Notice any changes???

[born2learn]

Some reason my voice keep changing. So far my face change a bit. Sometime I can't tell anything unless someone tell me and see thechange when im not around them for awhile.
Anyone know anyway to build up muscle? I can't seem to get more muscle.

[Mario]

Keep lifting. If you have weights at home, try to do a little everyday, or if you go  to a gym, go 3 times a week for a more intense workout. Protein. Whey protein builds muscle. Are you on t now? That is great if you are. Other than your voice, things take a little time to change, bot not that much time in the begining.

                                         Marco

[nonie]

Are you on T?  I don't know your background.  For me, I've been building some muscle by working out daily, eating a lot of protein, but even though it's a huge difference I still make a scrawny guy.  Once I get on T it should be a lot easier to build muscle though.

[Nero]

Anyone know anyway to build up muscle? I can't seem to get more muscle.

You want my advice?
Eat pasta. And a lot of it.
Yeah, yeah, I know, supposedly bad for you.
But I swear it helps me. I don't lift anything, and yet I have an awesome build and am ridiculously strong.

[Melissa]

You want my advice?
Eat pasta. And a lot of it.
Yeah, yeah, I know, supposedly bad for you.
But I swear it helps me. I don't lift anything, and yet I have an awesome build and am ridiculously strong.

I thought you were overweight too.

Melissa

[Laurry]

Maybe Nero was talking about "table muscle"...you know, the kind you get from doing too many reps of the full-fork curls?  Be careful tho, you could develop an elbow problem...sometimes it becomes so bad that every time your elbow bends, your mouth opens.   

I used to work with a couple of body-builders.  They told me lots of protein (seems like they ate chicken all the time).  I also seem to remember some pasta (yes Nero) along with the protein, and low-fat.  They worked out every day before and after work and sometimes at lunch.  They ate about every 3-4 hours.

They looked great, but I thought they were crazy...then again, my only muscles have all been of the table variety, so what can I say?

Talk to the trainers at your gym.  If you don't go to a gym, try one of those free memberships and ask lots of questions (just don't sign up for anything, unless you can go month-to-month, at least at first).

Good luck!

....Laurie

[Nero]

You want my advice?
Eat pasta. And a lot of it.
Yeah, yeah, I know, supposedly bad for you.
But I swear it helps me. I don't lift anything, and yet I have an awesome build and am ridiculously strong.

I thought you were overweight too.

Melissa

Yes, baby.
But it's all solid and I'm freakin gorgeous!

[Melissa]

Yes, baby.
But it's all solid and I'm freakin gorgeous!

What a man.   

Melissa

[jaded]

i think too many of us expect a miracle when we get on T but we will have to work out for it it will just build up fater i think

[Ricki]

I'm not a dietition but trainers in gyms will give you hit and miss advice some are set on selling certain types of products others have no real clinical experiences with food and nutriition and others are incredibly good!  My advice if your pocket book allows it consult with a good registered dietition and tell them of the gender change in body (if you feel you can entrust them) they may give you midifed advice or a specialized diet a trainer in a gym would not know of or think about doing?
I know food carbs do not hurt me drink carbs (sugars do) like carbonated sweetened beverages, nasty stuff i love pepsi but try and limit a bottle or can a day in evening!  they're sugars i do not wanna confuse: complex and simple carbohydrates Your body breaks these down for various things for energy, eat too much do too little you end up storing too much.
Proteins are a little slower acting takes body longer to break down and get uses out of Carbs break down a little faster.  Hikers for example eat a lot of calories but 50-60% are recommeneded to be carbohydrates cause they break down a little quicker and give you fuel as you go, proteins tke longer and kick in later on when you need them after hiking or resting for recharging and repleneshing.
Do not ignore the basic things, vitamin D, plenty of vegetables, and fruits!  Greener the vegetable the better it is for you!
Things like iceberg lettuce although crunchy no ZERO nutritional benefit!  Spinach leaves, broccoli, romaine lettuce, green beans,  have more minerals and vitamins!  So remember GREEN IS GO!  Most fresh fruits and vegetables are fat free they have some calories and such.  If trying to bulk incorporate your fats wisely, like do not eat a juicy steak with a 3" thick ribbon of fat thinking that will help you!  That goes into your arteries, nasty stuff! although i love steaks! T-bones and porterhouse steaks are my fave! Anyway incorporate fats like whole butters, good oils into your cooking and foods.  Eat plenty of regular yogurt and cottage cheeses if you like them!  Darker fishes are the fattier ones more calories to.
Sorry rambling too much here!

Just my .02

[born2learn]

Hi all,

   Thanks for your informations. Yes I have been on T for a year or more. I like pasta lol no im not fat i do show some fat here and there. I was kinda build when i was in highschool. Very fit i would say. I still look like little push over i guess. However, I been carry lots of heavy stuff. I'm active person like hiking, camping, if we have rock climb i would go for it too and hate running but i can walk very far and fast if i want to. I did lots of stuff but seem like no grow in muscle. I can do pull up more now.

[taylor]

Eat Pasta and regardless of what anyone says, it turns to sugar in the breakdown process...period.  Eating carbs that are complex carbs is what your body needs. You get this from various sorts of beans and peas etc. Whey protien is absolutely great but not to the point that you are eating loads of protein and not exercising, this only adds wieght to a lot of people. Remember by building your muscle you are increasing your metabolism...which burns your fat. The more muscle you have the less time working out you will need to do eventually. 

Now with that said, there is always that day that you want that plate of pasta, and if you can control the amount and how often you do it, then hey do it...just know what your doing when you do. After awhile being away from these types of carbs you will find that you have a crash effect about a half hour later, if that.  So just bare this in mind. If I am going to eat pasta I do not do it during the day, I cannot deal with the crash that well at all. But my wife is Italian so yea pasta does get cooked in this house lol

Peace
Taylor

[Ricki]

Taylor is right he has some definite wisdm with this bean thing!
hehe!  Hobo beans are good way?  they're a mixture of lima, baked or navy beans, onions, celery, ground beef sort of like a baked bean casserole!
Oh boy am i full of hot air or worse!

[born2learn]

Would total gym or blowflex help in anyway? Can I used those or find another way to exercise. I think there so many machine and things that people have that say can help build body. How we know if it really work?

[taylor]

Born,

It varies by persons preference to some degree. But here is the low down that i personally believe to have a lot of acurcy.

1. Free weights:  good resistance in both directions and this is a big plus for results!
                                 good for using at home and storing easily
                                 good for sculpting muscles in ways on bands and equipment you cannot do.
                             Example: When doing a single arm dumb bell curl, when you have raised your arm all the way up take your wrist
                                          and twist it inward just a little bit, about a 1/4" and this will help define the line at your bicep and get
                                          that little head on the bicep to pop up. ( Pro's absolutely do this!)

2. Weights attached to machines:   Good for keeping your form very close to accurate with a little asistance in learning how to adjust
                                                 your seat, etc. Form is KEY!
                                                  Good safe way of doing things, can't drop weight on your foot, or kneck etc.
                                                  Absolutely the best way to do squats!! Free weights and squats do not go well together for me.
                                                 
3. Equipment that has bands:        I really do not like them. I find little good about them. My list on why:
                                               You do not get the full control over your form, and you do not get even resistance in both
                                               directions.

The majority of people I know, and all body builders I have known, ( Some where pro's) use a combination of free weights and machines. Free weights are ALWAYS used by pro's...okay, I dared to say ALWAYS, but I seriously have never met a single one that did not use them and I have met quite a few. Of course I am sure there is an exception or two out there lol.

Well hope this helps out.

Peace
Taylor

[Transguykid]

About the pasta(which is SO tasty!!)

I started eating wheat pasta when I was vegan, and it tasted a bit odd at first, but it's much healthier. Even though I'm not vegan now, I try to still eat all the alternative healthy foods that I learned about when I was, including soymilk and 100% wheat bread. Also, multi-vitamins are a must! I'm dead tired when I forget my vitamins.

[born2learn]

Thanks Taylor that was helpful. I did some heavy lift and it did help build my muscle a bit. Take time to get what i want. I'm sure that everything take time to improve and that some exercise fit some people better than other.
I think everyone need vitamins. We not any younger. As we age we start to lose lot of stuff we used to be about to do. I know before i can run fast and carry heavy items go on hiking. Now lol i dont run as much.

[Jesse]

Some guys are just "hard gainers". My boyfriend (a bio guy) is one. He`s skinny as hell and can`t gain muscle for anything. Tried high protein diets and heavy lifting regimens and all it did was make him gain fat around his middle, so he quit. Whereas I build muscle very easily, even though not yet on T. But the lifting did make him stronger, even though it doesn`t much show. Whatever, keep lifting, it`ll make you tougher; stringy muscle can be as good or better than bulk (and personally I find it more attractive).

[born2learn]

Thanks Jesse. I never think of it that way but you are right about that. I look small but can carry heavy items that most people my size can't carry.

[RN1814]

Wonderful dude! And you captures the essence of what I am thinking at the problem.The chance that we gain exprience which others never had is good.