Calories

[Ndo]

Sorry you guys probably get asked this a lot,
but I'm 18, 143lbs, 5ft 11inch. I used a calorie calculator to see what my maintenance is (2031), to bulk up should I be adding on to that? If so how much? Thanks

 

[gatemoney]

I depends on a lot of thing.
A lot of guys will see how skinny you are and just start screaming at you to EAT EAT EAT LIKE A RETARD!
I don't believe in this line of thinking.
Weight gain should be just like weight loss, slow controlled and steady.
I think a surplus or deficit of 20% is healthy and safe.
So in your case you would take 20% of maintenance calories and add that to total.
Example: maintenance calories 2000.
20% of 2000 is 400.
So 2000
+ 400 = 2400 total
Now every 2-4 weeks you want to jump on the scale and weigh in to recalculate your cal total.
Example: lets say 4 weeks from now you have gained 10lbs.
You started at 145lbs now you are 155lbs so now you maintenance calories has gone up right?
So now just redo your math and add in the appropriate calorie amount.

Another thing to consider is body type.
Are you endomorphic, mesomorphic or ectomorphic?
If you don't know what these things are google and learn it will help you to understand your body better.
example: if you are endomorphic like me then you will want to strictly stick to the above mentioned 20% surplus.
But if you are ectomorphic then you can allow a greater surplus or even throw in some garbage calories.

Have you researched macronutrients yet?
Or how you plan on structuring your diet throughout the day?

I would suggest 50/30/20
Protein, carbohydrates,fats.

I would suggest "6 meals" for the structure of your diet.
6 meals divided evenly throughout the day. Just keep carbohydrates before 2 pm.
Hope this helps you bro

 

[bluetwistedsteel67]

I'd agree with most of what what said above although I wouldn't worry about limiting carbs after 2pm. You're trying to grow and carbs are a key componant. As for the "6 meals per day" advice, that's not at all necessary. Research has proven over and over that meal frequency plays zero role in the overall outcome of a diet. You can eat 6 meals, 3 meals, 2 meals any configuration you want as long as you get your calories in. Metabolism isn't effected until you have been fasted for an extended period for time nearing 30 hours. When calculating your potential for gain, just keep in mind the number of cals oin a pound (3600) and do the math. If you bump your cals beyond maintenence by 500 per day, that's 3500 cals per week so you should gain nearly a pound per week. To gain 10lbs in a month as the you'll need a surplus of closer to 1000 cals per day.

 

[Ndo]

Thanks guys, this really helped, i'd say I'm in between Ectomorph and endomorph, Also I don't have a lot of time to work out at the gym, so would it be better or worse doing all of the muscles at once?

 

[bluetwistedsteel67]

Thanks guys, this really helped, i'd say I'm in between Ectomorph and endomorph, Also I don't have a lot of time to work out at the gym, so would it be better or worse doing all of the muscles at once?

If you can work out only 2 times pers week just blast chest and back one day and 3 days later blast legs and shoulders. But really thrash them as 2 days per week isn't ideal. Skip arms if you want, they'll get plenty of work as secondary muscles in the moevements you're doing. If you can do three days, adjust and just play with different combinations until you find what works best for your schedule. Doing full body workouts is an option but it's rough if you really get after it. Just make sure that you get the basic movements in there: squat, dead lift, shoulder press, rows, pull ups and bench (incline preferred but flat is fine). Hit those hard and hit the major muscles once per week (and I can't stress enough, hit them hard) and it'll happen for you.