Eating right for size

G

gthoren2000

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Ok so I have been training for many years now and have made some big gains in my early stages. Now I have been at a plateau for a long time and that is becoming very discouraging. I am 26 years old and I weigh 200lbs. Not sure what my body fat % is but I know it is reasonably low. I typically train between 3-5 days a week and I do a split routine.

Day 1- Back/Bis
Day2-Chest/Tris
Day 3-Legs
Day 4-Shoulders

I am about 90% sure that my diet is lacking and I'm looking for some reasurrance. So I weigh 200 lbs I should be taking in about 3000 calories/day to promote muscle growth. Currently it is 4:00PM and I have only taken in about 1000 calories for the day, would everyone agree that is my problem? I am asking becasue if I eat any more food I feel like I'm overeating and bloated and it just feels unnatural. Let me know what you think....thanks
 
well what time of the day do you train at. Also when you say you have reached a plateau what do you actually mean is it size wise or strength wise. Also when was the last time you changed you routine around.

That said 3000calories to me would seem to be more of a maintance figure to somebody your weight
 
I train at 5PM. My strength has gone up a little bit but not nearly as much as it used to. It took me a solid 6 months to gain anything on the bench...seems rediculous to me. I went from 290 as my max bench to 315 max press. As for my size...it has only increased very little, I have gained about 10lbs in the last 2 years.

What do you mean "maintenance figure"? Are you saying 3000 calories and I should be maintaining my current weight?? So then I should eat more than 3000 calories?? Again, that seems rediculous to me....over 3000 calories is a ton of food, lets face it!
 
ok say you have a rough maintenance figure of 2500cals a day (my calc would have you at around 2800 though), and that is your just the basic calorific need. If you then add say 400 calories for the calories burned during your lifting session so that brings us upto 2900 and then another say 500 to add some mass and you are at 3400 calories. Just remember the more mass you put on the more calories your body needs just to maintain itself. So if you want add more mass starting eating more

In relation to your strength it could be any number of reason's. What sort of programme are you using and when was the last time you changed it.
 
EHHH wrong...haha. Just playing...but your figures are a little off.

Remember, you can't gain muscle if you don't feed your body enough. When I weigh 210, my maintenance calories are 3000-3100 a day. If you are trying to gain, then you want to up it to about 3400 calories or so for some nice lean muscle gain. If you don't start to see gains, then up it by another 200. Some people have faster metabolisms than others...so calorie calculators don't always seem right.

Also, only 1000 cals before your workout? That's low unless you aren't waking up until like 11am. Are you getting in a good protein/carb pre-workout meal? That will help with energy levels. If I only had 1000 calories before my workout, I'd be dying.
 
OK thanks for the help guys. I was right with my assumption that I wasn't getting enough calories. It just seems to me like that is a ton of food. I think that eating right is probably 1/2 the battle and it is very challenging to eat right and continue to make gains.

1000 calories at 4:00PM for me and I was awake at 7AM to start work. Even at 1000 calories I wasn't getting the feeling that I was undereatring or tired or hungry. I start the day with a milk, bagel and a cup of coffee,then have a lunch that is usually a couple sandwiches and a water. I think maybe if I inc lude some snacks in between these meals it should help bring up my caloric intake.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
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