Hi,
I’ve been reading this forum for about 2 days now and I’ve decided to start working out. I’ve never did any weight training in high school I’m just tired of being “weak” I also fall under the catagory of the “skinny bastard that can’t gain weight” but I’ve taken steps to fix that I’m eat 5 meals a day now and I’m using the rule of 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. My biggest question is what should I focus on, I’m 5’9" 145lbs, to increase my size and strength. And are the all proteins the same or are some better than others Like for example is the protein in eggs better than the protein found in chicken or red meat. And lastly should I consider using a creatine powder supplement of 5 grams after a workout?
You don’t need the forum yet. Click on the Current Issue and then read the FAQ. There’s all kinds of stuff in there for you, the newbie. Once you’ve read just about everything in the FAQ then come back and ask more in depth questions. About creatine, i say take it. In addition to the “newbie gains” you’ll get, this will give you even a little more size, which in turn for a lot of people gives them motivation to keep working out. My reason for taking it, helps keep me from getting sore. As a newbie, you will definitely get sore.
So again, read the FAQ. You’re not going to get many replies on this because they’re all going to tell you the same thing i have. You also need to figure out what your goals are. You want to look good nekkid? increase functional strength? just get bigger? yada yada yada. Read the FAQ, come back with questions about training methods, routines, and nutrition once you’ve learned a little bit.
Ed As far as I know protein originating from animal products (eggs, chicken, pork, beef) are about equal when it comes to quality. The reason is they possess all the essential amino acids (they are essential because the body cannot make them). Vegetable proteins are lower quality because they do not have all the essential amino acids. So stick with animal protein as your main source and you should be fine. By increasing your caloric intake you should see an increase in size (as long as you increase it enough), now all you have to do is find a program. The website has a few beginner programs you might want to look at. As far as creatine. I personally would wait a little before taking creatine. I just don’t like the idea of taking supplements (other than protein) before you even get yourself settled. In other words, give yourself a few weeks/months to get used to the gym and then start on it. Good Luck
If a protein comes from milk, eggs or meat, you should be fine. These are all complete proteins, but some have more of certain amino acids, so try to eat 5 different types of proteins in each of your meals.
As a newbie, you can pretty much do any type of routine and succeed. Just be sure to be consistent with whatever you choose. Read through the FAQ and pick a routine that seems interesting to you. Ian King's Limping and 12 weeks to Super Strength would be a great place to start, but you can choose anything.
Adding creatine would be a great addition to your plan. Take 5g with your post-workout shake and take 5g in green tea with a meal on off days and you should be fine.
All I can say is I envy you for your kicked-into-gear metabolism (as far as you can eat whatever the fuck you please and still keep the fat off). Anyways, a lot of my friends too are skinny bastards and I tell them the same thing… lots of High glycemic carbohydrates. These kind of carbs rise your blood sugar faster and actually make you hungrier which is what you need to focus on, as your ectomorph genetics have the tendencies to have a small appetite. I would recommend laying off cardio as to burn off as little calories as possible. Another thing is eat heavy, fatty and sugary, meals right before you go to bed, or even getting up in the middle of the night and grabbing watever you can get your hands on. And for god sakes… EAT EAT EAT