How much weight should /can I put on in about 6 months?

[chibisensei21]

Background: I played football through early college and weighed about 185, then slowly dropped weight all the way down to 140. I got hurt so I got into running/ CrossFit , and through over training and under eating lost a lot of weight and body fat. Now I realize I need to put some weight back on and looking for guidance . Currently lifting 4 days a week + running CrossFit 3 days a week, thanks!

 

[tammy1ed2]

@chibisensei21 I wouldn't over think the number on the scale. Calculate out your TDEE, eat in a 200-400 cal surplus and make sure you're body is moving in a direction you want it to. Don't go crazy and "dirty" bulk, it's not worth it, just introduce some more calorie dense food.

 

[revwood]

@chibisensei21 Say you want a clean bulk, minimal fat gain.

3 weeks clean bulking at 300 calories over maintenance, getting 1gram/lb of bodyweight in protein, around 85-100 grams fat, and the rest in carbs.

Then a week of cutting, just 5 days 300 calories below maintenance, 2 days at maintenance.

Lift heavy throughout.

Rinse and repeat.

Don't give yourself a timeline like 6 months. Be comfortable in your own body and take it where you want it to go in a sustainable way without worrying about time. When you start with timetables you're putting yourself in position to do extreme shit for the sake of hitting your goal ASAP, or getting frustrated and eating your feelings by the gallon of icecream.

 

[o2bwise]

@chibisensei21 Do you have access to a registered dietitian in your area? I would recommend talking to an RD about your goals and see what they can do to help you.

 

[ansem_toborra]

@chibisensei21 I wouldn't focus on how much weight should/can you put on in x number of months. First and foremost, focus on eating enough to support training and keep making progress. Your body will naturally find its ideal composition. Just focus on eating enough to continue to make progress.

 

[aneskimo]

@ansem_toborra That's bad advice imo. Many people, especially younger guys, are chronically underweight from a performance standpoint and will never even get near their potential due being to weak and "undermuscled" and the only way out of it to actively make an effort for it. I am by no means advocating to bulk hard and gain 1kg or more per month, but saying that weight isn't important is kind of missing the reality of this strength-based sport.

 

[ansem_toborra]

@aneskimo Where did I say, "weight isn't important"? I said he should eat enough to continue making progress, ergo; a caloric surplus. As long as he's making progress, he's gaining weight because the only way to make progress lifting 4x/week and CrossFit 3x/week is to gain weight.

 

[chickenlittle]

@chibisensei21 Tough to say in poundage. If you don’t really care about muscles to fat ratio, a lot, but I wouldn’t recommend it. If you are talking about “clean”, lean muscle, like 10-15 pounds, 1.5-2 pounds a month depending on genetics. Expect at least some fat gain if you are eating to gain size.