Gaining Muscle mass

egooder · Post by **egooder** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:21 am

Ok so here's goal im 155 at a 12 BF% right were I should be. But I want to lose some of body fat but gain muscle mass. To maintain body weight I need to take in 1750 calories a day. I am burning about 3500 - 4000 cal a week doing cardio. How many calories should I take in a day to gain muscle mass but not body fat? Any information would be truly helpfull...

Thanks

Patrick · Post by **Patrick** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:32 am

hey its good you asked about this because you need to be on the right page here. I need to know before i can answer your question if you are attending a gym with weights a global gym etc... also id like to see you diet a days example or somehting.

suggestion is eat 6+ small meals a day and you will need about 1g of protien for every lbs of body weight so you need about 155g of protein. also you will need whole grains and veggies and fruit. you can look at some peoples workout journals to see foods/ eating try swanso or mine also the diet section. I think you aren't taking in enough calories 1750 id say i take in 2500-3000 a day and im only 160 lbs. as for cardio sprints are probably better for muscle gain but you only want tops 3x30mins of cardio a week and if sprints probably even less. biggest suggestion is join a gym if your not already a member, get your diet straight, and weight train 3x per week and cardio 3 x per week 1 day off. Probably try Waterbury method by Chad Waterbury.

best of luck with it!

egooder · Post by **egooder** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:52 am

I do work out at a gym with machines and free weights...also as for diet I am trying to cut out sweets and fatty foods. Have switched to 2% milk and I do snack at least 6 times a day. Like yogurt, Nutri-grain bars, grapes, bananna (before the gym)

Also I am right now just sticking to machines getting used to the motion and working out then after awhile going to free weights dont want to do anything to injur self and keep me from not going to the gym

Patrick · Post by **Patrick** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:01 am

ok its great your already a member of a gym and its good you know you need to be using free weights. i would suggest tho to cut out the machines as of the next time you go you can use lower weights and get a spotter to get use to the movements and holding the weight but the results would be alot better!.
as for your diet seems like you know what your at ill post a little plan here
meal 1
oatmeal, fruit, 1/2scoop protien, multi vitamin, water
meal 2 apple, few almonds, water
meal 3
chicken breast and garden salad low fat dressing, water
train
meal 4
full scoop protein, bowl of sugary cereal (ie i eat apple cinnimon cheerios, skim milk), water
meal 5
extra lean steak cut into strips for stir fry, half cup brown rice and 1/2 cup veggies, some stir fry sauce, water
meal 6
few almonds, yogurt, water

egooder · Post by **egooder** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:07 am

Patrick - Thanks for the info man BIG HELP!!!!

Mwilli50 · Post by **Mwilli50** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:50 pm

I wouldn't do cardio for more than 20 minutes a session if you are looking to put on muscle mass. I would definitely keep the intensity high as well.

I'm thinking 2000+ calories would be better for you. Make sure to get plenty of protein from your food and take in quality calories. Keep your weights heavy and work until muscle failure.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:31 pm

- you'd need at least 1900 cal's for maintenenace if not more at that wt
- i bet you're not burning that much through cardio, and if you are, it's muscle so good luck with the gaining muscle part
- you
ll need at least 2300 cal's a day togain muscle with a decrese in cardio and a lot more wts
- practice the range of motion on machines??? there isn't any compared to free wts...don't waste your time on them, get on the free wts...you'll injure yourelf on machines before free wts

heroyi · Post by **heroyi** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:39 pm

u cannot not gain muscle and lose fat at same time
if your goal comprises of trying to gain muscle you will gain some fat in some way shape or form

advice: just workout and eat food to supply your muscle and later on start doing cardio to burn fat....i know i dont want to admit it but losing fat and gaining muscle is really harder than that is thought.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 7:48 pm

u cannot not gain muscle and lose fat at same time

you can, albeit not as quickly as if you focused on 1 or the other though

heroyi · Post by **heroyi** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:47 am

swanso5 wrote:
u cannot not gain muscle and lose fat at same time
you can, albeit not as quickly as if you focused on 1 or the other though

u can but its just not worth the effort though u will gain so little that recording the progress would be a strenous effort

Boss Man · Post by **Boss Man** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:18 pm

Patience is a virtue. Losing Fat and gaining muscle, could still give you a reasonably good yield with both.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:41 pm

that being said, i've gaining muscle and losing fat for yrs and over the long run it's done me good and when i do a focused fat loss cycle, it's never as much as i get without trying....the last program i was on was for strength (which i increased a bit) but i also accidently put on 3kgs / 6pds without trying with no fat gain and probably even lost some so it can happen if your consistent with training and clean with food

heroyi · Post by **heroyi** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:48 pm

swanso5 wrote:that being said, i've gaining muscle and losing fat for yrs and over the long run it's done me good and when i do a focused fat loss cycle, it's never as much as i get without trying....the last program i was on was for strength (which i increased a bit) but i also accidently put on 3kgs / 6pds without trying with no fat gain and probably even lost some so it can happen if your consistent with training and clean with food

yes but alot of times alot of ppl try that method of trying to do both and when after 6months of following the program they dont see result and give up..i think its more simple and less discouraging when you see results more clearly

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:59 pm

that is the perfect reason why we need to look at this game as a long term one...most people haven't got fat or out of shape in 4 weeks, more so 4 years so why would they expect to suddenly transform back in 4 weeks? it's ridiculously naive to think it can be done, even a little bit, let alone sustain it for any period of time...more oftne than not, cleaning up your diet and eliminating stress factors out of your control, wts 3/week and cadio 1 - 2 week will give the same muscle building or fat loss results than a concentrated program on either