Well.. a little about me. I do lots of reading on nutrition (work in that field even selling organics and so forth) end exercising, and I'm a subscriber to Men's Health, GNC member, etc. About 5'11 or so and my weight jumps between 150-165. I haven't worked out in over 3 years and even then it was brief (off and on for a year and a half).

I want to gain weight and size but in a healthy way. However, I do not want to look like that scrawny geek who decided to go lift weights one day. (exactly what I am lol). I would like my face to fill out, so I've not even worried about cardio. Lately I've been wanting to put my body back into check so I can do more with my son when he's older and into sports possibly. I have important areas I need to work on like hiding clavicals, filling out my face, abs/obliques, and would like to work out my legs and back. I know I pretty much named everything lol.

Problem is when I do workout I lose fat weight and gain muscle weight which does nothing for filling in my face and so forth. I'm not sure if I could use Weight Gainer (pretty much a massive amount of calories, carbs, potassium.. 1,800 calories per serving) and work out and achieve the look I want. Going for the Ryan Reynolds look I guess you could say.

I'd like to get started asap and hopefully see minor results by summer/mid-summer. Really unhappy and non confident about how I look now and don't even like to take my shirt off around others. Lol..

Here's how I looked roughly.. a year ago I guess it's been?
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...d59cc9f7b1.jpg

Why not try whey powder instead of weight gainer. The whey powder has about 26gm protein in one scoop or 52gm in 2 scoops. My son looks like "road kill" with a lean look and since he's been taking the whey powder with milk his face has filled out and his shoulders and arms look much better. He's 5'9" and weighs in at around 135 lbs soaking wet. Now he looks like he's normal. Just remember to use the whey powder as a supplement and not for a food only source.

I use whey already.. and plan to start using casein protein as well. I always take it with whole milk and sometimes even an actual milkshake. I usually use whey and creatine and it helps a little but I'd like a little more fill. However, I am worried about completely covering my 6 pack when I get it back. I need to figure out a way to target areas for muscle and others for fat. I know this is probably impossible, but I got to do something. Like I said.. think Ryan Reynolds lol..

Lift weights.

Lift heavy weights at a high intensity. To get bigger muscles, you have to exercise them hard enough to cause small amounts of damage, called micro-tears. The body repairs these by making the muscle slightly bigger, so it can cope with the stress of whatever you did to it.

Taking whey on its own will do nothing except add calories to your diet. Taking whey after you've lifted heavy weights to failure will give your body exactly the building blocks it needs to rebuild your muscles bigger and stronger.

To get technical, try doing compound lifts like squat, bench press and deadlift for 3 sets of 8 reps at 80% of 1rm. NASA spent over a million determining this was the most effective workout routine.

What's wrong with the way you look? There's nothing wrong with you!

Remember that many of these products are metabolized by your liver and that over use of some, or combinations of others can cause kidney damage.

Wow.. never knew NASA had done anything with weight lifting lol.. I know I can gain by lifting, but I was worried that I'd work off excess body fat and thin out.. lol.. However, high intensity training one week and then lessening it the next, or bi-weekly even, should be able to give both results.. good idea!

I don't know.. That picture was a year ago even.. I look worse now.. I'm just tired of being that scrawny kid.. I should have never stopped working out to begin with..

Yeah.. I've heard that about the creatine has to be cycled.. I've only taken one thing that I know for a fact trashed my liver. It was a pro-hormone I bought that was banned from being sold.. I knew after being almost drunk after 2-3 beers.. lol.. Needless to say, I never touched anything like it since..

Thanks for the replies all!!

NASA were determined to find the exercise routine that would give the greatest return in terms of strength and bone density for the time and effort involved.

Seriously, the only way to fill out is to lift heavy weights. You have to push beyond your comfort zone, and stress your muscles, so they get bigger to compensate. Try lifting three times a week.

It's a bit simplified, but lifting weights will build muscle, and cardio will burn fat. To bulk, you need to eat more calories than you burn, to lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you eat.

Creatine has a huge amount of research to show that it's an effective supplement, for those who respond. About 20% of users don't respond, but it doesn't do them any damage. It's a natural part of food. Go for basic creatine monohydrate, it's just as good as the fancy ones, and a faction of the price. Take it in your post workout shake for maximum uptake.

Do NOT mess about with hormones or pro-hormones. Good food, heavy lifting and enough sleep will keep your own hormones in tip top shape.

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Originally Posted by Eileen G

Creatine has a huge amount of research to show that it's an effective supplement, for those who respond. About 20% of users don't respond, but it doesn't do them any damage. It's a natural part of food. Go for basic creatine monohydrate, it's just as good as the fancy ones, and a faction of the price. Take it in your post workout shake for maximum uptake.

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I slightly have to differ here. I think this is where we need to add our disclaimer. Many people think that they can bulk up by drinking these protein shakes in bulk. That's where the trouble comes in. This is when the liver and pancreas damage happens. I have a personal friend who believed this and is now a diabetic.

In the end, all things in moderation.

I always recommend one whey shake after lifting, real food the rest of the time. Including tons of green veg!

I keep an eye on the research, and I've never come across any to show that creatine damages liver, kidneys or anything else. I have found a huge amount that would incline me to include it as a useful supplement.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eileen G

I always recommend one whey shake after lifting, real food the rest of the time. Including tons of green veg!

I keep an eye on the research, and I've never come across any to show that creatine damages liver, kidneys or anything else. I have found a huge amount that would incline me to include it as a useful supplement.

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I'm not saying you are incorrect. I'm just saying that there are some people who go overboard.

The only certainty in the world is human stupidity! I know someone who put herself into hospital by drinking too much water. Doesn't mean it's bad advice to tell people to drink water.

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Originally Posted by Eileen G

The only certainty in the world is human stupidity! I know someone who put herself into hospital by drinking too much water. Doesn't mean it's bad advice to tell people to drink water.

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That's all I was saying :D... everything in moderation. We need to explain not only the benefits if done right, but the possibilities if misused.

Yes.. I see what you're saying now.. I do need a balance or working out and eating.. Well, technically off balanced since I need to eat more then I burn.

What foods can I use to gain weight the won't linger over a 6 pack? Is this type of fat placement targeting possible?

Not really, but some foods do lend themselves to acquiring fat more than others.

To bulk up, you need calories, first and forement, but a significant amount of them should be from protein. And they should ALL be from fresh whole foods, not supplements and not processed food.

Try to avoid anything with sugar, high fructose corn syrup or transfats. The combination of sugar/HFCS and transfats seems to have some magic that deposits fat on your belly before you can blink.

You do need fat, but make sure its fat in its natural form, for instance in fish, meat, eggs, olive oil, nuts etc.

Base your diet on whole eggs, oily fish, fresh meat or chicken, lots and lots of green vegetables, olive oil, dairy, whole fruit, nuts, seeds, wholegrains. Cook them simply (no deep frying) but you can add lots of spices to jazz them up.

Perfect! I work on an hydroponic and organic farm. Lots of unprocessed foods, raw milk, free ranged eggs. I hate HFCS..

Love your ideas.. I know most of the healthy eating things since I'm working with those types of foods and I live where I work lol..

I'd love to see a change by summer.. Shove it in the ex's face.. lol..

How can I work on my breathing (asthma) without shedding the weight I'm adding?

Are you on medication (inhalers)? Talk to your doctor about that. One of the most common inhalers is sometimes used illegally as an appetite suppressant. It may be having the effect of making it harder for you to get the calories in.

Obviously, you shouldn't stop using it, but it may be possible to need it less. My daughter had bad asthma when she was young, and we found that singing tended to shorten attacks and make them less severe. We checked out other breathing techniques and she now only has to use the inhaler about twice a year. But talk to your doctor.

Asthma is definitely not a bar to exercise. Miguel Indurain won the Tour de France five times in a row, and he has asthma.

Wow.. that's pretty inspirational! Wish I controlled my asthma like that lol..

I've go prescriptions for inhalers and steroid inhalants, but I never use them unless I really really need them.. MAYBE once a year during allergy season and the muggy thick air in the summer.

I dislike all vices.. I've not smoked a cigg in close to two weeks.. Don't like meds.. was on Ritalin from 3-15 until I decided enough was enough.

I want to make a full come back.. I used to sprint short distances fairly quick when I did track in middle school.. Skateboarded, rollerbladed, swam, ran, rode bikes.. I mean I was still further then most kids without asthma, but I did what I could to put these issues in check. I HATE being told I can't do something that I enjoy.. lol..

I was told by doctors that cardio and exercise would be pointless to help my breathing and I'll never make it better.. kind of ticked me off..

I just want to be attractive for once and to not feel so subconscious about my body.. I want to be able to take off my shirt and turn heads rather then make people giggle lol.. I want to run and play with my son.. I want to learn to free dive and to surf.. and right now.. I want to throw it in my ex's face..

Thanks for the replies!

It's hard to tell for definite with the t-shirt on, but your vascularity suggests you have fairly low bodyfat, so any increase in muscle will show up very obviously.

Also, check out breathing techniques. They may or may not work for you, but they won't do any harm.

Yeah the problem with the low bodyfat is that while it helps because it makes improvements noticeable, it makes me look like some weird scrawny homeless kid who found a weight set behind the dumpster and decided to pump iron.. I don't want that skinny got with muscle look lol..

Will do @ techniques!

Yeah what about casein protein?