Quick background: I am 20 years old, 5'10", 145 pounds, and 9% body fat. 12 months ago, I weighed 191 pounds with 20+% body fat. My entire life, the only thing I wanted was to be thin. One day, for no particular reason, I decided to take action. So I started running. I ran 5+ miles a day for one year, and cut out all unhealthy foods. I reached my goal of becoming thin (29-inch waist), but unfortunately all that running burned away most of my muscle as well.
Now I'm ready to put on some muscle. I've commited to a lifting routine that I found in the latest
Muscle & Fitness ("Countdown to Strength"). It's a two-day split workout that hits all of the major muscle groups twice per week. The first week, everything is 10 reps and you gradually move down in reps until you're 1-rep-maxing on your last week. Currently, I eat
extremely clean and (literally) have not touched junk food (of any kind) or soda for over a year. I usually take in about 2000 calories a day.
My goal is to add about 20 pounds of muscle in the next 9 months. But I DO NOT want to get "bulky." I am a golfer and I need to maintain my flexibility. If you've ever seen Camilo Villegas (he's a professional golfer), that is the physique I am going for. Muscular, but cut.
I stuck this thread in the "Nutrition" forum, because most of my quesitons revolve around what I need to be eating. For the last year, I have been on a cutting diet - I have no clue how to eat when trying to gain muscle.
-How many calories per day should I be shooting for?
-What percentage of my calories should come from fat, carbs, and protein?
-What would y'all recommend for protein shakes (brand/type)?
-What kinds of foods do I need to eat pre/post workout?
-How much cardio should I do? And how intense?
Sorry this is such a long post. I'd really appreciate any help y'all could give me. Thanks!
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