# Not a big eater.



## artylives76 (Jun 26, 2006)

Well, I have the exercise plan, but I don't have the right diet to gain good muscle mass. I just read in someone's thread that I need to be eating between 3000-7000 calories to gain muscle mass? Hell no, i cant do that. I am not a big eater, I get full quick and it's hard for me to eat a lot. I don't have a big appetite.

For breakfast, I usually just have a protein shake. Lunch I have a tuna sandwhich, dinner is always up in the air. I usually drink around 3 protein shakes a day, which is around 100g+ protein. I try to eat fruits and veggies throughout the day also. I just need to up the calories. Any suggestions?

I'm 18, 5'6, 125-30 lbs.


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## NeilPearson (Jun 26, 2006)

Less protein shakes.  More real food... meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts.

Eat until you are full then eat some more.  Wait half an hour and eat some more.

Eating enough calories to gain weight may not be comfortable for a lot of people... just do it.


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## studen77 (Jun 26, 2006)

I can't do it either man..its like when I watch those eating contests...just makes you nauseated look at em..just to eat like that..

Oh and by the way NeilPearson, like the dog pic. he looks wild and lively, as if he's yearning for human flesh.


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## Seanp156 (Jun 26, 2006)

If you keep telling yourself you can't do it, you might as well forget putting on muscle mass... I was skinny as a rail until I read up on how to train and eat properly. There's nothing more to it than doing it, if you can't realize that, then forget your muscle gaining goals. I still don't like eating a lot, but I do it anyway, and it's fairly normal for me even though I don't particularly like eating every ~3 hours. You're probably going to need to count calories.

Just set out a meal plan consisting of 5-6 meals that you can get in every day... 2 of them could be protein shakes (with oats, peanut butter, whey, fruit etc.) and then the other 4 whole foods. You don't have to eat a ton every sitting... Breakfast is my largest meal, and all the others are around ~600 cals each.


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## Gordo (Jun 27, 2006)

artylives76 said:
			
		

> Well, I have the exercise plan, but I don't have the right diet to gain good muscle mass. *I just read in someone's thread that I need to be eating between 3000-7000 calories to gain muscle mass? *Hell no, i cant do that. I am not a big eater, I get full quick and it's hard for me to eat a lot. I don't have a big appetite.
> 
> For breakfast, I usually just have a protein shake. Lunch I have a tuna sandwhich, dinner is always up in the air. I usually drink around 3 protein shakes a day, which is around 100g+ protein. I try to eat fruits and veggies throughout the day also. I just need to up the calories. Any suggestions?
> 
> I'm 18, 5'6, 125-30 lbs.



Hell no is right, why do you think you need that much?



> Cut - 10-13 cals per lb of bodyweight
> Maintain: 13-15 cals per lb of bodyweight
> Bulk: 15-18 cals per lb of bodyweight



It's more like 2300 - 2500 cals. Don't think you need to drink them all either.

Eat more calorie dense stuff like whole wheat pasta, peas, corn. Things that pack a punch in smaller quantities.

Do light Cardio, it increases appetite.

Avoid fruits that are high pectin....like grapefruit (a great dieting fruit but works against you in a bulk).

Get a plan together and stick with it. Be consistent about eating times and what you are eating, your body becomes accustom to a certain schedule.

Ease into it. Don't ramp up to full cals immediately. Work up to your desired amount slowly to give your stomach and metabolism time to adjust. You'll find that as you increase the food....you gain a lot to start (mostly water) and then you level off simply because you metabolism catches up with the increase in intake (all provided you are working out hard).


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## juggernaut (Jun 27, 2006)

read the stickies. They are really helpful.


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## artylives76 (Jun 27, 2006)

Thank God!! I was reading a thread in the supplements board and some dude said to eat 3000-7000 calories a day. 

2500 I can handle, my protein shake alone is like 200-350 calories (depending on how much I use). I can try eating 5-6 small meals, but it's hard because of my work schedule. I usually work 10am-7pm and get one hour break and two 15 min breaks, which I usually don't take because I'm always too busy.


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## juggernaut (Jun 27, 2006)

preparation is the key. It takes about 1/2 and hour every night for me to prep the next days' meals. Thats not too much.


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## Seanp156 (Jun 27, 2006)

artylives76 said:
			
		

> Thank God!! I was reading a thread in the supplements board and some dude said to eat 3000-7000 calories a day.
> 
> 2500 I can handle, my protein shake alone is like 200-350 calories (depending on how much I use). I can try eating 5-6 small meals, but it's hard because of my work schedule. I usually work 10am-7pm and get one hour break and two 15 min breaks, which I usually don't take because I'm always too busy.



3 breaks is plenty then, you can get 3 meals in that way... You can easily get a meal in during a 15 min break. As Juggernaut said, just prepare your meals... Use tupperware, and microwave them at work.


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