Help...Im skinny but my gut is huge (Bulk/Cut question)

[DustinLati]

ok, heres my situation

I started lifting off and on a year ago (Ill lift for a month or two, then take a month or two off, not by choice, but because of getting discouraged, not enough time, etc.) But now its time to step it up and start taking things serious and lift and eat right and workout full time, no matter what.

Im at the point now where I know what to eat, when to eat it, and how to train. Only problem is, Im naturally really skinny, and Ive gotten a tiny bit bigger over the year, but I still need to bulk, badly. BUT, my gut is getting bigger than any other part of my body I guess due to the fact that I havent done cardio this whole year. Recently I started consuming ~4,000 calories a day (about 30/30/30 protein, carb, fat) I mean, my gut is getting to the point where when I sit down it kind of falls over my pants...it sticks out further than my chest. This is totally new to me and freaking me out and making me nervous and uncomfortable in public because ive always been naturally skinny and had a 6 pack.

Question is...HOW DO I BULK WITHOUT GETTING A GUT?!?!?!?!

Can I bulk for 2 weeks, then cut for a week. Or Bulk Monday - Friday and Cut on the weekend, or what?....I have to get rid of the gut, NOW, but I cant stop bulking because im so skinny everywhere else....HOW DO I DO THIS?

[Jakanden]

30/30/30 is only 90 - what are the other 10%?

As far as gaining weight - if you are gaining fat some reasons could be:

- You are eating Too many calories. Even when bulking there is a limit to what you need.

- You are not doing the right kind of split for your body. Some people work well on a 40/40/20 and some people work well on a 50/30/20, and then many people fall somewhere in between

- Your food sources are not clean sources. There is a difference in 4000 calories of clean healthy food and 4000 calories of Mcdonalds.

- You are overtraining in the gym and your body isnt properly using its fuel supplies

I would re-evaulate your diet and try a different split and see how it works for you =)

[DustinLati]

Sounds to me like what you are saying is im taking in too many calories. All my food sources are clean. Im not taking in a lot of calories from unhealthy food, its from Shakes. I have a 1,400 calorie w/ 52g of protein Smoothie, and 2 shakes of Nlarge2 with ice cream, skim milk, and some kind of fruit every weekday. The rest of my diet is mainly eggs, toast and milk or OJ for breakfast, 2 turkey and chese on wheat sandwhiches with a banana and cottage cheese for lunch, pasta late in the afternoon, and a steak with mashed potatoes or some veggies for dinner (with one of the three high calorie shakes or smoothies in between these meals).

No that I think about it, I guess I am consuming way too many calories, but regardless...all ive ever heard from anybody is if you want to get big, EAT, EAT, EAT and EAT some more....I dont get it? Am I suppoed to EAT EAT EAT, but not eat too much?

If im bulking, should I do any cardio at all?

How long should I bulk for before before I start cutting?

[PoorBoyTek]

Try avoiding the high carloie drinks..many of them have a high carb level..but it all comes from simple sugars rather than complex carbs.

eat eat eat is correct...make sure that your ratio is set with a lower fat ratio...I myself am in the same sitation and am doing a 50/30/20 split at 3500 calories a day eating a lot of eggs, tuna, oatmeal, chicken and whey protein and minimziing all fats to good fats like flax seed oil and natural peanut butter

[cursor]

Given the results that you see (the increasing stomach size ... fat), you clearly need to modify your food intake. You say,

I still need to bulk, badly. BUT, my gut is getting bigger than any other part of my body I guess due to the fact that I havent done cardio this whole year. Recently I started consuming ~4,000 calories a day.

One (or more) of the following things are happening:

• You're not active enough during the day/week to burn the amount of calories that your taking in.
• You're eating too much food for the work that you're doing (inverse of the first potential problem).
• Your food choices could be improved.
• Your macronutrient balance could use some tweeking
• The balance of what you eat, as it relates to your activity schedule, could be improved.

Bulking is about muscle development, not about fat increase.

With respect to some of the dietary specifics that you've provided above:

Im not taking in a lot of calories from unhealthy food, its from Shakes. I have a 1,400 calorie w/ 52g of protein Smoothie, and 2 shakes of Nlarge2 with ice cream, skim milk, and some kind of fruit every weekday.

... and a steak with mashed potatoes or some veggies for dinner.

I'll virtually guaranty you that 1400 calories in a single sitting is WAY too much for you. What do you think happens to the excess that your body doesn't need? Eliminate the ice cream entirely. Consumption of excess fats buys you nothing constructive. Also, can the potatoes in the dinner meal.

You really need to sit down and lay out your whole plan, complete with caloric values for each single ingredient (if you want full control of the way food contributes to who you are physically). Whether or not you do it within this thread is up to you. Getting further input from DF members probably wouldn't hurt. Oh yea, and tell us where your exercise dovetails into your meal plan.

[DustinLati]

Cursor, I was hoping youd chime in...
First off, I was hoping you could refer me to a thread, or another website with an ideal bulking/cutting regimine/diet.

I guess I have been going a little crazy with the high calorie shakes (Nlarge2 is 61% Carbs, 36% Protein, and 3% fat) From now on from what youve told me I will cut back on the shakes (keep them to 2 600 Calorie shakes mixed with water. Would a 900 Calorie shake on top of those 2 600 calorie shakes be ok or should I get rid of that one too?

Im still a little confused about the eat A LOT, but dont eat TOO MUCH theory...I guess I just have to find a happy medium.

So now that ive decided to bring my caloric intake down, should I start doing cardio to shrink my gut or will the lowered level of calories naturally shrink it over enough time?

And what exactly do you mean by "where youre xcercize dovetail into your meal plan".

Thanks again Cursor

[Sizzle]

i think thats some of the things that constitute with bulking phases. it does sound like you're taking in a lot of calories though.

there are topical formulas that target the midsection for those bulking like ab-solved. it suppresses cortisol secreted to the area applied. that'd be my best bet if i were in your shoes, but then again, i ask all the questions, not really answer them.

[Kitara]

Im still a little confused about the eat A LOT, but dont eat TOO MUCH theory...I guess I just have to find a happy medium.

You need to start with your BMR and then make sure your caloric intake is above that, but if your BMR is 2000 calories then jumping up to 4000 calories is just too much. Your body will just store the extra calories as fat.

And what exactly do you mean by "where youre xcercize dovetail into your meal plan".

He just means when do you exercise. When you're setting up your meal plan it will look like:
meal 1
meal 2
workout
meal 3
etc.

What you eat around your workout time is important and what you eat when you're NOT working out is important as well.

[DustinLati]

Well this is my schedule (M-F)
Breakfast - 7:00am
3 Eggwhite omlet, plus 1 whole egg
2 pieces wheat toast
1 Nlarge2 shake
Mens multivitamin, Vitamin C pill, and Flax seed oil

After-class shake - 10:00am
Used to be a 1,400 Calorie shake, but now Im going to replace it with maybe a 900 Calorie or less shake

Lunch - 12:00pm
2 Turkey and Cheese sandwhiches on wheat
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
Banana (sometimes with peanut butter)
2 big glasses of skim milk

12:30-2:00pm
Nap

2:30pmPre-Workout meal
Varies
Sometimes 3 chicken or steak tacos (not taco bell, made with very clean ingredients...just a tortilla, chicken or lean beef, tomatoe chunks, and cheese)
Sometimes its left over dinner from the night before....Pasta, beans, rice, nothing unhealthy)

~3:30pm
Workout

~4:00-4:15pm
Phosphagen XT mixed with 20 ounces of water

5:00pm - Post workout shake
1 serving of Nlarge2

8:00pm - Dinner
Varies, always healthy though
Example:
Ceaser salad
Bow-tie pasta with cream sauce, broccoli, black olives, grilled chicken and 2 large meatballs

or

12oz filet mignon
Rice
Grilled veggies

11:00pm - Pre-Bedtime snack
Usually 1 serving of Nlarge2

And thats how my workouts dovetail into my meal plan...im sure there is a lot of room for improvement