Help me win a weight gain bet

[Frequitude]

So in a drunken Duttons night my buddy and I made a bet. I put on 10 pounds vs. him losing 15 pounds.

I've always been a tall skinny guy (6'-3", 160lbs, just turned 27). He's an A-type historically athletic driven guy who's currently a little soft (5'-11", ~205lbs, also just turned 27), so I don't doubt his ability to accomplish the feat. The weigh-in is at his office gym during morning coffee today.

Now, I'd like to do this healthily and make it 10lbs of muscle...not just by eating twinkies and getting fat.

Please help!

[Gozer]

[cKy]

^^^^ - Holy crap that makes me hungry. Well, I guess a diet of hookers and blow is out of the question for you. May work for him though.

[Ozy_Flame]

5-6 small meals throughout the day, make sure you have protein-rich meals (including chicken and tofu, focus on lean meats), a steady workout diet, and don't be afraid to drink 8-10 glasses of water per day. Also, have a healthy intake of a few fruits a day, and by all means start eating mixed nuts if you're not allergic. They are the BEST source of protein with no prep efforts whatsoever.

The key is to spread out the meals over a day; that's the most crucial thing to do.

[Gozer]

I think Creatine enables your muscles hold more water, which would help you. Hopefully someone a little more knowledgeable with confirm/refute that.

[habernac]

fat is going to be a lot faster to put on than muscle, unless you're going to be cranking out ridiculous amounts of reps for hours a day.

[HelloHockeyFans]

MRPs and protein powders. Switch over to higher protein foods and you should see 10 lbs easily.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally Posted by Gozer

I think Creatine enables your muscles hold more water, which would help you. Hopefully someone a little more knowledgeable with confirm/refute that.

Yep. Also, stay away from liquid creatine... stick with the powder form and mix it with something non-acidic... and it's best after the workout.

[Frequitude]

I've been asking some co-workers and they all say I don't stand a chance. I've tossed in the caveat that to win you have to maintain your goal for 90 days.

6 meals a day, lots of protein...check. What are other good sources to make up my meals?

How about exercises? Lots of squats I would imagine...

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by habernac

fat is going to be a lot faster to put on than muscle, unless you're going to be cranking out ridiculous amounts of reps for hours a day.

I don't think you need to do that at all. A steady, concentrated diet rich in protein and (Omega-3) fatty acids will not require you to spend copious amounts of time in the gym. All you're doing with exercising is breaking down the muscle fibers; proper food, sleep, and vitamin intake is essential to success.

It's not hard to put on 10 lbs of muscle; you really just have to have a discipline for your lifestyle beyond just the gym.

EDIT: 8 hours sleep (no more, no less) is crucial to success. Do NOT go to bed late, hit the sack before your body gets super-fatigued in the evening. Also, don't eat food right before you go to bed; it will just put on dead weight you don't need.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Yep. Also, stay away from liquid creatine... stick with the powder form and mix it with something non-acidic... and it's best after the workout.

Non-acidic, hey? So that means no creatine powder mixed into a morning fruit shake?

What are some good and somewhat tasty creatine/protein shake recipes?

[Suave]

You should be able to gain about a pound of healthy weight a week with the right diet and exercise. I have the same build as you (though a bit shorter and lighter when I started) and have gained 20 pounds over the past 5-6 months.

First thing you should do is figure out how many calories you are taking in a day. In order to gain that pound a week you will need to increase your caloric intake by 500 (if you aren't currently working out that will have to increase to account for calories lost there). Right now I take in between 3,300 and 3,400 calories a day.

What you want to eat are calorie dense foods (fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains). Choose foods that are high in calories but also high in nutrition. There is no point eating empty calories (things with refined sugar and white breads). Also insure you are eating lots of protein (chicken breast, fish), supplement your intake with a protein shake after your workout. Also do the multiple small meals a day.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

I've been asking some co-workers and they all say I don't stand a chance. I've tossed in the caveat that to win you have to maintain your goal for 90 days.

6 meals a day, lots of protein...check. What are other good sources to make up my meals?

How about exercises? Lots of squats I would imagine...

Try supplementing with some Whey protein... cheapest of the protein powders and absorbs quickly.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

I would have tried to get as much fluid out of your system before weigh-in this morning to make it easier. For the next weigh-in drink as much water as possible right before. One pint of water is over a pound of weight.

[Frequitude]

I had a solid cardio workout before work this morning, so that should help. I had to eat some oatmeal afterwards though, but ah well. Going without coffee has been tough though.

I'll also have to remember to go hang a deuce before heading over.

[Ford Prefect]

Wear really light clothing for today's weigh-in, and put lead in your pockets for the final weigh-in.

[Frequitude]

What's a good general meal plan. I'm thinking...

6:00 - light breakfast, with some easy carbs
6:15-7:15 - workout
7:30 - big protein rich breakfast. (eggs, protein shake)
10:00 - morning snack (nuts)
12:00 - lunch (I have no idea here, any good lunch ideas?)
3:00 - afternoon snack (those flavored tuna snackers)
5:30 - afterwork snack
7:00 - dinner (chicken, fish, steak. What are some good sides?)

Any creative suggestions for each of these meals?

[Gozer]

[quote=Frequitude;1615491]What's a good general meal plan. I'm thinking...

6:00 - light breakfast, with some easy carbs
6:15-7:15 - workout
7:30 - big protein rich breakfast. (eggs, protein shake)
10:00 - morning snack (nuts)
12:00 - lunch (bacon)
3:00 - afternoon snack (those flavored tuna snackers)
5:30 - afterwork snack
7:00 - dinner (chicken, fish, steak. bacon)

Any creative suggestions for each of these meals?

[blankall]

[quote=Gozer;1615495]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

What's a good general meal plan. I'm thinking...

6:00 - light breakfast, with some easy carbs
6:15-7:15 - workout
7:30 - big protein rich breakfast. (eggs, protein shake)
10:00 - morning snack (nuts)
12:00 - lunch (bacon)
3:00 - afternoon snack (those flavored tuna snackers)
5:30 - afterwork snack
7:00 - dinner (chicken, fish, steak. bacon)

Any creative suggestions for each of these meals?

You're going to have to be more specific about what a snack is.

I would Also throw in more food in the evening. Make sure you have something high in protein before you go to bed.

Also you should work out your macros (what percentage of your total diet is carbs/protein/fats) and your total calories. In order to put on lean muscle you will need to eat about 500k above maintenance. Remember to take into account your added exercise and the calories you burn.

If you are looking to put on 100% lean muscle mass, a good time table for taht is 3-4 months.... and even that would take serious dedication. The only way you will get it faster is through "newbie gains".

As for your exercise, if you are naturally that skinny, I would avoid doing any cardio at first. I would focus on compound exercises (basically heavy weights that work multiple muscle groups at once). Try and build each day around one major compound exercise (bench press, squat, military press etc.).

Edit: this was meant to be a reply to the original OP. Although for the record, bacon can be usefull in your diet. It's high in protein, and fat isn't all that bad for you in limited quantities. Especially if your problem is being too skinny.

[burn_baby_burn]

This is a meal plan a trainer gave me last year to gain weight.

Meal 1: 1.5 Cups of oatmeal.
1 cup of frozen blueberrys
4 eggs whites
2 eggs
1 cup of skim milk

Meal 2: 1 whole wheat wrap
1/2 can of tuna (can't remember how many ounces that is)
2 table spoons of Mayonaise
1 apple
1 oz Almonds

Meal 3: 1 cup of brown rice
1 cup of green beans
1 chicken breast
8 oz of V8.

Meal 4: 1 cup of yogurt
1 banana
protien shake

Meal 5: 1.5 cups of whole wheat pasta
1/2 cup of tomato sauce
8 oz of buffalo
1 cup frozen vegtables
1 cup of mixed salad

Meal 6: 1 cup of Oatmeal
1/2 cup of Strawberries.