wtf??? I suck at this stuff!!!

[thajeepster]

So ive been bulking for about 3 weeks, well at least I thought I was. I havent been able to weigh myself recently and when I finally got on the scales today I was 5 pounds lighter. I increased my cals by about 400-500 a day!!! I dont understand. Could it be that I was taking in so little cals a day, around 1500-1600 for so long that my metabolism went into super starvation mode? If so, when I increased cals did I give it a super jump start and now its in overdrive? Im quite confused. Ive been looking at myself in the mirror and I thought I was gaining size, my muscles look fuller, and ive lost some definition, although I can still see striations in my shoulders and can see my abs. Im guessing im about 14-15% body fat right now, i was as low as 12% about 2 months ago.



my stats are 145 lbs, 5-10. I work out 4 days a week and take in about 2100-2200 cals a day with a 40/30/30 p/c/f ratio. Should I increase my cals even more, well i guess thats a given isnt it? But by how much?



Thanks for the advice in advance guys, you really are helping me out big time.

[geoffgarcia]

keep increasing your calories till you are gaining at least 1 pound every 2 weeks consistently until then your under eating.

If your only eating 2k calories per day I think its safe to say you are under eating.
Your probably going to need to be around 3k-4k calories to gain weight consistently. Dont be fooled by weight gain in 1-2 weeks of the start of an increased calorie diet, it takes about this much time for your body to adjust and get out of the starvation mode you might have put yourself in.

[RBC13]

21-2200 cals is for cutting. 3000 plus is for bulking.

[Shark]

You're trying to tell me you want to bulk and you're eating 2100-2200 cals a day???? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?? Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat like your life depends on it. Believe me, you will gain weight. You should be eating 3500 cals a day at least. My roomate is 6'2" and weighs 165 pounds. His metabolism is so quick he needs to eat damn near 5000 cals a day to bulk. You just need to start eating more until you're gaining weight and at that point, eat a bit more.

[CraigVA286]

To help with the bulk, make sure a lot of your food comes from shakes. You can make a 1000 calorie shake easily. Id recommend drinking it AFTER the meal

[Vido]

To help with the bulk, make sure a lot of your food comes from shakes. You can make a 1000 calorie shake easily. Id recommend drinking it AFTER the meal

I think the last thing you need is a 1000 calorie shake AFTER a meal. Sure, shakes are useful to bulk, but 1000 calories is a meal in and of itself, and a fairly large one at that.

[Eddan]

To help with the bulk, make sure a lot of your food comes from shakes. You can make a 1000 calorie shake easily. Id recommend drinking it AFTER the meal

I'm not sure why it would be a good idea to have it rigth after a meal - between meals sounds better to me. Otherwise; a good idea.

[matrix5089]

i really doubt that you went up that much in body fat in two months if youve lost weight and have been training regurally mirrors can be decieving take pics and eat more.

[CraigVA286]

I think the last thing you need is a 1000 calorie shake AFTER a meal. Sure, shakes are useful to bulk, but 1000 calories is a meal in and of itself, and a fairly large one at that.

Not everyone can eat every couple hours to get in enough food for bulking.


As for eating it afterwards, 1000 calories BEFORE your meal will kill your hunger. After seeing so many people having trouble bulking, I think they are missing out on easy shakes that will get them growing

[thajeepster]

Yeah im really going to have trouble getting up to 3000 cals a day, as i have no way to get to any Protein shakes or weight gain shakes. Im stuck on a ship. I could sit around and eat junk food all day inbetween my myeals, but that wouldnt be very good. As is, Im struggling to make 2200 cals a day! Much less 3000, i could make a few sandwiches to add to my meals maybe, but all we have is reg wheat bread and skippy pb, again, pretty much junk food. Maybe lots of milk would be a good choice?

[geoffgarcia]

Yeah im really going to have trouble getting up to 3000 cals a day, as i have no way to get to any Protein shakes or weight gain shakes. Im stuck on a ship. I could sit around and eat junk food all day inbetween my myeals, but that wouldnt be very good. As is, Im struggling to make 2200 cals a day! Much less 3000, i could make a few sandwiches to add to my meals maybe, but all we have is reg wheat bread and skippy pb, again, pretty much junk food. Maybe lots of milk would be a good choice?

What kinda ship are you on? do you live on the boat? surely it docks from time to time at a port where you can get access to mail/supplements?

[Eddan]

I’m not sure how 2200 calories can be such a struggle, unless
(a) you have a really tiny stomach, or
(b) you completely avoid all fatty foods.

OK, so there may be other reasons for it than those two. Anyway; if it is (a) then just get used to stuffing yourself at every meal, you’ll get used to it. If it is (b) then, well. If greasy junk food is all there is for bulking, then you might want to consider that. It is not be the healthiest thing to do, especially not if done for great lengths of time, but it would help put on muscle. (I’d still stay away from anything deep-fried or loaded with (processed) sugar, though.)