How to bulk up / gain weight

James Price83

That’s the million-dollar question—building muscle without packing on the gut and love handles.

About eighteen months ago, I leaned out by 37 pounds. After three months, I started lifting heavy and cleaned up my diet. By February of last year, I was at 15% body fat; by May, I was up to 20%. I gained mass, sure, but I brought the belly and hips right back along with it. Since then, that stomach area hasn't gone away; it just scales proportionally with the rest of me. Now, I’ve been on an extreme regimen for ten days. I still eat 3-4 times a day during the week and about 6 times on the weekends. It’s all healthy, just like before, except there is zero sugar. None. Not in my coffee, not a single square of dark chocolate, nothing. No pastries, nothing. Same goes for fats. I’m eating tuna almost every day, plenty of chicken, etc. I haven't touched bread in ten days. Even though I’d already cut it down to just a slice or two every other day over the last year and a half, now it’s completely off the menu. So far, I’m seeing zero results. I’d kill to run more to burn off the hips and stomach, but I only run once a week and occasionally after my three weekly strength sessions. Too much cardio just eats away the muscle I actually want.
I’m 6'0", used to be 230 lbs, mostly gut. Then I dropped to 194 lbs, and now I’m around 210 lbs. I’ve put decent muscle on my legs, arms, shoulders, and back. But the midsection and hips are still the issue, especially since I spend a lot of time sitting at home now, even though I’m still training four times a week.

That’s just my experience. Based on your first post, you’re in a great spot to bulk up. You’re young, you eat plenty, and you aren't gaining weight easily. That’s a massive advantage because you won't end up storing it in all the wrong places. If you stick to training 3-4 times a week and keep your nutrition dialed in, you can pack on muscle and size without the unwanted baggage.

ironharbor45 said:A vegan buddy of mine—he’s about 5'11" and barely hits 130 pounds—actually told me that I'm just naturally skinny and that my diet doesn't even matter. Total nonsense! He thinks it's all just genetics. You wouldn't believe how much I eat! For lunch today, I just crushed two apples and two bananas. Honestly, it was way too much—I'm so stuffed I can barely move!

Lift heavier weights and ramp up your intake across the board—especially protein. Honestly, grab some powder too; it won't hurt at all.

Here’s the core of the problem for both skinny and overweight people. Those who struggle to gain weight think they’re eating a ton, but they actually barely eat anything at all—just like my buddy. On the flip side, you have people trying to lose weight who claim they aren't eating anything, then suddenly polish off a massive 10-ounce burger in one sitting.

Za autora:
Look, I was in worse shape than you back in high school, so trust me when I say I know what I'm talking talking about. I was 187cm and only weighed about 143 lbs. I used to tell myself I was eating plenty and that my skinny frame was just down to genetics. Sure, genetics play a part, but it’s definitely not an excuse—you can change that pretty easily if you actually try. Back then, I thought a "big meal" was just two eggs, and honestly, I'd basically kill myself trying to eat enough! Just remember: food is fuel.🤣 I won't even get started on my eating habits. I basically go 5 or 6 hours after waking up without touching a single bite! I head straight to campus and don't eat anything until I finally get back home. Remember, food is fuel!🤦 Sometimes my go-to meal is just five eggs and about seven ounces of deli ham. Honestly, that’s pretty standard for me. I don't even feel like I've had a massive meal! Just part of the routine. Food is fuel, right?
Or maybe if I just crush 10 sliders for breakfast, that’ll carry me through the whole day. Nope! Today I inhaled 15 sliders with a large yogurt, and honestly? I was ready for round two in just three hours.

Training is everything—at least, it was for me. Honestly, I don't think you'd ever be able to break through that food barrier without hitting the gym. Plus, you can't really bulk up properly without training. If you aren't lifting, you'll just end up with a belly while your arms and legs stay skinny.

Start easy. Go old school for your first few sessions—just hit some push-ups, dips, and pull-ups. If you happen to have some dumbbells lying around, definitely throw those into the mix too. You can also knock out some squats; just start with bodyweight only, then slowly add some weight once you've got the hang of it!

Don't skip meals—it’s a total mistake. Aim for at least four meals a day, and make sure you're actually eating enough to feel full every single time. Once you get used to that, start bumping up the portions. Remember, food is fuel!

Keep one thing in mind: when you nail your training and nutrition, you’re moving forward. But if you skip even one day? You just took three steps back.😉

It’s not that hard. You just have to stay disciplined, and you'll see results before you know it!😉

For some reason, this thread just reminded me of Iced Earth. Does anyone know what happened to him—is he lurking under a different handle now or did he just ditch the forum altogether? 😳

lonegull16 said:I don't know, this thread just kind of reminds me of Iced Earth for some reason. Does anyone actually know where he went? Is he posting under a different handle now or did he just bail on the forum entirely?😳

Given how much weight he was dropping, maybe the guy actually died.😲

@Jonathan Walker14/">@@Jonathan Walker14
Well, compared to you, I don't really eat much at all, I guess. 😁

I suppose I should thank you all for opening my eyes to the fact that I'm actually under-eating. Let me just issue a quick correction to my first post 🙂

Matthew Johnson30 said:Given his weight, he might actually be dead. 😲

Watch your mouth! 🙂 😁

There have been a lot of great responses on this thread, and I honestly have to agree with everyone saying you just aren't eating nearly enough. I used to fall into that same trap, thinking I was eating an absurd amount without gaining a single ounce, but I was really just comparing myself to other people who would look at my lunch plate in pure shock... which helped me feel better about being so skinny, I suppose.

Once I actually sat down and looked at the math, it turns out that to maintain my weight—given how insanely fast my metabolism runs—I need at least 3,000 calories. Right now, I’m hitting 4,000 a day, and the results are starting to show pretty quickly. You just have to accept the inevitable little belly along the way and make peace with it; looking skinny with a gut isn't the best look, but... well, if you pack on muscle everywhere else, it won't look quite as bad. Then you can always cut later on, assuming you're looking for fast results.

I used to skip breakfast entirely, which was a massive mistake on my part. Now, I load up in the morning, which spikes my appetite enough so that I can actually power through those massive meals all day long. Otherwise, there's just no chance.

When things get tough, just lean on that old mantra: "food is fuel." I've always been someone who loves to savor a meal, but now that I'm stuffing myself from sunrise to sunset, sometimes even the thought of eating is a bit much... in those moments, that mantra really helps.

Honestly, eating this much is far more difficult than lifting heavy weights. I usually knock out my workout in about thirty minutes of high intensity, and that works wonders. On the weekends, I do plenty of cardio to burn off some fat, and it works perfectly. But the constant eating and meal prepping... it consumes most of your day. It’s a good thing we have this whole COVID situation going on, otherwise, I wouldn't have all this extra time to dedicate to cooking and prep.

Anyway, I wanted to jump in with a question of my own. I see a lot of people here who have successfully bulked up while training. Ever since I started eating intensely and working out hard, I’ve been waking up two or three times a night. This is completely unheard of for me, as I've spent my entire life sleeping straight through the night... I could practically have an alarm ringing in my ear and not wake up until morning. So, I start training hard, I eat significantly more, I drink plenty of fluids (not alcohol 😁) and I've even started going to bed a bit earlier. Has anyone else experienced this sudden issue with waking up in the middle of the night??

Carl Wilson40 said:When things get rough, just lean on that old mantra: "food is fuel." Personally, I used to be a total foodie, but now that I'm constantly stuffing myself from sunrise to sunset, the very idea of eating starts to feel nauseating. That’s when having a mantra like that really helps.

Nah, I could never get sick of it. Honestly, I feel like I could eat twenty-four hours a day if I had the time. And frankly, I don't need some catchy slogan to get me through a meal. 😉
I suppose that’s the fundamental divide between those who live to eat and those who just eat to stay alive.
Besides, if you happen to be on the leaner side, time is actually working in your favor. Once people hit a certain age, their ability to train drops off, and then guys like me start packing on the weight...

James Price83 said:I basically eat three big meals a day plus whatever random snacks I can grab during the day or evening—mostly sweets and fruit since I don't smoke. It’s honestly frustrating because if I overeat one day—like if I polish off two cookies at night—then I try to be super disciplined the next day and... nothing. Not even a single pound lost. I know most people would kill for this kind of metabolism 😵

Can you walk me through your diet? Gaining 21 lbs is pretty impressive. Were you hitting the protein supplements or just keeping it natural?

As for training, I've never actually stepped foot in a gym; I've always just done my thing at home. Right now, I'm using a home workout app, mostly sticking to bodyweight stuff.

Look, I used to take protein, but honestly, it's irrelevant—it's probably like 2% of the equation. Whey and all those supplements aren't going to make or break you. Do yourself a favor: join a gym, stay consistent, and hit up YouTube. There's an endless amount of info online about how to perform exercises, what routines to run, and when to push yourself. As for eating, stick to three solid meals and maybe two smaller ones. And forget the cookies and all that junk—it's a waste of time. Focus on real food: pasta, rice, eggs, tuna, whole grain bread, healthy fats like olive oil, fruits, and veggies. Stick to that, and you'll see results in about two months. Also, stop obsessing over the scale and look in the mirror instead. You'll see plenty of guys who are the exact same height and weight but look completely different. One guy is pure fat and the other is ripped—the scale won't tell you which one you are.

Me and my brother. Same height, same weight, but he’s pure muscle and the other guy is just skin and bones. Except he’s built like a tank and I’m basically a toothpick.

Besides, is there really anything wrong with being lean and healthy...

ironharbor45 said:A buddy of mine who’s vegan (standing about 5'11" and weighing maybe 130 lbs) keeps telling me, "Man, I'm just genetically thin, it has nothing to do with what I eat. You have no idea how much I consume! For lunch today, I had two apples and two bananas—it was incredible, I was so stuffed I couldn't even think about eating again..."

You’ve gotta start lifting heavier weights and seriously bump up your calorie intake, especially protein. Honestly, grabbing some protein powder wouldn't hurt either.

So this vegan guy eats two apples and two bananas and suddenly he's totally 🤣🤣🤣

ironharbor45 said:I mean, is being skinny and healthy really such a bad thing?

Well, not for us skinny types—I guess. You know how it is, everything you wear has way too much extra room, so your clothes just kind of flap around your legs. Or when it gets hot in the summer and you’re too embarrassed to wear shorts because your legs look like toothpicks. 😵

I'm dealing with the exact same thing. I'm over 5'11" but barely hit 155 lbs—still look skinny, though I feel like everything goes straight to my gut instead of my arms or legs. I really want to fill out my frame, but honestly, it looks like hitting the gym is my only shot, since trying to eat enough just isn't working—dammit.

You know what the fix is when your pants are way too big?
A belt.
Or just switch to skinny jeans.
And you know what the solution is when you're such a massive guy that your feet are constantly killing you from blisters? Buying oversized work pants.
With all due respect, I’d take that first "problem" any day of the week. ☕