Diet help please guys

[Rattler2000bc]

Hey guys. For some reason I've stopped gaining weight despite increasing calories.
I'm 33, 5 ft 6" and started training properly again about 9 months ago. I was on 3000 calories and went from 142lbs up to at one point 154lbs. Now I yo yo between 147lbs and 153lbs. I upped my calories until what I'm on now which is 4000 but still no gain in weight but no extra fat gain either.
I'm training 4 times a week and I've put 1.5" on my chest and 0.5" on my arms so I am putting muscle on but not sure what's happening with my weight.
I'm doing 50% carbs, 30 protein and 20% fat.
I'm on 500g carbs and 300g protein. My diet is fairly clean and I'm using my fitness pal to calculate my intake.
Any ideas guys? Thanks.

[Khazima]

Don't need that much protein, try eating more carbs since it's less satiating and continue to increase cals until you're gaining the desired amount of weight. If you're not gaining weight, you're not eating enough. There's no two ways about it.

[Rattler2000bc]

Ok I did think my protein intake was high but due to the 50/30/20 percentages that's how it worked out at 4000 calories. What percentages would you suggest?

[Buster Brown]

Ok I did think my protein intake was high but due to the 50/30/20 percentages that's how it worked out at 4000 calories. What percentages would you suggest?

You need to also remember that your body grows in spurts and you just put on some weight. Let your body acclimate to it and be happy with that. Increasing carbs will put on fat...... Your growth period has ceased for the moment, now maintain it and hit it again in a few months. No one makes muscle gains by continuously increasing there cals and playing with the ratio.

[Rattler2000bc]

Looks like I may have had my setting wrong. I've been hitting about 350g of carbs not 500 like I though.
Does this mean if I increase the carbs my calories intake will be too high at 4000 and increase fat?

[Buster Brown]

Sure will! Be careful who you get diet advice from. Your body can only soak up do many carbs .....if it's not going to be stored as glycogen and you are in too much excess it will be stored as fat unless your metabolism is off the charts and you are burning it up. Gain slowly OR you will put on bad weight and just because you may reach a goal weight it could end up looking like shit.

[Rattler2000bc]

Cheers for the advice.
What you think my calories per day should be and what grams for the macros? Or if you point me in the direction of a good online calculator.
If my calories are so high I don't get why I've not put loads of weight on even in fat. Maybe because a lot of them would be coming from the excess protein rather than carbs?

[Khazima]

This one was pretty accurate for me.

TDEE Calculator

A general rule of thumb I like to use for people your (our weight) is 150-180g protein, 70-80g fat and fill the rest with carbs.

After 9 months training you should still be consistently gaining weight to maximise your beginner gains. Aim to add .25 to .5 a pound per week. If you're not gaining weight, you're not eating enough.

[Rattler2000bc]

Cheers I'll have a go with that. I am visibly changing quite a bit. Like I said I've gained 1.5" on my chest and 0.5" on my arms so it's not like nothing at all is happening.
Some people have said not to worry about the scales and to use the mirror and measurements but surely they go hand in hand?

[Khazima]

Cheers I'll have a go with that. I am visibly changing quite a bit. Like I said I've gained 1.5" on my chest and 0.5" on my arms so it's not like nothing at all is happening.
Some people have said not to worry about the scales and to use the mirror and measurements but surely they go hand in hand?

That's great that you're seeing visible changes. You're probably experiencing a successful recomp. However this isn't ideal for maximising gains, especially at your stage of training.

Yes you should be using the mirror as much as the scale though, the scale could be going up but you might just be gaining 'weight' (fat).

[Rattler2000bc]

It's saying to eat 2561 calories per day.
370g carbs, 135g protein and 60g fat.

Dunno if I'm missing something here but if I've been eating 3700-4000 cal per day with a round this amount of carbs but sometimes more and 300g of protein, how will dropping it to this allow me to gain weight?

[Buster Brown]

It's saying to eat 2561 calories per day. 370g carbs, 135g protein and 60g fat. Dunno if I'm missing something here but if I've been eating 3700-4000 cal per day with a round this amount of carbs but sometimes more and 300g of protein, how will dropping it to this allow me to gain weight?

It won't and by dropping your protein and filling it with carbs you will be dissapointed. I am 44 and have been weight training since I was 16. You don't need over 1.5 grams of protein but def should be using close to it for optimum results. 1 gram of protein per lb of lbm is fine for just maintaining. No sense micro managing your diet.... Put that energy towards your workouts!

[Rattler2000bc]

Buster...should I just continue with what I'm on then reducing the protein and when my body will adjust now and continue to grow at some point? I'll give an example of my diet.

1. 3 scoop oats, banana, almonds and whey
2. Tin of mackrel, 2 eggs and whole meal pitta.
3. Chicken, sweet potato and veg
4. 2 scoop oats and whey
5. Weight gain shake
(Training)
6. Steak, wholemeal rice and veg
7. Before bed..3 eggs, tablespoon of peanut butter, 100g of 0%- Greek yoghurt or fat free cottage cheese and whey.

I need to cut a scoop or 2 out to reduce my protein intake.
I know its best to eat whole foods rather than weight gain but with work its hard to have the time to have it all the time.

I've already had a cycle of Trenavol (pro hormone) and Var only cycle. Definetly had an increase in strength during that time increasing my weight lifted quite a bit.

[Buster Brown]

I would limit the red meat as it is high glycemic and sub in chicken. I would do whey protein and oats blended for a shake as opposed to heavy weight gainer..... Not quality carbs and filled with sugar. You are on the right track and you will see that diets can always be tweaked .

[Buster Brown]

If you are just coming off of a cycle then you should eat at maintenance after pct has concluded. At this point you would be doing very little growing and mainly healing up and training at 80% or so. This allows your body some rest and to get comfortable with any gains made. Allow yourself 12 weeks or so on this type of diet and training routine which is getting you ready for another phase of growth weather with AAS or not. By this point you are ready to start training harder and growing. It's just not a matter of eating more and more..... If that was the case I would way about 315! Be patient my friend.

[Rattler2000bc]

Thanks Buster. This will all help a lot.
Do you think 4000 cal is probably too much for me? It's only in the last 4 weeks that I've gone from 3000 to 4000 calories. Hence the weight gain shake to get in 920 cal.

[Buster Brown]

I do think it's too much. Part of why you are yo-yo ing is due to you holding water as your sodium is probably up. Your not going to get there overnight and while putting on a little fat while bulking is an accepted practice you don't want to get fat to satisfy your scale goal. Use the TDEE formula for a guideline to maintain your new weight for a while (like I have told you) then plan another growing phase. Unless you have superior genetics and can grow on McDonalds food then this is a better and smarter approach.

[Rattler2000bc]

Thanks Buster. Appreciate it. On another note another PB on leg day...squats 6 reps at 100kg. Push for more reps next week.