Help with my tdee

[>Good Luck<]

Hey guys, or most likely stem! Lol

I've been trying to work out my tdee and come up with 3300 Cals to gain mass. Despite what anyone may say, I'm looking to bulk up quite a bit. I'm not worried about bf% which may annoy some people but please keep in mind, these are my goals, not yours. Problem is that everyone keeps saying there is no way my tdee is that high at my stats.

My weight fluctuates quite a bit. Here are my stats and a generalization of my lifestyle.

Currently 164lbs but weight dips down to 158lbs on weekdays.

Height remains 5'7"

Bf% is 15%+/-

Age 26

I work in the construction industry and juggle several apprentices so I walk around a huge jobsite whenever I am not doing strenuous work myself. I work 8 hours daily 5 days a week with breaks at 9 & 12. I wake up at 5 and eat by 6-615. I return home at 345 and usually go to the gym around 430 for 1.25hour 4 days a week. Dinner at 7. Bed by 11. I don't go on days off for cardio because I'm pretty exhausted from work and need recoup time. Weekends I usually do household necessities like groceries or home repairs or anything on the honey-do list.

So would you say 3300 is enough to bulk for me? Should I go for 3500 or more or less? I also find it hard to get all the protein and carbs in because by 12 I'm still full and by 330 I could eat a horse. I'm thinking to add a low sugar high carb weight gainer to my current diet. Found one with almost no sugar which I think would be a benefit for me.

[Back In Black]

What's in the high carb gainer if not sugar?

In theory your tdee is approx 2100, not factoring in your job. I'm not allowing for your current fat weight in this.

It's tough when you have an active job to guesstimate your real tdee. I'd suggest you start at 3000cals and weigh in after a week. Depending what your weight is, you can adjust from there. Keep in mind you will gain fat on a bulk. Muscle is hard to come by. So you gain 1lb a week a high percentage of that is fat, not muscle. 2g gained a week and most of that is fat.

It's your choice as to how you wanna look but should you decide to cut in the future, it's much harder to drop from ^20% than 15%.

[>Good Luck<]

What's in the high carb gainer if not sugar?

In theory your tdee is approx 2100, not factoring in your job. I'm not allowing for your current fat weight in this.

It's tough when you have an active job to guesstimate your real tdee. I'd suggest you start at 3000cals and weigh in after a week. Depending what your weight is, you can adjust from there. Keep in mind you will gain fat on a bulk. Muscle is hard to come by. So you gain 1lb a week a high percentage of that is fat, not muscle. 2g gained a week and most of that is fat.

It's your choice as to how you wanna look but should you decide to cut in the future, it's much harder to drop from ^20% than 15%.

I appreciate the insight. I find it hard to decide to cut when I feel to light. When I'm eating 3000 Cals, I'm pretty stagnant for gains. I almost feel like at 3000 Cals I'm recomping as my stomach is noticeably decreasing and muscle is noticeably gaining. Seems like the only time I gained weight is when I was on cycle. Since then its up and down with the weight but
Like I said, the stomach is flattening out a lot (especially since I reduced my milk intake from 3L to 1.5L daily). I feel like if I cut I will end up at 130lbs again and I don't want that. I'm trying desperately to gain weight to get to 195lbs @ 15% or so.

[>Good Luck<]

I would also like to add that I don't have the desire to have abs showing and a ripped physique. I'm more interested in increasing my size and strength. More like a powerlifter than a bb'er if o had to relate it to something. If I was 20% bf at 195 or 205 I would be happy for this phase of my lifting.

[Back In Black]

Then that's an easy calculation. If you know you are maintaining weight at 3000 then add 300-500 cals for up to 1lb weight gain per week. Adjust up each time you stagnate.

Then you just need to work out your macro split!

[>Good Luck<]

Then that's an easy calculation. If you know you are maintaining weight at 3000 then add 300-500 cals for up to 1lb weight gain per week. Adjust up each time you stagnate.

Then you just need to work out your macro split!

Ok single do you feel about my thinking on this. Right now I know a lot of my Cals come from fat. I'm doing this to make sure I hit my Cals for the day. I am slowly transitioning my fats for carbs and protein until I get to 45%carbs 35%pro 20% fat. This is going to take some time to stretch out my stomach and learning to cook food that I won't be sick of do quickly. There's gotta be a way to make rice taste good lol

[Back In Black]

I like rice! If you don't care you can always add sauces to it!

If you're not bothered about being 30% then there's no issue. It doesn't really matter your macro split if weight is all you care about.

Stomach stretching is where it's at. You may be uncomfortable for a few weeks getting used to it. But it does work. As does waking in the night to 'drink' an extra meal!

[>Good Luck<]

I like rice! If you don't care you can always add sauces to it!

If you're not bothered about being 30% then there's no issue. It doesn't really matter your macro split if weight is all you care about.

Stomach stretching is where it's at. You may be uncomfortable for a few weeks getting used to it. But it does work. As does waking in the night to 'drink' an extra meal!

Drink a meal as in a protein shake or gainer type of meal? Or a blended meal like chicken and potatoes an veggies?

[Back In Black]

Drink a meal as in a protein shake or gainer type of meal? Or a blended meal like chicken and potatoes an veggies?

Whatever floats your boat kidda!