Help Please! So much food (seriously!) but no gains!

[Skinnyrunt]

I’m in dire need of help here with my offeason diet – I’m honestly eating a ton of food for my bodyweight but still can’t gain weight! As of now I’m 178lbs and consuming around 4000 cals a day and not gaining – is this normal?!

I know a lot of people might say to just deal with it and eat more, and no one said it would be easy etc…but I’m seriously bloated most of the day, and I’m constantly farting on an evening time and through the night – thank goodness I’m single!

To give a little background on myself, I'm 25 years old and have been lifting for about 4 or 5 years now. I'm a natural competitor and I've competed over the last couple years, my last show was at the end of July 2011. I seem to do just fine getting shredded, but I can't for the life of me seem to grow, especially now that it's the offseason and it's what I'm meant to be doing! In fact to tell the truth I seem to be shrinking and losing size, seeing the scales going down rather than up!

Working against me is the fact that I work a rather physical job unfortunately, running a coffee shop business, so I am literally on my feet walking and moving around all day everyday. I eat my meals walking, between serving customers, and the only sitting down I do is for maybe 2 hours on an evening before bed!

I currently weigh 178lbs with low single digit body fat, and lift 3 times a week doing DC. I also do 2 light boxing classes a week (this is nothing too strenuous, just light sparring and technical tuitition), and 2 days a week I walk for 30 mins on my tip toes (like Dante recommended in an article to bring up your calves). I do all of the above on separate days. I realise that this might be a fair amount of energy that I'm burning on top of my active job.

My diet looks like this:

9am Breakfast / Pre WO: 3 Whole Eggs + 5 Whites + Blueberries, Apple, Pineapple, Rye Bread + 1 tbsp Cod liver Oil + 1 scoop Whey + 1 scoop Waxy Maize
(60g protein, 80g carbs, 30g fat)

12pm Post WO: 2.5 scoops Whey + 2 scoops Waxy Maize
(60g protein, 80g carbs)

2pm: 1 scoop Whey + 1 tub Cottage Cheese + 2 Egg Yolks + Almonds + Lentil Soup + slice of Pineapple + Rye Bread
(60g protein, 60g carbs, 30g fat)

5pm *I make this my last meal of the day with carbs: Tuna + Sweet Potato + Almonds + 2 Egg Yolks + slice of Pineapple
(60g protein, 60g carbs, 30g fat)

8pm: Chicken breast + Broccoli + Almonds + Peanut Butter
(60g protein, 30g fat)

10.30pm: 1 tub Cottage Cheese + 3 Whole Eggs + 3 Egg Whites + 1 tbsp Cod liver oil
(60g protein, 10g carbs, 30g fat)

Total: 360g protein, 290g carbs, 150g fat

Now I may be wrong, but considering I weigh only 178lbs, this seems a lot of food for a guy to be taking in, so despite having an active lifestyle I don't know why I struggle to maintain let alone gain weight!

I'd also like to point out that I seem to get bloated really easily from carbs and get an upset stomach, so I prefer to increase my fats instead as it's easier on my digestive system (this is also why I have a slice of pineapple with most of my carb meals, because I believe the digestive enzymes help). I also try and time my carbs around pre and post workout for this reason.

Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated, because I'm seriously on the verge of packing it in and just accepting that I'll always be a slim lean guy but with abs at least.

Thanks a lot guys.

[Provo82]

okay well since ur not willing to increase carbs because of Gastro issues and your proteins already high i would simply try adding like 300 calories from fats spread em evenly over all the meals. if you dont gain after a week or two repeat again. now even though you might not be gaining weight also watch the mirror because body composition can be changing favorably or unfavorably and you need to balance that with wht your seeing on the scale and further evaluate from there. hope this helps.

[Scoobysnacks]

im gonna point out the scale is only ONE tool. As a natural you wont be throwing on tons of weight. I have to get this through all my guys heads. 1/2 lbs every 2 weeks is plenty thats 1 lbs a month. A natural after a few years of training will only add about 3-5lbs TRUE muscle per year. 4000 calories is more than enough at 178. You just have to be patient. Once i start to bloat and smell like shit i back off, the body grows in spurts. Id say 3500-3800 would be plenty. Also take digestive enzymes one per meal, get more out of the food you do eat.

[Provo82]

im gonna point out the scale is only ONE tool. As a natural you wont be throwing on tons of weight. I have to get this through all my guys heads. 1/2 lbs every 2 weeks is plenty thats 1 lbs a month. A natural after a few years of training will only add about 3-5lbs TRUE muscle per year. 4000 calories is more than enough at 178. You just have to be patient. Once i start to bloat and smell like shit i back off, the body grows in spurts. Id say 3500-3800 would be plenty. Also take digestive enzymes one per meal, get more out of the food you do eat.

not to thread hijaack here but any reccs on a good digestive enzyme?

[Extreme One]

Have you considered dropping all that cottage cheese and replacing with a solid protein source like steak, ground beef, or even salmon? Even thinking about eating all that cottage cheese makes me feel bloated! For me personally, when I eliminated dairy I found myself less bloated and capable of packing away more calories.

[Skinnyrunt]

Thanks a lot for the advice people. It's great to have guys willing to help out.

Maybe I am being a bit impatient, but I've been gradually increasing my food intake over several months now up to what it is now, but after 6 months still aren't gaining.

I'll happily take that advice of backing up on the eating for a while though! If growth happens in spurts, maybe after eating less for a period, but then returning to my posted diet, I'll be able to shock some growth? Or up the fats some more as suggested too if necessary.

As for the question about cottage cheese, I actually find I have no problem digesting dairy, and in fact get more bloated from salmon. Also, there's the cost factor and cottage cheese is cheap!

[Scoobysnacks]

not to thread hijaack here but any reccs on a good digestive enzyme?

i was using beverlys but now i think we have pro labs but i cant remember i can see the bottle but i forget the brand

[juiceinator3000]

not to thread hijaack here but any reccs on a good digestive enzyme?

Whatever you do don't use vitamin shoppe brand. I've never had so much pain come from my ass. Except the one time I ate 40 buffalo wings.

[seanmech]

im gonna point out the scale is only ONE tool. As a natural you wont be throwing on tons of weight. I have to get this through all my guys heads. 1/2 lbs every 2 weeks is plenty thats 1 lbs a month. A natural after a few years of training will only add about 3-5lbs TRUE muscle per year. 4000 calories is more than enough at 178. You just have to be patient. Once i start to bloat and smell like shit i back off, the body grows in spurts. Id say 3500-3800 would be plenty. Also take digestive enzymes one per meal, get more out of the food you do eat.

As per normal Scoobysnacks is bang on, as a natural bodybuilder I bank on about 1lbs a month but don't stress sometimes I may get a period were I stop a steady gain but then all of a sudden gain 3lbs , as a natural I always say for every stone gained expect 2-4lbs to be fat it's taken me the last 3 years to go from 14 stone 1 at 12% BF to 17 stone 1 at 15% BF, eating around 4000 cals a day and regular weeks off every 8 weeks or so, rest and sleep as a natural Bb is even more important for gaining weight

[seanmech]

march 2007
march 2008
may 2009
Sept 2009 went to Olympia over dieted
May 2019 started getting things right
feb 2012 diet starts may lets try again!

[seanmech]

may 2009
may 2009
may 2010
may 2010
may 2010

[seanmech]

may 2011
may 2011
may 2011
may 2011
may 2011
may 2011

[seanmech]

O lol and a really old 1 from 1 once skinny runt to another I think it's about January 2007 after about 6 months training

[seanmech]

I’m in dire need of help here with my offeason diet – I’m honestly eating a ton of food for my bodyweight but still can’t gain weight! As of now I’m 178lbs and consuming around 4000 cals a day and not gaining – is this normal?!

I know a lot of people might say to just deal with it and eat more, and no one said it would be easy etc…but I’m seriously bloated most of the day, and I’m constantly farting on an evening time and through the night – thank goodness I’m single!

To give a little background on myself, I'm 25 years old and have been lifting for about 4 or 5 years now. I'm a natural competitor and I've competed over the last couple years, my last show was at the end of July 2011. I seem to do just fine getting shredded, but I can't for the life of me seem to grow, especially now that it's the offseason and it's what I'm meant to be doing! In fact to tell the truth I seem to be shrinking and losing size, seeing the scales going down rather than up!

Working against me is the fact that I work a rather physical job unfortunately, running a coffee shop business, so I am literally on my feet walking and moving around all day everyday. I eat my meals walking, between serving customers, and the only sitting down I do is for maybe 2 hours on an evening before bed!

I currently weigh 178lbs with low single digit body fat, and lift 3 times a week doing DC. I also do 2 light boxing classes a week (this is nothing too strenuous, just light sparring and technical tuitition), and 2 days a week I walk for 30 mins on my tip toes (like Dante recommended in an article to bring up your calves). I do all of the above on separate days. I realise that this might be a fair amount of energy that I'm burning on top of my active job.

My diet looks like this:

9am Breakfast / Pre WO: 3 Whole Eggs + 5 Whites + Blueberries, Apple, Pineapple, Rye Bread + 1 tbsp Cod liver Oil + 1 scoop Whey + 1 scoop Waxy Maize
(60g protein, 80g carbs, 30g fat)

12pm Post WO: 2.5 scoops Whey + 2 scoops Waxy Maize
(60g protein, 80g carbs)

2pm: 1 scoop Whey + 1 tub Cottage Cheese + 2 Egg Yolks + Almonds + Lentil Soup + slice of Pineapple + Rye Bread
(60g protein, 60g carbs, 30g fat)

5pm *I make this my last meal of the day with carbs: Tuna + Sweet Potato + Almonds + 2 Egg Yolks + slice of Pineapple
(60g protein, 60g carbs, 30g fat)

8pm: Chicken breast + Broccoli + Almonds + Peanut Butter
(60g protein, 30g fat)

10.30pm: 1 tub Cottage Cheese + 3 Whole Eggs + 3 Egg Whites + 1 tbsp Cod liver oil
(60g protein, 10g carbs, 30g fat)

Total: 360g protein, 290g carbs, 150g fat

Now I may be wrong, but considering I weigh only 178lbs, this seems a lot of food for a guy to be taking in, so despite having an active lifestyle I don't know why I struggle to maintain let alone gain weight!

I'd also like to point out that I seem to get bloated really easily from carbs and get an upset stomach, so I prefer to increase my fats instead as it's easier on my digestive system (this is also why I have a slice of pineapple with most of my carb meals, because I believe the digestive enzymes help). I also try and time my carbs around pre and post workout for this reason.

Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated, because I'm seriously on the verge of packing it in and just accepting that I'll always be a slim lean guy but with abs at least.

Thanks a lot guys.

Keep up the great work dude. Keep pics

[seanmech]

Thanks a lot for the advice people. It's great to have guys willing to help out.

Maybe I am being a bit impatient, but I've been gradually increasing my food intake over several months now up to what it is now, but after 6 months still aren't gaining.

I'll happily take that advice of backing up on the eating for a while though! If growth happens in spurts, maybe after eating less for a period, but then returning to my posted diet, I'll be able to shock some growth? Or up the fats some more as suggested too if necessary.

As for the question about cottage cheese, I actually find I have no problem digesting dairy, and in fact get more bloated from salmon. Also, there's the cost factor and cottage cheese is cheap!

Also take a week off, dont be affarid of looseing ur muscle u wont, the rest will do u good