Hey guys, I have spent the last few months losing weight and now I am really skinny! I thought this was my goal but now that I can see my muscles a little more I really want to build them up, so now I have a new goal

I'm 5'9", not sure how much I weigh but I went from a 33" waist to a 29" waist.

Anyway, I see TONS of conflicting information about what I should eat but here's what I see in common between many sources:

- 1-1.5g of protein per lbs I weigh per day
- Eat as many calories as I can without getting fat again
- Don't eat junk food

So, I have four easy questions:

- what's a good starting calorie goal?
- what should my diet focus on besides calories and protein?
- shakes/powders/frozen meals/etc will be much easier for me. what products will help me achieve my goals?
- what exercises should i focus on? i don't know if I should be running on the treadmill, swimming, lifting weights at the beginning, etc...

I know it's a lot to ask all at once! I really appreciate any help you can lend me!

ALSO: what is CREATINE and is it something I should look into?

check out the 60 lbs to gain post-maybe you can get some ideas for starters from there.
i would definitely be doing weight training if i were you, and eating 5-6 meals a day. i cant get you specifics b.c/ i dont know specifics but i know the aforementioned are very impt and will help alot.

Hi Aaron,

Good starting calorie would be basic metabolic rate plus 500 Cal. You could estimate your basic metabolic rate by multiplying your weight in lbs by 13. Monitor your weight gain, and if it is very minimal or too slow, gradually increase this figure.

Diet needs to focus on eating a lot!! Ensure you don't consume less than 20% of your energy as fats, as below this figure your testosterone is weakened. Naturally choose good fats such as flax seed oils, nuts, seeds, hemp seed oil. Most health shops sell an optimised oil solution that you take off the spoon. Great for muscle gain. Definitely take 1-1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight at least and match that again with the same quantity of carbs. Be sure to eat protein every 3 hours (awake that is, though bodybuilders do get up in the night for protein shakes. May be a bit extreme in your situation though). Aim to consume at least 6 meals a day with protein/ carbs in every sitting.

Shakes. Just go for good old whey powder.

Exercises. Concentrate on powerlifting techniques, such as bench press, deadlifts, squats and avoid small weight lifts. Lift heavy 3 times a week for no longer than 45 minutes a session, and spend the rest of the week doing as little as possible. Work in the 8-10 rep range for 3-4 sets. 3 different exercises is more than enough if the intensity is high. No CV, no stress, just pure relaxation.

Creatine. Yes, it is definitely worth considering. I would suggest training hard for 3-6 months before using it to get your body to the next level. Take it too early and you may not be training with the intensity to make the most of it. It basically enables you to store more resources within the muscle to crank out an extra couple of reps, and more force when contracting. (Not the technical answer, but you get the picture).

This is the standard textbook answer, though like all situations it may need tweaking for your personal circumstances.

Dean,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and helpful answer. I think designing and maintaining my diet will be my biggest hurdle.

Diet:
- I'm making a spreadsheet of foods I like and their calorie, protein, and carb content to make it easier for me to design a week's meals at a time. If anyone wants a copy when I'm done let me know and I'll send it to you.
- Whey Protein: is there a different between "concentrate powder" and "isolate powder" or is that just marketing?

Exercises:
- what muscles, if any, will I miss doing only bench press, deadlifts, and squats? I worry about not working out my whole body.
- should I avoid situps/pullups/pushups/etc?

Diet: There is a slight difference but I don't think it will be the be all and end all for your situation.

Exercise: By doing heavy compund movements you won't miss any parts of the body. You don't so much need to avoid body weight exercises. The main thing is (When trying to gain mass) when you're out of the gym do as little as possible. Growth requires huge stores of energy and you can't afford to be doing activities that will rob your body of this much needed energy. Train hard, train intense, train routinely, train efficiently. Get in, wreak havoc, then get out. Rest of the time, live like a couch potatoe.