I just wanted to say that for the last three months I have been trying to eat a little more increasing my protein and good carbs in order to put on more muscle. Ofcourse limiting the cardio to 3 times a week and lifting hardcore style. However I feel like I've added very little muscle and just feel a cross between pudgy and strong. I'm used to doing cardio atleast 4-5 times a week so I know that makes a difference to. I think I'm going to stop and go back to a more normal eating habit, I had no idea how difficult it could be to do this. It's really kind of time consuming and you have to think about the food quotient a lot. Anyone else tried to do this and had success?
Trying to eat more to increase muscle
- Thread starter Mic
- Start date
exercise forever
Cathlete
I've been having this same problem. I was eating healthy,and 5 meals a day and cardio 5 or 6 days. Well I tried cutting down on cardio and picking up my amount of food. Well I as will fill that I am more soft in areas. Keeping up with how much protein and carbohydrates is way too difficult. So I am right there with you.
kim
kim
I have been doing this and find if I lift hard and eat 5 small meals per day, I am able to increase my weights, more so than when I eat the old way, where I had plateaud in that area. I eat about 20 g of protein per meal.
The carbs I make sure are clean but I have not been counting calories. I find that I have more muscle and the scale is moving up slowly (which is what I want in this phase) and the "pudgy" parts of my body (waist) has not gotten bigger (a good thing). So I guess you could say it is working for me. After a month or so more I will probably go to cutting calories a little and increasing cardio, to burn more fat and go to maintenance on the muscle. Then swap again.
Anyway, it is hard to say what might be going wrong in your cases...make sure you are lifting with intensity...you need to challenge your muscles in order to utilize the protein. Push hard! Do it so you can hardly finish the set. I don't do cardio more than 2x a week.
I find it is not more difficult to plan my meals once I got used to it. My "extra" meals are a protein bar or cottage cheese and fruit. Lots and lots of water. I don't eat so much protein/calories on the days I don't lift.
Everyone is different for what works for their body/lifestyle.
When adding in my extra eating I have to make sure I am not also adding junk while saying to myself "Oh well I am trying to eat more so...so what if I have this..." type of thing.
hope this helps
Jen
The carbs I make sure are clean but I have not been counting calories. I find that I have more muscle and the scale is moving up slowly (which is what I want in this phase) and the "pudgy" parts of my body (waist) has not gotten bigger (a good thing). So I guess you could say it is working for me. After a month or so more I will probably go to cutting calories a little and increasing cardio, to burn more fat and go to maintenance on the muscle. Then swap again.
Anyway, it is hard to say what might be going wrong in your cases...make sure you are lifting with intensity...you need to challenge your muscles in order to utilize the protein. Push hard! Do it so you can hardly finish the set. I don't do cardio more than 2x a week.
I find it is not more difficult to plan my meals once I got used to it. My "extra" meals are a protein bar or cottage cheese and fruit. Lots and lots of water. I don't eat so much protein/calories on the days I don't lift.
Everyone is different for what works for their body/lifestyle.
When adding in my extra eating I have to make sure I am not also adding junk while saying to myself "Oh well I am trying to eat more so...so what if I have this..." type of thing.
hope this helps
Jen
I don't have a whole lot of experience in this area.....as I need to do lots of cardio or I feel fatter.....but I've been really trying to watch my food and increase my protein and cut my cardio back slightly. I noticed foods like almonds and peanuts seem to keep me feeling satisfied longer than other foods. I'm a vegetarian so it's difficult for me to get that satisfied feeling. Almonds have been doing a good job for me as a snack that's healthy and full of protein and fiber.
I'm glad it's working for you, I am lifting pretty hard but I still feel like my middle is not as defined, although I can still see some abdominal muscles there. I'm torn as to finish out this month and then go to a fatloss routine or just to get to the fatloss routine. Thanks for all the replies. Jen do you have any cheat days?
lcsavik_85
Cathlete
I've been doing the same thing since the begining of April b/c I researched on Bodybuilding.com how to put on muscle and I watched several shows on Fittv. This is the "put on mass phase" then you do a "cutting phase". So do expect to gain a little. Plus its mainly water retention b/c you are working harder to the muscle takes longer to recover. If it is extra fat its easy for the muscles to grab the fat when it need the fuel. Fat is a far superior form of fuel than carbs.
I also only do cardio 2x a week. I do CoreMax 2x a week and I take a day or two for stretching or rest. I just finished the Slow & Heavies last month and this month I'm doing the Gym Styles. I do have a lot more strength and since there are more reps with the Gymstyles I'm seeing definition in the first week. I'm pushing hard to use the same wts Cathe uses. By the end of last month I was going heavier than she was with the S&H. With the Gymstyles I use 15s to her 20s. That will change by the end of the month too.
I eat roughly 20g of Protein, 26-36g of Carbs, and 7-10g of fat with each meal. After a rest day or two, I feel trim and not pudgy. But on the other days I do feel softer.
Just think that when you done with this phase and you start cutting you'll have some great muscles to show off!
I think the next time I do this will be in the fall that way I can cut in the winter and look great for spring.
Just my .02
~Reece Out~
I also only do cardio 2x a week. I do CoreMax 2x a week and I take a day or two for stretching or rest. I just finished the Slow & Heavies last month and this month I'm doing the Gym Styles. I do have a lot more strength and since there are more reps with the Gymstyles I'm seeing definition in the first week. I'm pushing hard to use the same wts Cathe uses. By the end of last month I was going heavier than she was with the S&H. With the Gymstyles I use 15s to her 20s. That will change by the end of the month too.
I eat roughly 20g of Protein, 26-36g of Carbs, and 7-10g of fat with each meal. After a rest day or two, I feel trim and not pudgy. But on the other days I do feel softer.
Just think that when you done with this phase and you start cutting you'll have some great muscles to show off!
I think the next time I do this will be in the fall that way I can cut in the winter and look great for spring.
Just my .02
~Reece Out~
Mic,
Don't give up yet!!!
First off...what are you eating, when are you eating and how often are you eating?? How many calories a day are you taking in? Do you do a post workout recovery meal or shake? What kind of cardio are you doing, and when are you doing it? What do your workouts look like? I see that you said you are lifting hardcore style...are you doing the Hardcore Gym Style Cathe workouts? What kind of weights are you using, how many pounds are you lifting, Are you working the muscle to failure? How often are you doing abs, and whick workout are you doing for abs?
Don't give up yet!!!
First off...what are you eating, when are you eating and how often are you eating?? How many calories a day are you taking in? Do you do a post workout recovery meal or shake? What kind of cardio are you doing, and when are you doing it? What do your workouts look like? I see that you said you are lifting hardcore style...are you doing the Hardcore Gym Style Cathe workouts? What kind of weights are you using, how many pounds are you lifting, Are you working the muscle to failure? How often are you doing abs, and whick workout are you doing for abs?
Denise I know you use ab ripper x. How long of a workout is it and how does it compare to abhits.
Mic, I wish I could help you but I get overwhelmed with so much info that I jusy=t do what I feel I can. I am very defined upper body but get so confused on the lower body and I want more definition there, Good luck to you!
Terri
Mic, I wish I could help you but I get overwhelmed with so much info that I jusy=t do what I feel I can. I am very defined upper body but get so confused on the lower body and I want more definition there, Good luck to you!
Terri
Hi, thanks for posting back. I'm eating oatmeal and drinking protein, eating eggs and meat and fruit all the stuff I'm supposed to. I try to take in about 1400-1600 calories a day which is a lot to me. I'm 5'1, thought I was 5'2 until I went to the doctor the other day. Anyway I'm small boned, very small frame and my weight did go up so now I'm about 106lbs, which the weight it doesn't matter to me, it's the muscle and the bodyfat that concerns me. I want to make sure I'm putting on muscle and not to much bodyfat. I'm doing cardio 3 times a week and I do drink a protein shake fairly soon after weightlifting. I'm doing the P90x series and working my abs 3 times a week. I have to work my abs atleast 3 times a week, keeps me in-line. Like I said I do feel stronger but I'm feeling pudgy. Oh yes I do lift to failure, for my legs I'm doing the Hardcore Gymstyle with that I'm lifting pretty close to what Cathe is lifting about 5lbs shy in some places but more in others. So I don't know what's going on with me? Maybe I should be more paitent, I don't know?
I do allow cheat days, usually on the weekends, with the mass-increase phase I am in, but within reason...usually it is not remembering to eat enough protein 5x a day.
Prior to this I was doing fat loss only and was very strict with my eating, although I let go a little bit on the weekend, within reason. I was doing WW then...so I banked my points for the weekends. But I was getting frustrated b/c I could not increase my weights.
My opinion is if you are frustrated it may be time to go into a different rotation, a fat loss one. That would be my inclination if I was as frustrated you sound....after a month you can go back to the muscle building, maybe. (I plan to keep a few total body workouts per week to keep my current muscle when I go into a fat loss rotation...but I am going to wait and stay on my current muscle building plan because I am excited about being able to increase the weights I am lifting with the Gym Styles)
In general, once you figure out/write down a few set meals that have the ratios that you want, need as far as calories, protein, etc....whatever that may be.....then it should not be so much work to know what to eat. I found it was a hassle for the first 2 weeks, then you know about what you need to be eating and you don't need to measure so much.
I have a hard time building muscle, and find that this phasing plan works for me, or has so far. I have to focus on one or the other. It also keeps me interested in the whole deal. It may not for everyone though...which I think is why so many people disagree vehemently about the right plan/what works!
Jen
Prior to this I was doing fat loss only and was very strict with my eating, although I let go a little bit on the weekend, within reason. I was doing WW then...so I banked my points for the weekends. But I was getting frustrated b/c I could not increase my weights.
My opinion is if you are frustrated it may be time to go into a different rotation, a fat loss one. That would be my inclination if I was as frustrated you sound....after a month you can go back to the muscle building, maybe. (I plan to keep a few total body workouts per week to keep my current muscle when I go into a fat loss rotation...but I am going to wait and stay on my current muscle building plan because I am excited about being able to increase the weights I am lifting with the Gym Styles)
In general, once you figure out/write down a few set meals that have the ratios that you want, need as far as calories, protein, etc....whatever that may be.....then it should not be so much work to know what to eat. I found it was a hassle for the first 2 weeks, then you know about what you need to be eating and you don't need to measure so much.
I have a hard time building muscle, and find that this phasing plan works for me, or has so far. I have to focus on one or the other. It also keeps me interested in the whole deal. It may not for everyone though...which I think is why so many people disagree vehemently about the right plan/what works!
Jen
I've had great success! I keep adding muscle in preparation for my September competition. But I don't do it alone. I have my nutrition prescribed to me by MsFit, at the Elite Physique. I finished 3rd in the Meltdown they had, and I've increased muscle since then. In 17 weeks, I've added 5 pounds of muscle! i have about 18 weeks to go before my competition. Hoping to add another 5 pounds!
MsFit is Karen Sessions. She's a natural bodybuilder, who has competed on the national level. She runs The Elite Physique website, which has a forum that is AWESOME for getting info on diet and training.
She offers e-consultations, where you give her your goals and she tells you how many calories/protein/fat/carbs you should be eating, and how hard to hit the weights and cardio. She sells the e-consults, but the forum is free. She has several e-books available for sale too. The woman knows her stuff! (edited to add, the e-consults are done through email.)
Read the nutrition section of the free forum, the training section, and some journals of forum members, and you'll get a good feel for what she's all about.
I can't say enough good things about her and the site!
She offers e-consultations, where you give her your goals and she tells you how many calories/protein/fat/carbs you should be eating, and how hard to hit the weights and cardio. She sells the e-consults, but the forum is free. She has several e-books available for sale too. The woman knows her stuff! (edited to add, the e-consults are done through email.)
Read the nutrition section of the free forum, the training section, and some journals of forum members, and you'll get a good feel for what she's all about.
I can't say enough good things about her and the site!