On a bulking phase but most weight I've gained is around my waist

kickupthehole

Hi lads, just looking for any suggestions on what I should do. I know you have to put on a bit of fat on the waist during bulking, but it just seems the majority of the weight I've put on has been centred on my waist. I'm about 11.25 stone, gained a stone in the last 2 months, but my waist has gone from 32 inches to 36 inches. So I'm wondering should I either:

-Change my workout routine so I'm working out more frequently or for longer, or
-Change my diet, perhaps I'm eating too much of one food group but not enough of another etc, or
-Any other suggestions?

My workout routine is based loosely on starting strength, where I focus on core lifts such as deadlifts, squats etc. I workout every 2 days and my workouts last about 45 minutes.

My typical diet is:

Breakfast: Bowl of cereal, banana and a cup of tea
11 am: Nutrigrain bar and a cup of coffee
Lunch: Ham or bacon or chicken sandwiches, bag of crisps, piece of fruit, and a can of coke
3 pm: Bar of chocolate, cup of tea
6 pm: Half pint of milk, nutrigrain bar, banana, cup of tea
8 pm: 2 burgers, pint of milk
11 pm: Half pint of milk, banana and an orange

I know I drink a lot of milk but don't really want to change this because I don't have a big appetite and this allows me to get an easy 1,250 calories in me, and also contains a lot of protein. But I willing to add or change pretty much anything else to my diet. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

amazingemmet

Eat more meat, more veg, less carbs and do some cardio.

rubadub

kickupthehole wrote: »

I know I drink a lot of milk but don't really want to change this because I don't have a big appetite and this allows me to get an easy 1,250 calories in me

So what is your overall daily calorie intake? And if you don't know then that could be part of your problem.

Also just because nutrigrain bars tend to be marketed as "healthy" does not mean they are. I would sooner eat a mini/snack size real bar and have something else. Most breakfast cereals are junk too, again even the "healthy" ones, bran flakes are 22% sugar.

kickupthehole

rubadub wrote: »

So what is your overall daily calorie intake? And if you don't know then that could be part of your problem.

Also just because nutrigrain bars tend to be marketed as "healthy" does not mean they are. I would sooner eat a mini/snack size real bar and have something else. Most breakfast cereals are junk too, again even the "healthy" ones, bran flakes are 22% sugar.

My daily calorie intake would be around 3,000 calories I think. But I really don't want to cut my calories, in fact I plan to up my calorie intake in the next few months, as I have a target weight of about 13.5 stone. I'm currently 11.25 stone but I look really skinny because I'm 6'0. So basically I'm just trying to redistribute the weight from my waist to my upper body, back, legs etc.

Arsenal1986

Breakfast: Bowl of cereal, banana and a cup of tea
11 am: Nutrigrain bar and a cup of coffee
Lunch: Ham or bacon or chicken sandwiches, bag of crisps, piece of fruit, and a can of coke
3 pm: Bar of chocolate, cup of tea
6 pm: Half pint of milk, nutrigrain bar, banana, cup of tea
8 pm: 2 burgers, pint of milk
11 pm: Half pint of milk, banana and an orange

No offense mate but your diet is terrible for muscle building purposes. Where oh where is the Protein??You are going until lunch before eating any. You need to be eating at least a gram per pound of bodyweight so round 180 grams probably for you and considering there is roughly thirty grams in a chicken fillet you are way way off that. Without protein you will not build muscle end of. The quality of carbs your eating is terrible, all high GI, sugary carbs like chocolate, nutri grain bars etc need to go. Good carbs like brown rice n pasta are way to go. Also Fruit late at night or really anytime after the afternoon is a bad idea they are very sugary(fructose) and more likely to turn to fat. Not saying dont eat fruit just eat it earlier in the day.

MagicMarker

kickupthehole wrote: »

My typical diet is:

Breakfast: Bowl of cereal, banana and a cup of tea
11 am: Nutrigrain bar and a cup of coffee
Lunch: Ham or bacon or chicken sandwiches, bag of crisps, piece of fruit, and a can of coke
3 pm: Bar of chocolate, cup of tea
6 pm: Half pint of milk, nutrigrain bar, banana, cup of tea
8 pm: 2 burgers, pint of milk
11 pm: Half pint of milk, banana and an orange

I know I drink a lot of milk but don't really want to change this because I don't have a big appetite and this allows me to get an easy 1,250 calories in me, and also contains a lot of protein. But I willing to add or change pretty much anything else to my diet. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

I think when you bulk you're supposed to do it healthily. As in, not eat just anything that will put weight on.

In my uninformed opinion your diet looks terrible tbh. You're barely eating anything bar crisps, burgers, chocolate and bacon.

Arsenal1986

Also on the milk again i wouldnt drink so much of it late at noght if it hadnt been a workout day cause again tons of carbs in there. 36 waist at 6 0 and 11 an a half stone means the bulking diet has gone waaay wrong so need to really change things around. i wouldnt worry too much about cardio just yet, clean up the diet, get rid of all the junk food, keep training the big compound movements and you should lean out and put on more muscle. Post up your workout too shur while your at it? How loosely are you following starting strength?

corkcomp

Arsenal1986 wrote: »

Also on the milk again i wouldnt drink so much of it late at noght if it hadnt been a workout day cause again tons of carbs in there. 36 waist at 6 0 and 11 an a half stone means the bulking diet has gone waaay wrong so need to really change things around. i wouldnt worry too much about cardio just yet, clean up the diet, get rid of all the junk food, keep training the big compound movements and you should lean out and put on more muscle. Post up your workout too shur while your at it? How loosely are you following starting strength?

TBH having a 36w at 6ft and 11.5 st doesnt seem possible? I am 6ft and a 32W and i am 12st, The last time i had a 36W i was 15st!!!

kickupthehole

Arsenal1986 wrote: »

No offense mate but your diet is terrible for muscle building purposes. Where oh where is the Protein??You are going until lunch before eating any. You need to be eating at least a gram per pound of bodyweight so round 180 grams probably for you and considering there is roughly thirty grams in a chicken fillet you are way way off that. Without protein you will not build muscle end of. The quality of carbs your eating is terrible, all high GI, sugary carbs like chocolate, nutri grain bars etc need to go. Good carbs like brown rice n pasta are way to go. Also Fruit late at night or really anytime after the afternoon is a bad idea they are very sugary(fructose) and more likely to turn to fat. Not saying dont eat fruit just eat it earlier in the day.

Heh I didn't think my diet was that bad, thought I was getting a fair bit of protein with the 2 litres of milk alone. Think I'll start using a whey protein shake for breakfast and as part of my post workout meal.

I will definitely try and substitute some of the crap I'm currently eating for good protein foods. Can you recommend foods that are high in protein and easy and quick to make? Stuff that can be done in the george forman grill would be good.

kickupthehole

Arsenal1986 wrote: »

Post up your workout too shur while your at it? How loosely are you following starting strength?

Fairly loosely, I do the exercises in ss workout a and workout b, but I don't necessarily stick to the amount of sets and reps laid out, I usually do more reps, about 10 or 12. This is because I don't have heavy enough weights at the minute, so have to add more reps to get a decent workout. I also can't do bench presses at the minute as I don't have a bench, so I have to make do with press-ups at the moment, I do these to failure.

I work out every 2 days, which means some weeks I will workout 3 times a week, and other weeks it will be 4 times a week.

kickupthehole

corkcomp wrote: »

TBH having a 36w at 6ft and 11.5 st doesnt seem possible? I am 6ft and a 32W and i am 12st, The last time i had a 36W i was 15st!!!

I measured myself a couple of weeks ago, I'm definitely 36 around the waist. I've always had a big waist really, and frustratingly its always the first place I gain weight whenever I bulk.

the-lad

kickupthehole wrote: »

Heh I didn't think my diet was that bad, thought I was getting a fair bit of protein with the 2 litres of milk alone. Think I'll start using a whey protein shake for breakfast and as part of my post workout meal.

I will definitely try and substitute some of the crap I'm currently eating for good protein foods. Can you recommend foods that are high in protein and easy and quick to make? Stuff that can be done in the george forman grill would be good.

Scrambled egg whites for breakfast are a quick easy way to get protein.cottage cheese can be added to up the protein and calories.
If not porridge with a scoop of protein powder is an alternative and it least its low GI

boutiquespa

Now we're talking - it seems that the guidance you initially had was completely wrong.
The feedback you are having will put you on the right tracks.
Diet is essential and the correct exercise regime is also critical.

High protein, low GI, low sugar and low fat - eat every 2 to 3 hours.
Basically you want to eat more of the "right" food.
No white products - rice, pasta, bread, etc
No sugary snacks - nutrigrain is an example
Plenty of fish and white meat (turkey is best white meat and this is the time of year for that!!)
Eggs, beans, brown pasta, brown rice, wholemeal bread, chicken with wholemeal pitta is a good snack - you need to be inventive, don't just try and increase your daily intake no matter what food you are eating.
Reduce caffeine as this encourages cravings that will lead to over indulgence of "bad" food.

I suggest adding two cardio days to your programme and 4 intensive resistance sessions.
Plenty of core work at the back end of each session - target that belly.

Remember, you want to build muscle not fat - cardio will help you lose calories, resistance will build muscle mass.