I need some help with gym + diet - just started

[sniper007]

I'll keep this simple. First of all, I aim to go to the gym twice a week every week. Opinions on whether what I want to achieve is obtainable or not are welcome, but I don't want it to turn into a "why can't you just do 3 days" thread as I have a very busy life style as it is with long working hours and family commitments.

So I want to go to the gym twice a week. In an ideal world I would do Monday then thursday to give me a good spread between each. But I have a "gym buddy" if you like that spots for me and vice versa so I end up going Monday and Wednesdays.

Basically I want to build muscle and weight. I know I'm not allowed to say "bulk up" on here or I'll get shot! But thats basically the aim... Im 6ft 2 but only about 11 stone so I'm fairly lanky/skinny and could do with putting on some weight. I do have some muscle in my arms already visible as I think I have literally little to no fat content in my body so any gain in muscle will instantly show kinda thing.

I know the main challenge is going to be eating the right things but Im a complete noob and have no idea what I should be aiming to eat daily. I'd like some tips on how to start up and where to read. I want to try to keep things as simple as possible. Some questions I have:

1: How many claories should I be getting daily and do you guys count them...how?
2: What kind of foods and how often?
3: Can I drink Alcohol occasionally? < Im prepared to give it up as dont drink a lot at all.
4: How much Protein shake stuff should I drink and when?
5: Does it not cost a lot to get all this extra food?
6: What routines should I aim to do at the gym? (I dont know what the basic exercises actually mean/are. I have a lot to learn!)
7: Should I get gloves for lifting free weights?
8: Should I do just free weights? Been told they are much more stressful than machine as have to stabalise the movement of them in different directions building more muscle.
9: How long should my work out be..I want to make it as short and sharp as possible.
10: Should it be the same each week or split it over 2 weekly period? My friend always goes on about different muscle groups different days.

etc I'm a complete noob and to give an idea on weight, I can only comfortably lift 14kg dumb bells (one in each arm) above up in line with my head from flat bench at the moment and complete a good few reps I mean.

Can I also do cardio occasionally or will that burn off all my weight gain efforts?

Thanks so much for reading.

 

[sniper007]

Ta guys....willl take a look at those links to get me started. Thanks a lot

 

[sniper007]

Compound compound compound

Bench, chins, dips, squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses.

With your time restrictions thats all you need, and whatever anyone tells you (apart from experts who probably won't) those exercises will do EXACTLY what you want, couple them with high protein food 3- 6 times a day and you're golden.

But dont forget - Missing a train is not an option
Skipping a meal is not an option
taking weeks off is not an option

If you dont hold to that kind of mantra you'll get no-where, just like 98% of other people.

OK thanks for that. I understand how much I have to keep to it and WILL definitely push to be eating a lot all the time. Do I need to eat that much EVERY day or focus more on the days on and after/before my training sessions?

Also, apologies for being a complete nublet, but can you explain what each excersie is? I take it a bench is a bench press, and involves lying horizontally on a bench and lifting directly up a bar bell (bar bell is the long straight bell right?). Whats the difference between a squat and a dead lift? Whats a dip, chin and shoulder press?

Also, my friend always says that I need to make sure that I do biceps with back and triceps with chest (or might be the other way round! Doh! )

I kind of get little bits of all of this and am still learning, but need to see it confirmed by some of you guys to make sure im not way off.

The main challenge for me personally is eating that much daily. I mean what the **** do I eat and when? Isn't it loads of effort and expense to prepare that much food daily? I'm not sure I'm going ot have the time of day to prepare so many meals if its every day. Thats what worries me. I also get bloated really easily being quite skinny...im sure that will change gradually mind.