Hey guys,
I am around 155lbs/5'10 and have an extremely hard time gaining weight. I am going to begin a mass gaining program but need some advice on food. To be more specific, i basically need a grocery list to start with

Oatmeal
Salmon
Cottage Cheese
Skim Milk
Yogurt
eggs
whole wheat bread
chicken breast


...... and...?

JSF Recommended Foods List (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=32222)
(fat loss theme for the thread, but it's really just a list of quality whole food sources)

Grocery Shopping List (http://bodybuilding.com/fun/stella9.htm)
(similar to the list above, but in food group categories)

Find the list of items that you enjoy while providing you a healthy balance of nutrients. Don't neglect fruits and vegetables. Don't be afraid of fat.

Weight training alone will make you strong. Combined with the right diet, you'll get size to go along with your strength.

Hey guys,
I am around 155lbs/5'10 and have an extremely hard time gaining weight.I am going to beginning a mass gaining program but need some advice on food. To be more specific, i basically need a grocery list to start with

Oatmeal
Salmon
Cottage Cheese
Skim Milk
Yogurt
eggs
whole wheat bread
chicken breast


...... and...?
Yeah, thats a good start. Take the bodybuilding.com link that goonie gave you. Make your own list of protein, carbs, fats, fruits, veggies etc. Then just work out your meal plan and then a lifting plan and you will be set. Good luck :)

to that I would add:

Natural Peanut Butter
Heavy Whipping Cream
Veggies
Fruit

lean beef = tons of protien & from what i've read around here, creatine as well.

awesome tips, thanks
keep 'em coming :)

sweet potatoes
brown rice


If you're trying to gain weight, why not whole milk? As long as the macros work out you get way more calories with whole than skim.

sweet potatoes
brown rice


If you're trying to gain weight, why not whole milk? As long as the macros work out you get way more calories with whole than skim.

I was thinking skim milk for the nutrients, since i dont know if i'll ever be able to stomach whole milk.

I went and bought some sweet potatoes last night.

As for suppliments, what should i be looking for in regards to a mass gaining drink...? Is there anything in particular you guys could suggest?

anyone know why "natural" peanut butter is better? I bought some last night for the first time and it seems to be a lot runnier, tastes the same as regular stuff though.

Natural peanut butter does not contain sugar, big plus +++

extra lean ground beef, at least once a day.
2% or whole milk
scotch oats
extra dark chocolate (80% cocoa or higher)
heavy cream

What do you use heavy cream for?

What do you use heavy cream for?
its easy calories and....


"add heavy cream to your shakes. The cream is a carb free anabolic activator when combined with quality proteins --Mastover

Are there any more recpies or sites with mass gainer recipes? Im looking for 500 calorie meals that are gonna be completely beneficial to me. I spent the last 2 years eating the wrong things while i worked out. Just want to do it right this time heh

anyone know why "natural" peanut butter is better? I bought some last night for the first time and it seems to be a lot runnier, tastes the same as regular stuff though.

Try Skippy brand natural creamy next time. It is not runny and does not separate. It is wonderful. I got some last night from Krogers for 2 for $5.

Hey. Our stats are virtually identical. I started at 137.5lbs and bulked up to 161lbs. I've now lost quite a bit after a holiday though and am back down to the 150s. I'm planning to get back to the 160-170 range soon though.

Here are the foods/meals that have assisted me most in bulking up:

MEALS

Wholewheat spaghetti
Lean ground beef
Mushrooms, onions, tomatoes

Quinoa (protein-rich rice substitute)
Lean ground beef
Mushrooms, onions, peppers

Wholewheat pasta
Chicken
Onions, tomatoes, peppers

NB: Cook big portions and these meals will easily be over 500cals.

SNACKS

Wholemeal sandwiches with LOTS of chicken/beef + veg

Big wholegrain bagels slathered in loads of natural peanut butter

Protein shakes + heavy whipping cream

Whole fat milk (EDIT: if you can't yet stomach it, start with skimmed/semi-skimmed, learn to drink a lot of it, then work your way up)


Remember to eat big portions. Also, reassess your weight gain every 1-2 weeks to see if you need to up your calories. Eat every 2-3 hours. One thing I used to do, and am starting again now, is to cook all my meals for the week on the weekend. So all I need to do is take a meal out of the fridge, heat and eat.

Good luck :tucool:

Thanks man. Im pretty much doing/eating all that already. Its good to know it sounds like i'm doing the right thing. We should chat more about this, it sounds like we got the same plans. Yeah, and whole wheat spaghetti is the only way to go. So good.

When i begin the plan (home from school end of Dec), I will start posting my gains and so on, along with the plan i am following.

Hey guys,
I am around 155lbs/5'10 and have an extremely hard time gaining weight. I am going to begin a mass gaining program but need some advice on food. To be more specific, i basically need a grocery list to start with

Oatmeal
Salmon
Cottage Cheese
Skim Milk
Yogurt
eggs
whole wheat bread
chicken breast


...... and...?
No bulking grocery list is complete without beef!

Thanks man. Im pretty much doing/eating all that already. Its good to know it sounds like i'm doing the right thing. We should chat more about this, it sounds like we got the same plans. Yeah, and whole wheat spaghetti is the only way to go. So good.

When i begin the plan (home from school end of Dec), I will start posting my gains and so on, along with the plan i am following.


OMFG! Jesus H son why didn't you tell me you were posting in here? Its nice to see you took my advice and dropped in. Listen to Carguy and 1Fast...they know there stuff. Nice pic by the way, lol. When you get a chance come check out my thread(s) I have a couple. You can access one right from my sig. Its my newest thread where I update it daily or every second day.

Just so everyone knows. Morbid is one of my close friends outside of JSF. Him and I went to high school together and eventually (by sheer fluke) ended up moving into the same apartment building back in our hometown. While living there we started jammin on guitar and gotta a bit of a band thing goin on....though we haven't done jammed or recorded in about 6 months give or take, lol.

Anyways beyond all that fun stuff. He's a great guy and I'm sure he'll fit in great here.

I've been helping him out where I can. Diet, training, supps. Though the advice I have been giving him I am unsure if it is suited for his body type. See I have been giving him the knowledge as to what works for me (I being mostly mesmomorphic, where he is ectomorphic). So I believe the knowledge I have been passing onto him may give him minimal success. . .

wow I come by and post suddenly I see tumbleweeds rolling by....:eek:

Hey sorry bud! Ive been swamped with school tests so havent done anymore reading in about a week. Cool to see you here, you found me haha.

So January I start the plan. I have a room in my house as a designated fitness room, got all the suppliments and now a grocery list is starting to build.

Looking foreward to making some serious progress (hopefully), and willing to do anything to get there. I even got the girlfriend into it, and that will help so much more.

Hey sorry bud! Ive been swamped with school tests so havent done anymore reading in about a week. Cool to see you here, you found me haha.

So January I start the plan. I have a room in my house as a designated fitness room, got all the suppliments and now a grocery list is starting to build.

Looking foreward to making some serious progress (hopefully), and willing to do anything to get there. I even got the girlfriend into it, and that will help so much more.


Hey man I completely understand, no worries. So you got the g/f into fitness as well. Good man, good man. Its better to have your spouse workout with you, I personally feel better results are achieved. You can help one another. But yeah man if you need a hand with ANYTHING I'm more than happy to help ya and so are most of the people here.

and for something completely different.

Sorry for not being on MM, been super busy as well. I barely make time for JSF, but I'll be back soon once things calm down here. I miss it there, tons of fun. Oh get some damn speakers for that pc you have I have some recordings I want you to listen to, see if they are worth making a song out of. Been getting into alot of Soilwork lately. I got there latest CD man, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! damn good. You should hit up msn when ya can we haven't talked in...awhile, lol.

I was just wondering (no point making a new thread for this), seeing how I am 5'10" and around 155lbs (maybe a bit less now :P). How many calories should i be shooting for each day? Does 2800-2900 seem right?

And on that note, how many of those calories should come from suppliments such as a mass gainer shake. Maybe 2 shakes/day and the rest should be properly balanced meals?

Now speaking of balanced meals, which ratio should a "hard gainer" or someone looking so specifically gain mass go for, 40-40-20? Just wondering if someone could clear that up for me.


@Merk: Awesome new pic, looks like your makin some progress. Oh, and you only have to wait one more week before Im back home and back in business. We have 1 room that will be strictly a fitness room, and another which will contain all the recording and music gear. I'd like to get a nice set of drums again to finish it all off (but likely won't happen heh), so ill be able to finish off some tunes and we can work on stuff.

I was just wondering (no point making a new thread for this), seeing how I am 5'10" and around 155lbs (maybe a bit less now :P). How many calories should i be shooting for each day? Does 2800-2900 seem right?

And on that note, how many of those calories should come from suppliments such as a mass gainer shake. Maybe 2 shakes/day and the rest should be properly balanced meals?

Now speaking of balanced meals, which ratio should a "hard gainer" or someone looking so specifically gain mass go for, 40-40-20? Just wondering if someone could clear that up for me.


@Merk: Awesome new pic, looks like your makin some progress. Oh, and you only have to wait one more week before Im back home and back in business. We have 1 room that will be strictly a fitness room, and another which will contain all the recording and music gear. I'd like to get a nice set of drums again to finish it all off (but likely won't happen heh), so ill be able to finish off some tunes and we can work on stuff.


Dude you have so many damn powders its not even funny. I personally don't really use any anymore. I have my Musclemilk which I use more as an emergency (which is so fuckin good...mmmmm:drool:). Also my whey isolate that I use for when I get up in the morning and after a workout. Need the instant protein in the system. Besides that eat REAL food, that there is the best supplement. No damn joke. Now everyone is built differently, therefore we have to intake foods differently to get the results we are looking for. Your 5'10? I didn't think you were that tall...thought more like 5'8...fuck I'm short :o. ANYWAYS, what you need to do is find your maintenance point. How many cals, pro, carb, fat you can eat where you don't gain or lose..you maintain. This can take a little while to do so. It took me a couple months, this is what CONSTANT monitoring (which for me is. Once you find that point you want to intake 300 cals more than your maintanance for a nice clean bulk. If you aren't gaining from there SLOWLY add a couple hundred...try eating 2000 cals as a starting point and see where it takes you. A 50/20/30 (pro/carb/fat) split would do you well. Start from there, and if its too much (meaning your gaining too much fat back off a couple hundred cals). PM me or chat with me on msn and I can go into more specifics if you want. Hope this helps man.

Never try and put your hand in a crocs mouth!
~Ronn