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I always used to be stringy and skinny with a visible gut

My actual aim with this is not actually to lose weight but to change it and gain it. Im using weightlifting to try and bulk out.

I sure do if i eat a 'normal' diet only more of it, but i put on flab and a gut like a beer-gut (i dont drink) as well.

if i eat a fat-free diet flab falls off but then i just look skinny albeit with definition. Maybe im just not eating enough of the fat-free diet, and lifting enough weights often enough.

How do i bulk out all over without putting on a gut that looks like a beer gut?

Fat-free diets are pointless.

Also, when men gain weight it's usually in the stomach, gut area. It really depends on genetics too. When you loose weight its through-out your entire body equally.

Personally I would just bulk to a desireable weight then go low carb to loose fat.

What types of excersises are you doing? And what are you eating?

It sounds like your diet and or exercise routine has problems. We would need to know what you are doing.

Just having a guess without know all the details, I would say you need to greatly increase your protein intake.

i'm trying to live on fat and sugar-free food;

tuna fish for protein white bread for carbohydrates, vegetarian diet.
aprrox 3000- 4000 cals/day on workout days

doing power cleans, squats and bench press trying to do 4-5 sets 6 reps; also interweaving bicep/triceps curls and other exercises re different body area

aslo running 20 mins per day to burn off fat

I guess I would prefer not to burn off fat, I just want it on all over and not in a large gut

at the moment i am putting on some muscle mass -people have noticed it- but im starting to look and feel emaciated.

maybe ive just got to step it up? or maybe im just being impatient

Your problem is probably the fact you're eating low fat/no fat.

Fat is good for you. All of them other than trans fats. Even saturated fats are needed in moderation.

Fat is what is used to develop testosterone in the body. Your weight training/physique is going to suffer greatly if you have lowered testosterone due to a low fat diet.

Everyone in this thread will tell you that cutting weight is not about how much fat you eat. It's about how many carbs you eat.

You need to eat, imo, at least 100g of fat a day to keep testosterone levels optimal. If you're not, then I'd say that's probably your problem.

Low fat diet are as bad as low protein diets, basically. It makes no nutritional sense.

Rigel, your body treats white bread the same way as it treats sugar. Read the stickies in this section of the forum. Your carbs should be all low-glycemic, mostly fibrous vegetables with some starchy veg and whole grains. You need a balance of fats and adequate protein. You're missing out on all of that.

Yep, it's your diet. You DEFINITELY need more fat and probably more protein as well.

many thanks for comments so far

so how does this sound;
exercise routine is ok,

to bulk out just increase overall intake

for fats the usual RDA which seems to be 30% of daily intake

then protein/ carbohydrates 35%/ 35% or perhaps even greater proportion of proteins ?

carbohydrates which are more starchy

The amount is OK but that's all that's good about the RDA. Where you're a vegetarian, you will have too much Omega 6 and not enough saturated fats. You need animal sources so consider dairy and eggs as sources. Supplement with fish oil. Coconut oil is a good source of non-animal saturated fat. Olive oil, avocoados and nuts are good sources of monounsaturated fats.




That's enough but hard to get as a vegetarian. Beans and nuts will help but you will likely need animal sources.



Starchy carbs will help you gain weight. Keep it low glycemic, like beans, sweet potatoes and whole grains.

Since this is the diet section, I won't comment on your routine.

brilliant! thanks for your advice I'll let you know how I get on

Actually, we don't put it on through the body equally. We each have certain areas where it goes on first and comes off last. It sounds like that the belly for you. Sorry. Rotten luck.

If this is just about cosmetics, save up for liposuction. If you want to actually be healthy, find a comfortable weight and ignore what your gut looks like, and exercise for strength.

I agree with all that's been said about diet. Forget RDA. Increase protein and fat, reduce carbs, especially high-glycemic carbs. If you were to get no carbs except from fruit and veggies, that would be enough.

so the consensus seems to be bulk out on an averagely proportioned diet, perhaps more proteins only more so even thought his means a beer gut

then when up to the desired weight, cut back on fats and carbs, and maintain/ even increase again protein intake

More protein doesn't mean a bigger beer gut. More beer (and pizza and junk food) is what makes your gut big.

Quality matters. You simplify it too much. Get a balance of fats, minimizing O6 and getting adequate O3. The bulk of your fats should be Saturates and monounsaturates. Your carbs should be low-glycemic, as unrefined as possible. Since you're a vegetarian, you don't need to be concerned with feed-lot meat but keep your mind open towards properly raised animal products.

Im not actually vegetarian, it's just that almost all red and white meat seems to contain fat, since was using either tuna or protein supplements.

thanks for the comments boys will let you know how i get on

The quality of meat is dependent on how it's raised and what the animal ate. Try small local farmers. Also try canned salmon, especially wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon. It's a little more expensive than tuna but very high in quality O3.