2/25/11

Ok so now that I've caught up to now, I don't just want to leave this blog to die. I hope that you will follow me as I continue to peruse a bigger, better me. This is definitely a life long commitment and hobby for me. So there will be a lot of updates to come.

Currently: Cutting down for Spring/Summer. I ended at 186lbs and am down to 176lbs. Here's a pic of what my back looks like currently.

NOTE: If you're coming to this blog for the first time, you will notice that they are arranged newest to oldest. To follow me from the beginning and gather steps, please click 'older posts'. 

Final thoughts.

It was sort of cloudy when I first started having to pick through information. Once I started seeing common ground, it was really simple. That's why I created this blog, to help guide you in the right direction and show you what worked for me. Not only did this produce dramatic results, it wasn't complicated.

I gained over 50lbs in one year and I'm completely confident that anyone reading this blog can do it too. Heck, I've seen lots of people produce bigger results than I have. I'm sure not complaining though! Haha.

This didn't happen by accident. The transformation came via using resources and good old fashioned hard work. Nothing more, nothing less. Here I've given you a resource, so let's get to work!

The 1 year mark.

So lets skip ahead to the one year mark. I started in December of 09. This was around late 2010.

Start weight: 132lbs
Pictured weight: 185lbs

8 months in.

Nearing the one year mark, I saw drastic improvements just following a simple diet and simple routine. Once you just go back to the basics, this is what you get. Results.

Start weight: 132lbs
Pictured weight: 176lbs

Falling off the path.

Ok let's get into falling off the path. It happens to everyone at some point. Don't get down or kick yourself if you cheat on the diet or skip workouts. The important thing is to recognize you're getting off path and correct it.

It's ok to have a few cheat days here and there but you're going to gain fat when you're chowing down on fatty, greasy foods. Also, this is a biggy...Alcohol consumption, especially beer. I had a problem with this one myself. I got into the habit of drinking again and gained some unwanted fat. While you have to realize that there will be fat when bulking up, you can keep it to minimum by kicking the alcohol and crappy food.

Alcohol is responsible for fat gain, health problems, and even lowing testosterone. Good levels of testosterone are essential for growth. We can't be trading that for alcohol. So, if you can't cut it out completely, try to keep it to a minimum.

Just know that it's common to fall of your path, recognize it, and correct it.

The 5x5 routine.

So you've rested and have a new plan of attack or maybe you can't think of anything. Well, what I went with is the 5x5 workout.

It's always a good idea to change the number of reps and sets to confuse the body like I had mentioned previously. This in conjunction with different exercises for the muscle groups works well to get those results rolling again.

The 5x5 routine is simply 5 sets of 5 reps. When you're lowering reps, you will want to increase the weight. Before we were doing 8 reps for 3 sets. You will want to bump the weight up to where you can get 5 reps in but no more. Repeat for 4 more times to complete the 5 sets.

The 5x5 is usually used to focus on strength gain, but it really did work for me when I hit the plateau. Not only did it increase my strength, it kept the mass coming as well.

The dreaded plateau.

A plateau is simply where your body hits a wall and stops producing results. When it will happen is unknown. Your body gets used to the repetitive workouts and stops growing.

To combat this, I'd recommend resting for a week or two. While resting, formulate a new routine. The idea is to confuse the body, sort of keep the body on it's toes. By doing this, the body will respond as if it was reset.

Next, I will give you an example of a different routine (One I used)

A few months in.

So finally progress pictures. After sorting through the information and learning what I've presented here, I got to work. Above is a picture of me just a few months in.

Start weight. 132lbs
Pictured weight: 155lbs

At this point this point, I had gained a lot in a short amount of time. Here is where I hit a plateau and stopped gaining. Next, I'll explain a plateau and how to overcome it.

Forming a routine.

There are tons of ways to play with a workout routine. Here I will give you the basics and what what I started with.

In all honesty, when I started, I was so sick when I started that the bed pillows were heavy. You don't have to start full on at the gym. If you want to start at home, I'd recommend a pair of dumbells that you can add and subtract weight from and a small bench. Eventually, it would be essential that you join a public gym.


The body is basically broken down into upper body and lower body. However, there are muscle groups that are worked on similar workouts. For example:

In a pushing motion, you're working your triceps and chest. In a pulling motion you're working your back and biceps. With that being said, I combined these target exercise on the same day. Here's an example of what my weekly workout would look like.

Monday: Chest/triceps
Tuesday: Back/biceps
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Shoulders/traps
Friday: Legs, abs, and forearms.

Now, lets get into what types of exercises I used to target each body part and how many times I completed the exercise.

At first I used 3x8. This meaning, 8 repetitions for 3 sets. So, you'd do the motion 8 times, rest for a minute or two and repeat 2 more times. Here's the exercises I completed .

Monday: Decline bench, incline bench, cable cross overs, skull crushers, and dips.
Tuesday: Pull ups, lat row, seated row, dumbell row, barbell curls, dumbell curls.
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Dumbell press, front dumbell raise, side dumbell raise, shrugs.
Friday: Squats, lunges, calve raise, dumbell wrist curls, crunches, leg raises, and side bends with weight.

Now, rather than giving a worded response on what these exercises are and how to perform them...I'm going to say, youtube them. There you can get a detailed explanation and visual on how to perform the exercise with correct form!

Also, this is just a sample routine. There a loads of other exercises that target the same muscle groups. Therefor, they are interchangeable to create a workout that you enjoy!

Supplementation.

Aside from food, you can benefit from correct supplementation. I'll go over some basic supplements that I've used.

Protein powder: There are many different brands and flavors to choose from. It should be used to supplement in protein that you don't get from a food source. Generally, the most essential time to take is right after you finish your workout.

Creatine: This is another supplement this is used in muscle building. This should be taken preworkout. Creatine is available in unflavored powder or different flavors. I would recommend only taking 5 grams per day. 5g is equal to 1 tsp. WARNING: This stuff can be really tough on your kidneys. You MUST keep track of your water intake and make sure you're drinking 1 gallon per day MINIMUM.

Multivitamins: I'm sure you've seen these around you're local store. The name is self explanatory. Each tablet is packed with daily amounts of different vitamins.  

Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oil): Ok before you say, "Ew" or "Gross", let me tell you...it's tasteless. These come in capsule form and are coated for no taste or smell. The bottle is usually found on the same aisle as the multivitamins and is usually dosed at 4 caps per day.

Energy boosters: There are so many out that I couldn't name them all. This is taken preworkout  Most are in powder form and come in a wide variety of flavors. Most have caffeine and different stimulants to get you going before you head to the gym. A lot of them contain creatine so be sure to read the label. If it does indeed contain creatine, I'd recommend using this as your creatine source as well. Also, do not use if you have a history of heart problems or high blood pressure. Remember, always take a small dose to test your sensitivity.

There are many many MANY more products available. These are just the ones I've personally used. As always, it's a good idea to discuss supplementation with a trusted/family doctor.

Let's go over a sample workout routine.

The gainers meal schedule.

We already know you have to eat a ton, so how many meals do you have to eat? Well, it's all on a person by person basis. I'll show you how it went for me.

I would usually eat about 6 meals. This may not be achievable by a person with a busy schedule so you can split the 6 into a larger 3, 4 or 5.

Meal one (breakfast): 5 eggs, 1 cup of oats, and a protein shake (1 cup 2% milk, 1 scoop of protein powder)
Meal two: Tuna sandwich.
Meal three (lunch): 8oz chicken breast (boneless skinless), 1 cup of rice (cooked), green veggie.
Meal four (post workout): 2nd tuna sandwich. 'Weight gainer shake' (1/2 cup dry oats, 2 cups 2% milk, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 banana blended together)
Meal five (dinner): 16 oz chicken breast (boneless skinless), 1 cup of rice, green veggie.
Meal six (before bed): Peanut butter sandwich (4 tbsp of peanut butter), glass of milk.

This would total to around: 5000-6000 calories and a 40/40/20 ratio of Protein:Carbs:Fat (The ratio we want)

This is just an example of what I ate. You can play with the diet by switching lean beef for chicken, beans for rice, etc. You can find different ways to prepare the foods or combine things to keep things interesting and new. Search for different recipes if you'd like. Next, we will go over supplementation!

Eat, Eat and EAT!

Let's put things into something a little easier to understand. That being, food.

Here are some prime examples of foods that fall under each category that is relevant at this point.

Protein: Lean meat such as chicken, lean beef cuts, and fish. There is also protein found in rice, beans, and veggies.

Carbs: Although there is protein and things like rice and beans, they would fall more so under this category (carbs). Other foods that are carb filled are things like pasta, bread, and anything 'starchy'.

Fats: Good fats include olive oil, fats found in fish, and fish oil supplements. Don't put down food just because it has fat in it. As long as you're keeping a mindful eye on fat intake, then you're good to go. Also, skinny guys tend to have a fast metabolism so it's generally okay.

Dieting doesn't always mean having to eat the same boring meals each day. In fact, there is a lot of versatility in eating clean, healthy food. If you are thin like I was, you have to accept that you're going to have to eat a lot of it.

Nutritional basics.

Now that you have your virtual tablet to compile information on, it's time to learn what exactly you'll need to enter in.

When you're concerned with gaining weight, you will need to look at the following.

Protein: Essential for muscle building.

Carbs: Provides energy and is also responsible for 'feeding' muscles.

Fat: There are plenty of good fats that help with joint health, heart health, and even depression! Who thought fats were good? Well they are and I'll get to that in a bit.

Calories: We want good, solid calories from clean sources. This is the most important thing to look at when you're thin. You need to keep calories high for that weight to come. Of course, we want to keep them coming from as many clean sources as possible.

Now that you've looked at the basics, it's time to put those terms into something you can use. Food. Time to get to chowin' down!

Getting started.

So, where I started. Simply put, Google. Hey, why not? It's one of the largest collective information spot on the net. Searching for bits and pieces of information pertaining to my specific goal. Mainly blogs such as this one. I wanted some type of direction from a personal perspective.

Diet diet diet. I can't stress enough how important it is. Don't get discouraged, it's not that difficult. You just have to look at the basics. It's really that simple.

Ok so, what I searched for. I just entered in something like mass gaining diet, balanced diet, diet for gaining weight, and so forth. Now that you've found this blog, I'll lift the load of sorting through the information. Here, I'll show you what worked for me and will what work for you!

I found that most diets had something in common. That being, balancing carbs, protein, and fat while also keeping track of calories. People usually get fed up here. "You mean I have to carry around a notebook and log every thing I eat?" Absolutely not. The stone ages are long gone. There are plenty of free websites available to help keep track. I used http://fitday.com. There, you can even search for foods you've eaten or plan to eat. Just put in the amount and it's all calculated for you (carbs, protein, fat, and calories, and many other details). Then it will throw it on your list. It's really that easy. At the top, a shot of the interface. It's straight forward, easy to use, and extremely user friendly.

Where I started.

Down on luck, sick, and confused. I was in search for a way to pull myself out of a depression and sickness. I've always been thin despite trying new supplements, different routines, and everything under the sun. It's time to get serious and find answers.

Stats: 5' 10.5" 132lbs.