Hey guys

Looking for some advice on bulking up, but I don't want to put on too much fat.

I'm 5'10, about 175-180lbs, I want to get up to a solid 195 with more muscle, and lower my BF% (which I assume I'll probably have to work on after putting on some more muscle.)

At my current weight, I'm not out of shape, but not in great shape either. A couple years ago I went from being a 185lb drunk down to 155 solid muscle and my lifting was more impressive than it is at my current weight....only thing is I was too light, likely from all the cardio I would do first thing in the morning.

Anyway - I want some suggestions on what I should EAT, and also what I should take for supplements and how much of each... there are some problems.

I work a lot - I work 8-4 Monday-Friday, I work one or two nights a week 5-CL at a second job (I make those days where I rest my body because I don't have energy to work out) and I also work on Sundays from 11-6 every week.

Not only does work limit my time to lift, but it also limits my time to prepare meals and eat a lot of smaller meals during the day. When I was in my best shape ever, I was eating 5-6 smaller meals a day with healthy snacks a couple times a day, but that just isn't possible with my schedule anymore.

The only supplement I'm taking it Whey Isolate protein powder mixed with water. Should I be taking this daily? Normally I only take it on days when I work out, immediately after my workout.

My diet consists of a lot of Chicken, Fish, Eggs, Turkey and the occassional steak - lots of meat and not as many carbs/fats.

Any suggestions on what I should do - supplements wise first of all.
-how often do you think I should work out? is every other day enough or should I be lifting 5 days a week?
-What can I do with eating to get around my busy schedule?
-Lastly - my lifts are terrible right now compared to what they use to be - should I be focusing on doing very few reps of heavier weights over and over and increasing them every 2 weeks or something?

-Also - when I was lighter and could lift more I was on creatine too - should I take it again?


Any suggestions welcome

[CaNaDiAn'ChAmP-]

To cut body fat, CARDIO!!!

And yes, whey protein should be taken immediatley after a workout.

Originally Posted by CaNaDiAn'ChAmP-

To cut body fat, CARDIO!!!

And yes, whey protein should be taken immediatley after a workout.

i dont think you read 99% of what I wrote.

I'm not trying to cut body fat, I'm trying to bulk up....I'll lose some fat in the process because im a bit soft right now and I'll cut once I've put muscle on.

[Monger]

You're asking a lot.. a lot..

Here's my suggestions in a quick summary format.

Diet,

- Eat good clean foods. This means foods that are close to their natural state. If it has more than 5 incrediants on the package it's probably not the best choice.
- Eat a lot of vegies and fruit. Eat them with every meal.
- Keep trans and saturated fat as low as possible
- avoid refined sugar with the only exception being pre/post workout
- DO NOT be afraid of carbs. They are your friend. Just make sure your carbs come from fruits, veggies, and to a lesser extend whole grain foods.
- eat as often as you can (5-6 times a day). I know that you said that this is difficult.. just do what you can.
-eat a good protein source with every meal. There's tons of arguments as to how much protein you should take but if you keep it at least 1 gram per lb of body weight you should be fine

Supplements,

- These don't mean shit if your diet isn't damn good. Supplements + a shit diet = shit results.
- First supplement on my list would be Omega 3 fish oil
- Second, a GOOD multivitamin
- If you want to get fancy creatine, protein powders, and PWO drinks are all good but everything else comes first

Work out (just my opinion),

- Hit the weights 2-4 times a week depending on time. Do the basics (squats, deadlifts, BoRs, Bench Press, OHP, GM's.. etc..) Don't get fancy. Stick with basic compound movements. Don't neglect the lower body and do as many pulling exercies as pressing.
- Use low reps with heavy weight
- 2-3 times a week do some kind of high intensity interval training (like sprints).

[ASC101]

Trying to bulk up I would reccomend lifting 4 days maybe even 5 if you have time. Stick with basic compound lifts ( bench press, squat, deadlift, barbell rows, military press) this will also increase your strength alot. Basic free weight exercises buld the most muscle and strength. You can add in more isolation movements toward the end of your workouts, but do the basics first. As far as nutrution shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, and since your bulking up 2 gram's of carbs per pound of bodyweight. Stick with mostly low glycemic carbs most of the day except before and after training. By low-glycemic I mean whole wheat foods and things like oatmeal nad pasta are excellent. As far as supplements start with a good multi-vitamin add in protein powder ( yes you should be taking it everyday, not just on days you workout. For example I have a 40 gram shake in the morning, a 20 gram right before my workout, a 40 gram after and a 20 gram before I go to bed. Also add in glutamine, arginine and deffinately creatine, it can increase strength by 10-15%. After you been at it for a while ,6-8 weeks, Add in a Tribilus product, like I take Vyo- Tech's 17 hd, which I think is wonderful. Any other questions ?

thanks for all the suggestions

re: nutrition - i find a ton of the stuff i see is overloaded with sodium...even chicken I buy and put on the george foreman (its from a box) am I better off just buying chicken breasts and freezing them?

also - generally how long do you rest between sets? I've heard different sources say anywhere from 30sec to 2 mins, i guess depending on what you're lifting for

[Monger]

Originally Posted by wamrage

thanks for all the suggestions

re: nutrition - i find a ton of the stuff i see is overloaded with sodium...even chicken I buy and put on the george foreman (its from a box) am I better off just buying chicken breasts and freezing them?

Are you saying that you buy frozen chicken that's already cooked? Anyway, ya, there's nothing wrong with buying fresh chicken and freezing it.

Originally Posted by Monger

Are you saying that you buy frozen chicken that's already cooked? Anyway, ya, there's nothing wrong with buying fresh chicken and freezing it.

its not pre cooked, but i think they must add shit to it?

[ASC101]

Originally Posted by wamrage

thanks for all the suggestions

re: nutrition - i find a ton of the stuff i see is overloaded with sodium...even chicken I buy and put on the george foreman (its from a box) am I better off just buying chicken breasts and freezing them?

Don't worry about sodium, It's not as big a deal as you might think. The only time you should cut sodium is if your bodybuilding right before a contest, or if your trying to lose water before a weigh in.