Need advice on gaining weight - Diet & Nutrition Message Board

Joeb103 · 09-22-2008, 11:10 PM

I am a 20 year old male, going to school Monday thru Friday, and working all day Saturday. I am about 5'10", and weight about 150lb. My goal is to gain muscle mass on my upperbody mainly arms, I work out 4-5 times a week. I have been eating more than usual lately, and it is starting to show in the stomach area. If anyone could give me any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,

Joe

JohnR41 · 10-01-2008, 11:20 AM

>>>I have been eating more than usual lately,...<<<

This is difficult without knowing what you've been eating. But I'm going to assume the WORST: I'm going to assume that you've been eating pizza and drinking beer, that sort of thing. Or perhaps a big dish of pasta with a beer. And sometimes, hot dogs, hamburgers and grilled cheese. Or perhaps you don't drink beer but instead drink sugary soft drinks. Then you might make pancakes for breakfast on Sunday, covered with butter and syrup. Maybe I was wrong but it was fun thinking about all those great "foods". :-)

Of course, what will happen is that you will get the muscles but you will also get a big stomach. I would advise dumping all the processed (fast foods) from your diet. Everything should be whole grain, including whole grain rice and whole grain pasta. Even then, no one should ever make a meal out of pasta. Limit pasta to one cup as a side dish. Dump the soft drinks, fruit drinks and/or beer. Concentrate on whole foods.

Joeb103 · 10-01-2008, 10:17 PM

Yeah you are right, junk food pretty much. What exactly do I need to watch out for when going to the store (sugar, sat. fat,..)? Also, what do I need (protein, carbs.etc..)

JohnR41 · 10-02-2008, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeb103

Yeah you are right, junk food pretty much. What exactly do I need to watch out for when going to the store (sugar, sat. fat,..)? Also, what do I need (protein, carbs.etc..)

Sugar: Personally, I never buy anything with added sugar. I even buy a special bread at publix that has no added sugar and is not made with flour. It's made with whole wheat berries. "No flour" means that it takes longer to get absorbed into your system and therefor keeps you satisfied longer. It's sold in the freezer section and I keep it in my freezer at home because it doesn't have any preservatives.

I've noticed that some whole wheat breads are made with very finely ground flour (like pastry flour) so as to have a smooth texture. Then they also have added sweeteners like High Fructose Corn Sweetener, sugar etc.. It tastes great, more like dessert than food. But it's not really a healthy choice, in my opinion.

Saturated Fat: I would stay away from processed meats like hot dogs and sausages or breakfast links, bacon and high fat hamburger meat. Also, pre cooked chicken from the deli (especially fried and breaded) and high sodium lunch meat. Better choices would be: Egg whites, fish, chicken breast, turkey and lean cuts of beef. Use the palm of your hand as a guide to the serving size. Or, if you have a small kitchen scale, it should be about 4 oz.. (I'm not a meat eater myself but that's another story.)

Carbs: Try to avoid carbs that are either processed or starchy. Examples of processed carbs would be white bread, white rice, white pasta, candy and, in general, any baked goods made with white flour. An example of starchy would be white potatoes. Sweet potatoes are okay as long as they are not canned.

Get most of your carbs from fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain products that have the least amount of processing.

If you minimize saturated fat from meat, you can afford to include some good fats such as extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds. For example, you could put a teaspoon of olive oil on a salad or drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil on some cooked vegetables. Some caution is in order because the calories can add up fast with these items.

Protein for working out: You don't necessarily need to stuf yourself with protein. Judge by how hungry you get. If you get very hungry, eat some extra protein. You might eat a small meal and then work out an hour later. In that case, have a snack that includes some protein after your workout. For example, one or two egg whites, six almonds and a small apple.