AB2017

Hello! So I need some advice. I was always rather a petite and skinny girl. I have started to work out like 3 months ago and I have already managed to put some muscle mass.

Thanks to this, I feel so much better in my body now. Of course I have read all the threads here as I don't want to be spamming about questions that was already answered.

I have managed to put some weight - 10 pounds in 3 months to be accurate, but it's much less than I have expected, especially as I eat quite a lot and I work out pretty hard as well.

My boyfriend is working out for over a year now and he managed to gain much more muscle in his first 3 months. I know, that I cannot really compare women to men in terms of growth potential as

we are heavily limited in this area by our genetics, but still.. I don't feel satisfied with current results.

I'm 5'6 and I weigh 115 pounds. That's not really a lot and I was even skinnier before. I consume daily around 2300 kcal now and that's quite a lot for women, I guess.

For example my boyfriend who is 190 pounds consumes only 2500 kcal, but he is on a weight loss diet now.

We are entirely different though - he was always a little bit overweight and he has to put a lot of effort in losing weight, so he cannot give me any advice here as it's just very easy for him.

I'm doing Full Body Workout with higher reps - 8 to 15 as I heard higher reps and bigger volume is much better for gaining muscle mass.

So does anyone has some tips? Thanks!

cosmo

Hi! You don't seem to be as skinny as you describe. I agree, that 10 pounds in 3 months is a little bit slow, but at least you are going forward.

Everyone is different and some just really gain weight much slower than others. It's the same thing with losing weight.

How much calories do you add per week? Do you do any cardio or something that may slow down your progress?

I hope that you eat correctly as well - mostly healthy products.

AB2017

Hi cosmo!

Thanks for your answer. I try add around 300 kcal per week and it's still going really slow.

I was doing cardio at the very beginning, but I changed my mind rather quick after I've realized that in order to gain mass I need to consume more calories and cardio is only burning them

Katyaa

Hello! I personally think, that you are adding your calories too fast. Theoretically, you should gain weight much faster, but everyone is different, so it not always goes according to our expectations.

You are already at 2300 kcal and that is a lot for a skinny woman like you.

You shouldn't be adding so much calories per week or you will burn your progress possibilities very quick. I would suggest adding like 100-150 kcal per week, not 300.

I would also suggest you to keep adding calories until you reach the point of around 3000 kcal.

I know, that it will be pretty hard for you - even many men have problem with eating so much, but this is what you should aim for right now.

I will just say that, even though I'm heavier than you by like 15 pounds I had some serious problems with eating 3000kcal myself

So, when you reach the point of 3000 kcal, just stop your diet, give yourself two weeks break and prepare yourself for eating less until you get down to like 2000-2200 kcal.

You have also very fast metabolism, so you may manipulate your diet and calories intake in many different ways without risk of gaining weight, although control yourself, because you can also lose your weight quite easily and this is not what you want, right?

AB2017

Thank you Katyaa for your comprehensive answer! It's probably true that I have been adding my calories too fast, but I couldn't gain any more weight, so I just kept adding them more and more..

I will try slower approach now and do it exactly as you told me.

cosmo

It is true, that you should gain more weight than you did, especially as you eat really a lot right now. Personally I would expect you to gain at least 18 pounds in period in 3 months, not 10.

Your metabolism is definitely too fast! By the way, how do you feel at 2300 kcal? Don't you feel like it's too much for you?

AB2017

To be honest, I don't feel bloated at 2300kcal, but I don't fell hungry either. I think I would be able to easily fit another 500 kcal or so

So, I guess my metabolism is indeed kind of fast. I could probably eat more than my boyfriend, if I had really tried my best haha

Also, I feel more hungry during the days when I don't work out than during those, when I do. Is it weird?

cosmo

No, it's fine. I feel more hungry when I'm not working out as well. Same thing with my loss of appetite for an hour or two after finishing work out. It's completely normal

I think, you should follow approach, that Katyaa suggested. You should start slower and aim to consume around 3000kcal. Don't compare yourself to your boyfriend as well - firstly, he is a man, so he will gain weight and muscle mass much faster than you, especially as he clearly is an endomorph and as you have correctly noticed - you are entirely different in terms of your predispositions.

Please report back to us, when you reach 3000kcal. I hope that, you will gain another 10 pounds or more soon enough

AB2017

Okay, sure! I'll do so. Thanks a lot for your help