Help with lifting schedule..

[99cougMD]

I got back into the routine this summer of going to the gym, normally about 5 days a week. I don't have a good schedule though, and I usually just end up lifting whatever is not sore from the day before.

Can anyone with experience in lifting let me know a good schedule for 5 days a week. I dont really intend on working the lower body much, I run before I start lifting. I've heard to do Chest/Bicep one day, and back/Tris the next day? Should I just alternate? What about all the other random smaller muscle groups?

[kustomcougar]

alternating is the best way so you dont hurt yourself if your going to be doing it 5 days a week

[jaged]

bbox has had a pretty intense workout schedule fo rthe past 6 months or so. shoot him a pm

[99cougMD]

alternating is the best way so you dont hurt yourself if your going to be doing it 5 days a week

I understand that. I guess my main question was which muscle groups are best to alternate. I know in a lot of excersizes, benching for example) you use your biceps and your chest mostly. Does this mean biceps/chest should be one days workout?

EDIT: Or does benching mostly do tri's/chest?

[COOGAH]

what are your goals? do you want to be a big burly manly man, or do you want to look like a normal guy and when you take your shirt off you look cut, or somewhere in the middle?

i personally take loads of HGH and steroids

[20cougar01]

HGH and Roids, I eat them like candy and wash them down with Protein shakes.

[Comando489]

HGH and Roids, I eat them like candy and wash them down with Protein shakes.

MAAAA! the PROTEIN shakes GHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! yeah i grunt when i get my swell on at the gym, cuz i want everyone to know how jacked and tanned i am :rofl:

[Naturaltal3nt]

well if your not working out your lower body then you might as well not evern work out. if you didn't notice that is the other half of your body. its just as important. I found the best routine was back/ shoulders... bi's/tri's.... chest/abs.....quads/calfs...then like a day of fullbody dead lifts and treadmill. that was mine you can use it if you like it..

[MOMO]

One website to rule them all.

AbcBodybuilding (http://www.abcbodybuilding.com)

[99cougMD]

well if your not working out your lower body then you might as well not evern work out. if you didn't notice that is the other half of your body. its just as important. I found the best routine was back/ shoulders... bi's/tri's.... chest/abs.....quads/calfs...then like a day of fullbody dead lifts and treadmill. that was mine you can use it if you like it..

I disagree with everything you said. I know for a fact working tris and bis in the same day is not good, because most of the times you're working your chest, you'll be working the tris also.

Also, to be Frank, I don't care about the appearence of my lower body nearly as much, I dont think many people do. This is why all I do is run before working out, which will help with my lower body a little bit, and I'll keep it in OK shape.

[RiverRojo]

I disagree with everything you said. I know for a fact working tris and bis in the same day is not good, because most of the times you're working your chest, you'll be working the tris also.

Also, to be Frank, I don't care about the appearence of my lower body nearly as much, I dont think many people do. This is why all I do is run before working out, which will help with my lower body a little bit, and I'll keep it in OK shape.

Working out your upper body and doing nothing to your legs is like putting an aftermarket front bumper on your cougar and nothing else.

[deliveryguy]

Lol...working out your lower body is certainly important. Your legs are the biggest muscle group in your body - they release more growth hormone throughout ALL of your muscles when you work them out than any other muscle group. They might not be necessary, but you'll see much more growth/improvement if you stick lower body into the workout.

I've been going ~5 days a week, and here's what I do:

Day 1
Chest: 2 Exercises: Incline bench, decline bench, flat bench, flies. All exercises implementing a pyramid routine - start low, high reps. Work your way up to high weights, lower reps. Then back down to low weights, high reps. NO BREAKS.

Triceps: Dips, then I do skullcrushers until failure, use that same bar (no break) and revert to tri presses, then tri pushups (all no break). I take a 1-2 minute breather and repeat about 3 times; until I can't anymore.

Day 2
Shoulders: Shrugs sitting down/standing up (works the traps)
Shoulder presses

Day 3
Back/Biceps: Start out with wide-stance pullups; do a sh!tton of rows. Then do the pyramid thing for your biceps a few times, using a straight bar one week and an ergonomic one the next. If you do regular curls with dumbells, start out fully extended with the bells lengthwise pointing front/back relative to you. When curling, twist them so that they point side/side. This works out more of the bicep; you'll feel it nice.

Day 4
Full leg workout. Do anything end everything to ensure that you cannot walk. Calve presses, squats, both at the same time. Deadlifts wreck your face.

Day 5
Smaller exercises. I do forearms, shrugs again, abs (usually working out your abs won't help obtaining a 6-pack, it's all about the diet). Lower back.


Diet is important, and don't take steroids if you want to have kids or be functional at a later age. I take protein shakes, but I stay away from everything else, including creatine. Creatine can be good if you use it correctly, but I've found that most people don't. Varying exercises is key, too. Don't stick with any one repetitive motion every week. The more change your muscles experience, the more they'll grow to accommodate those changes.

Oh, and brush your teeth at least once a day. Learn something online everyday. Go to howstuffworks or instructables or ehow. And be nice to everyone. Generosity is pure awesome. And stop judging people.

[MOMO]

Also, to be Frank, I don't care about the appearence of my lower body nearly as much, I dont think many people do. This is why all I do is run before working out, which will help with my lower body a little bit, and I'll keep it in OK shape.


Trust me, i have been working out on and off for many years and almost went into professional body building at one point... And while you may not care about the appearance of your lower body, it is a proven fact that working out your lower extremity will stimulate overall muscle growth.

Work your lower body. Your body will appreciate it. (and so will the ladies. ;))

BTW, thats how i got into chiropractic in the first place... i was doing heavy squats (with spotters) and blew out my L5 disc in the process. :(

[99cougMD]

Trust me, i have been working out on and off for many years and almost went into professional body building at one point... And while you may not care about the appearance of your lower body, it is a proven fact that working out your lower extremity will stimulate overall muscle growth.

Work your lower body. Your body will appreciate it. (and so will the ladies. ;))

BTW, thats how i got into chiropractic in the first place... i was doing heavy squats (with spotters) and blew out my L5 disc in the process. :(
Oh didnt know that at all. I had started out spending one day a week doing intense lower body work, but then I said screw it. I guess I'll go back to doing that.

[99cougMD]

Lol...working out your lower body is certainly important. Your legs are the biggest muscle group in your body - they release more growth hormone throughout ALL of your muscles when you work them out than any other muscle group. They might not be necessary, but you'll see much more growth/improvement if you stick lower body into the workout.

I've been going ~5 days a week, and here's what I do:

Day 1
Chest: 2 Exercises: Incline bench, decline bench, flat bench, flies. All exercises implementing a pyramid routine - start low, high reps. Work your way up to high weights, lower reps. Then back down to low weights, high reps. NO BREAKS.

Triceps: Dips, then I do skullcrushers until failure, use that same bar (no break) and revert to tri presses, then tri pushups (all no break). I take a 1-2 minute breather and repeat about 3 times; until I can't anymore.

Day 2
Shoulders: Shrugs sitting down/standing up (works the traps)
Shoulder presses

Day 3
Back/Biceps: Start out with wide-stance pullups; do a sh!tton of rows. Then do the pyramid thing for your biceps a few times, using a straight bar one week and an ergonomic one the next. If you do regular curls with dumbells, start out fully extended with the bells lengthwise pointing front/back relative to you. When curling, twist them so that they point side/side. This works out more of the bicep; you'll feel it nice.

Day 4
Full leg workout. Do anything end everything to ensure that you cannot walk. Calve presses, squats, both at the same time. Deadlifts wreck your face.

Day 5
Smaller exercises. I do forearms, shrugs again, abs (usually working out your abs won't help obtaining a 6-pack, it's all about the diet). Lower back.


Diet is important, and don't take steroids if you want to have kids or be functional at a later age. I take protein shakes, but I stay away from everything else, including creatine. Creatine can be good if you use it correctly, but I've found that most people don't. Varying exercises is key, too. Don't stick with any one repetitive motion every week. The more change your muscles experience, the more they'll grow to accommodate those changes.

Oh, and brush your teeth at least once a day. Learn something online everyday. Go to howstuffworks or instructables or ehow. And be nice to everyone. Generosity is pure awesome. And stop judging people.

I think that sounds like a good routine and lol what's up with that last paragraph? I need to brush my teeth more?

[99cougMD]

Day 2
Shoulders: Shrugs sitting down/standing up (works the traps)
Shoulder presses



You really devote an entire day just to shoulders?

[Comando489]

I think that sounds like a good routine and lol what's up with that last paragraph? I need to brush my teeth more?

i thought the last paragraph was even more important than the work out schedule. esp. that last sentence lol

but what are skull crushers? i don't think i have ever heard that term.

[Comando489]

You really devote an entire day just to shoulders?

yeah i was thinking that as well. i would throw them in b4 my leg day.

[COOGAH]

yes some people do devote a whole day to shoulders. you have to remember that when working shoulder you work out some of the other muscles.

as for skull crushers, thats a triceps workout where you lay on a flat or inclined bench and bring the bar down to your forehead and press up.

[99cougMD]

yes some people do devote a whole day to shoulders. you have to remember that when working shoulder you work out some of the other muscles.

as for skull crushers, thats a triceps workout where you lay on a flat or inclined bench and bring the bar down to your forehead and press up.

Ah cool, I do those.

I just got back from the gym and did a lot of benching. Im concerned though that my upper arms, bicep mainly, is sore, I can tell it'll be very sore in the morning, but my chest is not sore at all. I did flys, another chest excersize, but my chest does not feel sore at all. Is this normal, or is there something wrong in my technique?

[deliveryguy]

Just because your muscles are sore doesn't mean that you had a good/bad workout. Soreness is just an indicator of new experience; your chest probably isn't sore because it's used to that exercise. Try some incline/decline and you'll be sore. Your bis/tris are being worked in different way when you bench; they're not "used to" the motions/stresses.

[99cougMD]

Just because your muscles are sore doesn't mean that you had a good/bad workout. Soreness is just an indicator of new experience; your chest probably isn't sore because it's used to that exercise. Try some incline/decline and you'll be sore. Your bis/tris are being worked in different way when you bench; they're not "used to" the motions/stresses.

Gotcha. I did inclinded/declined/ and flat press today.

Is it possible that an improper technique would result in not using the chest muscles at all? Even while doing the bench press, I feel like I'm using my arms more them my chest.

[deliveryguy]

What's your routine? How do you hold the bar? I find that the further apart my hands are on the bar, the more stress it puts on my chest. Aim for a 45 degree angle from your body; meaning when you're bringing the bar down/ pushing it up, don't have your lower arms pointing in the same direction as the bar, but don't have them pointing in the same direction as your body, either. Exactly in the middle would be ideal. Exhaling while pushing up is proper technique. When I mentioned the skull-crushers and then reverted into tricep presses, that's essentially a bench press but with your arms pointed towards your feet. It just targets different muscles. Try this next time you do chest (change weight according to what you feel comfortable with):

15 reps, no weight
15 reps, bar + 20
10 reps, bar + 40
10 reps, bar + 60
8 reps, bar + 80
6 reps, bar + 100
as many as you can, bar + 120

And then go backwards. It doesn't seem like a lot, but if you follow this with no breaks, your chest is pushing almost 10,000 pounds in a short period of time. The point is total exhaustion; with limited/no breaks, your chest will want to get medieval on your arse. If you do this, while your spotter is adding weight take a sip of water. Try this with incline or decline, and then take a break and do a bunch of wide-stance pushups.

Obviously there are thousands of different workout schedules/routines; this is just what works for me.

[MOMO]

stay away from decline until youve been lifting for at least a year.

and above workout is really advanced.

stay away until you get stronger.

[deliveryguy]

:( Not trying to get anyone hurt...sorry dude! Thanks for the heads up doc!

[MOMO]

:( Not trying to get anyone hurt...sorry dude! Thanks for the heads up doc!

lol..hes trying to learn how to ride a bike and youre shoving him a Harley!:rofl:

[COOGAH]

me strong like bull....smell like goat

[Comando489]

i like the machine in the gym where you stand in the middle and then pull two cords from opposite sides (they are like 4 feet long) and then you focus on pulling your arms togeather in different motions.

the other one i do for my chest is the one where you pull down and it has like a Y shaped rope and when you pull down you also seperate your arms out.

i tried doing the bench press thing yesterday and liked it...

started at 40lbs with 20 reps of high/low/flat each
then 60lbs with 15 of high/low/flat each
then 80lbs with 15 of high/low/flat each
then 100lbs with 15 flat bench
then 160lbs and i think i did about 8 or 9

im pretty tall and skinny so i max out at around my body weight (it doesn't help to have such long arms when you lift because it is that much more work lol)

does this seem about right for me? i work out all the time so im pretty used to getting tired and sore and working past that.

edit:tonight ima have to try the declined bench routine... why do you say that he shouldn't do that momo?? i would think that would be easy

[MOMO]

i like the machine in the gym where you stand in the middle and then pull two cords from opposite sides (they are like 4 feet long) and then you focus on pulling your arms togeather in different motions.

the other one i do for my chest is the one where you pull down and it has like a Y shaped rope and when you pull down you also seperate your arms out.

i tried doing the bench press thing yesterday and liked it...

started at 40lbs with 20 reps of high/low/flat each
then 60lbs with 15 of high/low/flat each
then 80lbs with 15 of high/low/flat each
then 100lbs with 15 flat bench
then 160lbs and i think i did about 8 or 9

im pretty tall and skinny so i max out at around my body weight (it doesn't help to have such long arms when you lift because it is that much more work lol)

does this seem about right for me? i work out all the time so im pretty used to getting tired and sore and working past that.

edit:tonight ima have to try the declined bench routine... why do you say that he shouldn't do that momo?? i would think that would be easy

There are three body types that people fall under.

ectomorphs are skinny, lean, with lots of muscle fibers not suited for mass,

mesomorphs, have the wide shoulder, narrow waist profile ideal for building mass quickly,

and endomorphs with a pear shaped body. (narrow shoulder wider hips).

From the sounds of it, you are an ectomorph so you have a lot of work cut out for you if you want to gain some sizable muscle mass. (your metabolism is usually high and your muscles are designed for endurance rather than burst.) BTW, this is just a guess so if i get something wrong, let me know.

Your workout actually enhances your body type... which means that if you want to gain muscle mass, its not really going to help you. You have to stimulate certain muscle fiber type to gain... only way you are going to do that is by going low rep, high weight. 3 sets at 80 percent of your max bench at the end of three will definately get your body to remodel.

Decline bench... very specialized exercise designed to "sculpt" the bottom part of your pec muscle... gives you that very rounded look to your pec that everyone goggles at... but you have to have some mass there first to really develop it. once you get some mass on your chest, it can be a very defining exercise for your chest... but until then, you are better off doing flat bench, (overall chest growth), incline bench, (clavicular part of your pec, or upper part) and flys (for overall pec muscle elongation).

[Comando489]

ectomorphs are skinny, lean, with lots of muscle fibers not suited for mass,


thats me lol

yeah i really don't want to get huge, and it would be hard for me to do that any ways. i just like getting as lean as i can while still eating doughnuts and pizza :biggrin:

so im going to try higher weights, with less reps for a while now. thanks.

[MOMO]

thats me lol

yeah i really don't want to get huge, and it would be hard for me to do that any ways. i just like getting as lean as i can while still eating doughnuts and pizza :biggrin:

so im going to try higher weights, with less reps for a while now. thanks.

once you start to get mass, you will change your mind, i promise. ;)

[Foreverfalcon40]

LOL...didn't read the last three pages...all bc you opt not to work out your legs.
CHICKEN LEEEEGGGSSS....I laugh at all those top heavy and juice boxes at the gym that have great upper body physique and CHICKEN LEGS.

ITS OK FOR GRLS TO BE TOP HEAVY NOT GUYS!

Whats your diet like? Optimize your workouts with a protein shake. Not exspensive as people think. My protein shake costs around 60 cents. Go to GMC or EBAY. Order the big bottle of WHEY PROTEIN like 20 bucks. Also add a frozen bananna...water etc...

No matter what you routine is...make sure you do everything right...keep your heart rate up.

PLEASE do stretch...im tired of seeing these fellow students at college that just walk into the gym start working out then scream in pain or actually even YEEELLLPPPEEDD LOL.

I don't know what your goals are...you want to bulk up...bulk up...eat like a beast! I MEAN EAT. CUT YOUR CARDIO! Please do pyramid as in the more sets you do= more weight and less reps.

[pgtatx]

If you are going to reply to my post, please read it in its entirety. It is being written in a very general sense. Think of it like a text book... I hope it offers some insight.

When it comes to diet and lifting I could write for hours. Everytime there is a post about it, I usually post the same stuff. What I usually post, gets disregarded and people still follow whatever they want.

There is plenty of good information on the internet, but the problem is about 90% of it is garbage. Is that a true statistical number based on fact? Not at all, but when I sit on message boards dedicated to bodybuilding, training for sport, and general health, it is amazing how much crap I read that ends up with people hating exercise, getting hurt, getting sick, unable to put weight on, unable to keep weight off, and all in all leaving a person unhealthy.

Most people do not have the knowledge or skill to actually create a good and clean diet and exercise routine, and then follow it and perform the exercises properly. Most people buy a magazine, read in the info, try to follow what it says, and wonder why they see no gains.

Truthfully, it is impossible for any person to just read someones plan, and follow it. Everything needs to be personalized. That is one of the reasons the weight loss/Gym/Supplement industry is a multi-billion dollar industry.

The basis to a good diet and exercise routine is finding one that YOU can follow. One that fits into your schedule and your life. One that is "easy" for you to adjust your lifestyle to. Next, you need to look at all of this as a lifestyle. A diet is not a "diet"... in the common term of... " I am on a diet"... your diet is the plan of the foods, amounts and schedule of your eating. It is your lifesyle. Exercise is not a chore, exercise should have some level of enjoyment to you also.

Once you figure out hoiw much of you life you will dedicate to everything, then you need to look at yourself and your genetic build, and the build of family members. Once you can determine what you are working with, then you need to plan long term, and short term realistic goals. At that point it is ready to plan your workout and diet plans.

I am 6'3" and weigh 315lbs. I have been able to drop to 212lbs, or be at 265lbs at around 10% body fat... along with having 21" arms, I was a large person. Today I am well out of my normal shape... but it the body I was given, and the body I must live with.

It took me years to develop diet and exercise plans that workd for me. In the process I became so obsessed with exercise, diet, supplementation etc, I went for my certifications to become a personal trainer. I took courses in college also, even though it was not my major. I have work with plenty of people to help them get where they need to be. The key I learned is that no single exercise or diet plan works for all. I adapted my knowledge to the person. The 1 thing I did find out though, about why people werent gaining or losing (depending on the goals), was the persons internal motivation. I used to teach motivation first, and get people mentally pumped before beginning any plan. I would also, develop routines and eating plans that could work for the persons busy work schedule. Honestly it takes a while to get things right.

For some people, all they do is eat a salad with tuna, look at a 45lb plate, and they are jacked. Other people, eat 10,000 calories a day, go to the gym 2x per day and work the hardest routines ever, under the supervision of a professional, and never reach the same physique as the previous example. It sucks, but it's never a reason to stop.

Without going through a full profile, and gradually devloping a routine and diet plan for you (which changes regularly over time), I can offer a few points.

-With exercise of any type... focus on performing the exercises properly. Cheating gets you no where. It may be OK to cheat on the last rep or 2, but proper form, proper breathing, proper weight, and proper exercise selection is key. Over exercising is a bad idea and should never be done. Pain and discomfort is NOT a good workout. Stretching and flexibility are key to good safe workouts.

-With diet... find something you follow. Eat foods that do NOT cause your intestinal discomfort of any type. Eat a mixture of foods to make sure you are getting everything you need. Plan the best times to eat, and make sure you do. If you area skinny guy putting on size, make sure to constantly increase calories, and of course if you are on the other end of the spectrum, constantly cut calories. Find a happy medium with your body by trying all different diets wne decide what is working best for you.

-With supplementation... I am a big fan of supplementation. But you must remember the word, "supplement"... these things are used to :supplement" your diet. They are used to make sure you are getting enough of that particular vitamin/mineral/etc. that you are unable to do through eating. Gimmick supplements are just that, gimmicks. That may actually work, however most offer short term gains that leave after just days of use, or after discontinuance. Many of these gimmicks also offer side effects, that may be entirely unwanted. Do not fall for the hype. For the gimmicky supplements that "may" work, often the main ingredient is a naturally occurring thing that you can just get by eating a particular food. A good supplement program along side a good diet and exercise program will assist you in reaching your goals.

Lastly to my ridiculously long post that barely answers any of your question... There is NO 1 school of thought that works for all people. So, it is NOT true that High wights, High reps, Low Weights, Low reps, or any other combination of lifitng program will directly be a requirement for a particular goal or body type. There are generalities that may be somewhat true, or offer a good base as to which one could create a program, but no single thought will get you to where you want to be. Do not listen to 1 person, listen to everyone. Try everything and see what works for you. Just be sure to put your heart and your de3dication into it, and you will reap the benefits. Follow the "group think" method of lifting, and end up with major back or joint issues, health issues, etc. Please remember, that are some single points that do pertain to all, but that being said, there are still levels and variations to these thoughts and points.

That's about all I got for now... If you have any other questions I can probably help.

[20COUG00]

My 5 day workout is:
Monday: Bi's and tri's
Tuesday: Chest and Back (do one more workout of back)
Wednesday: Shoulders
Thursday: Off
Friday: Bi's and Tri's
Saturday: Chest and Back
Sunday off:

I speed walk after each workout at an incline to help out the legs, off days i usually do abs at home.

[99cougMD]

pgtatx-

Thanks for the post, I did read it all.

My goals are to put on a lot of weight, and be pretty lean and tone. Right now I'm skinny as hell, right around 6 feet and 135 ish pounds. I'd like to add 25-30 pounds, of muscle though.

I learned that for me, diet is going to be the most important thing, more important then lifting. I need to put on weight before I can turn it into lean muscle. Lifting without dieting is just going to get my tiny body into shape, but I won't fill out at all. So I'm trying to eat around 3500 calories a day, while also getting a ton of protein in me with shakes and other foods, and I'll continue to lift 4-5 times a week. Hopefully I'll see some progess.

[deliveryguy]

Getchoswellon. ๏̯͡๏

[pgtatx]

Eating is key for you...

Really, you'll probably end up needing to eat more than 3500 calories per day, especially if/when you are lifting.

If you want to get a really generic basis of the amount of calories you need to eat each day, do a search for BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). There are variances on the out come to the formula to add for exercise/activity level and goal. There are 3500calories per lb of body weight. So basically you need to eat the minimal number of calories each day to retain your current weight as found by the BMR formula. Then add a percentage for your activity level, plus an additional 500-750cal per day to "gain" weight above and beyond that. Then week after week as intensity increases, you will need to increase your calorie intake from there.

Once you have determined your caloric intake on paper, test it out. Break up the calories into Protein/Fats/Carbohydrates... you may even want to break down Carbohydrates into simple and complex. Remember there are 4 calories per gram of Carbs, 4 calories per gram of Protein, and 9 calories per gram of fat. It's good to supplement a few grams of fat with supplements like Flax Oil, Fish Oils, Primrose Oil, etc... all of these contacin EFA's, that are great for you.

Noticing that there are 9 calories per gram of fat, and you will need to increase your caloric intake ALOT... you may want to look into clean fats. Clean fats are certain oils (typically plant and not animal) that offer some health benefits, are lower in saturated fats and do not include trans-fats. I already stated EFA's... these are typically not great to cook with. Look into coconut oils and olive oils to supplement some clean fats in your diet and pick up some additional calories.

Watch your usage of Protein Supplements to get your daily intake of protein. Try to just use protein shakes as a pre/post workout drink. maybe 20g before a workout, and 40g after a workout. I do not like using protein powders as the primary source of protein for the day. I would strongly recommend adding Maltodextrin (a sugar derived from corn) in the amounts of 50-80g with your protein shake after workouts. If you are interested in the reasoning, do a search on insulin levels post workout, Insulin spikes, IGF-1, etc. Insulin is a highly anabolic hormone that you will produce normally... creating controlled spikes can help with absorbtion of protein and sugars... this is great post workout for muscle repair and refueling glycogen stores in the muscle. Overwight people, may not want to use thius method as it can also lead to storage of body fat. At your weight though, it's a good idea.

So sit down with your total calories... I did a rough BMR saying you were 6'1" and 25yrs old... and came up with 1664 calories per day to retain your weight. I would use the correction factor of 1.5 - 1.6 to adjust for activity of 4-5 days per week. So you end up with; 2580... I rounded up a little. So, I would recommend building a diet around 2580-2800 calories per day for 1 week, then see what the outcome is. The BMR calculation does not take into account differences in genetics. For you 2580 may be a normal day.

Break the calories into Fats, Protein, Carbs... and decide what you need of each...

ie. 2g per lb bodyweight Protein or 270g or 1080 calories
200 g carbs or 800 calories
100g fats or 900 calories
Equals: 2780 calories...

After 1 week if you see minimal gains in weight and you have been lifting... add 500 calories per day next week. Then we can see what we have.

A clean diet will allow the body to function normally and build lean mass rather than loading on water or fat weight. So... fast food, though high in calories, should really be reduced to a minimum. Use clean foods like fruits and vegetables, Lower fat red meats, fish, chicken, etc.

Next is to plan the best way for you to eat... I assume your body takes every bit for food you eat, and just passesit through very quickly. For this I would recommend multiple meals a day... HOWEVER... I would lean towards alternating sized meals... Keeping your body in check, but making sure to feed it properly... Basically do 3 Large meals, and 2 smaller ones (more like snacks). Try to keep the caloric intake equal in the 3 larger meals.

This is the best way as I see it to develop a diet plan. Now that we have the calories, we can test out foods and amounts and fit it to that plan. Then see how everything works and see if we need more or less, or what foods help and which ones hurt.

I hope this helps...

Please remember I am not a licensed doctor or dietician... I am not able to recommend anything to you, I can just offer points of information to be used for entertainment use only. I also am no longer a certified personal trainer, as I have opted to let my certs lapse since I am no longer interested in getting into that field. And I can not make recommendations on supplements, I can only state what I may use, and if I like it for myself.

Just a quick legal disclaimer...

[99cougMD]

Please remember I am not a licensed doctor or dietician

You sure as hell had me fooled.

Thanks so much for the help you taught me a ton. That sugar from corn supplement sounds like it would do me alot of good I'll look into it.