Gaining muscle mass

Hi guys

I'm a 30 year old male weighing in at 68kg. I gym like 4 times a week. I take pre work and whey after.

Now, I want to gain muscle mass. I'm going to follow a protein carb diet.

I've bought SSN muscle builder. Can/ should I combine that this with Whey?

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How tall are you?
What does your diet look like?
Do you know what your daily calorie requirements are?

Eat more, don't worry about supplements just yet.

Rooi Bul 86 wrote: How tall are you?
What does your diet look like?
Do you know what your daily calorie requirements are?

I'm 175cm. Previous my diet sucked. Yes, I eat healthy but way to little.
Of yesterday I decided to change all this. High Protein and good Carbs. More frequent meals, 5/6 and 8 glasses of water.

I have not yet calculated he calories needed.

Schmidt wrote: Eat more, don't worry about supplements just yet.

The thing is, I just bought a 4kg tub of muscle builder. Trying to find out the best way to use it.
I know I shouldn't have but no going back. It's bought already.

You can use it to up your calorie intake daily and can be used in conjunction with whey yes, but don't think supplements will get you results as apposed to diet. They can SUPPLEMENT your diet when you struggle to get enough nutrients from whole foods. Healthy fats should also be included...

I've calculated my BMR=> 1689.
I am moderately active so BMR * 1.55 => 2618,26.

I've based the lose/ gain weight base on 15%=> 3011/ 2226

My question is. To gain muscle mass, should I be aiming to maintain or gain? If gain, how would I know to stop?

I don't want to bulk too much but just a little.

PumpSeeker wrote: You can use it to up your calorie intake daily and can be used in conjunction with whey yes, but don't think supplements will get you results as apposed to diet. They can SUPPLEMENT your diet when you struggle to get enough nutrients from whole foods. Healthy fats should also be included...

So can I say, with a good diet (6 meals). That will work.

Breakfast. Snack. Lunch. Snack. Mass builder shake. Supper.

On training days I add: preworkout before session and whey after.
Non training: no whey.

Sorry guys, I'm pushing the muscle builder because I bought it this weekend.

Obviously to gain eat to gain +-500calories over maintenance. Normally you stop bulking at +-15% Body Fat see where you are at what body parts are strong and powerful and what ones are weak and lacking. Then you diet down to see what you look like ripped and ready and slowly reverse diet out into your bulk again. Or skip the yoyo dieting slowly keep bulking but keep your abs visible even if just or blurry. Until you are where you want to be. Calculate the new weights maintenance and eat it train and maintain...

Post up a meal plan with your calorie and macro break down. Lets see if and where we can fit it in... But at your size steaks. Mince and chicken and eggs should be a first resort. The protein can sit one year plus no prob...

If you truly want to gain and maintain lean quality muscle mass then you need quality calories not a powder.

Ok, firstly bad move on the mass gainer as it is pretty much mainly sugars and/or empty calories. That shit will make you fat.

Secondly, I doubt you will gain too much (well, muscle at least). If it were soo easy to gain muscle that people were scared that they would gain too much, then a loooot more people would be walking around looking swole and the need for steroids would be reduced

Now lets move onto the diet, I feel this is one of the biggest things over looked by majority of people who struggle to make gains. Supplements I feel aren't needed and I am currently only supplementing with Omega 3 fish oils and creatine. No protein. No BCAA. No Pre-workout either. CLA or any of that other money pit. I spend my money on actual food and I eat it. I make gains in the gym. Today I hit a new squat PR. 130KG, managed this on my last set and did 5 reps to parallel. I weight around 64KG BTW 164cm or so. I feel that isn't too shabby and I will be increasing it going forward. Pretty sure I can hit 140KG sometime next month.

When you refer to "snacks" I hope you mean actual meals. I get to work and I have oats (be it a bowl or in a shake), that is around 7 - 8am. Then at around 10.30am I have my "snack" which is a breakfast wrap. Both meals add up to almost 1000 calories, give or take. That is just 2 meals and it is not even lunch time yet. I then eat lunch, then something before gym and then I have supper after gym.
I snack on fruit inbetween these meals, 2 or 3 bananas perhaps. My Lunch and supper are large meals and generally it is another bowl of oats before gym.

I use to struggle to eat, I literally had to force feed myself to the point where I would be chewing on the food and unable to swallow as my body just says "no more food!". However you get use to it and you will learn that certain foods your body processes quicker than others, for example, if I eat oats it goes through my system rather quickly compared to the breakfast wrap so I get hungrier sooner then if I were to eat the breakfast wrap first. Small things like that I find help me out.

Try using MyFitnessPal (website or phone app) to count your calories for now, get yourself a scale too. Once you get use to the portions and telling how many calories there are you can drop it. Once I started using it, I was shocked by how much I actually had to eat. When it comes to healthier food you can eat a looot more before you pick up weight vs fast, processed foods.


Lastly, make sure you have a proper gym program to follow and be sure to push yourself! Even if you are eating properly, you still need to gym properly to gain (muscles) properly.

I hope this helps


EDIT: As Rooibul said above, you need to eat over your maintenance level to gain.
Basically if you eat at your maintenance you will neither gain nor lose weight.
If you eat above, you will gain weight. If you eat below, you will lose weight.

Weight gain / loss is all diet related. All about the calories consumed, but keep in mind not all calories are equal. Some foods have more vitamins and fibre and minerals than others, so rather eat the healthier foods as they contain more for your body.

eg. Simba Chips vs Oats - both are a source of carbs, the oats offer more for your body though.

He doesnt need to hit his macros yet, he first needs to understand food, how food works, what works for him, and then you can hammer him with to "much" info.

Thanks guys for the great feedback. Honestly, its really opened my eyes.

With everything said, I think I have to gain weight or at least tone what I have.
In terms on physique, I'm only lacking in the calves...Yes, you're going to say I'm doing it wrong but I honestly do my best. I briefly spoke to a friend's trainer recently, he gave me some advice. So I'm going to work in calves in every session.

I haven't set a a solid menu as I just decide to change things up this weekend.
So far, my meal preparation for this week consists: breast chicken (minimal season, not too much spicing), brown rice, lean beef mince, oats (not instant ), cottage cheese, hummus, whole wheat bread and eggs.
During this week I plan to sort out a proper meal plan.

I have a few questions (Please don't shoot me down for asking questions already answered on the forum :huh:)?

• When meals say eggs, is it only egg whites?
• If egg whites are key. Is it easier to separate the whites from normal eggs or buy the liquid egg white from Woolies?
  
• *What is a suggested meal plan? or could you direct me to one
• I don't eat tuna but do eat fish. Are fish fingers/ cake/ crumbed okay?
• Should I start taking multi-vitamins?

*I have seen a diet section, I check it out.

I have just downloaded MyFitnessPal, can't wait to start logging.

Lastly. Thanks again guys. You all are giving me more hope that I can do this.
Previous I always said I'm going to start but caved after a week or two.

Find sample meal plans in the dieting stickies in the diet section.

Go for whole eggs. Not like you are going to go on stage.

Replace whole wheat bread with potatoes.

No the fish fingers ain't gonna cut it too processed man. Your food should be as close to its natural state as possible.

Going to work out a plan and run it pass you guys.

BTW, I've recently installed some teeth bling (braces). At times I get so tired cutting my food and chewing it to the nth degree... I give up.

So I got to adjust my meals accordingly.

I feel your pain bud.

I am a short oak 1.68m but I bulked up to 95kg natural before thinking of gear I was young and wanted to break that 100kg barrier.

I ate every 2-3hours like Psyclown said some times force feeding.

What still helps me if you don't feel like eating is to blend the meal and drink it as long as it consists of whole quality food you are getting in quality calories

Howzit Jarrod.

To add to the Already good advice given above:

1. Slowly ramp up calories, and see how your body reacts, and give it time to adapt. Upping your intake will result in either fat or muscle. Its easier to get fat, than to gain muscle. (All other things being equal)
2. Dont stop taking your whey on non training days. Your body is stil recovering. You could take in less carbs.
3. As stated,you need food not supps, but I would include mono creatine. Its cheap and works.
4. Yes to the multivit. Buy a decent brand.

But most important, do not to give up. It takes time. This is not going to happen overnight. Aslo the dieet, it takes alot of work, but eventually it gets easier.

When you post your new diet, also post your current (typical day) dieet.

All the best!