We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Help Bulk Up my Boyfriend on a Budget....

Options
2»

Comments

  • Gillyx
    Gillyx Posts: 6,847 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    It'l be hard for him to bulk up if he has no routine with his diet, the majority of guys I know who are bulking, or even indeed cutting, are on a strict diet when it comes to time scale.

    It's eating on the clock, every day, if he isn't one for that, it'l be very difficult for him to bulk. What I will say is protein, protein, protein, which generally doesn't come cheap.

    As VestanPance said also, a decent workout, gym 5-6 times a week.
    The frontier is never somewhere else. And no stockades can keep the midnight out.
  • claire16c
    claire16c Posts: 7,074 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I agree with the above somewhat. Bulking up will need a LOT of exercise. The right type of exercise too. My husband is a personal trainer and the guys who he works with who are obssessed with looking like that eat some crazy diets, weighing foods and all sorts. He eats a normal diet but does a ton of exercise and is so pretty toned and muscly. But hed have to change to eating more protein if he wanted to get 'bigger'.

    It sounds like your OH has a healthy diet - just maybe needs to eat more, so looks like it will come to the exercise.
  • podperson
    podperson Posts: 3,125 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts
    High carb is good for getting fat, or endurance athletes who burn the energy they provide. They are the worst thing you can eat if you want to build muscle.

    Going purely off what the OP has said it sounds like he is having quite a bit of protein, eg chicken, fish which yes will help him build up muscle but not much in the way of carbs. If he is very slim he will need to do a decent amount of exercise in order to 'bulk up' so will need to have a larger percentage of carbs then it sounds like he is having at the moment. I didn't say high carb - just not low carb :) Although I suppose it also depends on whether he is actually underweight and looking to put weight on generally or just looking to build up his muscles.
  • onlyroz
    onlyroz Posts: 17,661 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I think it's things like chicken and eggs that you need for bulking up. Or those revolting protein shakes.
  • Gillyx
    Gillyx Posts: 6,847 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    onlyroz wrote: »
    I think it's things like chicken and eggs that you need for bulking up. Or those revolting protein shakes.

    Thinking about the smell of those revolting protein shakes now :( damn it.
    The frontier is never somewhere else. And no stockades can keep the midnight out.
  • tod123
    tod123 Posts: 7,021 Forumite
    I used to have a friend , who was 6ft 4, he had to eat 1/2 a Sara Lee gateaux every night just to maintain his weight.
  • nicter
    nicter Posts: 308 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I have problems maintaining weight so drink a full fat milk shake every day. Some years back drank milk shakes of 1 pint full fat milk, 3 bananas and 2 raw eggs liquidised 3 times a day.... Worked for putting weight on but got tired of it :(
  • Darlyd
    Darlyd Posts: 1,337 Forumite
    My Brother is a fitness freak. And he eats a chicken dinner every day, amongst other things. And he also drinks raw eggs!! And you can buy big tubs of protein mix you make up with water/milk.. He also does a lot of gym exercise. BUT he must have the fat gene in him, he is very big, when he don't exercise he ends up all wobbly just like his little sister.. :o
  • VestanPance
    VestanPance Posts: 1,597 Forumite
    podperson wrote: »
    Going purely off what the OP has said it sounds like he is having quite a bit of protein, eg chicken, fish which yes will help him build up muscle but not much in the way of carbs. If he is very slim he will need to do a decent amount of exercise in order to 'bulk up' so will need to have a larger percentage of carbs then it sounds like he is having at the moment. I didn't say high carb - just not low carb :) Although I suppose it also depends on whether he is actually underweight and looking to put weight on generally or just looking to build up his muscles.

    A good routine plus plenty of protein would see him bulk up in muscle. Eating too many calories including cards and a bad routine would see a skinny bloke with a pot belly. If he's naturally thin the weight is likely to just him in the stomach and not see him bulk out anywhere else.

    I eat carbs by the ton, but I do lots of endurance type exercise. I'm a typical endurance build, thin no obvious muscle mass. If he want's bulk up in terms of muscle rather than just get fat he needs a proper routine in terms of diet and exercise.

    I can see where he comes from I'm one of those freaks that is naturally tall and thin, but unlike him I have no interest in getting 'buff'. Yes, I am the annoying bloke that can eat cake all day and still look like he needs a good feed. I think the my mum thought the phrase 'eat you out of house and home' was written for me when I was a kid.

    I've seen guys do the weights/diet thing right and wrong. Do it wrong you waste time and lose focus as you don't get the results you expect even when you seem to be putting the effort in. Do it right and you can get big results for a reasonable time effort.
  • A good weightlifting program will really help - so many of the guys I see at the gym seem to mess around with dumbbells and the machines and make very little strength or muscle gains. If he wants to build muscle mass, then large compound lifts will work large muscle groups - squats, deadlifts, cleans, etc.. One of the programs like Starting Strength or 5 x 5.

    One of the best ways of bulking up cheaply is to use a blender or smoothie maker to make a couple of shakes a day. Use around 30 grams of cheap unflavoured whey protein, 20 grams of powdered oats, 20 grams of peanut butter, a banana and a glass of milk. That's around 500/600 calories and a good protien/carb/fat ratio. Depends if he likes the contents though!
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.