How far above TDEE do I need to go?!?!

[yeahbuddy289]

25 years old- 6'2"- 215lbs- ~15%BF- lift 3x a week and work a fairly physical job. I have calculated my TDEE to be around 3500 cals (using macro calculators) and I am taking in 5000 cals a day 6x a week. I am assuming my TDEE is off but I dont see how it could be much higher? Im not huge by any means and I dont have a fast metabolism due to the fact my body fat % isnt low and im not constantly hungry. Where am I going wrong here?

[Wintermaul]

I dont understand your question. You got problem gaining weight? And you stated you eat 5000kcal 6days a week, how is the last day? What do you usually eat? How is your macros? If you have a very physical job its probably the TDEE thats off. I can stay at 3500kcal with a deskjob, and can add at least 1000kcal if i do my old job which was physical, and that is without gaining.

[yeahbuddy289]

My diet is 3 cups of egg whites, 3 cups oats, 4 scoops of protein powder, 1 cup of peanut butter, 2 cups of rice, 1lb of chicken breast. I eat this six days a week on Sunday my intake is close but I eat a couple different things like fish or red meat.

[DrewZ]

I would say drop the protein powder, add more real food and eat your veggies.
How long have you consistently been eating @ 5000kcal/day ?

[yeahbuddy289]

I have been on this diet here for about 2 weeks but before that I was eating out a lot which I would assume was even more calories. Should I decrease protein and up my carbs more?

[DrewZ]

I personally aim for 40/40/20 Proteins/Carbs/Fats
2 weeks isn't a very long period of time to see any real progress with weight gain.
I would be careful how quickly you up calories as you don't want to just put on a bunch of bad weight.

Assuming you are correct with your BF%
Your LBM is 183lbs, you need to eat 1.5g of protein per LBM to maintain.
183 x 1.5 = 274.5g Protein
If you want to add muscle you're going to need to eat more protein than this.

[yeahbuddy289]

I think I take in more than half of that in just my post workout/ night time shake...so I think I am eating more than enough protein.... So maybe carbs should be increased?

[yeahbuddy289]

So this is exactly what I am eating:

Meal 1:
1 cup egg whites
1 cup oats
2 scoops of whey
Total macros: 665cals, 54g carbs, 83g protein, 6g fat

Meal 2:
8oz chicken
1 cup of rice
Total macros: 640cals, 52g protein, 90g carbs

Meal 3:
8oz chicken
1 cup of rice
Total macros: same as meal 2

Meal 4:
2 cups egg whites
2 cups oats
2 scoops whey
1 cup peanut butter
Total macros: 2610 cals, 174g protein, 172g carbs, 140g fat

Total for the day:

4,555 cals, 361g protein, 406 carbs, 146g fats

So not quite 5000 cals but still a pretty decent diet I think. Anything I should improve on or just run it a couple more weeks and see what happens?

[tarmyg]

Meal 4:
2 cups egg whites
2 cups oats
2 scoops whey
1 cup peanut butter
Total macros: 2610 cals, 174g protein, 172g carbs, 140g fat

I take it cooking is not your thing? 1Cup of PB...

[DrewZ]

^ Meal 4, caloric BOMB! I think I would be sick...

This is something you're going to have to play with.

Personally I do better on high protein, moderate carbs, moderate fats (good fats though, tree nuts and healthy oils) not peanuts.

I caution you about eating too far over TDEE because I've done that and put on a lot of fat.

Sure no gains were wasted I suppose, but cutting fat is no fun.

Hind sight, I would rather have had slower gains and stayed more lean.

Slow and steady wins the race, or marathon in our case.

Remember if you are gaining 1lb a week or even a every couple of weeks, you are putting on a considerable amount of fat.

Putting on 5-10lbs of lean mass in a year is a GREAT year.

[yeahbuddy289]

Yeah meal 4 is huge... I feel like one of those snakes after they have eaten a deer haha I completely agree I would rather add clean mass over time than get my body fat too high and have to cut. I will probably run this diet for a couple more weeks and see how I do.

[Mr. Small]

Split meal #4 into 2 or 3 meals man. Your stomach will split and all the nutrition will spew out onto the ground. No fun cleaning that up.

[Times Roman]

25 years old- 6'2"- 215lbs- ~15%BF- lift 3x a week and work a fairly physical job. I have calculated my TDEE to be around 3500 cals (using macro calculators) and I am taking in 5000 cals a day 6x a week. I am assuming my TDEE is off but I dont see how it could be much higher? Im not huge by any means and I dont have a fast metabolism due to the fact my body fat % isnt low and im not constantly hungry. Where am I going wrong here?

I calculate just a bit lower TDEE than you, but not by much. 3371 cals TDEE + 500 cals over for bulking puts you at almost 3,900 cals a day. 40/40/20 split also means 387 grams of protein per day. Suggest cutting back your consumed calories to around 4,000 cals/day and see where that takes you. How long have you been at 5,000 cals/day??

[Times Roman]

and what does 5000cals x 6 days a week mean? you fasting on the seventh for some reason?

[yeahbuddy289]

Times I've been on this diet for almost two weeks. I say 6 days a week because Sunday I substitute other meals for the chicken and rice. Like red meat or fish... And sometimes will go out to a resturant for one meal.

[jesse4466]

I take it cooking is not your thing? 1Cup of PB...

Lol.