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Comment by jriot | Hacker News Reader

Do you want to get strong? You want more in the 2 - 5 rep range for many sets. I followed the Sheiko method (which lays this out) for 2 - 3 years. In June I tested and had the following:

1. Squat - 505lbs 2. Bench - 355lbs 3. Deadlift - 540lbs

Also, eat big!

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This, plus getting your sleep in order.

Wow those are big numbers! I'm training for body re-comp (I'm fat, I want to be muscular with some endurance) and my numbers are half that.

That will be maximum, ever, I suspect. In reality, it isn't hard but does take time and you have to push yourself. The hardest part is really eating. A typical day would like this,

1. Breakfast, a cup of espresso with milk, 6oz NY Strip, 1 cup of grits with butter, 16oz whole milk.

2. Lunch, 6oz NY Strip, 2 eggs, 16 oz whole milk

3. Snack, 2 - 4 pieces of fruit e.g, 3 apples with peanut butter.

4. Dinner, 2 - 3 pieces of fried/grilled chicken, collard greens, sweet potatoes.

5. Desert - a quarter slice of pie with 16oz of milk

I didn't take any supplements, just ate whole foods I cooked at home. Everything was made from scratch. The pies used lard we rendered at home from leaf fat (fat near the kidney).

I loved your routine. Any vegetarian diet advice. I am vegeterian.

Vegetarian lifter here. Getting quality protein is a bit more difficult, but if you're ovo-lacto vegetarian then egg whites and whey are great sources. You don't need to overdo it, just make sure you're getting enough. Once you're no longer a complete beginner, you might also want to consider supplementing with creatine, since you aren't getting much in your diet.

For a deeper dive, I'd recommend this excellent article: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/vegetarian-and-vegan-athle...

I would be the last person you want vegetarian advice from. If it weren't for my wife, I'd stick to potatoes, broccoli, and grilled asparagus. However, as you noticed I drink a lot of milk, a lot. A pint has 300 calories and 16g of protein. Additionally, add butter to anything you want. Grits butter, eggs, cook in butter etc... It adds a lot of calories (good in my opinion) which is what you want when lifting heavy.

How do you handle the fat? I gained most of my muscle weight eating like you do - lots of protein, fat and whole-grain carbs (oats, whole wheat bread, pasta, potatoes with skins, legumes). I gain fat too though.

I was also supplementing with whey (mainly casein) and creatine.

With the baby I've been eating a lot of crap sugars and put on 5kg of fat. I'm trying to drop 20kg of bodyfat now to get to down to 10-12% body fat. So far I've been able to drop without any real muscle loss as long as I still lift regularly.

I put on some fat with it, but due to the weights I was lifting for the last 6 - 12 months it didn't seem to be a concern. Remember what you see on TV and the movies aren't representations of strength, they are on special diets, have trainers etc...

I was strictly concerned with being strong, not being cut, so carrying around a little extra wasn't a big deal. The main thing, no one will think you are fat when you are strong, it is quite noticeable. Lastly, the meal I posted was at my strongest, lifting the heaviest. If I wasn't lifting those weights I would have gained quite a bit of fat.

If you are taking a few months off due to a baby, cut back on eating. Always think long-term. Two months off while you adjust to a newborn will do wonders when you get back into it. If you try to do it all, you'll be stressed and not enjoy lifting - or anything for that matter.

Dairy, legumes like beans and lentils, and protein supplements like whey powder will take care of your protein needs.

It's a bit harder for vegans, but still doable. Look up Clarence Kennedy, the vegan Irish weightlifter.

I am not fully veg but have reduced consumption of meat hugely and don't buy it for home anymore. What I have found is really good is retextured soy protein. I get a bag for about 2 pounds and it has 60g of protein in it.

This guy is a vegetarian weight lifter and goes through what he eats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHrysja5lYw

Also another one of his videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5fsqg6aJOI

I am in the same boat. Strength has increased significantly and I have also lost some fat. However, I wonder if that will continue. From what I've read, it's difficult to gain muscle and loose fat at the same time.

Fat metabolism comes from low glucose/insulin level. If you can decrease the insulin level or you can guard it to couple of hours in a day, you are fine.

Leucine also spikes the insulin level regardless the source, it is better to take it with fibres and a bit of fat, e.g. avocado.

If you still struggle, you might give a try to a constant glucose monitor (GCM) to see what crosses your efforts.

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