Eating for a high metabolism

I posted this in the "Beginners" section too but figured it would make more sense to have this here too. Anyways...

I'm 19, 5' 9", 134 lbs., and practically only lean muscle (ex XC runner). 

I just started lifting with a buddy who's almost broken 200 lbs. and he's an inch shorter than me. He's gotten all of his information from this site over the last 2-3 years and he's gone from my size to a mini ox. 

After he told me to check this site out I noticed that there were certain eating habits I'd never been aware of. I'm currently trying to set up a schedule around work so I can get my 6 meals in every day. I'm simply looking to put on some mass right now and worrying about sculpting it to look pretty later. 

My problem is that, in 4 years, I have never gained nor lost a single pound. I'm looking for help so I'm being upfront and honest. My figure has become a little more athletic from running... but no weight change. I've always been like this and figure my metabolism probably runs like a race horse (simply my opinion). 

If that's the case, should I be increasing any kinds of foods I'm taking in? I'm a little lost simply because I don't know how much that will affect my results.

It's only necessary to post a question in one category.

It sounds like you already have a high metabolism.

At 135 pounds, you should definitely bulk up, which is done through eating like an animal and training like a beast.

www.startingstrength.net , that's a good program for beginners to get their foundation built, I would just replace power cleans with barbell rows so that the shoulders remained balanced (ask if you want to know how rows/benches balance the shoulders).

If you don't like it, google "Push/Pull/Legs".

Healthy foods are the key to hypertrophy (size), the first thing we'll do is get your nutrition set. It's not hard to follow a strict diet with the help of protein shakes. 3 meals per day and 2 shakes per day is what I do, I get in plenty of calories and even exceed my calorie expectations.

Give us a look at what you usually eat, we'll critique.

Also, if you're worried about volume (reps/sets). 3 x 5 is good. But here is something I usually recommend to beginners.

3 x 10 until you plateau (increase by 5 lbs each week)
use that same weight the next week with 3 x 8 (increase by 5 lbs until you plateau)
use that same weight the next week with 3 x 5 (increase by 5 lbs until you plateau)
use that same weight the next week with 3 x 3 (increase by 5 lbs until you plateau)
use that same weight the next week with 1 x 3 (increase by 5 lbs untill you plateau)
when you plateau.. go back to 3 x 10 with the 5 lbs less than the original plateau weight and you should have busted it.

Welcome to discussbodybuilding.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Because I'm just starting out, that's why I wanted to ask this first. I don't have a diet set yet and usually eat what's readily available (i.e. wherever we order from work, what's at home, etc.) I can say that I never have fast food, drink only water and milk, and I'm a carnivore at heart. I can manage to shovel in meat even when I'm not hungry and I imagine that might come in handy.

Breakfest usually comes at a minimum now that I'm back at work for the summer and leave early. I'm aware I've got to do something serious about that.

Lunch, as I said, is from whatever grille we order from. Usually I get something like a beef or deli sandwich.

Dinner is whatever might be available back home.

I don't snack in between meals either but I am drinking a gallon of water a day. Some things I'm aware I need to refine, but my biggest problem is I don't know WHAT I should be eating. I've been refering to the master grocery list in this section for help but want to make something I can use, personally, weekly.

Snacking between meals isn't a bad idea. Do you think you could follow this plan?

Breakfast- 4 Eggs, 1 piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter (or oatmeal), tomato

Snack- 1 scoop of whey protein

Lunch- tuna or fish with veggies, brown rice

Snack- 1 scoop of whey protein, banana

Dinner- 8oz chicken breast, brown rice, peanut butter on whole wheat

Pre-bed- Cottage cheese or muscle milk (casein, slow releasing proteins).

A diet that you can follow is more beneficial than a diet that looks good but you'll only be able to use once per week. That diet should be easy to follow, depended upon your day.

Did you look at those routines and decide which one you like best? How's this?

Day 1- Heavy Push
Day 3- Light Pull
Day 4- Light Push
Day 5- Heavy Pull

For examples of exercises for each category, ask.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Alright, I should be able to start on that diet within the next few days. Appreciate the help. I'll have to store my protein shakes in the fridge during work so I can have them twice a day. Will that be any kind of problem?

I took a look at the routines and wanted to compare them to what me and my lifting buddy are currently doing now. Here's the lifting schedule I got from him today. Could I keep doing this or would your recommend I change to the one you provided:

Sunday - Chest/Triceps

Bench Press 3x10
Inclined Bench 3x10
Declined Bench 3x10
Machine Flyes 3x10
Cable Flyes 3x10
Tricep Extension (Machine) 3x10
V Barb Tricep Pulldown 3x10
Dips (As many as I can do)
Push Ups (As many as I can do)

Monday - Off


Tuesday - Quads/Hamstrings/Lower Back

Squats (Barbell) 3x10
Squats (Machine) 3x10
Leg Press 3x10
Leg Extension 3x10
Lying Leg Curls 3x10
Aductions 3x10
Abductions 3x10
Hyperextensions 3x15


Wednesday - Off


Thursday - Back/Biceps

Seated Bicep Curls (Machine) 3x10
Lat Pulldown 3x10
Cable Pulldowns 3x10
T-Bar Rows 3x10
Incline Bicep Curls (Dumbbells) 3x10
Hammer Curls (Dumbbells) 3x10
Forearm Curls 3x20
Pull Ups (As many as I can do)


Friday - Abs


Saturday - Shoulders/Traps/Calves

Military Press 3x10
Side Laterals (Machine) 3x10
Interior Deltoid (Dumbbells) 3x10
Shrugs (Dumbbells) 3x10
Upright Barbell Rows 3x10
Seated Calf Raises 3x10
Dumbbell Calf Raises 3x10

dewey093


Alright, I should be able to start on that diet within the next few days. Appreciate the help. I'll have to store my protein shakes in the fridge during work so I can have them twice a day. Will that be any kind of problem?

I took a look at the routines and wanted to compare them to what me and my lifting buddy are currently doing now. Here's the lifting schedule I got from him today. Could I keep doing this or would your recommend I change to the one you provided:

Sunday - Chest/Triceps

Bench Press 3x10
Inclined Bench 3x10
Declined Bench 3x10
Machine Flyes 3x10
Cable Flyes 3x10
Tricep Extension (Machine) 3x10
V Barb Tricep Pulldown 3x10
Dips (As many as I can do)
Push Ups (As many as I can do)

Monday - Off


Tuesday - Quads/Hamstrings/Lower Back

Squats (Barbell) 3x10
Squats (Machine) 3x10
Leg Press 3x10
Leg Extension 3x10
Lying Leg Curls 3x10
Aductions 3x10
Abductions 3x10
Hyperextensions 3x15


Wednesday - Off


Thursday - Back/Biceps

Seated Bicep Curls (Machine) 3x10
Lat Pulldown 3x10
Cable Pulldowns 3x10
T-Bar Rows 3x10
Incline Bicep Curls (Dumbbells) 3x10
Hammer Curls (Dumbbells) 3x10
Forearm Curls 3x20
Pull Ups (As many as I can do)


Friday - Abs


Saturday - Shoulders/Traps/Calves

Military Press 3x10
Side Laterals (Machine) 3x10
Interior Deltoid (Dumbbells) 3x10
Shrugs (Dumbbells) 3x10
Upright Barbell Rows 3x10
Seated Calf Raises 3x10
Dumbbell Calf Raises 3x10

Way too many unnecessary variations. The best thing you can do as a beginner is master compound movements and progressive resistance. Isolation exercises are to assist compounds in bringing up lagging parts, they shouldn't be added into a program until you've built a solid foundation via compound movements. For example, if I'm progressing weekly or every other week on my barbell row, my biceps are getting new work from that extra weight, when my bicep starts causing me to fail on my barbell row, it's time to start working my biceps.

To start out, the only movements you'll need (you'll respond phenomenally from these movements alone) are listed below.

1 horizontal push (flat bench press)
1 horizontal pull (barbell row)

1 vertical push (overhead press)
1 vertical pull (pullup)

1 posterior chain dominant exercise (deadlift)
the biggest mass builder of them all (squats)

If you feel it's necessary, weighted dips are a good core movement and good for both chest and triceps development. Feel free to add in chins, they're a good core movement too and do wonders for your pulling strength.

Include those movements into one workout.

Day 1- Squats & Horizontal Exercises (Workout A)
1- Squat
2- Flat Barbell Press
3- Barbell Rows
4- Chins (optional)
5- hanging leg raises (optional)
6- grip work (optional)

Day 2- Deadlifts & Vertical Exercises (Workout B)
1- Deadlift
2- OH Press
3- Pullup
4- Dips
5- Planks (optional)
6- Grip work (optional)

The workout goes like this.

M-A
W-B
F-A
M-B
W-A
F-B

It continues at the pace.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant