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I'm looking to be skinny and toned. Help please!

• franklinstein Posts: 90
  QUOTE Jun 27, 2012 3:29 AM GMT

  So, I currently weigh 128lbs, and I am 5'9. Here's two pics:
  
  http://imgur.com/a/EcAup
  
  My legs are pretty bulky and account for a good chunk of my mass because I bike and run a lot. I do two thirty minute workouts a week solely on upper body.
  
  I consume about 2500 calories daily, it's hard to go past that because I am suffering from mild depression. I am an ectomorph.
  
  What I am trying to go for is to reach 140lbs, bulk up my chest a bit and stay that way. I like having a twink body :3
  
  Can I get some advice about to get to 140lbs and how to maintain that weight?

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  QUOTE Jun 29, 2012 3:25 PM GMT

  If you want to gain muscle mass, you need to make sure you're lifting heavy and you need to be ingesting enough calories to allow your body to create the muscle. If you're not moving at all, then you're not doing one or the other. You may or may not be able to gain muscle mass without also gaining some fat - they pretty much go hand in hand, though supposedly beginners may be able to do that, and some think that the "leangains" approach (google it) minimizes the fat gain.
  
  Looking at your pics, and your lack of body fat, I would definitely work on bulking a bit. I would also cut back on the cardio - if you "bike and run a lot" that may interfere with your ability to gain some mass.
  
  Good luck.
  
  

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• franklinstein Posts: 90
  QUOTE Jul 01, 2012 5:12 AM GMT

  Thanks, I looked into leangains and ill try it out, are there any exercises I can do at home that would help? Any specific foods i should eat?
  
  Also I'll try not doing as much cardio, but i don't think i can give it up

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  QUOTE Jul 01, 2012 5:19 AM GMT

  Push ups help.

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  QUOTE Jul 01, 2012 5:26 AM GMT

  Start going to the gym, work your way up to heavier and heavier weights (start light and do your best), and just eat as much but as healthy as you can and buy some protein powder. If you gain a little bit of fat then so what, you're an ectomorph and can lose it pretty fast. That's how I went from 120 -> 145 where I am now.
  
  Oh and be committed to this, there are tons of people that start going to the gym and you never see them again in 1 months time, this is your body it's not going to build itself up without your mental willpower.

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  QUOTE Jul 01, 2012 5:28 AM GMT

  I'm probably the worst person to ask since my diet is so sketchy and I sometimes don't think I know what I'm doing but whatever....
  
  Back in January '10 I was 5'8" and 120. Ew. Right now, I'm weighing between 140 and 145. Thats about 25 lbs in a year. You only want 10 so it'll actually be easier. But I do recommend ALOT of pasta. Seriously. Eat half a box (which is about 800 calories by itself) and put whatever you want. If I have it, I'll put cheese on it. But usually it's a plain olive oil sautéed with garlic - oil in frying pan with couple cloves of garlic, heat it up until just about the garlic turns brown and dump that oil on pasta - that should you the extra 200 or so calorie.

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• FuzzyRich Posts: 52
  QUOTE Jul 01, 2012 4:45 PM GMT

  I think you got skinny down pat. Strength train and eat more than you burn.

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• franklinstein Posts: 90
  QUOTE Jul 02, 2012 4:29 AM GMT

  GAMRican saidPush ups help.

  
  
  I'm planning on starting the one hundred push up challenge (I get to start at week 3 ). Is there any other chest exercises I can look into? I currently don't have access to a gym.
  
  

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• franklinstein Posts: 90
  QUOTE Jul 02, 2012 4:35 AM GMT

  IceBucket saidI'm probably the worst person to ask since my diet is so sketchy and I sometimes don't think I know what I'm doing but whatever....
  
  Back in January '10 I was 5'8" and 120. Ew. Right now, I'm weighing between 140 and 145. Thats about 25 lbs in a year. You only want 10 so it'll actually be easier. But I do recommend ALOT of pasta. Seriously. Eat half a box (which is about 800 calories by itself) and put whatever you want. If I have it, I'll put cheese on it. But usually it's a plain olive oil sautéed with garlic - oil in frying pan with couple cloves of garlic, heat it up until just about the garlic turns brown and dump that oil on pasta - that should you the extra 200 or so calorie.

  
  
  Should I go for whole grain or regular? And since I'm Asian I eat a lot of rice already, would rice work as well?

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• xybender Posts: 333
  QUOTE Jul 02, 2012 6:21 AM GMT

  To be muscular and toned from where you are, become a FAT-Burner instead of carb-burner. Google Mercola MD, fat-burner. Reduce carbs of all kinds especially sugar and fructose. No processed food. Instead, eat good natural fats like avocado and COCONUT (especially virgin coconut oil as they will burn immediately and store no fat - lauric acid and medium chain triglyceride are most efficient fuel). I used to eat lots of carbs (pasta, brown rice, etc...) and never got 6-pack abs. After 2-months of eating lots of coconut oil and good protein, i got incredible results. Try 5-8 table spoon of coconut oil per day. 1table spoon = 120 calories. But it burns so you feel energized. Studies have found it increase vitality and reduce obesity. Try it for a month and let me know.

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• franklinstein Posts: 90
  QUOTE Jul 04, 2012 12:08 AM GMT

  xybender saidStudies have found it increase vitality and reduce obesity.

  
  
  This seems really counter intuitive, what are the sources of these studies?

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• SpikeyAidan Posts: 265
  QUOTE Jul 04, 2012 4:33 AM GMT

  As a dietitian and former skinny figure like yourself I am happy to help!
  
  Something along the lines of this
  BF: 1 cup of low GI high fibre cereal (eg oats) with milk, add protein powder
  MT: fruit or yoghurt or handful of nuts
  L: Something along the lines of a salad s/w, a small pasta dish or 2-3 sushi rolls
  AT: as per MT
  D: At least 150g of lean protein (fish, tofu, chicken, steak), 1.5 cups of free vegetables and keep carbs to 1 cup cooked eg rice, pasta.
  
  To gain weight you need to start a resistance based program at the gym, start off with compound weight exercises eg bench press, squats, shoulder raises. You could start off with an all body part workout and slowly work you way up. Make sure you have a post workout snack or shake, something high in protein and slow release carbs. Dont forget to drink lots of water during the day as well.
  
  Healthy weight gain is 1/2 a kg a week (sorry Aussie here so don't do pounds!)
  Any more questions happy to help
  

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  QUOTE Jul 04, 2012 5:38 AM GMT

  franklinstein saidI'm looking to be skinny and toned. Help please!

  Stop whining and do something about it. Bitching on a forum won't help.

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  QUOTE Jul 07, 2012 12:03 AM GMT

  GAMRican saidPush ups help.

  
  
  Good advice.

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  QUOTE Jul 07, 2012 2:25 PM GMT

  I went through a depression last year due to stress. I lost 15 pounds. It was great though losing weight. I went from 165 down to 150 and was bony at 5'9".
  So what gave me a chest back that I was proud of I have to lift at least 3 times a week for an hour each. I alternate chest one day with arms and back and leg exercises the next time. You will want to alternate. You don't want a big chest and average or skinny legs. I swim twice a week and play sports too for cardio. Second you need to find your way out of your depression to accomplish your goals.

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• franklinstein Posts: 90
  QUOTE Jul 10, 2012 4:18 AM GMT

  Is there any good workouts I can do at home besides pushups? I don't have access to a gym until I move back to school in a month and a half.

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