Please help with diet and training

[thewilt]

I'm having trouble bulking. I am 30 yrs old, 6 ft and weigh 180lbs. I train hard, to failure (3 sets per exercise, 2 exercises per bodypart) 2 days per week (chest, back, calves, abs saturday; arms, shoulders, forearms, abs wednesday). As well as this I have to cycle to work 2 days of the week (monday & friday) which is a round trip of 25 miles each day (including some very big hills, carrying a backpack that weighs about 8kg) so this is my leg training. On non-cycling days (3 days of the week) I have to walk 4 miles per day carrying a backpack of 8kg. My job involves sitting in front of a computer all day. Here is my daily diet:

1. Breakfast: 4 whole eggs, 2 slices toast with peanut butter, 2 glasses milk

2. snack: sandwich (2 slices wholegrain bread) tin of tuna, cheese or peanut butter, or meat and salad, fruit (banana or apple)

3. Lunch: Turkey/chicken or beef with lots of veg (i.e. brussel sprouts, broccoli etc) brown rice

4. snack: sandwich (2 slices wholegrain bread) tin of tuna, cheese or peanut butter, or meat and salad

5. Dinner: Meat/fish/chicken/pork or lamb, potatoes or rice, lots of veg, glass milk

6. before bed: cottage cheese, glass milk

I'm taking in about 1.2grams protein per pound bodyweight.

I drink lots of water throughout the day. I'm on a very tight budget so I can't afford any supplements, except skim milk powder. Please help as I don't know what to do next!

[oldfart2]

Here's a link to another site that might help: Top Mass Maker Exercises.

You don't say what exercises you're doing but here's my suggestion:

Use 9-12 sets for the larger muscle groups ie: legs, chest, back; 6-9 sets for the smaller muscle groups ie: arms, shoulders, calves.

Start each group with a basic compund exercise: For chest - flat bench; for back - bent over rows or deadlifts; for legs - squats; for shoulders - overhead presses; for bi's - barbell curls; for tri's - close grip bench.

Then follow with a couple of isolation type exercises.

Your biking is fine for cardio but not for legs. You've got to do squats. Add another day of weight training for legs.

[thewilt]

Cheers! I'll adjust my plan. From past experience squats really didn't agree with me or give me results (before you ask I was using the correct form/weight/reps/intensity), however full-deadlifts did - I'll go back to this. I have a feeling I am going to have to increase my calorie intake, but by how much and what foods? Again my budget is tight so I can't include any supplements, i.e whey etc.

[oldfart2]

thewilt said:

From past experience squats really didn't agree with me or give me results

WHAT!!! OK, you say you did the right reps, form,etc. so I'll let it slide. But maybe you ought to give them another chance (I'm a real squat fanatic. I believe they work the entire body; one of the best mass builders there is).

Your diet looks good; I don't see how you can cram much more food in there particularly if you can't afford supplements. The only thing I might suggest is to drink more milk during the day with some of your other meals (milk and tuna - yuck!) and add more nuts, particularly almonds.

Here's another read for you: Best Exercise Per Bodypart

[ntrllftr]

If you want to "bulk" I would say that you are not eating enough carbs for as much cardio you have to do.
Meal (1) I would say to add some oatmeal.
meal (3) should be more like meal (5) with a potato or rice.
Try to get your carbs at about twice the amount of protein intake.
Hope it helps good luck.

[Intensity]

thewilt said:

I'm having trouble bulking. I am 30 yrs old, 6 ft and weigh 180lbs. I train hard, to failure (3 sets per exercise, 2 exercises per bodypart) 2 days per week (chest, back, calves, abs saturday; arms, shoulders, forearms, abs wednesday). As well as this I have to cycle to work 2 days of the week (monday & friday) which is a round trip of 25 miles each day (including some very big hills, carrying a backpack that weighs about 8kg) so this is my leg training. On non-cycling days (3 days of the week) I have to walk 4 miles per day carrying a backpack of 8kg. My job involves sitting in front of a computer all day. Here is my daily diet:

1. Breakfast: 4 whole eggs, 2 slices toast with peanut butter, 2 glasses milk

2. snack: sandwich (2 slices wholegrain bread) tin of tuna, cheese or peanut butter, or meat and salad, fruit (banana or apple)

3. Lunch: Turkey/chicken or beef with lots of veg (i.e. brussel sprouts, broccoli etc) brown rice

4. snack: sandwich (2 slices wholegrain bread) tin of tuna, cheese or peanut butter, or meat and salad

5. Dinner: Meat/fish/chicken/pork or lamb, potatoes or rice, lots of veg, glass milk

6. before bed: cottage cheese, glass milk

I'm taking in about 1.2grams protein per pound bodyweight.

I drink lots of water throughout the day. I'm on a very tight budget so I can't afford any supplements, except skim milk powder. Please help as I don't know what to do next!

Hi thewilt!

I have one word for you: Eat To me, your diet looks like a cutting diet (or at least not far from that).

I have to go for now, but i'll come back monday and give you my opinion about what you should try to do (it wont be THE absolute true ;D but if it could help...)

Mo

[PassionateBB]

Hi and welcome. I agree, you don't seem to be eating enough with the amount of cardio you're getting. I mean that's a whole lot of forced cardio! You're probably maintaining lean muscle mass but may even be losing some.

If I were you I'd be eating more carbs as well. You don't have to spend any extra money. Just keep it simple and eat more of what you're already consuming.

[thewilt]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your advice! I look forward to hearing your suggestions Mo!

[RUBICON19]

Eat more
Squat
Eat more again
Deadlift

[Intensity]

Hi thewilt,

Here is what i suggest you. Calculate the average of proteins and carbs you are eating with your current diet (I would estimate, only estimate because there is no mesure in your post, that you eat approx. 220 g of proteins and 275 g of carbs a day). On the next week, add 10g of protein and 15g of carbs to your daily average. Dont change the food in your diet, just the amount of food. Weight yourself every Sunday (for exemple) and maintain that new average of proteins and carbs until your weight stop to increase! At that point, add another 10g of protein and 15g of carbs on your average. On the opposite, if you add 4 or 5 pounds in a week, consider to decrease your average a bit because you must be adding too much fat!

In my mind, the biggest meals should be 1) The post workout meal 2) The pre workout meal 3) The "one hour" after post workout meal and 4) The breakfast.

Hope it can help!

Have a nice time in the kitchen ;D it's time to eat

Mo

[thewilt]

Cheers Mo! Just what I needed, this should get me growing again!

[thewilt]

Just to update - I've upped my carbs and boy do I feel good. I haven't had a training session as good as today for a long time!

[Intensity]

Good news! Keep going and with those additionnal carbs... beat some of your lifting best! ;D