but now I limit myself to a single sandwhich. Clearly you want me to try yams, which I've actually never eaten, so I'll be sure to get some when I'm out. This really is helpful, thanks again:applause:[/QUOTE]

Excellent! You'll find that fat will keep you full for a longer period of time. And yams (they're really sweet potatoes, but I prefer what are typically labeled as yams in stores - they're tastier) are certainly a carb centric food (25-40g a pop, depending on size), but its glycemic index is under 20, and they're loaded with Vitamin A and a ton of minerals. Chicken, yam with lots of butter and cinnamon, and asparagus (also with butter!) is a favorite dinner of mine.
 
[quote name='Feeding the Abscess']Excellent! You'll find that fat will keep you full for a longer period of time. And yams (they're really sweet potatoes, but I prefer what are typically labeled as yams in stores - they're tastier) are certainly a carb centric food (25-40g a pop, depending on size), but its glycemic index is under 20, and they're loaded with Vitamin A and a ton of minerals. Chicken, yam with lots of butter and cinnamon, and asparagus (also with butter!) is a favorite dinner of mine.[/QUOTE]

I LOVE sweet potatos, but didn't know they were actually good for you:bouncy:that sounds really good, I'll have to give it a try (though I'm really not a fan of butter, hopefully I can find something to substitute):applause:
 
well upping to 2700-ish seems to have worked. Gain roughly 3.7lbs, lifts have almost all improved, and I'm feeling slightly less tired. Strangely my arms are looking a little less muscular, but I can see my abs more clearly:whistle2:kBeen eating tons of hard boiled eggs, and actually found some yams already in the cabinet:Dhopefully this isn't to fast of a gain, I'm going to go for another weak before I start jumping to conclusions and changing things around
 
I know this isn't really the right thread,but it's the only one close since it kind of involves working out. Would anyone know any good mass gaining workouts? I would appreciate the help!
 
[quote name='Gears24']I know this isn't really the right thread,but it's the only one close since it kind of involves working out. Would anyone know any good mass gaining workouts? I would appreciate the help![/QUOTE]

you would really need to be more specific as to where you want to gain mass. The basic go to ones would be compounds: Squats, bench, and deadlifts. That's a good start, though obviously you'll want to get a routine going.
 
How accurate do you suppose the ipod nano's Nike+ fitness app is for distance? I just got back...and im beat tired. But its saying i did 2.5 miles in 17.5 mins. I'm a little skeptical since i haven't run in ages
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']How accurate do you suppose the ipod nano's Nike+ fitness app is for distance? I just got back...and im beat tired. But its saying i did 2.5 miles in 17.5 mins. I'm a little skeptical since i haven't run in ages[/QUOTE]

was it on your arm or in your pocket? I feel that could make a big difference (unless it's the kind you put in your shoe sole)
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']you would really need to be more specific as to where you want to gain mass. The basic go to ones would be compounds: Squats, bench, and deadlifts. That's a good start, though obviously you'll want to get a routine going.[/QUOTE]
um,pretty much my entire upper body. I haven't done squats because i can't get the form correctly & i've never tried deadlift. The routine I have going isn't the best right now. Mondays & Thursdays I do upper body. I do bench press,incline bench press,decline bench press,dumbbell curls,shoulder press,lat pulldown,and tricep press. Tuesday & Thursdays I do lower body and abs. I do leg extensions,leg curls,leg press,standing calf raise,situps,and rotary turbo. So I was looking to get into a rountine of working two muscle groups per day rather than all in one day.
 
[quote name='Gears24']I know this isn't really the right thread,but it's the only one close since it kind of involves working out. Would anyone know any good mass gaining workouts? I would appreciate the help![/QUOTE]


Need some more details. What's the goal for gaining? Are you trying to add only lean muscle, to fill out a skinny frame quickly, or just add as much strength as possible and worry about cutting the fat later?

Also, eating is going to be just as important as the workout. Do your best to fully explain what your goal is and I'm sure we can get you some guidance.

Also, welcome to the thread. You've come to the right place, it's more of a fitness thread than solely weight loss. :)
 
[quote name='blindinglights']Need some more details. What's the goal for gaining? Are you trying to add only lean muscle, to fill out a skinny frame quickly, or just add as much strength as possible and worry about cutting the fat later?

Also, eating is going to be just as important as the workout. Do your best to fully explain what your goal is and I'm sure we can get you some guidance.

Also, welcome to the thread. You've come to the right place, it's more of a fitness thread than solely weight loss. :)[/QUOTE]
Ah,thanks you pretty much mentioned the goal for my gaining. I'm trying to add only lean muscle,to fill out a skinny frame. I'm not looking to cut fat.
 
[quote name='Gears24']Ah,thanks you pretty much mentioned the goal for my gaining. I'm trying to add only lean muscle,to fill out a skinny frame. I'm not looking to cut fat.[/QUOTE]
As was already mentioned, eat. Diet will be crucial. Look up any of the numerous TDEE calculators online and figure out how many caloires you'll need to gain lean mass. it's not an exact science, but it'll give you a general idea of what you'll need.

As for your workout, it really doesn't need to be complex. Generally, moderately heavy weights in the 8-12 rep range will be more conducive to gaining mass, but each person's body is different. Experiment and find out what works for you.

Compound lifts are the way to go. Learn to squat, back and front style. There is simply no better exercise for the lower body. Limiting yourself to the leg press is ignoring your posterior chain. Mix in some deadlifts (or Romanian deadlifts if you prefer) along with your leg curls and calf work and you'll have a well-rounded leg routine.

On your upper days you're doing more pressing work than is necessary imo. Drop the decline press (or just rotate it in and out with one of your other presses) and do some dumbbell rows to work your back more. Some laterals for your shoulders wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Personally, I like to change things up periodically. I may spend a few months focused on strength training; lifting very heavy in the 5 rep range. Then I'll switch (as I did just a couple of weeks ago) to lighter weights, more sets, higher reps, and much shorter rest between sets to really burn the muscles. This is a simple, alternating push/pull split, three days a week, which I'm really enjoying. Progress has been slow, but I can definately see the results in the mirror.
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']How accurate do you suppose the ipod nano's Nike+ fitness app is for distance? I just got back...and im beat tired. But its saying i did 2.5 miles in 17.5 mins. I'm a little skeptical since i haven't run in ages[/QUOTE]

I measured the loop i used by using MapMyRun the other day - .47 miles. Don't know how many times i ran it on Monday though, so when I go tonight I'll know if the run was accurate or not. :D
 
[quote name='Allnatural']As was already mentioned, eat. Diet will be crucial. Look up any of the numerous TDEE calculators online and figure out how many caloires you'll need to gain lean mass. it's not an exact science, but it'll give you a general idea of what you'll need.

As for your workout, it really doesn't need to be complex. Generally, moderately heavy weights in the 8-12 rep range will be more conducive to gaining mass, but each person's body is different. Experiment and find out what works for you.

Compound lifts are the way to go. Learn to squat, back and front style. There is simply no better exercise for the lower body. Limiting yourself to the leg press is ignoring your posterior chain. Mix in some deadlifts (or Romanian deadlifts if you prefer) along with your leg curls and calf work and you'll have a well-rounded leg routine.

On your upper days you're doing more pressing work than is necessary imo. Drop the decline press (or just rotate it in and out with one of your other presses) and do some dumbbell rows to work your back more. Some laterals for your shoulders wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Personally, I like to change things up periodically. I may spend a few months focused on strength training; lifting very heavy in the 5 rep range. Then I'll switch (as I did just a couple of weeks ago) to lighter weights, more sets, higher reps, and much shorter rest between sets to really burn the muscles. This is a simple, alternating push/pull split, three days a week, which I'm really enjoying. Progress has been slow, but I can definately see the results in the mirror.[/QUOTE]
Thanks,i'll be starting a new workout tomorrow. Instead of working out 4 days working,i'll be working out 5 days. And yeah,diet is really important,but i can't seem to consume a lot. i only eat about 1500-2000 & i'm suppose to consume around 2500 to get lean mass/maintain weight.
 
[quote name='Gears24']Thanks,i'll be starting a new workout tomorrow. Instead of working out 4 days working,i'll be working out 5 days. And yeah,diet is really important,but i can't seem to consume a lot. i only eat about 1500-2000 & i'm suppose to consume around 2500 to get lean mass/maintain weight.[/QUOTE]
If that works for you, great, but don't assume that working out more days will always give you better results. It's the resting, eating, and sleeping between workouts that builds muscle.

If you need more calories, add some healthy fats to your diet. Nuts are a great choice, and add some extra olive oil to whatever you're cooking.
 
I bought a bit of Creatine based on the recommendations of a friend. He's a vegan though, so he probably gets more out of it than I will. We'll see. Just don't want to look like a marshmallow
 
[quote name='Gears24']Thanks,i'll be starting a new workout tomorrow. Instead of working out 4 days working,i'll be working out 5 days. And yeah,diet is really important,but i can't seem to consume a lot. i only eat about 1500-2000 & i'm suppose to consume around 2500 to get lean mass/maintain weight.[/QUOTE]

Hit up the peanut butter my friend.
 
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