Need your advice, please help !! (pics)

Hi guys, I’ve learned a lot by frequently reading the forum. However, I need your advice with my situation. I’ve been working out consistently for the last 5 months. As you may see, I need lots of years working out before I look decently. I am open for your recommendations. Please critique, but don’t be too harsh.

Goals:
I want to build thick muscles as soon as possible (2-3 years). Ideally, I’d like to make as much gains with little fat increase, as my body already has enough fat stored.
But, if it means I have to gain a couple of pounds of fat in order to gain more mass faster, I am sure I won’t hesitate to do so.

Stats:
30 years old.
BF: Dunno, please let me know your guesstimate.
5’8”
185 lbs
Waist: 33”
Medium frame
Bench Press 165 lbs x 10 reps
Squats 225 lbs x 10 reps


Workouts:
I work one body part once per week, 5 days on 2 off. After warm-up, I usually go as heavy as I can for the first set, dropping weights accordingly, until my fourth set where I max out at 10-12 reps. I like to have my worked body part exhausted when all is said and done.

Supplements:
SuperPump 250
Size On Creatine
Flax Oil
Fish Oil
IntraPro Protein
Novaldex XT

Nutrition:
I do have concerns about my diet. I thought I was doing good, until some dudes in the gym said I have to up my Carbs intake in order to make some more gains.


Nutrition/Diet


Unit Calories /Protein Grams /Carbs Grams /Fats gr.

Meal #1:
4 Egg Whites 200 /40 /4 /0
Slice Bread/Sweet Potatoe 130 /4 /25 /9
Protein Shake 200 /23 /13 /6
Fish Oil 20 /0 /0 /2
Flax Oil 120 /0 /0 /14

Meal #2
Protein Shake 200 /23 /13 /6
Vitamins 60 /0 /0 /0

Meal #3
1/4 Chicken or Menu (340g.) 357 /78.2 /0 /4.8

Meal #4
Protein Shake 200 /23 /13 /6

Meal #5
4 Egg Whites 200 /40 /4 /0

Pre-Workout
Super Pump 250 48 /0 /8 /0

Workout

Meal #6
4 Egg Whites 200 /40 /4 /0
Creatine 125 /0 /31 /0
Protein Shake /200 /23 /13 /6

Meal #7 (sometimes...if I have some room in my stomach!)
Tuna 150 /32 /0 /1.5


Totals 2,410 Cals. P/326.2 C/115 F/55.3

Percentage Ratios 65.60% /23.10% /11.10%



Your insight and opinions matters to me a lot. Please advise what I need to improve on so one day I can look like you guys.

Thanks for your thoughts in advance

Hey man, solid first post bro. Don't be to hard on yourself man, you got a good frame and will be able to pack on some solid muscle. Way to be on your stats and diet!!
First off read the diet forum and check out the diets their. They have great examples, Bulking, cutting ect ect. You also might wanna ace so many protein shakes. Try to get you protein from real food as much as possible. For me personally and this is just me, I would try a different routine. Maybe try working a body part twice a week instead of one. Again, you have to find what works well for you dude. I think if you tweak your diet a bit and your routine you will get some great results naturally. And train as heavy as you can bro. I am sure some other guys will chime in here with more advice. You got some pretty smart guys here so learn from them. But all in all your heading in the right direction dude. Read some more and train like a savage. Best of luck man and keep us posted...TJ

im not really as experienced with the diet as most of these guys are but as far as lifting goes i think you should muscle groups twice a day 2 times a week......and do A.M cardio for 30 mins as well ....make sure your on an empty stomach....also if you want or can...do 30 mins of cardio after you lift. i try and do cardio 2 times a day 5 or 6 days a week

for example:(out of a mag btw)
monday and friday: hit calve, thighs and shoulders
tuesday and saturday: hit back bis and abs
wed and sunday: hit chest tris calves and abs
use a pretty heavey weight for x amount of reps and keep rest periods no longer than 60 secs......it will keep the intensity up

also from what ive read working legs tend to boost up natural GH levels causing you to build muscle and burn fat

i dont use that exact routine but i hit my muscle groups twice a week except for legs...excluding calves...if anyone disagree let me know and tell him other wise.

I personally don't agree with BigMac, but thats not to say that it wont work for you. Trial and Error Bro. Find something that works for you. BigMac, not flaming you dude, I just don't think that would work for me at least. Are you saying work a muscle twice a day? I don't understand that one man, but hey if it works for you. I also disagree with cardio in the AM on an empty stomach, but thats me dude!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TJM7275

I personally don't agree with BigMac, but thats not to say that it wont work for you. Trial and Error Bro. Find something that works for you. BigMac, not flaming you dude, I just don't think that would work for me at least. Are you saying work a muscle twice a day? I don't understand that one man, but hey if it works for you. I also disagree with cardio in the AM on an empty stomach, but thats me dude!!

---

its cool man but i did not twice a day...i said/meant to say 2 muscle groups a day possibly 2 times a week......i do am cardio on an empty stomach but thats cause im trying to suck fat like a champ right now, but i do agree with you though that is a trial and error deal.

LOL, I was just gonna say bro.... Its all good man. I did read an article in Flex i think about doing cardio in the AM on an empty stomach. I think!!!!! Bt hey man if it works for you rock on brother

looking good bro, keep up the good work.

I agree with TJM7275's that you have a solid frame to build off. I I were you I would drop the Superpump250 and Novaldex XT and invest in some L-glutamine, casein protein and some form of fast absorbing carbohydrate such as maltodextrin to add to your post workout shake.

If you really are after that caffeine hit pre-workout that you get from superpump250 you could always grab some caffeine tabs, there alot cheaper and may really give you that hit that you need.

The guys in the gym were right, you are missing carbs in your diet plan! IMO your going overkill in the protein and way to little carbohydrates. Doesn't matter if I'm bulking or cutting, I usually keep my diet around a 55/30/15 ratio of carbs ,protein and fats --

dont forget to get your cardio in at least three times a week also! i'm a big fan of morning cardio on an empty stomach but you may prefer HIIT training. You just gotta find out what works well for you!

even bump up your calories a little, especially if you find yourself not gaining, 2400 seems a little low to me. remember, keep it clean!

good luck bro!

Bro, I was looking good before I started Juicing again and I never took any supp.'s except my protein shakes and vitamins. Beware of the crap they sell at GNC, The Viatimin Shop and what have you.
1).. Get a great diet, rich in protein and solid carbs.
2)...Get a great workout program and for god sakes train like an animal!!!
Go get some nice Whey Protein and phase it into your diet. Take one scoop 20 minutes before you lift and take a double scoop 30 minutes after you lift.
If you want some help with training and diet I can tell you what I do. But keep in mind their are some other guys here with a ton of knowledge to bro that will help you. PM me anytime!!!

TJM7275, this is my favorite forum by far. People like yourself are who keeps me motivated to keep pumping hard. I've learned a great deal of nutrition here, too. Since, yesterday, I have added a full steak at night (after workout) and pasta during the daytime into my diet. I am hoping this gives me the extra boost to build mass. I must say, my stomach pouch is stressing the most from all the overeating (for my body). Also, I am thinking of incorporating a mass builder shake into my diet because I am a little short on calories, per SkippyP (Thanks Skip !!). There is no way I can fit more food in my stomach.

SkippyP, thanks for your input. It's greatly appreciated. In a couple of weeks I will transition my diet to be around Cal/3500 P/40 C/40 F/20 with 2 hours per week of medium intensity cardio. I was suspecting I needed this tweak, thanks for the reassurance. I will try the empty stomach cardio next year when cutting. I need to halt SizeOn for a couple of months (I am in a cycle with this) and will try Maltodextrin instead. And will stop Novaldex XT when the bottle is finished and intake some L-Glutamine for maximum recovery.

Question: Should I add Casein on top of Whey or replace Whey for Casein?

I have been listening to my body, and it's telling me it needs more food intake and time. The surprising thing is I started working out 5 months ago, I have gained 10 lbs. However, I am not sure if its water retention (from SizeOn Creatine) or fiber. Strength has also increased noticebly. I always thought I had the worst genes anyone could ask for, because I was flabby all around. But my body is reacting positively, so far. I credit this to compound movements excersises.

Guys, thanks for your advice. I will post my latest diet in a couple of weeks and will keep you posted on my improvements.

Finally, keep all your thoughts and input coming. They're very valuable and motivating!!!

Sincerely,
-t

Ahhh my friend the stomach will stretch....lol. Use Casein only at night before you go to bed. It takes about 8 hours to digest and keeps you full to avoid midnight snacking. I am against mass builder shakes... Too much crap, but thats me. Get you diet right use shakes before and after workouts but try to get the majority of your claories, Carbs and protein from real food. Use the Casein before you go to bed. Any questions hit me [email protected]

****DON'T USE SHAKES AS A MAIN SOURCE FOR MEALS********

Thanks TJM7275. I will definitely see you with my workout routine. First, I have to adjust me food intake to try to fit the necessary load through out the day and achieve minimizing shakes. The only advantage in my case, is I can eat all day long (at my workplace), as many as 8-10 meals if I wanted to.

My workouts are sometimes weird, but heavy. Yesterday, my legs workout was intense. I was feeling very nauceous at the end, but got a good pump. I started with Squats, lounges, and ended with leg presses, seated extensions, and ham curls. I am not doing calves yet until I increase my leg strength a little bit more.

But, I will be posting my worout routine for some critiques and suggestions.

Thanks TJM !

Well I'll tell you what works for me bro, but it may not work for you. Learn from everyone here dude and you will find the routine thats kicks you in the balls.
Ahhh, havent felt nauceous after a leg work out in sometime....lol thats great dude. Their are some great threads in the workout forum with routines, but your gonna have to find what works well for Originator X. Theirs no right answer here, trial and error. If you can eat all day at work ( me Too ) thats great. It will help tremendously. Hit me up if you want bro

Anyone else have any comments? FYI, I am working on stretching my stomach to fit all calories intake from clean foods. I will post my tweaked diet very soon.

Use more whole foods overall and cut the shakes out,will make a big difference and also make you leaner and tighter.

Hey guys. I hope this post reaches you enjoying good health. I am posting a tweaked diet which I have begun to follow. When putting together this chart, I was intending to up my carbs intake, in order to have more fuel in my workouts. This is not to say I don’t have good pumps. But, I ran into a major obstacle: I cannot fit anymore food into the pouch. All day, I walk with a bloated stomach, which is now bigger than any other body part, hah!

Anyway, I am looking to be enlightened by the folks in this forum. What can I do with my diet to be able to achieve maximum gains? Is it ok to leave it like this for a while to see if it’s a good fit for myself? As you might have noticed, I have increased on my calories intake by 800cal daily.

As far as working out, I am now hitting each body part TWICE, per week. All workouts are heavy, very intense and energy depleting. I have noticed a little more details (small hints of visible muscle fibers) in some parts. This is something new to me, as I was used to seeing my flabby self in the mirror before. Since working out twice per week, I am sleeping a lot more than partying.

Finally, I have attached a pic which is exactly 30 days later than the first pic I have posted in this thread. Do you think there is any improvements or not enough?? Should I have gained more in this period of time?? Am I being too impatient with myself?? How much should I be gaining per week/month???

Please help me improve myself with your critiques and comments. As always, maximum gains is the main objective for me.


Thank you.




Diet/Nutrition

Calories /Protein /Carbs /Fats
Meal #1
1 cup Oatmeal 300 /10 /54 /6
Protein Shake 400 /46 /26 /12
Flax Oil 120 /0 /0 /14
Skim milk 45 /4 /7.5 /0

Meal #2
4 Egg Whites 200 /40 /4 /0
Vitamins 60 /0 /0 /0


Meal #3
Chicken 357 /78.2 /0 /4.8
White rice 320 /6 /40 /0

Meal #4
Homemade soup 200 /10 /10 /5


Meal #5
Chicken 178.5 /39.1 /0 /2.4
White rice or Pasta 160 /3 /20 /0
Fish Oil 20 /0 /0 /2

Super Pump 250 48 /0 /8 /0
Workout
Size One Creatine 125 /0 /31 /0
Protein Shake 400 /46 /26 /12

Meal #6
Steak (8oz) 350 /226.8 /4 /15



Totals 3,283 Cals. P/509.1 C/230.5 F/73.2

Percentage Ratios 62.60% 28.30% 9.00%

Brown rice is a much better source of carbs. You have that 4 egg white is 40 grams of protein...not even close...whats with the homemade soup...you should aim for 40-50 grams of protein per meal. Meal #6 as long as its not too late should have some kind of carbs...potatoes or rice or oatmeal...

Thanks for your input Juicer. I got my info on eggs from:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/nutrient.php?id=1124
Please let me know if Im still mistaking.

As for the soup, I tried to post everything I eat during the day. I have calculated what's in the soup, as I dont cook it myself. The meals I buy at a moms-and-pops restaurant, comes with a soup.

Bros, please keep your comments coming. I really appreciate it.

Id do 7-10 egg whites with 1-2 yolks boiled.

The revised diet looks better. Avoid shakes for meals if you can and stick with whole foods. Use a shake for post workout and maybe in the night too (casein). Keep it going mate your doing well.

doing good bro. good starting base you have. keep it up.

Keep it up, eating whole foods will make your body work harder and you will look leaner and tighter overall.
Trust me

Hi guys, please look into my routine, below. I would appreciate your critiques and comments. I am not sure if I am overtraining or not. My goal, as always, is to be as massive as possible.


Body parts worked on:
Day1: Chest/Biceps/abs
Day2: Legs/Shoulders/cardio
Day3: Back/triceps/abs
Day4: Off


Exercise Routine:

Chest
Flat bench 4 x 3-12
Decline 4 x 10
Incline close grip 3 x 10-12
Incline dumbell flyes 3 x 10
Machine flyes 4 x 10-12

Biceps
Barbell curls 3 x 10
Preacher curls 3 x 10
Reverse grip EZ curls 3 x 10

Legs
Squats 4 x 10-14
Leg press 4 x 10-14
Seated extensions 4 x 10-14
Lying ham curls 4 x 10-14

Shoulders
Behind neck presses 4 x 10-12
Military presses 4 x 10
Lateral raises 4 x 10
Bent rear delts raises 4 x 10-12
Front raises 4 x 10

Back
Pull ups 4 x 8-14
45 degree barbell rows 4 x 10-12
T-rows 4 x 10-12
Wide grip cable pulldown 4 x 10-12
Behind Neck pulldown 4 x 10
Seated cable pulls 4 x 10-12
Dumbell rows 4 x 10-12
Deadlifts 4 x 10-12

Triceps
Dips 4 x 10-12
Overhead extensions 4 x 10-12
Dumbell overhead ext 4 x 10-12
Cable pushdowns 4 x 10-12
Kickbacks 3 x 10


Footnotes:
All sets are heavy, specially the first 2 sets (usually 3-6 reps)
Workout 3 days on 1 day off.
All reps are with proper form, last 2 reps are forced/cheated.
Intensity is high, with 60 seconds or less between sets.
Workout exercises are usually switched to equivalent but other exercises.


Set variance:
1st Set is as heavy as possilble. Usually 3-6 reps.
2nd Set is heavy as possible. Usually 3-6 reps.
3rd Set weight are decreased to do 12-14 reps.
4th Set weight are the same as 3rd. Usually 8-10 reps.
5th Set weight are decreased and perfect form, until failure. Usually 10-12 reps. Will do this set depending upon energy level or muscle exhaustion.


Current mind set (philosophy) with respect to my body (since I am a beginner). As goofy as it may sound, it has helped me psychologically. I have not shared this with anyone, only this forum.
.
Pull it out of the hole (make muscle visible)
Pump it
Pound it
Carve it
Burn it
Kill it
Watch for improvements




Please let me know if my routine needs tweaking, as my diet did. Thanks for your comments, in advance.

that revised diet should help you progress further!

good job on reading and keeping an open mind. most who come on want a magic fix, and when people say "fix your diet", it usually ends up with "pfft, **** that"...

also, as you learn, you'll figure what works for you.... dont always listen to gym gossip (esp people with horrible form, with big arms, but no back and a huge gut :P).

with all the researching you are doing, you'll be a beast in no time. workout seems fairly well rounded to ME..but..im not a pro, and still learning also :D

best wishes!!!!!

Thanks guys for the motivation! I have been pumping and eating even more. I will sure post my progress in a few months.

TJM7275 please email me. I have a question for you: [email protected]


Thanks!!