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Rate My Diet

Beginners
#1

Hello Everyone

First time poster so apologies if I sound like a total tool with a lack of knowledge.

I’ve been lifting weights for about 10 years now and gaining strength has never been an issue but muscle/size has. I train 4 times a week focusing on one of the following
arms, chest, back/shoulders and legs for about an hour , however no matter how I increase the weights I lift I never seem to build significant muscle, so my diet is the one thing that I think must be the cause.

In terms of diet/training I’m the sort of person who will do anything which I think will help build muscle.

In terms of goals what I really want to achieve is just to be able to control building (see results) muscle rather than just busting my hump and not getting very far.

Below is an example of my diet from today

Breakfast - three egg omelette with chicken chunks (one breast)

Mid-Morning snack - Tinned Mackerel and oat brunch bar

Lunch - Chicken wrap (1 and a half breast) with salad, yoghurt, fruit

Mid-Afternoon Snack - Banana and Nuts

Pre- Workout - Whey Protein Shake

Post Workout - Whey Protein Shake

Dinner - Beef Stir Fry

Before I go to sleep - Whey Protein Shake

Any feedback/ advice you could give me would be much appreciated. I have lurked over various sections on nutrition on the site however there is an overwhelming amount of different answers etc.

Cheers

#2

When you say you have no problem gaining strength, what are your lifts right now (like bench, squat, deadlift, or any major compound lift you do if you don’t do those)?

How much weight have you gained over the last 10 years?

#3

[quote]fisch wrote:
When you say you have no problem gaining strength, what are your lifts right now (like bench, squat, deadlift, or any major compound lift you do if you don’t do those)?

How much weight have you gained over the last 10 years?[/quote]

I bench around 330 lbs. I know that probably isn’t a big number on here. I don’t mean to sound arrogant i.e. I have no problem gaining strength, what I meant was my main problem was I get to a certain muscle mass and then it just stays the same even if I mix up my routine.

To be honest the most I’ve probably gained is around 10lbs. I focus mainly on my upper body.

#4

Nutrition isn’t that hard. Just eat healthy fats, get your protein in, carbs will come with fruits or grains, and know a general idea of your caloric intake.
It’s not hard to eat healthy.

You’ve been training for 10 years, you have more experience than most people on this site. With 10 years experience you should be well in tuned with your body and what/how it responds to the best.

Bench is only a fraction of testing your strength.

#5

If you’ve gained 10 lbs over 10 years, you aren’t eating enough. That’s why your not getting bigger. You can’t get bigger if you don’t give your muscles incentive to grow. Part of that incentive is weights, part of that is food.

#6

Cheers for the replies guys.

I don’t suppose anyone has a decent diet plan that focuses mainly on muscle growth? A diet plan than literally tells you what and when to eat Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc?

#7

Cheers for the replies guys.

I don’t suppose anybody has a good diet plan that focuses solely on muscle growth that literally tells you what to eat and when ie Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc?

Cheers

#8

[quote]tg7 wrote:
Cheers for the replies guys.

I don’t suppose anybody has a good diet plan that focuses solely on muscle growth that literally tells you what to eat and when ie Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc?

Cheers[/quote]

Only you can figure out what you need to eat to gain muscle. Try adding 500kcal a day to your diet and see if you gain weight. If you don’t, eat more. It’s that simple.

#9

[quote]tg7 wrote:
Cheers for the replies guys.

I don’t suppose anybody has a good diet plan that focuses solely on muscle growth that literally tells you what to eat and when ie Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc?

Cheers[/quote]

People pay good money for that! Here’s a good place to start though: http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/controlledcarb_bulking_strategy&cr= have a gander at the ‘moderate’ approach. And here’s some more things to think about, since you seem to be a ‘hardgainer’ http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/diet_planning_for_the_hardgainer&cr=

Also, your diet doesn’t look that bad, you’re just not eating enough, especially carbs. I’d start with adding more carbs around your workout and in the morning, see how that goes. If you do know what you’re doing in the gym, then it’s as simple as ‘if you’re not gaining weight, eat more. If you’re gaining weight too fast (putting on too much fat), eat less.’

#10

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]tg7 wrote:
Cheers for the replies guys.

I don’t suppose anybody has a good diet plan that focuses solely on muscle growth that literally tells you what to eat and when ie Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc?

Cheers[/quote]

People pay good money for that! Here’s a good place to start though: http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/controlledcarb_bulking_strategy&cr= have a gander at the ‘moderate’ approach. And here’s some more things to think about, since you seem to be a ‘hardgainer’ http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/diet_planning_for_the_hardgainer&cr=

Also, your diet doesn’t look that bad, you’re just not eating enough, especially carbs. I’d start with adding more carbs around your workout and in the morning, see how that goes. If you do know what you’re doing in the gym, then it’s as simple as ‘if you’re not gaining weight, eat more. If you’re gaining weight too fast (putting on too much fat), eat less.’[/quote]

Really useful links, thanks for your help. I guess my main problem is like you say I just don’t eat enough. The idea of eating 6 meals per day was pretty alien to me but it makes sense that pushing weights is pretty pointless if you don’t eat around 300g of protein per day.

#11

[quote]tg7 wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]tg7 wrote:
Cheers for the replies guys.

I don’t suppose anybody has a good diet plan that focuses solely on muscle growth that literally tells you what to eat and when ie Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc?

Cheers[/quote]

People pay good money for that! Here’s a good place to start though: http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/controlledcarb_bulking_strategy&cr= have a gander at the ‘moderate’ approach. And here’s some more things to think about, since you seem to be a ‘hardgainer’ http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/diet_planning_for_the_hardgainer&cr=

Also, your diet doesn’t look that bad, you’re just not eating enough, especially carbs. I’d start with adding more carbs around your workout and in the morning, see how that goes. If you do know what you’re doing in the gym, then it’s as simple as ‘if you’re not gaining weight, eat more. If you’re gaining weight too fast (putting on too much fat), eat less.’[/quote]

Really useful links, thanks for your help. I guess my main problem is like you say I just don’t eat enough. The idea of eating 6 meals per day was pretty alien to me but it makes sense that pushing weights is pretty pointless if you don’t eat around 300g of protein per day.[/quote]

it isn’t just about eating protein. it’s about eating enough calories to make you gain at least 1-2 lb a month.

before I started dieting, I’d have what you have for lunch, plus another breast, plus two cups of rice… and I only weigh 205 at 5’9". there are guys here who eat more than that.

#12

[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:

[quote]tg7 wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]tg7 wrote:
Cheers for the replies guys.

I don’t suppose anybody has a good diet plan that focuses solely on muscle growth that literally tells you what to eat and when ie Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc?

Cheers[/quote]

People pay good money for that! Here’s a good place to start though: http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/controlledcarb_bulking_strategy&cr= have a gander at the ‘moderate’ approach. And here’s some more things to think about, since you seem to be a ‘hardgainer’ http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/diet_planning_for_the_hardgainer&cr=

Also, your diet doesn’t look that bad, you’re just not eating enough, especially carbs. I’d start with adding more carbs around your workout and in the morning, see how that goes. If you do know what you’re doing in the gym, then it’s as simple as ‘if you’re not gaining weight, eat more. If you’re gaining weight too fast (putting on too much fat), eat less.’[/quote]

Really useful links, thanks for your help. I guess my main problem is like you say I just don’t eat enough. The idea of eating 6 meals per day was pretty alien to me but it makes sense that pushing weights is pretty pointless if you don’t eat around 300g of protein per day.[/quote]

it isn’t just about eating protein. it’s about eating enough calories to make you gain at least 1-2 lb a month.

before I started dieting, I’d have what you have for lunch, plus another breast, plus two cups of rice… and I only weigh 205 at 5’9". there are guys here who eat more than that.[/quote]

You see that’s what I don’t get, if I up my calorie count surely the weight I put on will just be fat won’t it?

#13

[quote]tg7 wrote:

[quote]fisch wrote:
When you say you have no problem gaining strength, what are your lifts right now (like bench, squat, deadlift, or any major compound lift you do if you don’t do those)?

How much weight have you gained over the last 10 years?[/quote]

I bench around 330 lbs. I know that probably isn’t a big number on here. I don’t mean to sound arrogant i.e. I have no problem gaining strength, what I meant was my main problem was I get to a certain muscle mass and then it just stays the same even if I mix up my routine.

To be honest the most I’ve probably gained is around 10lbs. I focus mainly on my upper body. [/quote]

I think the most telling thing here is the last sentence. Try adding in equal amounts of lower body work (and effort), along with a the extra food you’re being advised to eat. Training lower body will definitely kick your system into “grow” mode.

#14

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[quote]tg7 wrote:
I focus mainly on my upper body. [/quote]

If you made this statement, are 6’ tall/175bs, and you bench 330, you’re prolly a bench-n-curl monkey. Amiright?

Work the shit outta your legs (and everything else you’ve been neglecting) and eat. You’ll get bigger.

#15

[quote]JayPierce wrote:

[quote]tg7 wrote:
I focus mainly on my upper body. [/quote]
If you made this statement, are 6’ tall/175bs, and you bench 330, you’re prolly a bench-n-curl monkey. Amiright?

Work the shit outta your legs (and everything else you’ve been neglecting) and eat. You’ll get bigger.

[/quote]

Haha yeah pretty much, however i do work a lot on my back,shoulders and triceps.

So does working your legs have an effect on the rest of your body?

#16

Not the absolute best article on the subject, but #1 will give you a good idea.