Lessons I learned trying to get huge as a hardgainer

[beast405]

Yesterday, I was at meal 5 questioning my whole existence. Trying to cram down about 8oz chicken, 3 cups of rice and some rice cakes. Gagging and almost throwing up with every bite. Now do that for multiple off-seasons for YEARS, plural. My wife lookin over at me like, “you ok?” I nod my head looking miserable lol

My last meal (on a high day like this) is usually 2 90/10 cheeseburgers + fries + cookies. But that 5th meal fucked me up so much I just ordered a double quarter pounder with cheese meal from McDonalds lol. It’s either homemade with cookies or a fast food without cookies. Weight was 304.4 today.

Damn you are a monster !!idk why a lot of guys are so scared of dirty foods here and there when bulking up

 

[SouthernMuscle]

Im a rice cooker guy thru and thru. Game changer if u don’t have one. I make a big batch in the morning and then scoop out what I need throughout the day

Hell yeah I love my instant pot, just something about the texture of the pouches plus different flavors

also seems like the volume is less with the pouches for the same amount of carbs, i could be crazy though, never done a direct comparison

 

[165StateChamp]

I mean…. I guess so…. I’m sure you and luki are making TONS of money to focus on bodybuilding 24-7 and making a huge impact in the bodybuilding world…… but anywho a lot of guys like myself have other priorities and hobbies in life so I don’t have to focus on bodybuilding 24-7 so eating some shitty foods here and there help get some extra calories in my brother … and just know I’m happy with my physique that’s up under the full sleeved shirt….

Blah blah no money from bodybuilding blah blah other priorities blah blah I can’t actually support my dumb statement so here are some excuses blah blah.

Glad you’re happy bro!

 

[beast405]

Blah blah no money from bodybuilding blah blah other priorities blah blah I can’t actually support my dumb statement so here are some excuses blah blah.

Glad you’re happy bro!

No I said I’m sure you’re making tons of money from bodybuilding and making a huge impact in the sport so that’s your main focus big dawg that’s all. I’m not a bodybuilder so it’s not my main focus. No reason to get upset

 

[TheOtherOne55]

Damn you are a monster !!idk why a lot of guys are so scared of dirty foods here and there when bulking up

I dooo fully agree with 165 tho.
95% of my meals are meat and rice.
I also think the main difference I can call out tho is the LEVEL of BBer who is adding that final 5% of off plan meals to their diet.

Basically, if you LOOK like a BBer, a burger here and there ain’t gonna kill ya. But if you’re newly getting into this sport, like a lot of kids are, throwing fast food into the mix is a great way to look like a fuckin fat kid. I know Hollingshead and Fouad kinda think this way too. If you’re rollin around the year top bf% of 10-12% and you’re taking the right shit, you almost cannot get fat. That sounds insane but it’s true. Your body is a furnace and your basal metabolic rate is nuts. You truly have to be a fat fuck to become a fat fuck. But if you’re some 26 year old kid learning to train, you probably cannot afford to go off plan that much.

I remember Matt Burzacott put a IG post up the other day that was true AF. It was something like, “you know you’re a real bodybuilder when you go on vacation, eat whatever the hell u want and you LOSE weight.”

 

[beast405]

I dooo fully agree with 165 tho.
95% of my meals are meat and rice.
I also think the main difference I can call out tho is the LEVEL of BBer who is adding that final 5% of off plan meals to their diet.

Basically, if you LOOK like a BBer, a burger here and there ain’t gonna kill ya. But if you’re newly getting into this sport, like a lot of kids are, throwing fast food into the mix is a great way to look like a fuckin fat kid. I know Hollingshead and Fouad kinda think this way too. If you’re rollin around the year top bf% of 10-12% and you’re taking the right shit, you almost cannot get fat. That sounds insane but it’s true. Your body is a furnace and your basal metabolic rate is nuts. You truly have to be a fat fuck to become a fat fuck. But if you’re some 26 year old kid learning to train, you probably cannot afford to go off plan that much.

I remember Matt Burzacott put a IG post up the other day that was true AF. It was something like, “you know you’re a real bodybuilder when you go on vacation, eat whatever the hell u want and you LOSE weight.”

No I wasn’t meaning that ALL food come from shitty meals lol. I was meaning majority of calories from clean foods but it doesn’t hurt to have some shitty foods has a skinny hard gainer to get in extra calories. That’s all.

 

[Brock456]

No I said I’m sure you’re making tons of money from bodybuilding and making a huge impact in the sport so that’s your main focus big dawg that’s all. I’m not a bodybuilder so it’s not my main focus. No reason to get upset

Not for nothing bro, but @TheOtherOne55 im pretty sure has a full time job and a child. I don’t think he makes any money from bodybuilding at all? Correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[beast405]

Not for nothing bro, but @TheOtherOne55 im pretty sure has a full time job and a child. I don’t think he makes any money from bodybuilding at all? Correct me if I’m wrong.

That’s good and Me as well…. And I walk around majority of the time at 250lbs or more with abs (except now since I’m cutting I’m lean at 220lbs) I eat clean a decent majority of the Time but if I want to have bullshit food I will even cutting . To each there own ya know. I just know me personally I’m not going to focus so hard on bodybuilding when I make no income from it. Like I said it all comes down to the individual.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

That’s good and Me as well…. And I walk around majority of the time at 250lbs or more with abs (except now since I’m cutting I’m lean at 220lbs) I eat clean a decent majority of the Time but if I want to have bullshit food I will even cutting . To each there own ya know. I just know me personally I’m not going to focus so hard on bodybuilding when I make no income from it. Like I said it all comes down to the individual.

You’re 100% right.
If anything, I’m the fuckin weird one who treats this like a job and I get paid nothing lol

I think about it like any professional. Some people live to work, other people work to live. I work in a competitive, creative industry and I have friends who obsess over work with no other hobbies or passions. I cannot do that. I have work 1 and work 2 lol and I enjoy both. And I also know that me taking BB super series for the past 10 years will decline as I age. At a certain point in time, probably in my 40s, I’ll need to downsize for my health (and fam) and need to put the brakes on my OCD “don’t miss a meal or workout” life. And I’ll still love training, that’s my MAIN love for BBing, and I’ll do that forever, but I’ll be eating more ice cream during it lol

Beast is a beast and takes his shit seriously, I know this for a fact. And think about this. I take this shit serious and 165 takes it serious serious lol. I’m a OK level big state level BBer. 165 is a serious national level contender about to get his pro card. As long as we work fuckin hard and train our ass off, I respect it.

 

[TheRoid]

Yesterday, I was at meal 5 questioning my whole existence. Trying to cram down about 8oz chicken, 3 cups of rice and some rice cakes. Gagging and almost throwing up with every bite. Now do that for multiple off-seasons for YEARS, plural. My wife lookin over at me like, “you ok?” I nod my head looking miserable lol

I can painfully relate.
Zero calories sauces saved my life.
Caesar dressing, Smokey Baconnaise, blue cheese...that goddamn last pound of dry coarse chicken breast goes down easily.

 

[Hyperemia]

“you know you’re a real bodybuilder when you go on vacation, eat whatever the hell u want and you LOSE weight.”

I love that and it’s so fucking true.

 

[Ace0]

it’s interesting I’ve always thought I was an easy gainer but I never considered the mental effects, after a few weeks of bulking I’m no longer ravenous, sometimes I wake up watery and feel soft, makes me mentally want to not bulk anymore. Hunger signals be damned there is also a mental component

 

[jaxino]

I don't understand why some people eats so much then there's @thedorkyd1 growing on 4500.... What's the difference?

 

[beast405]

I don't understand why some people eats so much then there's @thedorkyd1 growing on 4500.... What's the difference?

I don’t have to eat nearly as much as some people are eating in this thread. Even when bulking and maintaining 250lbs . But I think it has to do with how many calories people are burning on a daily basis with their jobs , how much they walk every day etc.

 

[jaxino]

I don’t have to eat nearly as much as some people are eating in this thread. Even when bulking and maintaining 250lbs . But I think it has to do with how many calories people are burning on a daily basis with their jobs , how much they walk every day etc.

Maybe also insulin intake? But usually it's linked to food intake....

 

[trainlikeaboss]

Maybe also insulin intake? But usually it's linked to food intake....

I think all factors play in, both lifestyle and eating habits, and genetics. When I did physique in 2016 I cut down to 190 lbs on 3000 calories. No cardio. That would be maintenance or bulk for a lot of people. I never had a heavy manual labor job so the most I was ever doing to burn cals outside of the gym was walking. But I also think it changes. I’d always struggle to add the next 10 lbs. But once I maintained a heavier weight for a while, I wouldn’t drop down to a lower weight as easily. I fought tooth and nail to finally get over 200. But now for months I didn’t track cals and only ate 2-3 meals and maintained at 215.

 

[mytreefiddy]

Good shit right here..... Always loved HH's threads....boy knows his shit

 

[beast405]

You’re 100% right.
If anything, I’m the fuckin weird one who treats this like a job and I get paid nothing lol

I think about it like any professional. Some people live to work, other people work to live. I work in a competitive, creative industry and I have friends who obsess over work with no other hobbies or passions. I cannot do that. I have work 1 and work 2 lol and I enjoy both. And I also know that me taking BB super series for the past 10 years will decline as I age. At a certain point in time, probably in my 40s, I’ll need to downsize for my health (and fam) and need to put the brakes on my OCD “don’t miss a meal or workout” life. And I’ll still love training, that’s my MAIN love for BBing, and I’ll do that forever, but I’ll be eating more ice cream during it lol

Beast is a beast and takes his shit seriously, I know this for a fact. And think about this. I take this shit serious and 165 takes it serious serious lol. I’m a OK level big state level BBer. 165 is a serious national level contender about to get his pro card. As long as we work fuckin hard and train our ass off, I respect it.

Nothing weird about it brother ! If bodybuilding is a big focus of yours then it’s a big focus! I guess it’s a pretty big focus of mine as well…. except for eating right 24/7 lol I try not to miss meals, try my best not to miss workouts and try my best to get good sleep and not miss shots lol. But my main point was that IMO adding some calories from cheese burgers, fries and milkshakes etc isn’t going to hurt you at all if you’re a hardgainer ! In my case and a lot of guys I know it helped a lot! That’s not to say “most” of my meals don’t come from good foods though. That’s it. Wasn’t trying to ruffle any feathers was just stating my view that’s all.

 

[heavyhitter]

You ever incorporate those microwave rice pouches? I usually use royal or mahatma, very tasty, not too much fat. The convenience and taste is too good to pass up for me

i know it’s paying a premium for something that’s stupid cheap otherwise, but i get the food down so it‘s worth it to me
i think the royal pouches are $1.88 @ walmart

Try the bibigo sticky rice bowls from Costco. Like 78 grams of carbs, takes like 1 minute to microwave, and about 2 minutes to scarf down