# Adding Clean, Healthy Weight



## river (Mar 26, 2005)

Hi all, I'm 27 and 9st 5lbs, and have a pretty good nutritous diet at the mo, just no where near enough food/calories! I'm training hard, and really doing intense weight work, but need to sustain myself before i dissappear!

I'm looking for some advice on supplements to increase my intake, whilst still being healthy. I'm a vegetarian also, so i'm not sure how that affects my choice?

I've been looking at Meal replacements and whey/soy protein from a few different suppliers. Just not sure whats going to give me the bulk and keep me healthy?

My target weight is around 12.5st, the extra being quality muscle.

p.s my bodyfat is only 9.5% right now.

Thanks for your help, River.


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## scott134 (Jan 31, 2007)

Being vegetarian makes it a bit trickier to get enough protein as your choices are more limited. But it's perfectly possible still.

For a start, if you can post up what you eat in an average day at the moment with approximate times e.g.

8:00am - Breakfast (what you have)

12:00 - etc. etc.

Then people can base their advice around that and make suggestions as to what you could change/add.


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## shorty (Mar 13, 2007)

^^^^^as above mate we need to know what you eat plus just been looking on www.myprotein.

They have powders that are suitable for veggies!!


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## river (Mar 26, 2005)

thanks for the posts,

Here's my current average day (after adding more food recently);

-I'm vegetarian, and non-dairy-

07:00 - Nut+fruit cereal/soy milk

09:30 - Beans on 3 wholemeal toast

11:00 - wheatgrass/greens drink

12:30 - Fruit smoothie (1 glass) + multi-vit + codliver oil

13:00 - large tuna pasta/sauce & salad

15:00 - Protein shake (18g) with 250ml soy milk & 1 Banana

18:00 - Vegtable wraps, Tofu (OR fresh fish & potatoes) & Udo's ultimate oils

21:00 - Protein shake (18g) with 250ml soy milk

I'm really trying to keep it clean and healthy, but struggling to add enough good proteins! My current protein shake is whey protein so need to sub it for something non-dairy also (any suggestions?)

Cheers for your help. River.


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## SCJP (Sep 8, 2005)

Stick more protein in your shakes (50g gross), have one with breakfast & at 9:00 & 11:00.

You can shove some extra carbs into your shakes also, eg. oat powder, but be careful or you'll put on the wrong kind of bulk (like me).


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## river (Mar 26, 2005)

Ok, cheers for the help guys. I've been on my new diet/training plan for about 4 weeks now and thought i'd revise my eating plan, and would appreciate any comments. Im looking to build lean muscle mass, Im currently 9st 8lbs, put on about 1lb a week (4lb total) so far, whilst body fat has actually gone down to 7% from 8.5%

Here's my current average day (after adding more food recently);

-I'm vegetarian, and non-dairy-

07:00 - Nut+fruit cereal/200ml soy milk

09:30 - Beans on 3 wholemeal toast

11:00 - wheatgrass/greens drink

12:30 - Fruit smoothie (1 glass) + multi-vit + codliver oil

12:30 - Protein shake (26g), scottish oats (30g), flax seed (5g), 1 banana, 200ml soy milk

13:00 - large tuna (30g protein) pasta/sauce & salad

15:00 - Protein shake (26g), scottish oats (30g), flax seed (5g), 1 banana, 200ml soy milk

18:00 - Vegtable wraps, Tofu (OR fresh fish & potatoes/tuna) & Udo's ultimate oils

21:00 - Protein shake (26g), scottish oats (30g), flax seed (5g), 1 banana, 200ml soy milk

So that's as much protein/food as I've currrently managed to consume daily, any ideas how I can cram in some more protein from whole foods, without filling me up too much (Im literally getting knackered of eating!)

Training is max twice a week, plenty of rest and sleep.

Any suggestions appreciated!

river.


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## SD (Sep 3, 2004)

Your diet was fine the way it was, adding extra protein is not necessary unless you were trying to increase overall calories. That is, you didn't need more for growth, but as calories its ok, but there are better foods fruit, veg, wholegrains.

Too many people are stuck on getting 50g of protein (the maximum) every 2-3 hours or they are paranoid they won't grow. It just isn't so, all the research says extra protein will end up as faeces, expensive faeces. Basically it is the qulaity and timing of the Aminos that count NOT the quantity of Protein.

As a vegetarian you need to rotate and combine your protein sources so that you cover all of the main 22 amino's over a 48 hour period. Soy is fine but a lot of research has been done into its negative impact on health. Google it and you will find Soy has two very different camps and I know nine pack won't touch it.

Good sources of vegetarian protein include soya, but also nuts, seeds, grains, legumes.

Combine proteins such as lentils with rice, or any veg with dairy(whey). You have fish in there which is great.

Have you tried Quinoa? It has all 22 amino's, is low GI and contains EFA's! Basically it is a perfect super food for veggies and the Inca's built a nation upon it.

Work out your calories, if you don't need the extra cals for the shakes, drop them. The only shake you really NEED is the PWO shake.

You need to supplement well, especially with zinc as a veggie so I recommend you read my Vitamins, Zinc and Protein threads.

hth

SD


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## SD (Sep 3, 2004)

river said:


> Ok, cheers for the help guys. I've been on my new diet/training plan for about 4 weeks now and thought i'd revise my eating plan, and would appreciate any comments. Im looking to build lean muscle mass, Im currently 9st 8lbs, put on about 1lb a week (4lb total) so far, whilst body fat has actually gone down to 7% from 8.5%
> 
> Here's my current average day (after adding more food recently);
> 
> ...


You won't need more than 2800 cals to grow per day at a ratio of 30%protein/50%Carbs/20% fat. Maximum 3000 cals. Work out your calories using Fitday.com.

hth

SD


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## tkd (Feb 27, 2006)

I would say change the macronutrient ratios in your last meal.

No need for a high Gi fruit that late at night. Remove that and add more flax seed.



> Have you tried Quinoa? It has all 22 amino's, is low GI and contains EFA's! Basically it is a perfect super food for veggies and the Inca's built a nation upon it.


Sorry to "hi jack", but how do you prepare your quinoa. I just boiled it, added a lil olive oil. It tasted awful.


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## river (Mar 26, 2005)

SportDr said:


> You won't need more than 2800 cals to grow per day at a ratio of 30%protein/50%Carbs/20% fat. Maximum 3000 cals. Work out your calories using Fitday.com.


Thanks for all the comments; I've been on fitday.com and here's my breakdown on an average day (as detailed in my post):

note: fat breakdown is probably wrong but overall fat is correct.


 


 grams cals%totalTotal: 2704  Fat:54 488 19% Sat:13 114 4% Poly:12 108 4% Mono:13 113 4%Carbs:412 1407 54% Fiber:60 0 0%Protein:177 709 27%Alcohol:0 0 0%


Does this look about right? I've based this on 2 protein shakes per day, rather than 3 listed earlier, given your comments.

Cheers again. river.


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Yep that looks about right mate. Good job


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## SD (Sep 3, 2004)

tkd said:


> I would say change the macronutrient ratios in your last meal.
> 
> No need for a high Gi fruit that late at night. Remove that and add more flax seed.
> 
> Sorry to "hi jack", but how do you prepare your quinoa. I just boiled it, added a lil olive oil. It tasted awful.


Put in a saucepan of COLD water and bring to the boil, once there simmer for maximum 15 minutes or until all of the seeds have sprouted little tails. Boil too long and it becomes a slimy mush.

I wouldn't eat it alone, but with other veg and meat its fantastic stuff, very light but energising.

hth

SD


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## SD (Sep 3, 2004)

river said:


> Thanks for all the comments; I've been on fitday.com and here's my breakdown on an average day (as detailed in my post):
> 
> note: fat breakdown is probably wrong but overall fat is correct.
> 
> ...


Nice one buddy, that Lipid profile is excellent, typical of a veggy  60 grams of fibre will help keep you healthy and lean too, now all you need to do is maintain it!

You need variety so rotate food sources, go as fresh and organic as possible and let us know how you get on. You can chart your weight gain or loss in fitday too and you can see your micros' (vits & Mins) so compare these to my Vitamin ODA chart in the vitamins thread and supplement where you see any shortcomings.

Keep up the good work and dont fall into the more protein = more muscle trap.

SD


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## river (Mar 26, 2005)

Thanks for the great responses, really helpful.

I've attached 2 current photo's (on a non-training day), as you can see I'm lean, and need to add some muscle bulk, especially on my chest and neck. Any comments on particular things I could try would be appreciated. Please appreciate this is a starting point (well after 4 weeks proper training).


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## Conrad1436114525 (Mar 3, 2007)

Umm just a thougt really... I see that although a veggie you eat fish, mostly tuna it seems...try eating a salmon fillet for your main meal at night because it full of good fats. Haddock is really very good, tons of omega 6 and other polysaturates (i but them off the shelf from the supermarket, blend them quickly with a small lump of curd cheese, a little tabasco and some chives and it makes a fantastic pate)...should help with muscle recovery especialy on training days.


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## river (Mar 26, 2005)

cheers man, good advice. I do eat fresh salmon, sea bass or trout every 3 days or so, i'd eat more but its really expensive (£5 a throw). My personal fave is salmon with a little philadelphia (or similar) and breadcrums, oven 30 mins and your done.


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## river (Mar 26, 2005)

Hi, just thought i'd post a quick update.

Training is going well, sticking to a 3 session week, and varying it quite a bit. I've introduced bodyweight squats and pull up's, that's really helped my overall conditioning.

My weight has gone up 9lbs in just over 8 weeks, to 9st 13lbs. Definition has improved and I'm concentrating on my neck and chest slightly more now.

My main issue is sticking to the 6 meals a day, I did it for 8 weeks with no problems, but the last 4 days have been tough, I just kind of went off the protein shake and that cost me a lot of fuel. I'm back on now, could use a little inspiration on the diet side.


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