Trying to gain muscle but not seen any results.

job seeker

How all,

So for the last two weeks I've been trying to gain muscle mass. But I'm not seen any results.
Exercise: sit ups 8 then one min break and I repeat this 8 times.

Sit ups is the same.

Diet:
Breakfast: oats and a banana

Dinner includes one of the following each day: chicken breast, peas or broccoli and one potato.

Or 3 sausages, 2 eggs, 2 rashers, (all pan fried) peas or broccoli and 1 boiled potato.

Or 1 frozen chicken breast, peas or broccoli and 1 boiled potato.

Or mince, peas or broccoli and 1 boiled potato.

Or, 2 lamb chops peas or broccoli and 1 boiled potato.

Tea: either a tuna/mayo brown bread sandwich or else tuna, noodles and soy sauce.

I'm not taking any supplements.

Mr. CooL ICE

It's going to take a lot longer than 2 weeks before seeing any increased muscle mass.

All you seem to be doing is sit ups. What are you expecting to see exactly?

ford2600

Stop asking the same question and just do the work.

Before you start, learn to move properly, learn correct form ( A good trainer >>>>>>YouTube) and eat a lot of good simple food

Brian?

You're not lifting enough.


Forget about sit ups. Get a chin-up bar and do push ups.

job seeker

Thanks for the advice guys.

Is my diet okay? I can't have protein powder as I'm lactose intolerant.

I'll get a chin up bar so.

I know it's frustrating trying to give advice to someone who knows nothing about fitness. But I do appreciate it. Thanks.

Alf Veedersane

If you want to build muscle, you need to be in a calorie surplus amd you want to be doing resistance training.

This is a simplified explanation but the resistance training will use the calorie surplus to build muscle.

If you read the stickies at the top of the forum, you'll get a good overview of the principles of fitness and nutrition

Nervous Wreck

Two full weeks?

Not_A_Racist

Two whole weeks?

You don't need to take supplements, especially if you're only light training. I think most people never need supplements, they just need to eat normal natural foods.

You'd benefit more from spending your money on dumbbells. LIDL are selling a single 10KG dumbbell now for 18 euro. Nice 20KG York set on Amazon for about 40. You will definitely notice improvements if doing free weights.
(You should always buy cast iron weights. More expensive but much better)

You can also continue with body weight exercises, like you're doing. But free weights give you more control perhaps and you can target particular muscles better.


I have about ten dumbbells which I don't always use but I knew I'd never use a gym membership. Happier now to have the dumbbells rather than an expired membership. I bought my first 20KG set in Argos about 20 years ago, and I've added to them over the years. You can exercise most muscles if you have a selection of dumbbells, some light and some much heavier.

LincolnHawk

What's your actual goal OP?
Sounds like your after a six pack by all the sit ups...hard to get one of those and gain mass

job seeker

LincolnHawk wrote: »

What's your actual goal OP?
Sounds like your after a six pack by all the sit ups...hard to get one of those and gain mass

My goal is to gain as much muscle mass as possible. I want a six pack, bigger arms, shoulders as well.

Autochange

sit ups and pull ups wil not add mass. You will get stronger but plateau quickly.
To really gain mass you need to base yourself around the compound lifts
ie Bench, Deadlift and weighted squats.

The best advice is to visit a PT , explain your goals and get a diet and workout plan.

LincolnHawk

job seeker wrote: »

My goal is to gain as much muscle mass as possible. I want a six pack, bigger arms, shoulders as well.

Gaining mass and getting a six pack are mutually exclusive though.
Focus on building a foundation of strength first. Preferably you'll have access to a barbell, plates and a power rack..

Johnnyhpipe

job seeker wrote: »

How all,

So for the last two weeks I've been trying to gain muscle mass. But I'm not seen any results.
Exercise: sit ups 8 then one min break and I repeat this 8 times.

Sit ups is the same.

Diet:
Breakfast: oats and a banana

Dinner includes one of the following each day: chicken breast, peas or broccoli and one potato.

Or 3 sausages, 2 eggs, 2 rashers, (all pan fried) peas or broccoli and 1 boiled potato.

Or 1 frozen chicken breast, peas or broccoli and 1 boiled potato.

Or mince, peas or broccoli and 1 boiled potato.

Or, 2 lamb chops peas or broccoli and 1 boiled potato.

Tea: either a tuna/mayo brown bread sandwich or else tuna, noodles and soy sauce.

I'm not taking any supplements.

Hi,

I don't see anything in there that suggests how you're trying to gain muscle? Are you lifting weights or just doing situps? Regardless, I would probably tend to steer clear of the daily fry..

duvetdayss

Agree with all the advice about weight training.

Also...

job seeker wrote:

Is my diet okay? I can't have protein powder as I'm lactose intolerant.

If and when the time comes that you feel the need for protein supplementation, whey isolate protein powder is lactose free

job seeker

Johnnyhpipe wrote: »

Hi,

I don't see anything in there that suggests how you're trying to gain muscle? Are you lifting weights or just doing situps? Regardless, I would probably tend to steer clear of the daily fry..

I wasn't lifting weights at all. I was doing sit ups and push ups. But I've been advised to buy dumbells and a chin up bar. The selection of dinners I have listed there are the types I would eat. So it would be on of the above. Now I assumed that a fry was okay as it was a source of protein, (sausages, eggs and rashers). But it's not a problem if I should eliminate the fry from my diet completely.

Thanks.

job seeker

LincolnHawk wrote: »

Gaining mass and getting a six pack are mutually exclusive though.
Focus on building a foundation of strength first. Preferably you'll have access to a barbell, plates and a power rack..

I see what you mean now. Thanks.

job seeker

Brian? wrote: »

You're not lifting enough.


Forget about sit ups. Get a chin-up bar and do push ups.

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

Two full weeks?

Not_A_Racist wrote: »

Two whole weeks?

You don't need to take supplements, especially if you're only light training. I think most people never need supplements, they just need to eat normal natural foods.

You'd benefit more from spending your money on dumbbells. LIDL are selling a single 10KG dumbbell now for 18 euro. Nice 20KG York set on Amazon for about 40. You will definitely notice improvements if doing free weights.
(You should always buy cast iron weights. More expensive but much better)

You can also continue with body weight exercises, like you're doing. But free weights give you more control perhaps and you can target particular muscles better.


I have about ten dumbbells which I don't always use but I knew I'd never use a gym membership. Happier now to have the dumbbells rather than an expired membership. I bought my first 20KG set in Argos about 20 years ago, and I've added to them over the years. You can exercise most muscles if you have a selection of dumbbells, some light and some much heavier.

I just thought I may see a slight difference. I really wasn't expecting a drastic change. But all the advice seems to have me on a better track now. As I mentioned before, I know I'm a noob when it comes to this sort of thing. But didn't everyone have to start somewhere and ask these kind questions at some stage? Anyways thanks for the advice.

Mellor

The fry is fine, in moderation. You need surplus calories to grow muscle. Which you may or may not be getting from portions above.

You also need to lift weights or do some form of resistance training.

Presses, pull ups, rows, squats, deadlifts.
Or variations of the above

gramar

Brian? wrote: »

Forget about sit ups. Get a chin-up bar and do push ups.

It might be the hangover affecting my ability to think straight but how do you do push ups on a chin up bar?

Alf Veedersane

gramar wrote: »

It might be the hangover affecting my ability to think straight but how do you do push ups on a chin up bar?

Must be one hell of a hangover.

SarahMollie

You can have a fry by all means, but you need to watch the quality of ingredients. Denny sausages that are probably 55% pork or there abouts are not a quality source of protein for example. For protein you're much better off to eat lean meats, unprocessed.

Plenty of butchers are now selling food specifically targeting at people trying to eat more protein - maybe look if anything near you is doing the same. Have a look at this for example, but there are lots of places doing similar things. http://www.dublinmeatcompany.com/online-shop/fit-foods

I think some time spent with a personal trainer would be a good investment, because I think you're a fair way off understanding what you need to do.

gramar

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Must be one hell of a hangover.

A may still be a little drunk.

Brian?

gramar wrote: »

It might be the hangover affecting my ability to think straight but how do you do push ups on a chin up bar?

You buy a chin up bar for chin ups. You also do push ups.

Not_A_Racist

I was told to take two tablets after my bath.


I told the doctor I had no room for the tablets after drinking the bath!

Alf Veedersane

Not_A_Racist wrote: »

I was told to take two tablets after my bath.


I told the doctor I had no room for the tablets after drinking the bath!

You're like Jim Davidson....well, except you're Not_