It¡¯s not very often I post here, but currently I find myself in a dilemma that has taken much attention, focus, and energy in my life. This is a long post, but it is so only because I wish my readers to get a clear understanding of my situation as best as possible. So please bear with me and know that your response/input will be much appreciated.
I think it's only obvious from the subject header for readers to get a general understanding of what my concern is. Still, I need to provide some background information so my readers can more accurately understand my situation, so here goes: Till this present day, I've been training quite consistently for about close to two years. I've had a personal trainer train me when I first started out, and never had I had any injuries due to improper form, and I know I'm not cheating my workouts. I keep my reps low (8-10) and always train till muscle failure is achieved. Compared to when I first started out, I've had a huge improvement and increase in strength, but not much else.
Just so readers understand my general knowledge in regards to bodybuilding, I do know the basics of nutrition and how protien is needed to repair muscle tissue after an intense workout, and how a surplus of calories are needed by the body to put on weight. I understand that about 1 gram of protein is needed per pound of bodyweight, and in order to make gains the body needs an extra input of calories besides just the amount needed to support a person's current bodyweight. On top of this there are three different body types: The ectomorph being the skinny guy who, while sitting on his ass, can burn the same amount of calories equivalent to an endomorph doing a heavy cardio, the mesomorph being the very fortunate average joe, and endomorph being the fat dude.
From the above, I understand that the ectomorphs have to focus much more on eating to gain mass (six quality meals daily). While the mesomorphs need only worry about doing everything (the workout and nutrition) in moderation, and the endomorphs have to be more careful of intaking too much calories and focus more on cardios.
Now that the necessary info is out of the way, to finally start addressing my predicament: For the first 14 -16 months of training, I've been foolishly focussed primarily on just my workout, and have neglected my diet; sometimes eating as little as twice a day. (BTW, I'm as ectomorph as you can get. I'm 5'6" and weigh 115 lbs.) Yes, I have much greater muscle definition since I started, but I have hardly put on much mass.
Being very frustrated with my current circumstance, for the past two months I have put much more effort into eating and getting in more calories. Yet the best I could manage is only five meals per day, and usually only four. On top of this, I understand that each meal needs to be high quality in protiens and carbs, yet as far as I know, this isn't always a realistic option for me. Sometimes I don¡¯t even have anything to eat around the house except microwave foods. To compensate for this, I've recently started using some MRPs. (On a side note, I feel I should mention that I have very little appetite for actual food unless I'm hungry (a friend of mine once made a comment that I "eat like a bird"); I find supplements much easier and conveinient to take.)
Another great hurdle -- and my main concern -- in the way of my goal is my current occupation: I collect shopping carts at a grocery store. This job is like seven hours of intense cardio; it may seem easy at first, but your legs start to tire out after about three hours into the shift. For those of you who don't know exactly what I do, basically I'm required to constantly walk around the parking lots of the store and collect shopping carts that are scattered about, and using a rope, pull in as much shopping carts as I can gather (sometimes as much as twenty+). I normally do this for anywhere to 5-7 hours on a typical day, with only a 15 min. break and a half hour lunch break if I'm working 7 hours. I have no idea how much calories I burn off on a typical work day, but being an ectomorph, I'm sure the numbers must be unimaginably great.
Obviously, as many of you are thinking, I need to get myself a less physical job is I'm to make weight gain, and I have had the same thoughts myself. But at the moment, untill I find another job, I have to stick to this. What are your thoughts? My weight gain goal seems incredibly difficult to almost a point of impossibility. I truely want to get this part of my life worked out, but it seems I have a mountain of obstacles to overcome, and honestly I am becoming increasingly depressed and frustrated. A part of me wants to quit everything, but yet another part of me would feel cheated out if I were to quit.
For the reader that has read everything written till now, I give much thanks and hope to recieve your thoughts/comments/help. I'd love to hear what others have to say about the six quality meals per day. It sounds like a ridiculously tough chore, and how are some of you able to eat a quality meal so many times daily -- it boggles my mind. What are your experiences with MRPs? Also, I'd love to hear from other hard gainers as well. From reading the forums, I know that Pook is also a big advocate of working out , as well as a self-proclaimed ectomorph. If you are reading this, it¡¯d be very interesting to see your comments as well.
I think it's only obvious from the subject header for readers to get a general understanding of what my concern is. Still, I need to provide some background information so my readers can more accurately understand my situation, so here goes: Till this present day, I've been training quite consistently for about close to two years. I've had a personal trainer train me when I first started out, and never had I had any injuries due to improper form, and I know I'm not cheating my workouts. I keep my reps low (8-10) and always train till muscle failure is achieved. Compared to when I first started out, I've had a huge improvement and increase in strength, but not much else.
Just so readers understand my general knowledge in regards to bodybuilding, I do know the basics of nutrition and how protien is needed to repair muscle tissue after an intense workout, and how a surplus of calories are needed by the body to put on weight. I understand that about 1 gram of protein is needed per pound of bodyweight, and in order to make gains the body needs an extra input of calories besides just the amount needed to support a person's current bodyweight. On top of this there are three different body types: The ectomorph being the skinny guy who, while sitting on his ass, can burn the same amount of calories equivalent to an endomorph doing a heavy cardio, the mesomorph being the very fortunate average joe, and endomorph being the fat dude.
From the above, I understand that the ectomorphs have to focus much more on eating to gain mass (six quality meals daily). While the mesomorphs need only worry about doing everything (the workout and nutrition) in moderation, and the endomorphs have to be more careful of intaking too much calories and focus more on cardios.
Now that the necessary info is out of the way, to finally start addressing my predicament: For the first 14 -16 months of training, I've been foolishly focussed primarily on just my workout, and have neglected my diet; sometimes eating as little as twice a day. (BTW, I'm as ectomorph as you can get. I'm 5'6" and weigh 115 lbs.) Yes, I have much greater muscle definition since I started, but I have hardly put on much mass.
Being very frustrated with my current circumstance, for the past two months I have put much more effort into eating and getting in more calories. Yet the best I could manage is only five meals per day, and usually only four. On top of this, I understand that each meal needs to be high quality in protiens and carbs, yet as far as I know, this isn't always a realistic option for me. Sometimes I don¡¯t even have anything to eat around the house except microwave foods. To compensate for this, I've recently started using some MRPs. (On a side note, I feel I should mention that I have very little appetite for actual food unless I'm hungry (a friend of mine once made a comment that I "eat like a bird"); I find supplements much easier and conveinient to take.)
Another great hurdle -- and my main concern -- in the way of my goal is my current occupation: I collect shopping carts at a grocery store. This job is like seven hours of intense cardio; it may seem easy at first, but your legs start to tire out after about three hours into the shift. For those of you who don't know exactly what I do, basically I'm required to constantly walk around the parking lots of the store and collect shopping carts that are scattered about, and using a rope, pull in as much shopping carts as I can gather (sometimes as much as twenty+). I normally do this for anywhere to 5-7 hours on a typical day, with only a 15 min. break and a half hour lunch break if I'm working 7 hours. I have no idea how much calories I burn off on a typical work day, but being an ectomorph, I'm sure the numbers must be unimaginably great.
Obviously, as many of you are thinking, I need to get myself a less physical job is I'm to make weight gain, and I have had the same thoughts myself. But at the moment, untill I find another job, I have to stick to this. What are your thoughts? My weight gain goal seems incredibly difficult to almost a point of impossibility. I truely want to get this part of my life worked out, but it seems I have a mountain of obstacles to overcome, and honestly I am becoming increasingly depressed and frustrated. A part of me wants to quit everything, but yet another part of me would feel cheated out if I were to quit.
For the reader that has read everything written till now, I give much thanks and hope to recieve your thoughts/comments/help. I'd love to hear what others have to say about the six quality meals per day. It sounds like a ridiculously tough chore, and how are some of you able to eat a quality meal so many times daily -- it boggles my mind. What are your experiences with MRPs? Also, I'd love to hear from other hard gainers as well. From reading the forums, I know that Pook is also a big advocate of working out , as well as a self-proclaimed ectomorph. If you are reading this, it¡¯d be very interesting to see your comments as well.
). Somehow, you need to get in the HABIT of eating more. I find it difficult to eat 6 meals of high protein food everyday. I'm going to get some MPRs only to replace whatever I CAN'T do because of Time (such as waking up late before a class).