2nd Cycle down.

What should I aim for? What is the maximum amount of lean muscle I can gain in a month?

This is what I don't understand when it comes to calories. I spoke with someone in the gym yesterday who is my height, lean trains 3 times a week and eats 3700 calories just to maintain.

Also I gained 14 pounds in my first 2 cycles but about 3 - 4 pounds in my last cycle despite keeping the calories the same.
Chris,

Forget what others in your gym eat as we are all different you need to find what works for you.
 
You are clearing over-eating.
Alex, I would generally agree with that statement but a 6 footer at 205lbs should be able to eat 3000 calories without gaining too much fat (as he has stated he tracks calories on myfitnesspal and weighs food) unless there is another issue such as under active thyroid or he sleepwalks and raids the fridge!!
 
If he's gaining that much weight, in such a short period,without enhancement - over-eating. Just sounds like a classic case of not eating the calories that you think you're eating.
 
I'm currently at 215lb, 6' tall and I'm struggling to gain weight at 3500kcals a day. I don' think Charr is over eating. Maybe he's eating at the wrong time, don't know.

He also told he gained 14 pounds in the first two cycles. Seems alright to me. Seven pounds in a cycle points to 1.2 pounds per week. Very reasonable.
 
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Mick.

I have had my Thyroid tested and there are no problems there. I can't guarantee i'm not sleep walking and raiding the fridge though :).

Jester.

I'm not enhanced or that 16lbs I gained would be muscle instead of fat. I use myfitnesspal to track everything and I measure and weigh everthing I eat except for Saturday where I don't stick to the same foods and have a treat.

I think that people are too quick to dismiss body types around here. I would be classed as an endomorph. I gain fat quick and struggle to lose it.
 
Body types should not be summarily dismissed but they should not be used as an excuse since they can be worked around.
 
Ok Charr, you're doing a lot of things right, but this doesn't compensate the lack of calipers. You never will have the clear picture without a BF measuring tool. I also lost two pairs of jeans because they don't fit me anymore but guess what, I gained a lot of muscle.

After you start to monitor your BF % we can try to help without guessing work.
 
Mick.

I have had my Thyroid tested and there are no problems there. I can't guarantee i'm not sleep walking and raiding the fridge though :).

Jester.

I'm not enhanced or that 16lbs I gained would be muscle instead of fat. I use myfitnesspal to track everything and I measure and weigh everthing I eat except for Saturday where I don't stick to the same foods and have a treat.

I think that people are too quick to dismiss body types around here. I would be classed as an endomorph. I gain fat quick and struggle to lose it.

Body types DO NOT EXIST.

The endo-meso-ecto morph classification was something made up to categorise phenotypes, it does not in anyway relate to genetics (or exercise, calories, medial conditions etc.)


Assuming your hormones are not beyond where they ought to be (anabolic and thyroid is what we're referring to here), then you ate too much. It's not a judgment, just physics.
 
It is correct that phenotypes alone do not determine body type however they do play a role as do genotypes, etc. However, the real point is not that certain words exist that may or may not be accurate but that you CAN change whatever your body looks like within genetic limits naturally and even beyond with additional assistance.
 
Are you sure you are as fat as you think you are? I am 5'8" 197lbs and while I am not trim, with a shirt on no one thinks I am fat. If you are 4 inches taller than me and about 8lbs heavier you can't be that fat unless you have no muscle. Get the calipers and you may find that you have been moving to a higher percentage of lean body mass and lower fat percentage over time and you just don't like your body shape and fat distribution. I have a friend who is like 8% and has no abs where I am like 15-20% and because my body doesn't store a lot of fat at the stomach I am about as close as he is to having abs. Just work on making your physique better rather than hoping to have someone else's physique.
 
I have ordered some calipers now.

It could be my fat distribution as you say adpowah. My problem is my fat stores around hips lowerbelly but and thighs. It makes me look really out of shape. I also don't seem to be putting much muscle on using HST.

If body types such as endomorphs don't exist jester how do I stop fat storing in those places? Most men rarely put fat on there butts.
 
Chris,

Have you tried upping protein intake to 1.5g per lb of bodyweight and reducing carbs by same amount to balance caloric intake?
 
Actually, men put fat on the butt constantly. It is extremely common in that appx 900% of men will gain fat in the butt when they get larger.

You "feel" like you didn't gain any muscle but as you have already been told, you have no way of knowing this because you aren't measuring your bodyfat levels so you are clearly psyching yourself out into believing you are a fat blob even though you have admitted that your strength levels are going up. Guess what causes strength increases? Increases in muscle fiber cross sectional area. So unless you've discovered magic, you are obviously gaining muscle.
 
Similar to the others, I wouldn't worry how/where your body stores fat. There's really nothing you can do on that. Just keep working your body fat percent down and your lean muscle up and you will hit your goals.
 
I'm also going to add that women love guys butts ... I have never once heard a women compliment a guy for having a flat/tiny butt. Take it or leave it, but deadlifting and squatting will get you far more attention that pecs will.
 
Didn't say fat ;)


But back to OT ... if charr isn't going to do the work, then don't expect the reward. Calorie counting sucks, calipers suck. Who care? Transiting to work sucks too, but it's what you need to do if you enjoy paychecks.

The routine and exercise selection is not the issue here. It's either medical, or diet ... maybe both.
 
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