Trying to gain..........

[JKurz1]

I'm trying to put on a good 20lbs over the next 6 months, but will do whatever it takes to keep it realitvely lean mass.........I know I need to eat more, but with so many conflicting opinions, not too sure which side to take.....NOW, I just had a good friend, who is an amat. that says he eats his 7-8 meals a day, but keeps a jar of pb at his desk and maybe has 3-4 tablespoons on top of his meals when he his trying to put on mass......he also cranks pizza and some fast food (which I wont do) but says as long as you train hard, and keep cardio in at 3-4 days a week for 35 minutes at a very moderate level, you should be fine...thoughts?

 

[BOOEY]

I don't agree with eating fast food and pizza, especially for someone who wants lean gains. Plus, cardio 3-4 days a week is going to make it extra hard to put on some quality weight. For lean gains, better off eating the healthy stuff, while going for 500 or so calories over maintenance and increasing whenever hitting a plateau. Cardio once-twice a week, 30 min @ moderate intensity should keep the fat gains in check. Good luck.

 

[dzuljas]

i think eating the excess peanut butter can get your into trouble. Unless you are doing cardio or on low carbs youre not going to be using much fat for energy. I would stick to clean foods, low GI carbs, and get most of your fats from meats and flax seed oil.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

I'd say 500 calories over maintenance of relatively clean calories, two days a week of 45 minutes brisk walking. Maintenance would be bodyweight multiplied by 12, plus your activity level. The high end would be BWx15, the low end BWx13. If you're really active, try BWx15-16.

 

[JKurz1]

problem being...ive never counted calories and always stay under 10%.....just increase by 500? Even on non-training days?

 

[onerepmaximum]

20 pounds in 6 months is alot, even with gear. Not too sure if that's very realistic maing.

 

[JKurz1]

nah bro...it's .5-1lb per week............feesible, a little will be fat of course......but not too much....whats your strategy?

 

[onerepmaximum]

I guess, bottom line is food. I would stay as close to your BMR as possible while still gaining. Add little by little until you seem to be gaining at the pace that you want. That should help to keep things under control as far as fat goes too. I'd shoot for 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight and keep your calories at the number that you determine. I hope you'll keep us posted. You should put some picks up before you start and update them every few weeks or something.

 

[JKurz1]

would you increase carbs or fats? my protein is already about 2g per...........

 

[onerepmaximum]

would you increase carbs or fats? my protein is already about 2g per...........

Increase everything. It would probably not be a bad idea to try to maintain a 40%/30%/30% ratio protein/fat/carbs.