New here and seeking some advice on GOMAD

[Thin Guy Majig]

Hi everyone,

I just signed up after coming across a post by Steve on intermittent fasting. You probably guess from my name, but I need to put some beef on. I have actively been trying to gain weight for 5 weeks. This desire led to my quest To Get a Better Body.

I started tracking my daily food and exercise using My Fitness Pal. It is an awesome tool and I recommend it to anyone on NF.

Through this I realised I had been eating both a caloric deficit and basically garbage for 15+ years! It was not a surprise tbh.

After researching intermittent fasting, I find I had been practicing this without knowing. While that has given me a body fat % around 10%, due to the restriction in calories my muscle mass is about the same as Popeye's little finger in a spinach drought.

I have been doing weights for about 3 weeks, but not really sticking to any particular workout. In fact, I have trouble sticking with most attempts at self improvement. So my sub-quest is Gain Willpower.

I desperately want to stick to my goals. I know it will be hard but I have faith in myself that I can do it. Watch this space

I completed my first 2 sets of the Beginner Bodyweight workout. Felt like I was going to pass out or technicolor yawn after 2 sets so will set out to be able to do 3 complete sets within 2 weeks. Once I can do that I plan on using weights again. I got a bit of a rush on the 2nd set pushing through the pain a little Yes I am that weak lol

Any seasoned adventurers out there who can help this humble journeyman you are most welcome and appreciated! I could really do with some tips getting started here. I am drawn to the path of Monk. Where do I scratch on the dotted vellum?

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

My boyfriend seems to have the same built as you. He gains some weight. After three years he gained 5 kg and has now a normal BMI. But it's impossible for him to gain muscle - so he says. He hasn't tried that hard. I think you would have to start a strength training regulary. Perhaps you can get some dumbbells or you stick to Steve's tipp and grab a bottle filled with sand.

Good luck with your journey.

[Thin Guy Majig]

Today I decided to give the GOMAD "diet" a go. That's drink a gallon of milk a day! Starting my 3rd litre of 4 now. Might be a bit too much to handle day in day out, but I guess I will see before too long.

I am underweight, an ectomorph. 6ft 2 in and not quite scraping 60kg. My goal weight is 85kg. Sounds daunting, and I know I will put on fat. Haven't quite worked out yet if I will manage to burn it off enough to avoid becoming skinny fat. I plan to use the Beginner Bodyweight Circuit training, until I can do 3 sets. After that restart with dumbbells. I don't plan on much cardio as I want to put on the weight. Should I REALLY be strength training every other day even as a beginner? I'd like to do it say 5 days out of 7 but pretty sure that is not good even as a beginner, right?

Any advice HUGELY appreciated. Especially tips on diet to go with my 2500 milk calories. I am aiming for 5k cals a day but since GOMAD is giving me 130g fat/protein and 200g carbs, not too sure what macronutrients ratio i need on top.

Any first hand experiences with GOMAD and going from underweight to awesome I would love to hear to

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

I don't think 3,7 litres of milk a day is very healthy. Please don't drink too much at once. I don't know how much milk he drank, but when I was in secondary school one of my classmates got his stomach emptied in the hospital because of a stupid bet.

I think you should stick to nuts, meat, avocados. Try to eat more than five meals a day. Or prepare some smothies. There are also shakes for underweighted people, if you have some spare money. A friend of mine tried them out, who was 1,90 cm tall and only weight 65 kg. But he said he couldn't eat much more, when he drank them. Eating was a hazzle for him.

Are you smoking? Smoking can dimish your appetite. A lot of people I know gained a bit after dropping to smoke.

I'm a little overweight. And I gain fast. So I can't give you first hand experience, but I had a lot of skinny friends and can share their storys. At least I can try. I didn't stay in contact with everybody, because I moved a lot.

[tenaciousglee]

Hey Thin Guy! Welcome to NF. Have you read Steve's beginner's guide to bulking up? Give it a read: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/07/17/a-skinny-guys-guide-to-building-muscle-and-bulking-up/

As for GOMAD, I've never gone all-in with a full gallon, but when you're trying to add calories, any extra will help. Don't feel like you have to do the full gallon if it causes stomach troubles. There's nothing magical about a gallon of milk and it's not like "only" drinking half a gallon will mean you don't see results.

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

There is somebody else who trys to gain weight. Perhaps you want to follow her. http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/60718-lets-gain-some-mssmaris-start/

And Somatotrophile is trying out GMOD as well. Have a look at her challenge. Perhaps you could try to form an accountability group for gainers. ^^

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I've done GOMAD before. It needs to be coupled with weight training, whether that me bodyweight, dumbbells, or barbells, so that you're giving the body sitmulus to grow muscle, not just store more fat. Looks like you have that base covered.

 

I'm personally an endomorph and gain weight easily. I had to keep it to a quart a day, and even then I was gaining 1-2 lb a week. Even as an ecto, I'd sugest only starting at 1/4-1/2 gallon a day. Just keep an eye on your changes and adjust the quantity based on the results after 4 weeks or so.

 

 

I don't think 3,7 litres of milk a day is very healthy. Please don't drink too much at once. I don't know how much milk he drank, but when I was in secondary school one of my classmates got his stomach emptied in the hospital because of a stupid bet.

 

This was probably the "drink a gallon in the hour and don't throw up" bet, which is impossible for most people due to most people having a small aversion to lactose, but now knowing it since we don't dirnk huge quantities of it. A gallon over a full day is hard, but is unlikley to cause these issues unless you've got a strong aversion like lactose intolerance.