Protein/Carbs/Fat, Gainz & Vegan, Also doing Bridge and have some questions. :)

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
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Hey guys, I’m more or less looking just to have my stuff here double checked by someone who’s been through the wheel of “serious” lifting more/longer than I have. Would appreciate any feedback. :slight_smile:

I’m 31, 5’10, 170lbs, 15% BF, worked hard to get to where I am today, was always a "hard gainer (under-eater)

I believe a lot of my lifts could be improved exponentially and it’s all mind over matter right now, that’s why I choose to run the Bridge as a test. I tried 5/3/1 for awhile years back and I enjoyed it, I’ve read that this has great reviews.

Recently I’ve gone Vegan, just as a test, I enjoy using myself as the subject to figure out if something works or not, I track everything I eat in Chronometer and set my calories/macros ect. Something I’ve been trying to figure out for quite some time is how to get from 170->190, in the most effective manner. It’s been a slow grind from 140->170 (9~ years) I wasn’t focused on weight initially however and just wanted to crush the gym. Now I want to hit 190 and then cut and compete so I’m taking this a little more serious.

I’m trying to figure my maintenance calories, prior to the bridge I’ve worked out almost every day for years, but my work isn’t labourous so I put all the info above and choose moderatly active, that gives me a target of 2252, now from my understanding to “gain” you want to aim +500 more than that.

So the breakdown I’ve come up with is as follows :

2246(Maintenence) + 500 (Gainz) = 2746

With This Setup :

170G Protein
76G Fat
327g Carbs

Protein :

170lbs x 1.0 = 170G Protein

Fat :

20-30%

20% = 2746*.20 = 549Cal / 9 = 61G Fat
30% = 2746*.30 = 832Cal / 9 = 92G Fat

Carbs :

2746-760 (Fat g x9)-680 (P g X9) = 1306 / 4 = 327g Carbs

So I just want to make sure that I’m using the calculator right and have my numbers right, how long would you go before increasing your calories if I’m not seeing any weight gain?

Another question I have is, my girlfriends info, just wondering if these numbers make sense for a female? She’s 25, 5’6, 155, around 25% BF, these are the numbers I got for her:

1889(Maintenence) - 500 (Loss) = 1511

With This Setup :

155G Protein
38G Fat
137g Carbs

Protein :

155lbx x 1 = 155G Protein

Fat :

15-25%

15% = 1511*.15 = 227Cal / 9 = 25G Fat
25% = 1511*.30 = 453Cal / 9 = 50G Fat

Carbs :

1511-342 (Fat g x9)- 620 (P g X4) = 549 / 4 = 137g Carbs

Also as far as the Bridge goes, I’ve never done cardio and I know this is a 3Day/week program, would there be a negative to adding another day or two of extra cardio in? It is something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time. I know my cardiovascular is terrible.

Also any other tips/advice would be appreciated.

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Hi JMOISAN,

Thanks for the post and for joining the forum. For your questions:

So I just want to make sure that I’m using the calculator right and have my numbers right, how long would you go before increasing your calories if I’m not seeing any weight gain?

The calorie calculator numbers are just estimates. I would add calories in ~2 weeks without any time deadline making me be more aggressive.

Another question I have is, my girlfriends info, just wondering if these numbers make sense for a female?

They are a reasonable starting point, sure.

Also as far as the Bridge goes, I’ve never done cardio and I know this is a 3Day/week program, would there be a negative to adding another day or two of extra cardio in? It is something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time. I know my cardiovascular is terrible.

I wouldn’t add any extra conditioning in your case and I wouldn’t speak negatively about your cardio.

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@Jordan_Feigenbaum

Thanks for the feedback. Any specific reason you would wait two weeks before moving up intake? I want to hit 190lbs in a reasonable ammount of time. xD Do you think that with this program and my breakdown as they are I should be able to progress at a reasonable time frame?

When you say reasonable starting point, what would you change ect? She just finished her ISSA, she’s going to be taking her nutrition ISSA course here next, I’ve been the rock for all this info so far haha.

Any specific reason why you wouldn’t ad more conditioning? I don’t really think or speak negatively of my cardio but at the same time I do feel like it never hurts to have better cardio no?

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1 week is usually not enough time to rule out any “artifacts”, so a longer period is what I prefer.

Likely, yes. However, I know very little about you and it’s hard to say with confidence how well you will or won’t do.

I don’t think those certifications affect what I would recommend and again, I know very little about either of you given this is our first interaction. You also just posted numbers and to me, they seem reasonable

Because you have not done more previously and would likely be best served by gradually adding in new things.

You did above and there are situations where more cardio might interfere with desired training adaptations.

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