Hey guys, I’m wondering what you think of my calories I’m planning to eat (bold below so you don’t have to read all this crap). I’m hoping to gain 1/2 pound a week (135-160lbs). I’ve just started on a project and completion date is June next year, so that gives me a year.
I’m 5’-6" and 3 weeks ago was 135lbs. Not a skinny little 135 though, I’ve got a good natural build (carpenter for 10 years and athletic my whole life). I’m a carpenter by trade so normally physical, but not so much because I’m supervising now – which is why I can finally bulk up.
First time in my life I’ve put in a solid effort to bulk and I’m almost 3 weeks in lol. My goals have been for the last 3 weeks (however I’ve actually averaged 3300/day)
Carbs - 360g (just doubled my protein intake)
Protein - 180g (30g every 3 hours)
Fats - 100g (my whoop strap says my body likes keeping it under 100g, willing to up it though if I need to)
= 3060 calories
**After doing some more reading, I think I should go for **
Carbs - 360-440g (6-7g/kg)
Protein - 160g (2.5g/kg)
Fats - 125g (2g/kg)
= 3200-3500 calories
Not a huge difference in calories, but more carbs and fat, less protein
My new nutrition plan would be:
workout at 5am then eat breakfast, again at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, and 8pm before a 9 o’clock bedtime.
6am = no shakes – 110g millet rice cereal, almond milk (avoiding dairy), 1.25 cups mixed berries, 2 eggs
= 713 calories, 105g carbs, 29g protein, 20g fat (big breakfast/post workout)
9am and 3pm snack - 2 egg sandwich, banana, ½ scoop Hulk and ½ scoop Shaklee grass fed whey (Shaklee’s the bomb, where I get my vitamins)
= 586 calories, 85g carbs, 20g protein, 20g fat
Lunch and supper I’ll try focus on fats, protein, and veggies (carbs will already be at 366 without lunch and supper). When the cook finally arrives, I can focus on more whole food carbs and eliminate some of my Hulk mass gainer shakes
= fat, protein, veg
8pm shake before bed - 2 scoops Hulk
= 510 calories, 90g carbs, 6g fat, 28g protein (low fat before bed good?)
NGL I scored some white powder (creatine) off a co-worker because I wanted to get as big as possible for Canada Day and didn’t care if it was water weight haha. So I’ll continue to take creatine (until I’ve gained enough size to quit taking it)
Other diet/lifestyle stuff:
Without ever actually checking my testosterone, I’m trying to raise it
- I don’t drink alcohol
- BPA free water source
- Eating Healthy fats
- Try for low added sugar. Average 20g/day (get most of it from sugar in coffee after my workout)
- minimum dairy
- Only able to average 6 hours of sleep a night/3.5 hours restorative sleep
Testosterone supplements already using
- 1000mg Tribulus/day
- 500mg red Korean gingseng/day
Taking to work with me next time:
- Ashwagandha - 1300mg/day
- Better quality Red Korean Ginseng – 3000mg/day
- Better quality Tribulus – 1300mg/day
- I WISH I could take Maca, but I get the craziest stomach aches
- I have citrulline but I’m not up early enough before my workout to take it
I’m mostly after what you guys think of where I’m getting my calories. But any tips on anything in this essay I just wrote would be greatly appreciated. Also, natural supplement recommendations (don’t need pre/post-workout or anything, just after the herbal things like I listed above are cool)
Thanks!
