Bulking Up - What Options Are There?

[paddyhasneeds]

I'm basically a skinny fker. 6 foot tall, weigh around 11 stone and it seems I can eat anything I like and nothing sticks to me.

I'm curious what the (low impact on my lifestyle) options are if I wanted to put on a bit more, well not sure what the actual term is, mass rather than outright weight I guess.

I don't especially want to be down the gym every day of the week, and I don't want to turn into a muscly but skinny fker like a chap at work who looks like a "ripped" Belsen survivor.

[theaxe]

The Simpsons said:

Dr. Nick: Hi everybody!
Homer+Bart: Hi Doctor Nick!
Dr. Nick: Now there are many options available for dangerously
underweighted individuals like yourself. I recommend a slow
steady gorging process combined with assal horizontology.
Homer: [pensive] Of course.
Dr. Nick: [points to a chart] You'll want to focus on the neglected
food groups such as the whipped group, the congealed group
and the chocotastic!
Homer: What can I do to speed the whole thing up, Doctor?
Dr. Nick: Well...be creative. Instead of making sandwiches with
bread, use poptarts. Instead of chewing gum, chew bacon,
heh...
Bart: You could brush your teeth with milkshakes!
Dr. Nick: Hey, did you go to Hollywood Upstairs Medical College too?
And remember, if you're not sure about something, rub it
against a piece of paper. If the paper turns clear, it's
your window to weight gain. Bye bye, everybody!

[Dale19]

Train 3 days a week, keep them short and intense.

I dont buy the i can eat anything blah blah. Pick your foods better, eat calorie dense foods, drink milk, base each meal around a protein source, eggs, tuna, and meats, and it really is hard to go wrong.

Note an average days eating in terms of calories, protein, carbs and fats, i bet it isnt as much as you think. When you know this, add 500cals a day and get your protein and carbs higher.

[paddyhasneeds]

God that got moved quickly!

Dale thanks for the reply. Perhaps I should have been clearer in that I'm by no means eating the "right" foods at the moment, I just know that it seems whatever I do eat has little effect on my frame/weight.

Most of my meals tend to be bases around "meat and potatoes/vegetables" or pasta, usually with chicken.

I also tend to go most of the day with little to no food and eat a large evening meal, it's a habit that's developed and I would add that if I feel hungry I eat, I've just never been one for "Oh it's 12.30 must eat".

[JakeR]

Go and spend a few months in America.

I believe that there, they have passed a law making healthy eating illegal.

Within a few weeks of eating their food, you will be a right fat bd.

HTH

[Halb]

I have heard good things aboot this
http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Bill_Starr_...

I am going to try it myself when I get back in the gym.

[Technonotice]

I'm a hard gainer as well.

I'm now eating 3 to 4 meals a day and going to the gym 3 times a week.


Gained a stone in the last month.

Just eat, eat and eat more!

For lunch today I had:

2 x jacket potatoes
2 x small gem lettuces
1 x tin of beans
1 x quiche
+ Philadelphia and grated cheddar

I only ate 2 hours ago and I"m getting hungry again.

[Animal]

paddyhasneeds said:

I'm basically a skinny fker. 6 foot tall, weigh around 11 stone and it seems I can eat anything I like and nothing sticks to me.

You are not eating enough. Provided you are training hard enough to stimulate muscle growth then you are simply not eating enough.

You need six decent meals a day: chicken, turkey, tuna, beef, rice, bread, pasta, green vegetables, about 4-8 pints of water, etc, etc.

When you pig out, what do you have? Fast food? That st's not going to stick to you - it's supposed to go through you quickly so you get hungry again! Remember: train hard, but eat harder!

[Dale19]

Well, it sounds like you know exactly why you arnt growing.

If you dont want to eat multiple meals a day, your can bulk on 3 easily, start to measure your prortions, gradually add to them, and you`ll soon add weight, but i`m guessing you already knew this.

[swiftpete]

You have to eat when you're not hungry if you want to gain. Protein shakes are good for this. You can have one even if you don't want to. 3 a day added to your normal diet should help.

[paddyhasneeds]

swiftpete said:

You have to eat when you're not hungry if you want to gain. Protein shakes are good for this. You can have one even if you don't want to. 3 a day added to your normal diet should help.

That sounds like an option, I'm aware of them but had always associated them with "proper" body building. Any suggestions or are they much of a muchness?

To clarify, I don't "binge" my evening meal is a proper meal, rarely junk food, I'm not living off pizza or burger and chips or anything daft.

[Dale19]

Best option for protein is one of the bulk suppliers, someone will be along to tell you the cheapest soon i imagine, they are nearly all the same though.

Get your diet sorted first though bud, as the name suggests, they are a supplement, treat them as such.

[10speeduk]

Hi Paddy,

Your current body weight is your natural equilibrium for how your body is meant to be. Some people are stocky, some are skinny. To bulk up you can increase you calorie intake -but if you dont accompany this with some sort of weight training, you will just end up being 'the skinny guy with the gut'. If you want to really change your body shape you will be looking at a minimum of 3 hard gym sessions a week.

So, after working out hard regularly, filtering what you eat and becoming more body conscious, you have to wonder whether it is worth it? After all, if you stop working out and/or eating your special diet, you will return back to your current body weight. I don't know anyone who worked out once and stayed pumped!

So, what are you wanting to bulk up for? If it is confidence then maybe you could find another way to do it like conquering a fear eg parachute jump??! or something else?

I am not trying to put you off working out and bulking up, my bro does it and loves it. Just realise it is a longterm commitment if you want the results to stick around. Also ask yourself why you want to be bulkier? Will being bulkier give you what you want?

Good luck with it.

ps many peeps would kill to be naturally skinny!

[paddyhasneeds]

I guess it's easy to get lost in the definitions of words. I'd say I'm slim, others would say skinny, I certainly don't mean frail/stick-like and when I say "bulk up" I don't mean "get lots of muscles", I actually can't think of the word I'm looking for.

Regards things such as shakes, presumably that as long as we're not talking anything stupid i.e. have a couple a day vs. a chicken breast for lunch (for example) there can be no harm done? For some reason a tin of powder triggers more alarm bells than a chicken breast.

We have recently got a gym at work that I'm considering joining. It's dirt cheap but as with anything it's easy to go once or twice until the novelty wears off and I appreciate that there are no quick fixes to this sort of thing.

[Animal]

paddyhasneeds said:

I guess it's easy to get lost in the definitions of words. I'd say I'm slim, others would say skinny, I certainly don't mean frail/stick-like and when I say "bulk up" I don't mean "get lots of muscles", I actually can't think of the word I'm looking for.

Regards things such as shakes, presumably that as long as we're not talking anything stupid i.e. have a couple a day vs. a chicken breast for lunch (for example) there can be no harm done? For some reason a tin of powder triggers more alarm bells than a chicken breast.

We have recently got a gym at work that I'm considering joining. It's dirt cheap but as with anything it's easy to go once or twice until the novelty wears off and I appreciate that there are no quick fixes to this sort of thing.

Good news:

1) You are not going to turn into this after one protein shake and one leg workout:


2) Are you are just starting (assuming you do everything correctly) you are going to grow like a weed. You'll practically be able to see the changes to your body on a weekly basis!

3) Lots of sportspeople drink protein shakes. I personally don't have a huge appetite so I supplement my diet with protein shakes to make sure I have enough protein to keep me going.

4) You've got access to a cheap gym at work - result!

Make sure you do some research and Good Luck!

[Gnits]

Yep - What Animal said.
Have a look around at the amount of protein, etc. you need to take in to put on any kind of muscle I bet it is probably 3 times what you are eating now!
Protein shakes worked a treat for me, I just could not eat enough otherwise.

[deadmau5]

http://www.thesupplementstore.co.uk/interactive-ma...

[JakeR]

swerni said:

JakeR said:

Go and spend a few months in America.

I believe that there, they have passed a law making healthy eating illegal.

Within a few weeks of eating their food, you will be a right fat bd.

HTH

Suggest you look closer to home.

Having just spent 2 weeks in France it's really noticeable how obese we have becoming as a nation.
We laugh about the Americans, but we aint that far behind.

Sitting on the beach playing "spot the Brit" was easy.
Just look for the fat fvcker.

Too right mate! Couldnt agree more... My comments came as I spent 3 weeks in the states this summer... I'm afraid I couldnt resist their breakfasts: Corned beef hash with a side order of pancakes and maple syrup

For that matter, I couldnt resist the Mexican food either. In the states you are just constantly bombarded by opportunities to eat delicious, hi-cal food. I loved it.

I came back a right fatty.

[swiftpete]

paddyhasneeds said:

I guess it's easy to get lost in the definitions of words. I'd say I'm slim, others would say skinny, I certainly don't mean frail/stick-like and when I say "bulk up" I don't mean "get lots of muscles", I actually can't think of the word I'm looking for.

Regards things such as shakes, presumably that as long as we're not talking anything stupid i.e. have a couple a day vs. a chicken breast for lunch (for example) there can be no harm done? For some reason a tin of powder triggers more alarm bells than a chicken breast.

We have recently got a gym at work that I'm considering joining. It's dirt cheap but as with anything it's easy to go once or twice until the novelty wears off and I appreciate that there are no quick fixes to this sort of thing.

There's no need for a shake to trigger alarm bells. It's not really a big deal. Injecting steroids, like my mate does, is more of a big deal. You certainly won't suddenly get massive if you start training/eating. Getting muscle if you're naturally skinny is tough and takes a lot of work. I know as thats the way I am. I'm 5 11 and used to weigh 11 stone. I'm now about 13 stone, but have lifted a lot of weights and eaten a lot of food. I'm far from the biggest at the gym, but am in better shape than the average person. I used to hate getting called skinny and still do sometimes, but nowadays generally that's only by my steroid friend...
So don't worry about suddenly bulking up, you could probably try as hard as you can and stuff yourself and still not get that big.

2-3 shakes a day and chicken breasts etc coupled with 3 good sessions a week at the gym, where you're actually working hard rather than going through the motions and you should get some good results. Not competitive body builder results, but you'll certainly get in better shape. Not difficult to integrate into your day to day life either.
The people that say about how some people would love to be naturally skinny, well yeah, maybe if you're a real fat st that's what you'd think, but being skinny and weak and not as strong as an average man is not really what I'd see as a good thing. Not great if a 12 year old could out muscle you and beat you up really is it?