# Help!



## Inch High (Apr 10, 2005)

Guys,

</o>

I started training about 4 or 5 weeks ago after a long lay off due to a football injury. When I started, I was 52kg and not eating a lot. Now, I'm eating probably twice as much as before, having protein shakes throughout the day, and creatine once a day. On top of this I'm having 2 omega3 tabs, 2 vit C tabs, 1 multi vit tab, and 1 vit B tab. I've been going gym 3 times a week.

<o> </o>

Weighed myself today. 53kg. 

What is going on?


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Gained muscle

Lost fat

This would be my explaination. Go by the mirror not by weight.


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## Inch High (Apr 10, 2005)

So from now on should I see more weight increase?


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## Killerkeane (Nov 9, 2003)

Inch High said:


> So from now on should I see more weight increase?


If your not happy with your progress eat more. Post up your diet.....but you are gaining weight, 1lb week of muscle gain is a good target.


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## Inch High (Apr 10, 2005)

Killerkeane said:


> If your not happy with your progress eat more. Post up your diet.....but you are gaining weight, 1lb week of muscle gain is a good target.


http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/showthread.php?p=162346#post162346


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## Inch High (Apr 10, 2005)

This is the third time I've been told to post my diet, and each time I do, nobody replies 

Is it that bad that you are all speechless  ???


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

Inch High said:


> This is the third time I've been told to post my diet, and each time I do, nobody replies
> 
> Is it that bad that you are all speechless  ???


Speechless no but it would help if you could tell us what quantity of each food you eat.

You cannot alter a diet if you don't know how much you are eating in the first place..


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## Inch High (Apr 10, 2005)

ooh err...

Regular size portions I suppose!

When I have tuna sarnies and anything else tuna ish I use hafl a tin of standard size tuna.


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2006)

Hi mate. Youve got the right idea as you are breaking your food into plenty of meals spaced throughout the day. I have noted 2 things. Up the protein a little more. A full tin of tuna instead of half. Also up the carbs. Brown rice, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread. Mags always talk about protein, but plenty of carbs are VITAL. You can eat tons of protein but if you dont get enough carbs, you will not grow. How much? From the sound of your metabolic rate, as much as you can. If after a month you feel a little fat then simply cut back a bit.

As a separate point, what some of the other people said about shakes is true. They are ok but I have found that nothing beats old fashioned food. Its hard when you sre a worker but it is possible. Its all in the planning. On a Sunday I cook 1.5 kg of minced meat, 400g of soya beans and 2 kg of pasta and I then put it into 16 tupawear containers. A few go in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. These provide my nutrition when im between meals ie 10 in morning and 3 in afternoon. I also eat 5 meals on top of these. I had been training for years ( 4 or 5) and making small gains. It was only when I massivly upped my scoff that I really noticed fast results. Best thing I ever did training wise.

Hope this helps. One last point. Its no good being strict for 8 or 9 days and then relaxing and then being strict again. You must be consistent all the time with your food to get good results.

Good luck.


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## Inch High (Apr 10, 2005)

Top first post mate - cheers!


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

still you need to weigh your foods so that you can monitor your intake..

Big-D has made plenty of good points...



Inch High said:


> Regular size portions I suppose!


regular for who


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## Mikey1436114510 (Feb 22, 2006)

Good point Pscarb...

I think most people on this board would have lost sight of what a regular portion size was a long time ago.

It certainly shocked me when I realised that what I saw as a 'normal' portion of rice to go with a meal was the same amount as my mum used to feed her, my dad, my sister and my sisters kid!

She dreads my visits home now (from a food providing point of view, naturally!)


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## Inch High (Apr 10, 2005)

Pscarb said:


> regular for who


for an inch high dwarf


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

in that case your ok....


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## tkd (Feb 27, 2006)

you should only expect to gain at most 1kg per month or 0.25 - 1% of your body weight per week. If your gaining more, most likely to be gaining fat and water aswel as muscle.


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

where did you get this figure from as we are all diffrent and therefore build muscle at diffrent rates...


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## tkd (Feb 27, 2006)

yes everyone does gain at a different rate thats why i wrote 0.25 - 1%

thats not a fixed value !


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

yes i understand that but why cap it at 1% or start it at .25% i am not being picky but you did make a sweeping statement concerning muscle growth i would just like to know where you got the figures from


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## tkd (Feb 27, 2006)

those values didnt come off the top of my head, i read it in a sports nutrition book.

those values are in a good range because alot of people i know gain at that rate. ( they didnt have ergogenic aids such as AAS)


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

what book??

so these values are in the book and you have witnessed them with your friends how did you gauge a rate as little as .25%...did you detail there BF% before and after? i still think that these numbers are way to restrictive even with out Anabolics...

it is very hard to believe that everybody can only gain between .25%-1% of muscle in one week as i am sure their are guys out there that gain less as well as there are guys that gain more it is all down to genetics...

but please name the book then i can have a look at the refrences that this statement was based on.


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## tkd (Feb 27, 2006)

"complete guide to sports nutrition" by anita bean page 136 titled " how fast can i expect to gain weight? there are references at the back of the book

ill even type the whole thing up:

*How fast can i expect to gain weight?*

*
Muscle and strength gains are usually faster at the start of a strength programme. Gains are often periodic as each improvement is interspersed with a plateau. As with a weight-loss programme, aim to gain weight gradually. After an initial fast gain, expect to gain nor man than 0.5kg-1kg per month or 0.25-1% of your body weight per week. Monitor you body composition rather than simply your weight. If you gain weight much more than 1kg per month on an established programme, then you are likely to be gaining fat!*

Reading that you must get an idea that its not covering the entire world concerning muscle growth, but its got a good estimate of what people should expect.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

All these facts and figures are just a guide, a new trainer will see more growth than someone who has been training for years as bodybuilding is, unfortunately, a sport of diminishing returns.

Like I said before, look in the mirror, that's the best judge of your progress. Or take progress photos every 6 months and assess your condition etc.

figures are a guide that's all, you can't say that someone who gains phenomenally from a new routine or diet is putting on fat cos they're outside the 1% ratio.

The same goes for someone who gains only .25% cos this could all be fat.

Figures are for the classroom, practical application is a lot different. This isn't meant to be a put down, just my opinion.


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## tkd (Feb 27, 2006)

Tinytom said:


> All these facts and figures are just a guide, a new trainer will see more growth than someone who has been training for years as bodybuilding is, unfortunately, a sport of diminishing returns.
> 
> Like I said before, look in the mirror, that's the best judge of your progress. Or take progress photos every 6 months and assess your condition etc.
> 
> ...


yeah thats all i was trying to say aswel, that those figures should be used as a guideline.


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## Littleluke (Nov 21, 2005)

Post your training programme, maybe you'rte not training properlly? do you use good form etc? If you're at a proper gym maybe you should ask some of the big guys or book yourself with a pt to show you how things are done..


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

If you are not gaining enough then you will need to eat more.

Simple enough.

I did post on your diet inch but I felt it easier to give you some guidence like adding a protein and fat to the meal and when you refined your diet it looked the same.

One problem is when you gain weight and you were not eating very much before as now your metabolism will speed up. For some weight gains will stop due to the metabolism trying to correct itself. When this happens you will have to eat more.

Weight loss is the same, plateau happens due to slowing of metabolism and the body trying to keep its precious stores.

Lets look at one of your days food and this is how I would change things.



Inch High said:


> Thurs
> 
> 8.00 Quaker Oats - Vit C tab - Omeg3 tab Need a protein here and 2 more Omega 3's
> 
> ...


Now obviously you cant eat all that and the meal spacing are not right.

Last meal can be just protein and fat.

First meal and PWO can be higher in carbs.

But all in all this is just used as a tool to help you.

Obviously you cant eat like that.

I am not a big supporter of powders over food. I think when gaining weight Beef is a very good option.

I eat 5 meals a day, have a protein shake after working out (i am dieting this is why no carbs in this meal but it can), one small meal before bed but usually is just collegan for fat loss for me.

This will change later.


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

tkd said:


> yeah thats all i was trying to say aswel, that those figures should be used as a guideline.


if this is the case i think you was misreading my post's as i was clearly saying that you cannot state a figure because we are all diffrent..


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## kyrocera (Oct 13, 2004)

I thought 1-2 pounds a week was a good gaining rate if your diet and training are going well?


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

No way of gaining 1 to 2 lbs of muscle a week.

You can lose that in fat but not gain that in muscle.

Overfeeding is anabolic but only for about 14 days.


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## kyrocera (Oct 13, 2004)

explain please!

So the 1.5 pounds i put on last week (sunday to sunday) was what?

I did feel a bit stronger in the gym last week than the week before.


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Water probably, that also increases strength.

One reason why anadrol works so fast and well.

Like I said overfeeding is anabolic, so there is a hormonal responce from food.

Just like dieting can be catabolic too.

I have heard that you can put on a half a lb a week of muscle. I really dont see it and If this was the case it still would be some intramuscular volumization of water, glycogen stores, fats and aminos, and other things.


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

you have to remmebr that muscle is mostly made up of water....


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## kyrocera (Oct 13, 2004)

So am I doing good or is it not a good sign?


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Its fine mate, I would shoot for a lb a week.


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## kyrocera (Oct 13, 2004)

1lb a week! Ok.

I have just started doing the big mass builders lately, Squats, Military press's etc..

Cheers for your help.


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