Cory Cook: Yes I think bodybuilders say to eat WAY to much protein. Though I have to disagree with your statement about humans not being designed to eat meat. Why would we have CANINE teeth if we weren’t meant to eat meat? Just like dogs and cats have canine’s to tear flesh from prey… we have them too… though through evolution ours have began to look somewhat like our grinding teeth or our front incisors. We are omnivorous.. and I don’t think you would get as much response from your body only eating plant proteins as if you were eating both plant and animal. This is strictly my opinion… im not an expert by any means. Im not here to start a heated debate because I could care less.. Just trying to help some people feel better/look better because I know how it feels to feel skinny all the time. Now I look like a thin bodybuilder, and people sometimes think im on steroids at the gym since im so vascular. I’ve never done steroids and never will, so I take it as a compliment. Good luck to yourself.

Matt: I work out 4 days a week very heavy and do abs/calves on the 5th day or sometimes do chest again on the 5th day. Im 5′ 10″ weighing 156 which hasn’t increased much since im working so much, but my strength keeps increasing slowly. Benching 235 four times without a spotter, and squatting 265 six times as of now. Let us know where you are in terms of your strength so a plan can be designed for you. I can only tell you what works for me.. I do chest/traps monday, quads/hamstrings tuesday.. off wednesday… shoulders/bi’s thursday, back/tri’s Friday. Eat a good portion of carbs/protein/fat with every meal (though limit fat after workouts) because fat blocks absorption into muscles. eat 4000cals a day broken into 5-6 meals. I use Cyto-gainer for my protein/weight gain shakes. 2 a day adds about 1300 cals.

But I believe at looking at all the angles and would say that if you are eating animal proteins then you would have to eat more protein than if you were eating plant based proteins. Since our bodies were not designed to eat and digest meat, I believe allot of the protein never gets digested and absorbed by the body. however if you were to eat plant based proteins like beans, nuts, seeds. Then your body would be able to break down the protein way easier and most of it will be used instead flushed down the toilet. The same thing with the protein powders, if you take 30 grams of protein with whey, you can take 15 grams of protein with hemp protein powder and you would absorb about the same amount as you would with the whey.

Pretty interesting if you ask me, maybe we aren’t designed for animal proteins.

Im a skinny 16 male who is trying to gain some weight. I have decided to eat six meals a day with the carbohydrates and the proteins to help gain weight. Was wondering if I should force myself to do as many push ups as I can everyday to help with muscle growth since you said that working out is important. But you also said something about the recovery phase so I am not sure if doing excessive push ups everyday is a good idea. What do you think?

read through what i suggested on the comments above and take them as the same for yourself. Building muscle is the same for men and women. Men are just stronger physiologically (most of the time). Eat 3500-4000 cals a day and lift heavy on bench press, squats, deadlift, standing shoulder press, pull ups/pull downs (lats) and rows… then you should see results!.. try and lift heavier weight each week from the previous week. Focus on those main exercises and include some others like bicep curls tricep extensions, lunges, flies, etc… to help hit some other muscle groups, but the bulk of the workout should be on maximizing strength in the main exercises (with good form). Sometimes using a little momentum is ok in order to complete an extemely heavy rep.. for example when I do standing shoulder press with the olympic bar, I will bend my knees a little and spring the weight up above my head towards my last few reps in order to get a few more reps out. only do this on very heavy lifting (and always have a spotter on heavy lifts). write down your numbers and compare them once in a while to make sure u are still progressing, unless u can remember each week like I do. I weigh 155 and deadlifted 315 four times today. My bench press is around 225 five times (about 260 max.) and squat 225 ten times. Food is even more important than lifting, always remember that. Good luck and start making progess.

Can you help me with my problem..i’m already 18 and skinny..male and active..what suggestions can you give me?

Im assuming you are female judging from your name and from your weight.. which is important in how im answering your request for information. I am a “hard-gainer” as they call it and so have a good deal of experience in having trouble gaining weight. I am 26 years old (male) and now weigh 156lbs. 3 weeks ago I began a weight training and gaining routine at which I weighed 143lbs. Yep, 13 lbs in 3 weeks… no steroids lol. I have another 9lbs to go to get to my goal weight of 165lbs. Total weight gain anticipated …22lbs.

I have been lifting heavy at the gym 5 days a week.. not 7 days! People trying to gain weight must have rest days.. .2-3 a week. I have been eating my face off everyday .. probably 3500-4000 calories a day, which is usually constituted of 4 food meals and 2 protein shake meals a day, along with some snacks. If I could get 5 food meals or 3 protein shakes i would! My protein shakes are actually weight gainers.. meaning high protein and HIGH carbs.. not like most regular low carb whey protein shakes. Each shake is approx. 650 calories.. adding a very bold 1300 calories a day to my diet. CytoGainer is the brand I use (from the makers of muscle milk) even tho some people dont like this because they think it has too much sugar.. screw them it works! I train legs 2 times a week, since its my least developed body part and biggest muscle group ( I used to be able to bench press more than i could squat…which is pathetic) today I squatted 225 for ten reps!

I know this sounds like me just talking about myself, and what does that have to do with you?? but Im just pointing out some of how I am going about weight gain, so you can use the same principles. Male or female, the human body, cells & muscles respond to lifting heavy loads and calorie intake. why would a muscle grow if it was asked to lift somthing that it already could lift without too much of a problem (even if lifting that weight multiple times made it burn a bit). It won’t grow very much is the answer. Also, don’t worry about getting “bulky” as so many females worry about. You would have to totally commit your life to bodybuilding and powerlifting and eating 6000calories a day for years to begin to look bulky at your weight and height. remember, being a male, us guys are attracted to women with curves! muscles make better curves than fat (except breasts).. Nothing more sexy than woman with nice quads and calves and tight butt.. also sexy on a woman is a nice back and toned arms. If most of your extremities are kind of skinny and curveless, you need to begin a heavy freeweight lifting routine 3-4 times a week and eat a crapload of calories while doing it… all while drastically reducing alcohol intake (i stopped totally, and was boozing like a mad man on the weekends). For females, especially if your legs are skinny to begin with.. you need to start doing squats.. deadlifts and bench press would be good too if you can handle it. When the summer comes reduce calories, including drastically reducing carbs… and keeping high protein… then start running a bit more again and doing higher reps and longer workouts. Keep workouts to 45mins while trying to bulk, no longer. I know you said u didn’t want to “bulk”… but in essence thats exactly what you described as wanting to do. Its just the word that scares you… change the word and follow my advice and I guarantee at least 10lbs in the first month.. maybe another 5-10 if you are consistant the next few months following. Good luck, and I hope this helped some. P.S. don’t run very far while trying to bulk.. do sprints if you want to stay in shape.

I need help planning a diet I can follow, I’m a student so I keep odd hours and I know for sure I don’t eat enough. I have a very active metabolism and seem to burn calories while sitting.

I see you don’t reccomend cardio when trying to gain weight…I run about 6k a week and thinking maybe someone (please please please) can help me plan a workout I will actually do (I can only get to the gym twice a week to weight train) and a diet I can follow, I don’t know how to figure how much I need or what to eat to get that. I don’t want to “bulk” per say but want to be more toned.

PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

I am 192 cm and 65 kilos atm. I know that I am very under my BMI and its making me very sad in how I cant put on any weight. The problem I think with me is that i become determined to put on weight, then after a couple of days become slack.

This site has given me new hope to reach my ideal weight of 80 kilos. Thankyou for everyone for putting up their ideas on how to succesffuly put on weight.

My busy lifiestyle with school and stuff doesnt help me but I will find a way to squeeze in the 6 meals + midnight snacks. I also do some weights at home and at the gym that should build muscle.

I hope to look back at this wesbite in 6 months and say I have reached my goal. Once again… thankyou for everyones ideas.

Now im off to eat sumthing =)