FIVE STARS
This is the best thing out of Pook in a long time. Good enough to move me to make my first post in about 6 months.
I've gone from 5'11" 124# to 5'11" 168# over roughly the last 3 years and it has made a huge difference. People have more respect for you. You have more respect for yourself. You sleep less. You have more energy. Women stop going out of their way to tell you what a nice guy you are. You will even be smarter. Really. Don't buy the dumb jock stereotype. Your mind will be sharper.
For those of you who can't seem to move above their current weight, don't be discouraged. I had almost zero gains my first year. You win the muscle game with consistancy and mule stubborness. Never quit. Ever.
I recommend (in this order of importance):
* Protein supplement. You must consume 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. Remove all other liquid calories from your diet to make room in your stomach. No more soft drinks, juices, or "sports drinks." There is no real nutrition in those drinks anyway. I've found the best deal for a protein I can stomach is the 10lb bag of 100% Whey from musclesurf com.
* (BULKING DIET)
- Eat real beef. You can get a george foreman grill sized to cook for one at Walmart for about $12. It is fast, easy, and cleans up with a damp sponge.
- Eat potatos when bulking. The beef and potatos meal with a glass of whey after a workout is tried and true.
*(CUTTING DIET)
- Eat white meat chicken and tuna when cutting.
- No potatos.
- Cut aggressively. Burning fat is what you do best as a hardgainer. Eat like a bird (but maintain enough protein to keep muscle) and do cardio like there is no tomorrow.
* Run. A lot. A lot of folks will tell you that you should never do your cardio immediately after lifting during bulking (the "go home and grow" doctrine) but my experience as a hardgainer is that running is a must. If you can't do a 5 minute mile, you cannot get big. Most of you skinny guys can't lift enough in the squat or deadlift to grow because your heart and lungs would explode. Believe me, I've been there. Get thyself on the treadmill. The rowing machine will work too if you bust your tail, but you will be doing things the hard way. The bicycle, elliptical, and stairmaster are for skeletal women who want to lose that last five pounds so you can count the rest of her ribs. Run!
* Last thing on my list is lifting heavy, mostly freeweights. That part bears repeating since it goes against what most of you have been taught. Muscles are built 10% at the weight stack. The real work is what you put in your belly and kick starting your body's chemical engine with all the aggression you can muster on the treadmill.
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