Why can't I put on any more weight? Am I just limited by my genetics?

Vegeta

Vegeta

Vegeta

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Joined
6 Nov 2004
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I've been working out for a few months now and have made decent gains, to any normal by stander I look shapely but more impressively I look fairly ripped with my top off I see my abs and get striations in my chest/shoulders.

My diet has always been quite healthy with a decent amount hitting about 3,000 calories. I recently decided however I want to bulk properly as i'm not happy with my size so I've raised my calories to 4,200 a day minimum (more often than not 4,500) - and this isn't easy i'm literally eating on a full stomach most of the time and I feel horrible and bloated, going to the toilets twice a day sometimes blocking the thing (sorry for being so graphic).

I'm 5'8 Asian and weighed just under 11 stone before the new diet, within the first month and a half I jumped up to 11 stone 8 pounds and most of it was fat but I was happy because I was assuming I would be building some muscle slowly. Nearly 3 months down the line now and having changed my workout to be more intense I now weighted myself and i'm creeping back down to 11 stone... I do no cardio (although I should really do some to stay fit) I've cut out drink I do all the right types of workouts such as squats, deadlifts, dips, pullsups etc etc and I do lift heavyweights for my size.

Am I just basically screwed with my skinny Asian genetics? My dad is really skinny. I have mates who eat hardly anywhere near as much and have a lot more mass than me although they're not stronger. Seriously considering some roids lol.
 
tom_e said:
You won't have hit your genetic barrier in a few months, eat more train harder.
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This.

5'8, I would expect you being able to get to 13-14 stone naturally.

You might have poor genetics. Just eat more, and eat the right things. If you say you put on mostly fat, then you're eating the wrong type, and eating too much I suspect. I'm 5'9 and about 10-11 stone. I'm on 2400 calories and slowly gaining 1lb a week maximum (some weeks I have a poor diet). Still staying lean, but definitely adding strength, and mass to my legs is already noticeable (8 weeks in), it's a slow process. If you have real issues however, it may be time to add in supplements (whey and oats in shakes) as they can help you get the calories in.

kd
 
What's your diet like? What's your training like? I think you're probably eating less than you think you are. :)

If you train hard enough and eat well enough, no matter what your genetics, you will be able to pack on some size.

Granted not all will be able to be as big as one another, and not all will be able to grow as big or be as lean. However, EVERYONE, bar serious medical conditions can put on muscle mass.

Edit: also a few months is too short a time, come back after 6-12months. Take a pic a month in the same room/light/position and then, only then will you be able to judge fairly.
 
I have put on muscle mass don't get me wrong. When I first started I was skinny/fat 10stone and before this diet I was 11stone and fairly ripped. I have been training for about 4 years guys that's why i'm starting to think whether I've hit my limit.

My diet is typically this - I weight it all with my electric scales from eBay lol.

Breakfast 6am: 200Grams Muesli with milk and a scoop of whey protein (915ish calories)

Brunch Snack 9:45am: 4 Flapjacks, Apple, Milk with whey protein and creatine (660ish calories)

Lunch 12:45pm: 200grams brown pasta twists, cant of tuna, some tiny bits of cut up veg, Yoghurt, Banana (1095ish calories)

Pre gym snack 4pm: 1 slice of toast with as much peanut butter I can put on (450ish calories)

Post gym dinner 7pm: 5 eggs scrambled with milk and butter added, 2 bits of brown bread toasted with butter, 5 flapjacks (950ish calories). This meal can sometimes be literally just pasta and chicken with similar calories hit

Pre sleep snack: 300grams of low fat cottage cheese (300ish calories).

Now this is my typical diet although it will differ slightly sometimes. I also snack in between that sometimes I might buy a flapjack from work and eat it inbetween some meals. The diet above totals up to 4370 calories. Only reason I've decided to hit such a high calorie total is to MAKE SURE I am not under eating i'm sure even 3,500 should suffice to bulk for someone of my size. I really just think it's due to my Asian rice farmer genetics ha.
 
Thing is, you can only gain so much muscle per week/month/etc. Eating more and training more doesn't increase the amount of lean mass over what you can naturally gain. In other words, stick to a diet that sees you slowly gaining lean mass and minimal fat, and stick to this over the years to see the best results. You can't rush this.
 
LiE said:
Thing is, you can only gain so much muscle per week/month/etc. Eating more and training more doesn't increase the amount of lean mass over what you can naturally gain. In other words, stick to a diet that sees you slowly gaining lean mass and minimal fat, and stick to this over the years to see the best results. You can't rush this.
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Should I stick with the above diet and continue to workout as I am?
 
If you are doing the following then yes:

"stick to a diet that sees you slowly gaining lean mass and minimal fat"

If you are gaining too much fat then drop it down. Have you read Steedie's diet thread? You can calculate how many calories you need to work from there.
 
i will assume your measuring out your food, and not just guessing at the weights you put in a bowl, because 200g musili is an aweful lot. Are you sure this isnt the weight of musili + milk?
Also your brown pasta, 200g pre cooked would be a crazy amount for anyone to eat! Again are you sure its not post cooked weight there?

If you have both of those wrong that can easily be 1k cals off your total.
 
Mate, sounds like you're eating a ridiculous amount of trash food/sugar (muesli and FOUR flapjacks?!, apples, milk, yogurt, 3 slices of toast), and comparatively no protein. What are your supposed macros?
 
Vegeta said:
I have put on muscle mass don't get me wrong. When I first started I was skinny/fat 10stone and before this diet I was 11stone and fairly ripped. I have been training for about 4 years guys that's why i'm starting to think whether I've hit my limit.

My diet is typically this - I weight it all with my electric scales from eBay lol.

Breakfast 6am: 200Grams Muesli with milk and a scoop of whey protein (915ish calories)

Brunch Snack 9:45am: 4 Flapjacks, Apple, Milk with whey protein and creatine (660ish calories)

Lunch 12:45pm: 200grams brown pasta twists, cant of tuna, some tiny bits of cut up veg, Yoghurt, Banana (1095ish calories)

Pre gym snack 4pm: 1 slice of toast with as much peanut butter I can put on (450ish calories)

Post gym dinner 7pm: 5 eggs scrambled with milk and butter added, 2 bits of brown bread toasted with butter, 5 flapjacks (950ish calories). This meal can sometimes be literally just pasta and chicken with similar calories hit

Pre sleep snack: 300grams of low fat cottage cheese (300ish calories).

Now this is my typical diet although it will differ slightly sometimes. I also snack in between that sometimes I might buy a flapjack from work and eat it inbetween some meals. The diet above totals up to 4370 calories. Only reason I've decided to hit such a high calorie total is to MAKE SURE I am not under eating i'm sure even 3,500 should suffice to bulk for someone of my size. I really just think it's due to my Asian rice farmer genetics ha.
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That is a lot of ****.

There is also very little green in there (an apple? Seriously?).

I think you need to revisit your diet because this ^ is appalling. No wonder poor MoNkeE is about to have an aneurysm... however, I think a few people on here can help you. :)
 
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