9 replies to this topic

[sagonite]

I am 16. Due to (I assume) a period of stringent dieting in the past, I have come out as smaller and more bony than the average person my age. My arms in particular are thin and overwall I have less width than is normal. How might one my age increase their overall lean body mass without doing full-body resistence training? I have been increasing my caloric intake (1600 per day now) for the past many months (in hopes of inducing further natural growth), and am ingesting more protein and nutrients, but my body size has not changed in any noticable way. I appreciate any suggestions.

[Shepard]

Eat more. What are you physical statistics and activity level?

Why are you not interested in resistance training?

[veronica]

Yes, the resistance training. And I would also go to GNC and get some protein shakes made for weight gain.

[sagonite]

Physical statistics as in height/weight? I'm 5'7 and slightly over 120 lbs. I'm not terribly active. Why no resistence training? Because of the time/effort involved. I have been (only recently) taking high-calorie protein made for weight gain. Hopefully it won't merely fatten me.

[scottl]

Why no resistence training? Because of the time/effort involved.

Start with bodyweight exercises. Bodweight squats, dips push ups, etc.

http://www.weighttra...getinshape.html

If you can't do that there are ways to start here:

Leaning to do push-up:
http://www.stumptuou...icle.php?aid=75

Squat:
Can't find good link, but there is squat info on that site, and squats are basically deep knee bands. DON"T Let your knees collapse inward. YOu can start by doing against the wall.

There are other exercises I"m sure people will chime in with.


Take you like 10 min/day.

[xanadu]

sagonite, when I read your post I hear a person who wants instant gratification. You say you have increaced your food intake for a month and are disappointed that you haven't reached your goals. At 16, the thought that it might take a few years and a lot of time/effort probably sounds impossible but it's not really that hard. Of course you can achieve noticeable results in much less time than that but it will take work. Just eating more will lead to fat, not muscle. You have a good goal, now listen to the advice you're getting and work at it until you get there.

[Shepard]

1600 calories probably isn't enough for even a sedentary 16-year-old. Can you post what your diet looks like?

Seriously, at 16, if you added resistance training or some intense sport, you could probably eat everything you want and not worry too much about fat. Of course, this isn't true for everyone, but if you weigh 120, I'm betting fat won't be a problem for you.

[sub7]

dude, if you increased your calories to 1600, you were very seriously undereating before and may have compromised your hormonal balance. Even 1600 is likely too little. IMO it may take a few weeks of overfeeding to send a strong enough signal to the Leydig cells to increase testosterone production. I would say get yourself some natural nut butter you like (if possible do not make it peanut butter, almond, cashew and other types are more expensize but will serve you better) and dive in with a spoon during the day. Trust me, it will be easier to put on some fat and then lose the fat once things settle instead of trying to put on "pure" muscle. Don't worry about protein, in fact it is the most satiating nutrient and hardest to get calories from, just get some fat and please do not worry about things like Omega 3/6 ratios or saturated fats for just a few weeks.

Sub7

[Matt]

I would suggest that you get ATLEAST 2000k/cal a day. At 1600 I dropped to just under 17 BMI ! I had to increase to 1800 to stop losing and gain a bit ( im on CR )

Im also 5ft 7"