Have stopped gaining weight

[lordikon]

I started lifting 3 months ago. I'm still improving in every field, but about 2 weeks ago my weight plateaued.

I started at 152lbs. 13 weeks ago, and I'm currently at 170-174 (morning/night). I haven't been counting calories exactly, but I estimate about 4000-5000 per day. I've been taking creatine, and weight gainer, and I make sure to get plenty of carbs and protein with every meal.

Is there anything I need to be doing that I'm not? Or is it just normal to hit a maximum weight for awhile?

[Stonecold54]

Originally posted by lordikon
I started lifting 3 months ago. I'm still improving in every field, but about 2 weeks ago my weight plateaued.

I started at 152lbs. 13 weeks ago, and I'm currently at 170-174 (morning/night). I haven't been counting calories exactly, but I estimate about 4000-5000 per day. I've been taking creatine, and weight gainer, and I make sure to get plenty of carbs and protein with every meal.

Is there anything I need to be doing that I'm not? Or is it just normal to hit a maximum weight for awhile?

give us a snap shot of your training routine and tell us what kind of activities in your life you do that could affect your training such as sports or hobbies. weight plateaus are very common and can be frustrating. the smart thing to do is to try and take a step back and look at your training and lifestyle objectivley. most guys just assume you have to eat more or train more, which in both cases is usually not true.

[pudgy]

I haven't been counting calories exactly, but I estimate about 4000-5000 per day.


guaranttee you, this is your problem. Count those calories, take a look at the difference in your size from then to know and adjust the calories. Eat to grow.

[GearTripper]

18-20 pounds is AWESOME for a few months of work IMO. are you natty - even better! also, you have to think... if it were possible to gain tons of weight non-stop, going on say an average of 10 pounds every 2 months... that's 60 pounds a year. if you're in your 20's starting at a 100 pounds, you'd be like a 700 pound bodybuilder in your 30's. yes, it is VERY normal for your body to plateau.

[meat12]

Just be patient man you put on 20lbs in three months thats pretty good. Yeah start to count calories and you may find out your not taking in as much as you think

[lordikon]

Yeah, I think it's calories. I hadn't had time in the last couple weeks to stop and eat as much as I had been. In the last 2 days I took my time and ate more and I just gained another 2 lbs so I'm up to 176. I agree everyone plateaus, but I'm 6'0", hopefully I don't plateau until around 210. Oh, and yeah I'm a natty, I don't plan on becoming absolutely huge, so I'll never need steroids to get where I'm going. Thanx for the compliments guys.

For stonecold, here's my routine:
Day 1: Horz. Calves, Standing Calves, Leg Curl, Stiff Deadlift, Hip Adductors, Low Back Ext (FW and Machine), Abs

Day 2: Biceps Curl, High Row, Dual Pulley Pulldown or Wide Grip Pullups, Forearms, Abs

Day 3: OFF

Day 4: Horz. Calves, Standing Calves, Leg ext., Squats, Leg Press, Side abs

Day 5: Shoulder Press, Rear Delts, Tri ext. (FW or Machine), Tricep Rope Pulldown, Pectoral Fly (FW, and Machine), Chest Press, Abs

Day 6: OFF
REPEAT

Almost all my categories increase each week. My abs are currently stuck at 120lbs x 6 on the Hammer Strength MTS Ab crunch machine. Shoulder press is moving slowly, but I just realized I had my rear delts on Day 2 which was working my shoulders, so I think I was overtraining them.

I try and do 3 sets of 8, usually a light warmup set of 12 before starting. 3 mins of cardio before just to get blood flowing, and 5 mins afterwards just for the hell of it. I don't want to cardio very much, as I want all the weight I can get right now.

My diet isn't the best as you are about to see, I don't have a pattern, so I'll just list all the things I eat.

2 chicken breasts, 1.5 cups of rice, 1/2 cup vegatables (broccoli, corn, carrots) every day.
1 weight gainer shake, with 8oz. milk and 1 "cup" yogurt mixed (750 calories). I have 2 of these everyday.
1 weight gainer shake with 2.5 tsps creatine monohydrate each day.
That's the better half of my diet. As filler meals in between I usually will eat:
Ramen noodles (2 packs --> 800 calories, 16g protein, lots of carbs, but also salt)
Rice Krispies (300-400 calories with the milk, shitload of carbs, nothing more)
Grilled chicken sandwich from Wendys. (8g fat, 50g carbs, 27g protein, 400 calories).
Saltless saltine crackers (for carbs).

I drink as much water as I can a day, but probably not enough. Probably closer to 6 cups a day than 10. That's currently one of my goals (to drink more water).
I quit drinking cola 3 months ago, and don't ever drink coffee, tea, or anything but water. Well that's all for now, if you've read this far, you're probably the only one, thanx for listening.

[crombie09]

6 cups of water a day? Do you mean your only taking in 48oz of water a day and nothing else? Or do you mean you have 6 really big glasses of water a day? I try to drink at the very least a gallon of water a day.

[lordikon]

The recommended is 80oz's a day.
A gallon is equivient to 16 cups (128 oz's), that's a little overkill I would think. Then again, some people say they drink 2 gallons.

It's hard to drink more when I'm not thirsty, and I'm full from eating so much. And when I do manage 10 cups in a day, I have to piss every 45 minutes. But like I said....it's a goal.

[BOHICA]

One thing that helped me get over my major plateau, was I started taking my weight gain shakes at breakfast, and right after my workout. I didnt eat as much solid meals, and they were smaller portioned. But with the big weight gainer shake + granola bar for breakfast, and the other right after the gym helped the most because my body was craving calories/carbs/and protien. Just my 2 cents - It helped me pack on 20 pounds in 2 months after my plateau.