hi all,

i am just getting into the swing of training and i have a wee challenge going with benson, he is trying to lose some weight and i am trying to put some on.

in the past putting on weight has been all about eating for me... i would like to get some pro advice so this is a thread for carl and/or others to teach me/us some stuff.

my vague understanding of putting on weight for me has been... stress muscles, eat a bit of protein, eat way more energy stuff than i need so my body is forced to turn some of it into gaining weight. it's worked in the past.

it's a horrible chore for me and i hate it. i have to eat tonnes just when i am training normally to maintain weight cos as soon as i get in the pool to train the weight melts off me... witness, first 6 weeks floating round in turkey with crazy diet and no training but lots of pool time, and i went from 81kg to 73.

anyway. carl, here's my figures.

at our last camp a couple weeks ago i was 73kg ish (i dont trust those gym scales, the airport scales said 75). i am aiming to hit 85. i need to do this before benson manages to slim down to 95. if i fail, the world will end and benson will triumph.

the last time i had a body composition test done, these were my results... done by a prof nutritionist.

February 2006

Weight: 79.0

Skinfolds (mm)
Biceps: 3
Triceps: 6
Subscapula: 9
Supraspinale: 6
Iliac crest: 10
Abdominal: 8.25
Thigh: 10.5
Calf: 5

Sum of sites: 57.75mm
% body fat: 10.09
kg body fat: 7.97
Lean mass (kg): 71.02
Power to weight ratio: 89.9

it'd be nice to only increase lean mass but i'm not bothered about fat percentage etc. (if i hit 85 but i look fat, i'm disqualified... no supersize-me diets allowed)


currently i'm eating 3 meals a day and snacking in between them...

porridge, lots of tuna and rice, pasta, some meat, fruit, some veg (but lets be honest not enough), soups, shakes(banana/egg/milo/milk/creamed rice) ...and the odd fast food stuff of course.

i've never kept track of my food before but i have done for the last week or so, and have been averaging around 3500 calories a day.

gym sessions 4 a week, one legs, one back/shoulders, one chest/arms, one maintenance... trying to stick to large muscle groups and using things like supersets cos i dont have a spotter. i have some programs already sorted out which worked for me last time, plus the maintenance day is to work a lot of smaller muscles to fix/maintain muscle imbalances i developed in my shoulder from stupid inside flicking, and some sports specific exercises, mostly small stuff. programs are from PTs and physios.



....um. oh yeah and rules of the challenge state no amputations or implants.

so what do you recommend carl? you have already laughed at my cheap suggestion of eating kilos of skim milk powder every day.... i hate paying through the nose for protein powder etc which i dont think work much anyway... plus, they give some people bad wind. especially some of my ex-flatmates. i've heard. but i had a weight gain powder last time i did this which seemed to work pretty well, not protein, i assume just energy.

SURELY there is something in the supermarket thats cheap and will provide the same energy content as those drinks? ...cookie mix? lard? any ideas?



so anyway, open to bright ideas and suggestions.

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it's more polite on the grating than on the subs bench