Originally Posted by
MuscleInk
Hey Sharmabrah,
Overall this looks pretty good. When I'm looking to gain lean mass, my plan looks something like this:
Protein: 300-350g/day
Carbs: 400-500g/day
Fats: 60-65g/day
3500-4000 kcal per day. Everyone is different given body type, goals, current stats, etc., but this plan works best for me and was reviewed and tweaked by a competitive BB in California.
The other guys are right about protein shakes and bars - be cautious of these things. Most of the proposed benefits are misleading. The "gainers" that a lot of guys buy are loaded with matodextrin (and fillers) which is 7x sweeter than cane sugar and spikes your insulin like nuts. A lot of the gains you see from these kinds of supplements will be increases in body fat. While there is SOME beneift to these products, I use them sparingly and most of my protein shakes are consumed before, during, or after my lifting - very rarely outside of these times and ONLY IF I am traveling and its either that or no food. A lot of times you could make a far better protein shake at home using things like greek yogurt (good brands have 8 or less grams of carbs and 23-30g of protein per serving), rolled oats, egg whites, almond milk and ice (and sometimes I'll throw in olive oil for additional clean fats if needed). Ocassionally I'll make a peanut butter smoothie at home using my blender, ice, almond milk and 2-3 tablespoons of almond milk (but don't go over board and keep those fats in check). It takes a little more time but you have a better control over the sugars (carbs), fats, and protein that you are consuming in your shake. It just comes down to a little experimentation to find what is right, tastes good, and stays within your marco goals.
Personally I'd recommend nuts or dried (sugar free) fruit for snacks if you feel the need. Again, protein bars are convenient and fast but sometimes don't give you the nutritional needs. Some brands of rice cakes are ok but watch the sugars (I've also seen maltodextrin in some rice cakes - read the labels!!!!).
The key to diet, once you have everything planned out, is committment. A diet can become very mundane after one week so look for ways to hit your macros by introducing food varieties or new recipes. I can send you a decent reference if you want that has about 180 pages of recipies, each with the macros and kcals determined.
The other factor for you in gaining lean mass will be your training routine. Different schools of thought here and I have trained several different ways with numerous trainers. Some guys like to follow the low reps max weight; others go for mid range reps and sets at 70-80% of max; others will do one strength set followed by several hypertrophy sets - I've done them all with varying results.
The addition of supplements and vitamins can support your goals to gain lean mass as well and minimize injury or down time due to sore joints, etc.
Lots of things to consider but you are well on your way with this diet.
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