For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

[NYJets]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

I need some ideas of some foods to add to my protein shakes. I'm really struggling to get enough calories per day. My shakes right now are 2 scoops of vanilla whey in 16 ounces of milk, and sometimes I add some peanut butter. What else do people add that is healthy, filling, and edible?

[Jonesy]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

A large frozen bannana is great in protein shakes. If you make it with a frozen rather than a room temp one it makes the shake nice and frothy. Prob won't add many cals though....

[FlyingFinn]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

I need some ideas of some foods to add to my protein shakes. I'm really struggling to get enough calories per day. My shakes right now are 2 scoops of vanilla whey in 16 ounces of milk, and sometimes I add some peanut butter. What else do people add that is healthy, filling, and edible?

How many calories are you trying to eat? 5 or 6 400 calorie meals is about right for most people.

[DC]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

I'm 10 pounds lighter fellas.

Forget weight. Worry about:
Sized
Body Fat % (Ask them to test it at your gym)

Weight shouldn't matter to normal folks. Unless you are a wrestler, boxer, or horse jockey that NEEDS to be a certain weight.

[ehh]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

I need some ideas of some foods to add to my protein shakes. I'm really struggling to get enough calories per day. My shakes right now are 2 scoops of vanilla whey in 16 ounces of milk, and sometimes I add some peanut butter. What else do people add that is healthy, filling, and edible?

Whole grain, old fashion oats and frozen berries.

[KG]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

No need to do incline/decline really.

Flat bench hits your whole chest.

It's not until you start to see one part of your chest that you feel is underdeveloping that you should start targeting those areas with different exercises.

Some people don't have the problem of one part developing more than the other. So for these people they wont have to mix in incline/decline.

So again, my advice is just work with the flat bench. Then IF you start seeing one part not developing as much as the rest of your chest, then work in some incline or decline presses.

It does hit the whole chest but Incline/Decline really isolate the upper and lower parts respectively. I'm a big fan of decline because it feels so natural to me. Too many people use bad form on the flat bench and end up working more shoulders than chest. It's also good vary your grip. To me it's more about adding variety and not allowing your workout to get stagnant.

[matt8204]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

Hey, guys. I work out regularly and have a pretty clean diet (at least I think it's clean, lmao!). However, I'm a little short of having a six-pack. I'm pretty lean but there is one stupid layer of fat covering my abs and I want them to show so badly. Could you take a look at my typical daily diet and see what I may be doing wrong?

Breakfast: Bowl of regular oatmeal (no flavoring, not instant) with a handful of blueberries and a vanilla protein shake with water. Sometimes I'll also have a glass of fat-free milk.

Morning snack: Cup of yougurt with a handful of unsalted peanuts.

Lunch: Turkey sandwich with tomato and mustard on 100 percent whole-wheat bread.

Afternoon snack: Stick of fat-free string cheese with another handful of peanuts and a handful of red grapes. I'll also have another protein shake (w/water) somewhere along the way.

Dinner: Some type of lean protein (usually chicken) with a veggie and a salad (romaine lettuce with a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar).

Evening snack: Cottage cheese and maybe a teaspoon of peanut butter, maybe a glass of milk if I'm really hungry.

Edit: The only liquid calories I consume comes from fat-free milk. I only drink unsweetened iced tea (w/lemon slice) and water for beverages during the day.

[KG]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

Hey, guys. I work out regularly and have a pretty clean diet (at least I think it's clean, lmao!). However, I'm a little short of having a six-pack. I'm pretty lean but there is one stupid layer of fat covering my abs and I want them to show so badly. Could you take a look at my typical daily diet and see what I may be doing wrong?

Breakfast: Bowl of regular oatmeal (no flavoring, not instant) with a handful of blueberries and a vanilla protein shake with water. Sometimes I'll also have a glass of fat-free milk.

Morning snack: Cup of yougurt with a handful of unsalted peanuts.

Lunch: Turkey sandwich with tomato and mustard on 100 percent whole-wheat bread.

Afternoon snack: Stick of fat-free string cheese with another handful of peanuts and a handful of red grapes. I'll also have another protein shake (w/water) somewhere along the way.

Dinner: Some type of lean protein (usually chicken) with a veggie and a salad (romaine lettuce with a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar).

Evening snack: Cottage cheese and maybe a teaspoon of peanut butter, maybe a glass of milk if I'm really hungry.

That looks pretty good. What's your cardio routine like? Cardio plays a huge factor in getting noticeable abs.

[matt8204]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

That looks pretty good. What's your cardio routine like? Cardio plays a huge factor in getting noticeable abs.

Could be better in all honesty. I'm gonna start doing interval training a couple times per week. I have a lot of hills in my area where I can do short sprints while running up them. How often should I do HIIT per week to be effective? I'm currently doing 3 full-body weight lifting sessions per week.

[ehh]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

That looks pretty good. What's your cardio routine like? Cardio plays a huge factor in getting noticeable abs.

From my experience it doesn't. Squatting and deadlifts are the biggest factor outside of diet. I know people who never do cardio and have impressive abs.

Not sure what you consider swimming since it's kinda both, but I have seen far great results from swimming a ton the last six months than doing HIIT or any other kind of land cardio the last few years.

[Kruza]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

Could be better in all honesty. I'm gonna start doing interval training a couple times per week. I have a lot of hills in my area where I can do short sprints while running up them. How often should I do HIIT per week to be effective? I'm currently doing 3 full-body weight lifting sessions per week.

I'm not a dedicated fitness guy by any stretch (almost the complete opposite of you in fact, heh), but with that strict diet and strength workout you're currently on, three 30-minute HIT cardio workouts per week should be all you need. You should start seeing positive results from your abs in around two to three weeks.

As for me, doing strength and cardio workouts has always been a fun thing for me that I don't mind doing on a consistent basis, but following a strict diet has always been tough. I've never been one to turn down beers or liquor. And I always go all-out in spring/summer cookouts. My diet plan is put on hold the moment I see a grill full of food.

Kruza

[KG]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

From my experience it doesn't. Squatting and deadlifts are the biggest factor outside of diet. I know people who never do cardio and have impressive abs.

Not sure what you consider swimming since it's kinda both, but I have seen far great results from swimming a ton the last six months than doing HIIT or any other kind of land cardio the last few years.

Diet is easily the biggest factor but cardio helps you get lean and shed those extra pounds IMO. Honestly, some people are just born with better genetics.

Swimming is one of the better exercises you can do if not the best because it's a total body workout and very easy on your joints. It's just too boring for me, lol.

[ehh]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

Swimming is one of the better exercises you can do if not the best because it's a total body workout and very easy on your joints. It's just too boring for me, lol.

It's definitely boring, that's for sure. I've always enjoyed any exercise that I do (bball, lifting, racquetball, running) but swimming is boring as hell. I actually have been daydreaming so bad while doing the back stroke that I slammed my head into the end of the pool, lol.

[Feared]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

Have been on my diet, work-out plan for 2 weeks now... and I believe I hit somewhat of a road block today... was on my workout and could only go for about 25 mins today... was trying to focus on form rather, then shear numbers.. and was trying to maximize my sets...

so instead of doing 2 sets of 20 reps... I was aiming for maybe 4 sets, of 15 with really good form... I was doing Dumbell Curls and by the time I got to the 12 rep in the 4th set.. I had to just stop and call it a failure. My wrist got really sore, and my grip was too tired to move on..

I'm eating right, and trying my best to put the work into it.. but it just doesn't seem like I'm lifting the amount, and weight I should be. Should I just keep pushing onward, doing the best I can? and stopping when I feel I've reached my limit rather than worrying about a set weight, or repitition amount?

I want to get in another work out day on Tuesday, after a rest day tomorrow... because I didn't feel like I did enough today even though I tired out my right arm.

[Jonesy]

Re: For all you guys wanting to gain muscle, size, etc.

If your diet is low in cals/carbs you are probably going to see a drop in your numbers but i personally wouldn't worry too much about it. You mentioned that you are concentrating on form and imo if you have great form you often need to lift less weight to get a better result. I would much rather lift a lighter weight 15 times with perfect form then lift a heavy weight 20 times with poor form.

I'm starting a "cutting" phase at the moment as well. How does my diet look:

B'fast: 3 whole eggs, some lean meat

morning snack: Almonds

Lunch: monster salad: Whole chicken breast, 1 boiled egg, cottage cheese, lettuce, tomato, Low fat low sugar dressing.

afternoon snack: peice of fruit + protein shake

Dinner: lean meat (fish, chicken, pork, lamb or beef) and vegetables.

I'm alternating one day of weights, one day of cardio (all at 5.30am which is the only time of the day i can fit it in). Not sure about days off, will prob take one day off every week or 2nd week to give myself a rest.

Does that all seem ok?