Nutrition Question

[fortysix]

OK, I have always heard that it is best to eat around 6 meals per day to keep the metabolism high. So, I have been doing this for a couple of years now. However, I am a very hard gainer, so do I really need to keep my metabolism high? My metabolism is naturally high, as I am only 160lbs at 5'10". I eat around 3000 calories per day. Would I gain weight easier if I ate, say, 3-4 meals per day instead? Or, would I just be more prone to fat gain instead of muscle? Any info from other hard gainers about how to gain weight best would be helpful. Thanks. I'm already on creatine and I have used weight gain shakes, and I use 1-2 whey protein shakes daily. Also, should I increase the calories?

 

[fortysix]

Also, I've heard your body can only process about 40grams of protein every hour or two, and that anything over that will be wasted. Is this true? Or, can I take in 75 or so per meal and get away with it?

 

[xcelbeyond]

Also, I've heard your body can only process about 40grams of protein every hour or two, and that anything over that will be wasted. Is this true?

Of course this is not the way it works.

In my younger years, I was a hardgainer and started taking in "good" fats to increase LBM. As with any increase in cals, monitor your BF to assure you're not just gaining BF as bodyweight increases.

 

[clone1020]

Not an expert but here is my thoughts on it.

Cutting back on your meals to three or four would not be a good idea, to get the amount of cals you need in a day it would mean taking in large amounts of food each sitting which does your insulin levels no good as well as it being a strain on the rest of your system.
If 3000 cals per day is not working try upping it to 3500 per day and see how you go. Keep an eye your BF percentage and see if it starts to rise to high.
Make sure the cals you are getting are good cals and not junk food or the fat will appear quicker than need be.
How much protein we can absorb at once seems to be one of those questions that raises a million answers. Old scool thinking was that it was around 40 grams a time but nowadays there seems to be an opinion that it varies from person to person. I dont think with your height and weight you would make full use of 75grams per meal.
Little and often seems a good guide for food intake, i personally like to have protein, even if it is only a snack every hour that way i know the aminos are always in my blood doing there bit.
Another point is make sure you arent doing too much in the gym if you are on gear then make sure you keep the cardio up to keep your heart in shape, i am yet to start my first cycle but am aware through this and other forums that it is important to be in good physical health when on the stuff.
On the point of cardio, if you do do it dont do it on the same day as your weight training. your body responds in one way to cardio and another to weight training doing the too together you may find that your body responds more to the cardio than the weights and burns more cals than you would like it too. I read a study on this but cant at the moment find the data when I do will send it too you.
Hope this has been of some help to you. Remember keep it simple Eat, train and rest once you find the balance right for you it wil all come together nicely.

 

[Big Danny]

Some 10 yearas ago I was a hardgainer and I followed a diet similar with your. I have also loaded up with a meal replacement protein carbohid.,3/day +L-glutamine once/day. If it worked for me it may work for others too.