The SKINNY guy @ the gym

[Barrett]

I know I have proablly wrote about this before but I am extremely confused about nutrtion. I read alot of different material, I recently got Gourmet Nutrtion Version 2. But it is always information on FATLOSS. Hopw about some information on a CLEAN muscle gain???

This is a little bit of general information about me......I am about 6 foot and weight about 150 lbs. I would like to gain about 5-10 lbs of muscle. Because today at the gym this guy really insulted me. But anyway I would really like to gain a "clean" 5-10 lbs. I know that it is easy to gain weight, eat like a horse and eat alot of garbage food. I would just like to eat cleanly and gain 5-10lbs. Sorry for being so reptitive and self centered but I would really like to get some feedback, because I am tired of being that skinny kid in the gym.

Also, I am a runner I would like to keep my milage up and keep my endurance, is there any way to do both at once??? I run about 70 miles per week.

[ParanoidAndroid]

You keep asking the same question over and over and over again. And, you keep getting the same answer over and over and over again: eat more.

There isn't really any other way to put it--if you're not gaining weight, you are going to have to increase your calories. It doesn't matter if you are eating alot already--it's clearly not enough. Regarding "clean", if you are really, really concerned about this(I don't think you should be), try to focus on healthy foods. You could eat a large amount of the "FATLOSS" recipes from gourmet nutrition.

[Frank.S]

If your running 70 miles per week, your going to have to eat one hell of a lot of food.

I do very limited amounts of cardio, and i have to force feed myself daily to maintain bodyweight, to grow it feels i have to be eating high calorie food all day.

Gaining muscle is 10x harder then losing fat for almost anyone. Generally the people who refute this are quite fat and have never really tried to gain 10-15+lbs of muscle.

You could eat 'dieting' foods, you'll be eating all day though.

Also, training has to be fully inline.. i suggest big compound lifts with the goal of getting stronger in them. The isolation stuff is not going to put on much mass.

[OldGuy]

Pick out the 600 calorie meals from Gourmet Nutrition and eat 6 of them a day. At least. See if you start gaining any weight. If you don't gain anything add a seventh meal (the nutty crunch shake is 634 calories - that would be easy to add).

And lift heavy.

[BamaDave]

Chris, I wouldn't worry about some asshole at the gym who probably can't run around the block and is probably overweight. You're doing the right thing by combining weight training with your running - it well help you out with injury prevention. There's nothing wrong with being a thin, lean guy, especially when you are a talented distance runner.

Like everyone has mentioned, gaining 10-15 lbs. of lean muscle requires eating a ton of food with your activity level, and is probably almost impossible for a 70 mile-per-week runner. If gaining this 10-15 lbs. of lean muscle is your priority, then you have to take it on as a "season." Cut way back on your running (substitute quality and intensity for quantity), eat a whole lot more, and focus on a hypertrophy program. After you build your muscle up, re-increase your running while maintaining a decent lifting plan and eating a ton of food.

[AFI82]

Aside from just eating everything that you come across, I think BamaDave has the right idea. Don't completely give up running, but let it be secondary for a little while.

Back off the running and set a goal of gaining 5lbs. Then increase your running while maintaining your weight. Once you get back to where you are now +5lbs, start over again with another gaining phase.

[UpNorth]

Hey Chris you should have just kicked that guy in the nads and ran -- he never would have caught you. Honestly, that sucks. You should talk the the gym owner about that ass and have him thrown out of there.

On the nutrition side you're getting good advice but do you really want to sacrifice your running for bulk? You're a gifted runner and 10lbs is just going to slow you down. I can go up and down in weight fairly easily, and if I put on even 5lbs there is a significant difference in my ability to run (on the order of 10-15 seconds per mile).

You're doing great with the lifting and you're keeping your miles up. If you continue and just eat what you can, when you can, your body will eventually start putting on the pounds. However, it'll come quicker if you eat more.

BTW -- Very few people on here will advocate you eating garbage food.

[Barrett]

Thanks for the support everyone. This was the first time someone ever told me that a peice of equipment is for guys trying to "lift heavy".

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Barrett

Thanks for the support everyone. This was the first time someone ever told me that a peice of equipment is for guys trying to "lift heavy".

"Heavy" is a relative term. The guy was an egotistic asshat. I mean that in the kindest way..

[AFI82]

Originally Posted by Barrett

Thanks for the support everyone. This was the first time someone ever told me that a peice of equipment is for guys trying to "lift heavy".

I'd be interested to know what he did with the equipment after you were done.

[Barrett]

Well he did squats the most weight that I saw him do was two plates on each side for three reps. Also I would just like to say I was doing over head barbell presses.

[OldGuy]

What was the piece of equipment? And what were you doing with it?

[Barrett]

squat rack/power rack with a chin up bar, I needed to superset chinups and barbell overhead press

[liftintexas]

Barret,

Hate guys (or girls) like that. Fortunately, they're the rare exception, so try not to let him ruin your day anymore.

Ten years ago, I was 6' and weighed about 150 or 155. Now, I'm still 6' and weight 180. I have been obsessive about eating "clean" and gone through ups and downs of eating smart and eating stupidly. I also had to learn about how to lift smartly.

You're going to have to mentally prepare yourself to eat. I know that sounds crazy and eating disorder-ish, but I don't intend it that. Just echoing what Frank said. I have to actually stop and remind myself to down a protein shake, or pepporoni stick, or whatever I'm using as my snack in between meals. Otherwise, I will lose 10lbs in 4 weeks easily - and I don't run!

And yeah, my biggest gains have been finally squatting and doing the lifts that I needed to do. I'm not there and not a big guy by any means, but I know where you are, and I have made some progress.

[Ian Kay]

Fuck that guy. Guys who are really strong don't need to point it out to others. Besides, that guy - however strong he is - at one point in his life was only as strong as you are now. Everyone starts from the beginning.

#1 - STOP thinking about the food so much. All this info is pretty good stuff, and it's good to have the gist of how to eat. But honestly, you know what's good for you: vegetables, fruits, lean meats and dairy, whole grains, olive oils and fish oils and nuts and water. Eat a ton of that stuff, and drop the details.

#2 - Once a week, lift as heavy as you can with proper form. Other days get some volume/reps in. Think moderately heavy with higher reps. Get that "burn" going. Stick to the classic big lifts.

You're blunting your own progress by over-thinking. Just do it!

[cycomiko]

Good luck attempting to bulk while running 70miles and eating tons of fruits/veges and whole grains etc.

[Ian Kay]

Originally Posted by cycomiko

Good luck attempting to bulk while running 70miles and eating tons of fruits/veges and whole grains etc.

[Ian Kay]

Barrett: Here is a challenge for you. Very cut and dry. For one month, cut your running in half. If one day you run 10 miles, make it 5, etc. When you come home early from your run, eat everything as you normally would, but add 300 cals to it. 300 cals is easy.

Just one month. Unless you have some impending competition, this won't do you any harm. Just see what happens to the scale.