# Cannot gain weight, would like advice.



## Craigw (Apr 25, 2009)

As I said in my introduction thread, Im 18, 5'8" and weight 8st 7lbs.

Im mostly eating carbs like noodles, pasta, and eat loads of greens, I eat chicken, steak, pork, drink loads of milk but can never gain weight no matter how much I eat, or what type of food it is, tried almost everything.

I think it may be lack of protein, I eat load of carb food, so It may be that Im not getting enough protein into my diet.

Have no health problems, am extremely active around 5 days a week, regularly work out using weights, dynamic tension exercises, and excersises using my own weight.

Went to the gp and they say my diet is normal except for the carbs, have no health problems, they just put it down as an extremely high metabolism.

But Im guessing that I work out quite a lot and need the extra protein so that my body has something to work with to bulk.

Ordered a 1KG bag of Impact whey protein from myprotein.co.uk to increase my protein intake, (http://www.myprotein.co.uk/bulk-powders/protein-powders/impact-whey-protein/)

But aside from that, any other advice that I will need?

Regards


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## The_Kernal (Apr 5, 2008)

list an average days food intake i.e

meal 1 0700hrs x2 scoops whey and 100g oats ect.

lets take a look.


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## Craigw (Apr 25, 2009)

Breakfast - 2 Boals of Porridge, Couple of slices of toast, and an orange.

Lunch - Noodles with Su-mai, 4 Corned beef sandwiches.

Dinner - Stagg Chilli Con Carne + Egg fried Rice with some Low fat cheese on top.

Tea - 6 Fajita Wraps with Guacamole + Sour cream, chips, and stuffed peppers.

What I had yesterday, breakfast + lunch is almost always the same, dinner I normally have homemade barley + ham soup with a load of greens thrown in,tea sometimes changes to a nice curry.


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

Craig, I was on same 3-4 meals a day but its not enough...

Breakfast

brunch

Lunch

Afternoon snack

Post workout dinner

Tea

Thats doing it for me matey.

Have a look at diet section to work out what to eat.

Regards

Dan


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

simple not enough food. need at least 6 proper meals a day


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## Craigw (Apr 25, 2009)

Thanks for that, Ill have a browse around the diet section


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## robisco11 (Dec 8, 2007)

not enough food, its that simple

have a look around and try to formulate a diet to suit your needs, post it up and then see if any changes need to be made.


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

Craig, this is my new clean bulk plan:

B-fast: Bowl oats with blueberrys & 2 scoops whey protein.

Brunch: 6 eggs scrambled with sprinkling of cheese on top.

Lunch: 2 chicken breasts, cup of brown rice & mixed veg.

Snack: natural yogurt & mixed nuts & apple or pear

Snack 2: Beef Jerky

Dinner: Jacket potato & salmon or tuna & cream cheese

Tea: Rice cakes & 250g cottage cheese

Loads of water - nearly 4 litres inc. water in protein shake!

Hope this help a bit 

Dan


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## robisco11 (Dec 8, 2007)

18spike18 said:


> just curios how much you bench ?


whats that got to do with his diet and weight?


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## nobody (Apr 20, 2009)

Im exactly the same as you, i find it hard to gain weight. The past week all i have done is eat almost non stop from when i get up till when i go to bed be it not all the healthiest of food but im adjusting what i eat and trying new things and i put on a considerable amount of weight in a week. I best go top up my food when i finished typing this !!!


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## Craigw (Apr 25, 2009)

Dont bench, I do however work out with 12KG Dumbells, and usually do around 15-20 reps on each arm, overhead dumbell presses, and tricep extensions using both arms. Work more with my own weight than anything else, and do dynamic tension almost everywhere I go.

can do about 50-60 pushups doing it quickly, while I can do around 20 doing them slowly. (then again being light helps quite a lot.)

I work the upper body mostly, as I do cross country sometimes, sprinting,paintball, and legs are pretty much rock solid with just that already.


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## robisco11 (Dec 8, 2007)

Craigw said:


> Dont bench, I do however work out with 12KG Dumbells, and usually do around 15-20 reps on each arm, overhead dumbell presses, and tricep extensions using both arms. Work more with my own weight than anything else,
> 
> can do about 50-60 pushups doing it quickly, while I can do around 20 doing them slowly. (then again being light helps quite a lot.)
> 
> I work the upper body mostly, as I do cross country sometimes, sprinting,paintball, and legs are pretty much rock solid with just that already.


what does your workout program look like for a typical week?

sorting this out and being consistant will go a long way towards you achieving your goals.


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## dan the man (Apr 1, 2009)

eat more reasonable gain foor


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## Craigw (Apr 25, 2009)

Might bump it up to 14-15kg

As for my weekly training, I do cross country + sprinting Monday - Wednesday for about 1-2hours each day, Thursay - Saturday I work out my bic/tri's and do around 3-4 sets with a 5 minute break in between, along with pullups, pushups, punching bags for another half hour etc.

Sunday is my day off, and I do dynamic tension excersises usually involving shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearm muscles (grip).


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## Ak_88 (Nov 9, 2008)

solidcecil said:


> simple not enough food. need at least 6 proper meals a day


Not strictly true - as long as you're in a calorie surplus, meal frequency generally isn't an issue for weight gain. Convenience? Perhaps, but not for adding weight.


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

Craig, are you trying to gain weight i.e. muscle!? If so... IMO you do far too much cardio work & not near enough weights. This is your biggest problem with your food, as you are burning off any gains!

Do you have to do so much cardio!? I dont think you will be able to do both side by side if you want to get big!

Regards

Dan


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## Darylbethyname (Dec 2, 2008)

Danzx6r said:


> Craig, are you trying to gain weight i.e. muscle!? If so... IMO you do far too much cardio work & not near enough weights. This is your biggest problem with your food, as you are burning off any gains!
> 
> Do you have to do so much cardio!? I dont think you will be able to do both side by side if you want to get big!
> 
> ...


yeah keep cardio to under an hour. and only do it days when you aren't doing weights. also eat to compensate for calories burnt ontop of your bulking diet.


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## Craigw (Apr 25, 2009)

Well I actually like the cardio stuff more than anything, weights I have until now frowned upon because it "can" cause problems later on in life.


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## Darylbethyname (Dec 2, 2008)

Craigw said:


> it "can" cause problems later on in life.


WHAT? what idiot told you this. that's as dumb as saying running causing osteoporosis


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

So Craig, what you actually trying to do!?

If you want to gain weight... you have to do weights!


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## essexboy (Sep 7, 2008)

FORGET ALL ARM EXERCISES.FORGET ALL CARDIO.FORGET ANYTHING IN FACT.

If you want to get fat eat more.If you want to add lean muscle.Do the following routine twice weekly.

Squats choose a weight that barely allows 10 reps, then do 20.2 sets

pick one of the following.Chins(close grip) bent rows, hammer rows etc 2 sets 8/12 reps.

dips. when you can perform 12 reps,SLOWLY NO BOUNCING.add weight.1/2 sets

deadlifts 1/2 sets.

make sure your diet is well balanced.you dont need to cram tons of food, and your inabilty to grow muscle isnt related to diet.you need hard exercise , and rest.The more you fill your life with extraneous exercise, the more you will compromise this routine.

you must be progressive, ie add weight,. you should be able to gain 20/30 lbs on this w/o over 5/6 months IF YOU APPLY YOURSELF.if you think this is not enough, then your not working hard enough.You should be looking for excuses NOT to do a 2nd set.By the way this routine will work for anyone, not just newbies.However it may be too much for stronger guys/gals. who will need to reduce frequency, and sets.


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## essexboy (Sep 7, 2008)

Craigw said:


> Well I actually like the cardio stuff more than anything, weights I have until now frowned upon because it "can" cause problems later on in life.


You posted this while i was spending mny VALUABLE time, writing you a propgramme, which obviously now, has been futile!! arghhhh!!!!!!


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## Craigw (Apr 25, 2009)

http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/weight-training-cardio-risks.htm

I said it can, not it will.

Though and I quote,



> *until now* frowned upon because it


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

Essexboy, not wasted at all!! a great workout which I will point all my mates towards!!!

Cheers

Dan


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

Craig, that was written by some bloke who weighed 7 stone and couldn't put weight on so got ****ty and decided to tell the world that we are all going to fall apart later on in life 

Dan


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## Craigw (Apr 25, 2009)

Essexboy - As I said, I have been looking at weight training more in depth and it seems to give a lot of benefits, thats why I am going to take the programme you gave me 

(sorry if I mislead you all with that post.)


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

Good luck Craig!


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## essexboy (Sep 7, 2008)

Danzx6r said:


> Essexboy, not wasted at all!! a great workout which I will point all my mates towards!!!
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Dan


thanks Dan.Unfortunately most younger guys have an arm fixation.they spend all their time training them then wonder why they dont grow( i know i did)i havent done any direct arm work, in 2 years.the secret is utilising the "spillover effect"get as strong as you can on basics.do you think your gonna have skinny arms when you can dead/ squat 400!


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

I have never targeted forearms but with all the arm work done for back etc... just moving the weights around in the gym 4 times a week has made them grow


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## dan the man (Apr 1, 2009)

cardio and mass muscle dont go if i ran once a week i would slip through a grid after a month


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## Danzx6r (Apr 21, 2009)

Ditto Dan The Man!


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## kawikid (Apr 28, 2008)

dan the man said:


> cardio and mass muscle dont go if i ran once a week i would slip through a grid after a month


Yes they do made. You just have to sort your diet.

I still run and lift. 3500cals, 330g prot, 330g carbs, 80-100g fat spread through 6 meals.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Went from 11 stone to 12 stone 10 and still staying lean.


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## Darylbethyname (Dec 2, 2008)

kawikid said:


> Yes they do made. You just have to sort your diet.
> 
> I still run and lift. 3500cals, 330g prot, 330g carbs, 80-100g fat spread through 6 meals.
> 
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Went from 11 stone to 12 stone 10 and still staying lean.


i run to, its vital to staying healthy, building muscle and not training your cardiovascular system is not healthy, its like being an obese person, they just build fat instead of muscle.

i just have a big post workout meal after my cardio so my body still has all the calories to left to repair itself from weight days


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## Robbie (Dec 31, 2007)

dan the man said:


> cardio and mass muscle dont go if i ran once a week i would slip through a grid after a month


You obviously need to increase your kcals then!


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## leonface (May 10, 2009)

You CAN get big and remain fit CV-wise, just eat more kcals to compensate

I play rugby, and have been bulking (off-season) for about a month and now, I run 4 times a week, a long run each time with sprints built into it, as well as regular swimming, and in conjunction with heavy weights and lots of food I've already put on an extra half a stone of muscle, as I've been monitoring my bf %


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