Any advice would be appreciated

[J 2the att]

I am a football player and currently i weigh about 218lbs. I got that down from 240. I quit dieting and all that crap and now want to gain serious muscle. However, i've learned that i gain weight quickly when i gain calories intake which i have to do to gain strength. What can i do to get lean while still getting stronger? When i say lean i don't mean cut, i just mean that no gut and man boobs popping out because that's what i used to have which took me a long time to get rid of. THanx

[BeastofBurden]

Incredibly lean high protein meals is what is coming to mind..

[Cstlfx]

As BeatofBurden said, really lean protein such as egg whites, chicken etc. I also believe there are some really good protein powders with few carbs and calories. Staying away from foods high in added sugars and fat would help too.

[NumeroUno]

Increase your training intensity. You should be waiting no longer than 30 seconds to 1 minutes in between sets, and in between exercises you should take a 3 minute break. You can throw in cardio - but for gaining muscle, it isn't the greatest thing since jello. The biggest part is eating clean. Live on chicken/fish - tuna/steak/veggies/rice/potatoes/pasta whatever you can. If you start gaining to much fat, cut down some of your carbs and fats. I know counting is not the funnest thing to do, but this will give you a good range of where you need to be.

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Remember, you have to have excess calories at the end of the day to build muscle. The more overboard you go, the more fat you'll gain. So plan well. Prioritize protein in all of your meals. At minimum 1 gram of protein for every pound you weigh. Preferably 1.5 to 2 grams of protein for every pound you way.

Good luck brother, if you have any more questions, you know who where to ask.

-Daniel

[cable]

another thing to also think about is how many meals are you eating a day. By increasing the number of meals a day and arriving at the same daily caloric intake your body will use these nutrients more efficiently and youll have less fat stored as a result.

[Rampage]

eat clean train hard dont give your body a chance to storefat.

[spartan300]

Keep these in mind when you devise your next nutritional plan...

*eggs
*salmon
*eye of round/flank/bison
*cottage cheese/yogurt (plain low fat)
*whole grain/high fiber breads, muffins and cereals (low sugar variety)
*brown rice/quinoa
*whole wheat/multi grain pasta
*yams
*turkey tenderloin
*fresh fruits and vegetables
*trail mix (nuts and seeds)

[Fezzik]

At what level are you playing and what position?

I agree with what others have said. Make sure to keep your protein intake high and spread throughout the day. Cut out junk food i.e. refined sugars and high fat foods (pizza for example) if you haven't already. Don't be scared of carbs; you will need them for winter workouts. This will get you on your way.