The Muscle and Weight Gain Blog

How To Build Muscle While Staying Lean

2010-03-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

The two most common fitness goals are: To build muscle mass fast and to get skinny quickly. I don't mean how to become skinny, we are still talking about those of you that have an extra layer of body fat that want their muscle definition to show through.. The bad new is that the two goals are at opposite ends of the spectrum, so if your goal is to build muscle and
Building muscle is going to require you to take in more calories, simply put. Understand that you can't build mass out of nothing (unless of course you have some HGH or steroid help going on).

Fat Loss on the other hand is going to require you to take in less calories because that is what will get your body burning off additional body fat as fuel for its tissues.

Trying to hit both goals at the same time is never a good approach, since more than likely you will just end up spinning your wheels and getting nowhere.

The majority of bodybuilders will have to accept some fat gain when they are trying to build muscle mass, however the actual amount of fat they gain can depend on the principles that they put in to place. This is the variable that we are aiming to influence.

Is It Possible To Build Muscle Without Gaining Body Fat?

Here's the deal... When you are trying to pack on lean muscle tissue, you can take one of the following two approaches:

Approach #1: Eat as much food as possible

Many people take this approach. They try to consume as much food as they can possibly eat. Their life suddenly becomes one long 24-hour buffet in their quest for muscle mass as they figure that eating tons of food will guarantee muscle growth.

There is a problem with this approach though. The body can only process so much muscle tissue at once, and after it has done so, any remaining calories are simply going to be stored as body fat. Plain and simple. You my friend, are no exception to the rule.
For those guys who are out there taking in five thousand or more calories per day, this is obviously going to be way more than they need and will result in a considerable amount of unwanted fat weight over a period of three to six months (how long most people will be on a muscle building phase for).

Approach #2: Moderate caloric intake

The second option is to adopt a more moderate approach and only eat so many additional calories to support this muscle growth and that's it. This will allow you to hopefully get as much lean tissue gained as possible without the accumulation of a monstrous rise in body fat.
So that leads us to the next question you're probably wondering. How much muscle can you build? How many calories over maintenance should you be eating?

You've probably already heard of the guy who claims he's added 20 pounds of muscle in the short amount of time. While this may be a very rare occurrence among an individual who is brand new to weight lifting, has insanely good genetics and utilized an excellent training and nutritional program, the fact of the matter is that most guys are simply not going to be able to come even close to adding this much muscle tissue.

A natural trained individual can hope to achieve about half a pound to one pound of muscle per week - if he's doing everything correctly. If he doesn't have the greatest genetics or isn't feeding himself optimally, this will decrease even further. So as you can see, at a measly two to four pounds of muscle growth per month, you aren't going to be needed to eat insanely high calorie intakes.

The higher your caloric intake is, the more you risk putting on excess body fat. As a general rule, keep it to about 250 to 500 calories above maintenance in hopes of putting on mostly muscle without too much body fat. Keep track of your current body fat levels and appearance and if you see that too much of your weight gain is coming on as fat mass, reduce your calorie intake slightly.

It is always best to go by REAL WORLD results since you are in the real world after all. You can read as much as you like as to how many calories you should be consuming, but this does not mean that's going to be the exact number that will guarantee results. Everyone had a different metabolic rate that will respond to an increase in calories in various ways. So as you go about your weight gain routine, adjust according to the results you are getting.

Keep this in mind - the more patient you are with your muscle tissue gains and the slower you go, the more time you can spend adding muscle tissue and the less time you have to spend dieting off the additional fat you gained.

In the end, you are better off creating a moderate caloric surplus, and not eat every single food that you see. This will limit the amount of body fat that you gain. As long as you track your progress carefully, as well as your diet, you will reach your goals.

The Every Other Day Diet Program

2010-02-12T08:26:00.000-08:00

The Every Other Day Diet has been called the simplest diet program on the planet. It's also known as EODD Diet. Even the title of the weight loss program tells you that there are no sacrifices greater than one full day. Those small sacrifices are not actually sacrifice at all, they are just more foods you enjoy eating (in moderation of course!). The EODD was created by a man named Jon Benson who came up with an easy diet plan that works for almost anyone. It implements the SNAPP System, which makes weight loss a snap!

The Every Other Day Diet is based on scientific facts, and simply put it keeps your body burning calories and fat by using caloric cycling. The big problem with most diets end up slowing your metabolic rate by longer term calorie restrictions. This makes it easier for your body to grain weight again after you have finished dieting. The Every Other Day Diet can easily become a long lasting fat loss and weight maintenance program.

In the end, if you are serious about dropping weight, the program is worth checking out. It's relatively inexpensive, and most importantly it works!

The 4 "Essentials" To Gaining Muscle Mass

2008-05-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

In order to gain muscle mass, we must adhere to four essential steps. Live by these steps, and you will be virtually guaranteed to make progress. Neglect any one of these steps, and you may be wasting your time.

"Essential" Step #1: Modify your weight training routine often. The human body will adapt to almost anything, and your weight training workouts are no different. If you continue to train using the same weight, number of repetitions, sets etc., your body will have no reason to increase strength and grow muscle. Change at least one part of your routine every 5-6 weeks.

"Essential" Step #2: Allow adequate rest and recovery time between workouts. Many people still haven't learned that weight training 6-7 days a week is a waste of time, and will lead to over-training. If you're training naturally (no steroids), aim for 3-4 workouts a week at 45 minutes per workouts.

"Essential" Step #3: Proper nutrition is a must! If you don't feed your body with the nutrients it needs, don't expect to grow. You can't build muscle mass out of plain air! In other words, building muscle mass requires the "raw material" that are supplied in food. Aim for six meals a day, with plenty of protein in the morning, post workout, and before bedtime.

"Essential" Step #4: Be Consistent! If you miss only 2-3 workouts a month, that equates to between 24-36 workouts per year. Think about how much further ahead you might be if you hadn't missed those workouts? Sure it's easy to find something else to do other than workout, however, if you want to achieve outstanding results, you must make training a top priority!

So work hard, follow the advice in the article, and soon you'll have the lean muscular physique you've always wanted...

All of Your Weight Training Questions Answered

2008-03-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

Since there is so much conflicting information out there in regards to weight training to build muscle, I thought I'd put this Q & A section together to clear things up.

Here are all of the most common weight training questions answered.

Q: Hoes lifting weights make my muscles grow?

A: Simply put, every time we workout, we break down the muscle tissue in our bodies. This muscle tissue breakdown stimulates the body to repair its self during sleep. After each workout, the body rebuilds slightly more muscle tissue than it previously had. Overtime, this leads to an increase in muscle size, also know as hypertrophy.

Q: How often should I weight train?

A: We generally recommend that you begin by training only three days a week with at least one rest day between each workout.

Q: Are free weights or machines better for muscle gain?

A: Resistance training is resistance training, regardless of what type of weight you are lifting. There are advantages of using both free weights and machines, and a balanced resistance training program will incorporate both.

The main advantage of using free weights is that you will be able to work the smaller stabilizing muscles that machines will not. The advantage of using machines is that you may be able to lift more weight, and the risk of injury is lesser than that of free weights.

Q: Will Aerobic exercise affect my weight gaining efforts?

A: Too much aerobic activity can make gaining weight difficult. We recommend that you limit your aerobic exercise while on a weight gain plan. This does not mean eliminate cardiovascular exercise entirely

Q: Do I have to resistance train, or can I just eat more food to increase body mass?

A: Resistance training plays a crucial role in your weight gain program. Without weight training, it is nearly impossible to gain muscle weight. Although eating food will increase body weight, a very small percentage of that weight would be muscle mass if you do not weight train. Remember, the goal is to gain muscle weight, not fat weight!

Q: How do I know if I am overtraining?

A: The following symptoms are indications of overtraining:

- Difficulty sleeping

- Headaches

- Mild muscle soreness

- Decreased appetite

- Increased incidence of injuries

- Loss of strength

- Lack of energy, felling tired and drained

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, take some time off and evaluate your weight training program.

Q: Should I workout every day?

A: NO. Working out daily will lead to overtraining. Overtraining can lead to a number of problems including muscle loss. Try to make sure you rest at least one day in between resistance workouts to allow your muscles to recover and grow.

Q: How intense, and how long should my workouts be?

A: Aim for high intensity workout, limiting the duration to about 45 – 60 Min.

Q: Is there a difference between toning, and building muscle mass?

A: Building muscle with heavy weight, and toning with lighter weight is a myth. Resistance training with the correct amount of weight builds muscle, period. Normally when people refer to toning, they mean defining the muscles. This can only be accomplished by reducing your body fat percentage.

Q: What is HIT training (High Intensity Training)?

A: Hit training, or High Intensity Training is a method of weight lifting that involves extremely slow, timed repetitions.

Q: Am I too young to lift weights to gain weight?

A: We recommend that you consult a physician before beginning a weight training program. Generally it is not advisable to resistance train with heavy weights before the age of 18 years.

Q: I want to gain muscle mass, but can’t afford a gym membership. Can I workout at home?

A: Yes, but you will have to invest some money into some equipment. Learn how to build a home gym.

All of Your Bodybuilding Nutrition Questions Answered

2008-02-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of common questions in regards to bodybuilding nutrition.

Q: What whole foods are the best sources of protein for bodybuilders?

A: There are many foods that are excellent sources of protein. They include but are not limited to:

-Fish (Tuna, Salmon, Halibut, Talapia)

-Eggs

-Chicken

-Pork

-Steak

-Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews)

Q: What foods are the best sources of complex carbohydrates for bodybuilders?

A: The best sources of carbohydrates are:

-Whole grain breads

-Brown rice

-Whole wheat pasta

-Vegetables (Yams, sweet potatoes, corn, broccoli)

-Whole Oats

Q: What are the best sources of fats for bodybuilders to consume?

A: Try to consume unsaturated plant fats versus saturated animal fats. Flax oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil are all excellent choices. Nuts are also an excellent source of “healthy” fats. Try to limit the amount of saturated fat in your weight gain diet as much as possible. Fatty meats, butter, and whole milk are examples of foods that are high in saturated fat.

Q: How much food do I need to eat to gain weight?

A: Simply put, you need to eat more calories than the actual number of calories your body burns each day. Of course this will vary from person to person. These “extra” calories will be used by the body to build muscle tissue. We suggest that you estimate the number of calories you are currently eating as a starting point.

Q: How often should I eat each day to help me gain weight?

A: Regardless of your specific goals, if you want to gain weight you must eat large quantities of food, and eat often. Aim for five to six meals each day. If necessary, drink a meal replacement shake to substitute any solid meals you are unable to prepare.

Q: Should I drink weight gainer shakes or protein shakes?

A: YES! Shakes are extremely easy and fast to prepare, taste delicious, and are easy for the body to digest. Aim for at least one shake daily, preferably after a workout when your body needs nutrients replenished.

Q: Should I eat lots of fast food to gain weight?

A: NO! Although fast food is full of calories, the majority of those are “empty” calories. They have very little if any nutritional value. Stick to foods that are high in calories, and rich in vitamins and minerals. These are the foods that will help your body grow. Foods such as whole grain bread, rice, lean meats and vegetables are top choices. If time is an issue, consider using meal replacement shakes to substitute one or two meals each day.

Q: How much water should a bodybuilder consume?

A: Aim for 8-12 cups a day. If you exercise, or perspire excessively, be sure to drink replenish the fluids your body has lost.

Q: How do I know how many calories I am consuming each day?

A: In order to estimate the number of calories you are eating each day, you must track all of the food you eat every day for one week. At the end of each day, estimate the number of calories you have consumed for that day. Once the week is over, add up the number of calories consumed each day, and divide that number by seven. This will give you an average of how many calories you are eating daily.

Q: How do I find out the number of calories in the food I eat?

A: If there is no label on the packaging of the food you are eating, you can use a calorie chart to help you estimate the number of calories in each piece of food you eat.

Q: What is an example of a well balanced meal that is high in calories?

A: Although there are many different combinations that make up a well balanced meal, here is one of our favorites: Two chicken breasts, one cup of broccoli, and two cups of brown rice with flax oil or salad dressing on top.

Q: Should I drink a protein shake before, or after my workout?

A: This is a common question. Although you should consume some food approximately one hour before a weight training session, we recommend that you consume a protein shake after your workout. If possible, try to drink it within one hour after your workout to help your body replenish it’s self, and to kick start the muscle repair process.

Q: How many calories do I need to consume to gain a pound of muscle?

A: Theoretically speaking, you would need to consume a minimum of 3500 additional calories to gain one pound of muscle mass. That means 3500 calories on top of the number of calories your body burns each day.

Q: Is sugar bad for me?

A: Most of you probably already know the answer to this one… YES! Sugar, also know as simple carbohydrates should be avoided when possible. Try to aim for complex carbohydrates. They provide more nutrients, and are a much more efficient source of calories.

Q: What is the difference between complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates?

A: Complex carbohydrates are a more nutritious, and are a more efficient source of energy for your body than simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates should be the main source of carbohydrates in your diet.

Understanding Progressive Overload

2008-02-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

Progressive Overload is all about stressing the muscles. You stress the muscle, rest, increase the stress level by increasing the weight and increase the repetition of the exercise. This is called progressive overload and is the philosophy behind weight training and muscle building. As you slowly increase the amount of weight you are lifting, you force the body to respond by making the muscles bigger and stronger.

In this way, you are triggering your body’s defense system or survival instincts. The increased stress of the added weights is perceived as a threat. In response the body must increase the muscle mass in order to survive and be better prepared for next time.

Your body won’t want to grow these muscles and it won’t do it on its own. A body has to be forced into this mode. To help this process, you have to increase your diet. Extra muscle will require extra nutrients and food energy. Your body only operates as good as its energy supply. The muscle you currently have was the right amount as far as your body was concerned up until now.

Now you have to make it believe that it needs to grow more muscle. To make this believable you have to:

Increase your stresses by doing progressive overload weight training

You must feed your body what it needs in order to build and sustain this new muscle growth

You need to give your body time to grow these muscles by providing it with lots of rest.

The one main thing to remember is that your body is smart and if you don’t consistently send the same message, it won’t believe you.

However, if you put all three items together into a program and stick with it for weeks on end, then the muscle gains are yours.

*Article courtesy of Build-Muscle-Gain-Weight.com. Learn how to gain weight fast

Three Muscle Building Diet Tips

2008-01-25T07:04:00.000-08:00

If your goal is to build muscle tissue and gain weight, your muscle building diet may be the most important component to your success. Without the right diet, it will be nearly impossible to increase your body weight and encourage muscle growth. This is because your body needs ample amounts of food in order to build lean tissue.

To keep things simple, let’s break down the nutritional component of gaining weight in to the following three steps:

1). Eat more calories - In order to increase body mass, you must increase the number of calories in your diet. Simply put, you must eat more calories than your body burns each day to maintain your current body weight.

For example, if your current BMR (basal metabolic rate) is 2000 calories per day, then in order to increase your body weight you would have to eat 2300 – 2500 calories per day. The actual number of excess calories you require will depend on your activity levels, genetics, and other factors.

These excess calories that you consume will be used by the body to repair muscle tissue that is broken down during resistance training (another important component of a weight gain plan).

2). Eat often throughout the day - In order to promote healthy weight gain, we must create an anabolic environment within our bodies by eating up to 7 meals per day. This will create an environment within the body that that promotes muscle growth.

In addition to creating an anabolic environment in our bodies, eeating more often also following purposes:

Encourages rapid uptake of nutrients
Decrease the chance that your body will store fat
Promotes hormone levels that will aid in muscle growth

Try to eat five to six meals each day. Spread each meal two and a half to three hours apart. Each meal should be balanced, consisting of a serving of high quality protein, a complex carbohydrate, and an unsaturated fat. Be sure to consume plenty of water 15 – 20 minutes after each meal to help your body digest the meals.

3). Eat muscle building foods - We must eat muscle building foods to ensure our bodies receive the nutrients needed to build muscle weight. The goal is to eat foods that are high in calories, and rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. These kinds of foods are “nutrient dense.”

Examples of some of the top choices include:

-Whole oats

-Starchy vegetables (yams and potatoes for example)

-Whole wheat Pasta

-Brown rice

-Whole grain breads and bagels

-Lean meats (chicken, steak, pork, fish)

-Eggs

-Peanut butter and other nuts (almonds, filberts, cashews)

-Cheese

By following the weight gain nutrition tips outlined in this article, you will ensure that your body receives the calories and nutrients it needs to help promote healthy muscle weight gain. Just be sure that in addition to your muscle building diet, you weight train consistently, and get plenty of rest and recovery.

The Importance of Adequate Water Consumption

2008-01-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

Muscle tissue is comprised of over 70% water, and it serves an important role in all cellular activity. Consuming adequate amounts of water is of the utmost importance for bodybuilders, and athletes.

Here are a few reasons why it is so important to consume enough water:

Increased protein intake requires more water to help clear your body of waste products such as ammonia and urea.

Sweating from highly intense resistance workouts might cause you to dehydrate and lose more water more quickly.

Mild dehydration can decrease strength and energy levels.

To stay well hydrated, multiply your bodyweight in pounds by 0.55. That number is the number of ounces of water you should consume in ounces each day.

So for example, here is what that calculation would look like for a 150 lb. individual:

150 X 0.55 = 82.5 Ounces

That equates to roughly 10 eight ounce glasses of water each day.

Remember that the actual amount of water your body needs will also depend on the volume of your workouts, ambient air temperature, and the types of food you eat.

Eat Often to Feed Your Muscles

2007-12-31T21:28:00.000-08:00

In order to transform your body, to look better, feel better and improve your overall health, you have to feed your body continuously throughout the day. You should never go more than a few hours (while you are awake) without eating.

Eating 5 - 6 small meals throughout the day is important for the following reasons:

Keeps your body's "food alarm" in check - This helps you convince your body and mind that there is not famine around the corner, increasing the efficiency of food digestion and decreasing the chance of storing body fat.
Maximizes nutrient absorption - Small frequent meals are much easier for the body to digest, meaning that your body will be able to uptake nutrients more easily.
Keeps your metabolism in check - An efficient metabolism will help ensure that the majority of the weight you gain is muscle, not fat.
Creates an anabolic effect - Constantly eating food creates an anabolic effect, which will help you build muscle.
Increase energy levels - Smaller more frequent meals will increase energy levels by maintaining steady blood sugar levels.

The bottom line is that three square meals per will not cut it if you are trying to build significant amounts of mass. When constructing your bodybuilding diet, be sure to divide your caloric intake into no less than five meals and help feed your muscles.

Top 10 Muscle Building Nutrition Tips

2007-12-28T21:16:00.000-08:00

Building significant amounts of muscle weight requires the right bodybuilding diet. This article outlines ten of the most important tips that you must know in order to achieve success.

Here are the ten most important nutrition tips in relation to muscle growth and weight gain:

1). Snack in between meals. Aim for high calorie, nutrient dense foods such as nuts, peanut butter, cheese, and weight gainer shakes.

2). Carboload! Eating a variety of complex carbohydrates throughout the day is a key component to fast healthy weight gain. Whole grain breads, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, yams and other starchy vegetables are ideal. They are high in calories, and are full of vitamins and minerals essential to muscle growth.

3). Consume a high quality daily multi-vitamin. Taking a quality daily multi-vitamin is like insurance for your body, as it requires vitamins and minerals to help it grow and repair its self. Since it can be difficult to obtain all of these micronutrients in our diet, taking a daily multi-vitamin will ensure that we do not miss out on any of these.

4). Down lots of weight gainer shakes, and
keep ‘em coming! Consuming a minimum of one to two protein and/or weight gainer shakes daily is a must. These shakes are fast and easy to prepare, taste great, and most importantly, are packed with calories (500-1000 Calories per shake). Don’t forget to consume a shake within one hour after EVERY workout to help speed up the recovery process. Check out our recipes section for some delicious shake recipes.

5). Fat is your friend! Oils such as flax oil and Olive Oil are packed with calories, and contain essential fatty acids that aid muscle growth and recovery. Try adding oils to your weight gainer shakes, salads, rice, and other dishes.

6). Avoid skipping meals. In order to gain weight and build muscle, your body must remain in an anabolic state. You must eat every three to four hours to achieve this. If something comes up at lunch or dinner and you do not have time to prepare food, keep a meal replacement bar or weight gainer shake handy just incase.

7). Drink like a camel! Drink at least 10-12 cups of water daily. As your caloric intake increases, your body has to work harder to process waste products that are a result of the break down of food. Water plays a crucial role in this process. Consuming too little water will decrease muscle size and strength, and can lead to kidney damage in severe cases.

8). Keep a food log. Track the approximate number of calories you are consuming each day, along with the times, and number of meals you are eating. This will help you figure out whether you need to adjust your caloric intake, or modify the time of your meals and/or structure of your meals.

9). Plan ahead. If your busy schedule makes it difficult to eat throughout the day, come up with creative ways to increase your daily caloric intake. For example, prepare a weight gainer shake before you go to sleep. Set your alarm clock for a few hours before you wake, and drink the shake. This is an easy way to consume 500 – 1000 extra calories.

10). Avoid junk food. Although fast food, candies, chocolates and other junk foods are high in calories, they should be avoided at all costs. These foods contain what are empty calories and have very few healthy nutrients in them. They are extremely high in saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium and can lead to short term and long term health problems. Stick to healthy foods that are high in calories and also high in vitamins and mineral. Your body will thank you!

Follow these ten bodybuilding nutrition tips, and you will be well on your way to a successful muscle building program.

The Skinny Guy's Guide To Gaining Weight

2007-12-28T12:12:00.000-08:00

How would you like to learn how to gain weight fast? If the title of this article caught your attention, there is a good chance you are sick and tired of not seeing the weight on the scale budge. Most likely you just got home from the Mandarin buffet and still can't budge the scale. You could live on McDonald's and Pizza Delight and your Ferrari style metabolism would simply burn it off. In a world that is obsessed with losing weight – you are interested in gaining weight!

Are You Sick and Tired Of People Telling You How To Gain Weight?

It probably sounds like this:

“All you have to do is eat, eat, and eat some more to gain weight...”

“Weight gain is just a matter of eating...”

“You just gotta overload your metabolism to gain weight fast...”

“You can't build a house without the bricks and mortar for gaining weight...”

Don't throw me to the wolves quite yet. There is certainly truth to these statements and some of these analogies can prove quite powerful. I think I'm even guilty of preaching a few! But the problem with this advice is that it's usually followed up with the same old regurgitated blah, blah, blah advice that only tells you what to do and does not reveal real-world, practical how-to action-steps.

If you are someone who has struggled their entire life, trying to pack on extra muscle mass and still consider yourself underweight, then you are not alone. I was once skinny and underweight myself...

People, predispositioned to skinniness, are commonly referred to as “hard gainers.” This is the cool way to label your scrawny frame despite the fact that your body turns into a Number 2 pencil when you wear yellow!

It's Not Totally Your Fault You’re Skinny

In the skinny guy’s defense, the reality is that you have been cursed with traits like Lamborghini-type metabolism, giraffe like limbs, and the strength of a senior citizen. You have to fight with every bone in your body to do something about your small frame and to keep up to your male buddies who seem to grow muscle just by sneezing – those muscle freaks piss me off just as much you!

Even though you might think your genetic deficiencies have sentenced you to a life of frailty and surprised looks when you tell others you lift weights, I am living proof that hard gainers with very ‘muscle-unfriendly genes’ can fight back against their genetics and gain muscle weight. I defeated my skinny genetics just after college and I am about to show you four tips that helped me climb from a 149 pound weakling to a rock hard 190 pounds in six months.

Trust me, no body has worse genetics for building muscle and gaining weight than an ex-long distance runner who abused his body with 60-80 miles of running a week (for over 10 years).

Skinny Guys Must Play By A Different Set Of Rules

If you are underweight, than your first step to gaining weight is to understand that you must play by a different set up rules. I have said this before and will say it again,

“Taking advice from someone who can gain muscle weight easilyis like taking money advice from someone who inherited a fortune or is making money illegally.”

You must think outside the box and give up the excuse of being a “hard gainer.” It is time to stop listening to all the naysayers who have told you that is impossible to gain weight because of your genetics. Regardless of what you have been led to believe, you do have the potential to build an impressive physique that turns heads and even intimidates!

If you have read this far, I am guessing you are ready to longer resemble a microphone stand! You are prepared to overload your metabolism for muscle growth, to ensure you are never referred to as 'underweight' or 'skinny' ever again. Start following these simple steps and don't be surprised if you gain an extra ten pounds of muscle weight in the next four weeks.

Simple How To Gain Weight Action Steps To Start Growing Like A Skyscraper!

1. Double It Up

One of the most practical steps you can take is to double whatever you are currently eating in the kitchen right now. If you are eating one chicken breast per meal, then cook up two. If you are only eating two slices of bread, then make it four. If you are eating one handful of nuts, then make it two. If you are using only two scoops of protein powder, then make it four.

Most likely you are only a few dozen meals short of filling out your underdeveloped body parts and attracting the attention of that sexy girl at your gym. I assume you are already in the kitchen and have the food out. So would you agree, you really have no good excuse not to shovel down a greater percentage of calories by doubling it up?

2. Live Your Life Around Food

Sure, you know that you must eat every 2-3 hours, but how well do you execute? Set your clock on a countdown timer to go off every 2 and ½ hours so that you reinforce the habit of eating literally not a second late for each meal! Don't turn off the damn beeper until you start chowing down.

Ensure you are eating your first meal within 15-30 minutes of waking up - absolutely no later. This first meal of the day should always consist of REAL food to flood your body with quality nutrients. I question anybody’s commitment to gaining weight if they are too lazy to wake up 15 minutes earlier to eat a real meal.

Lastly, don’t be surprised if you are not gaining weight if you do not find yourself spending more time preparing food, more time eating food and more time cleaning your kitchen. You should notice you are spending more time in the grocery store and you should also notice a larger grocery bill each week!

3. Use BIG Eating Equipment

If you want to bulk, then you have to eat like Hulk. Do you think Hulk eats out of a small plate, or a small bowel, or a small cup? If you are aiming to get big and huge, you are going to require large amounts of food, most likely close to double of what you are currently eating.

So get BIG eating equipment! Get a BIG cup, get a BIG bowel, and get a BIG plate. Surround yourself with BIG. Most of the time hard gainers are nothing more than “under eaters.” If you struggle to complete a meal, then a bigger serving on a bigger plate will look small!

4. Never Train Hungry

How many times have you woken up, whipped up a protein shake and than headed off to the gym? Or maybe you had a long afternoon and missed a few meals and then attempted a weight training workout after work?

I thought this was common sense to avoid, until a few of my skinny clients confessed that they were showing up for their workouts having only eaten a piece of fruit and some crackers within the entire day!

After dropping the 45-pound plate on my foot out of shock, they reassured me: they were not hungry. I sometimes screamed back, “Yeah, that’s because your metabolism is in starvation mode and shut right down, you skinny pencil neck!”

I understand that training in the morning is the only time for some, however, I recommend to aim for a minimum of at least three solid meals in your system prior to training. Or eat the biggest meal of your day immediately after your AM workout. Would you take your car out on a long trip with a half empty fuel tank? Not unless you wanted the car to die and you push it the rest of the way. So why would you take your body through a grueling training session on an empty stomach?

5. Eat Nutrient Dense Foods

Focus on caloric-rich foods that are loaded with nutrients. Avoid foods with empty calories, which means there is little or no nutrient value in the calories you are eating. Why would you consume a 500-calorie plus meal that is loaded with fat and sugar which does nothing but make you feel sluggish and soft? Instead, eat a high caloric meal loaded with slow releasing carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Here are some of the best choices:

Carbohydrates – Oatmeal, rice, breads, yams beans, potatoes, fruits and veggies.

Proteins – Steak, chicken, lean beef, cottage cheese, whole milk, eggs and salmon.

Fats – Olive oil, flax oil, avocados, nuts and peanut butter.

Extras (high calorie cheat food) – Ice cream, raisins, dried fruit and trail mix.

6. Drink A Carb And Protein Drink While You Workout

How hard is to sip on a calorie-rich drink during your weight training sessions? Simply mix up a 2:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein with one liter of water and you instantly have a few extra hundred calories per day. Now have an extra workout drink before your workout and extra workout drink after your workout and that's easily an extra one pound per week. Only use this technique if you are weight training at a very high intensity.

7. Live the motto, “Never Stop Eating”

Did I hear you say, “But I'll throw up if I eat all day?” Maybe... Is it necessary? Of course not. But this is a part of pushing your body’s threshold. Don't worry, you will get used to it and your body will require more food as you gain more muscle on your body and your metabolism increases. Just think that if you are not eating, then you are not growing, and if you are not growing then you are staying the same. Is that what you want?

Conclusion

There you have it and as I promised, learning how to gain weight fast is quite simple. Executing is a whole different story. It will really come down to how truly committed you are to defeating your skinny genetics and gaining the muscular body you deserve!

Here is my promise to you. You have the ability to gain at least another ten pounds of solid weight in the next four weeks by simply applying the advice above. If you are truly committed to your goals of gaining muscle weight and no longer being known as underweight, then I believe you will rise to the challenge and take action! Are you with me?

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About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain.

Checkout this Vince Delmonte Review

How To Build Muscle Fast - 3 Simple steps

2007-03-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

Learning how to build muscle fast does not have to be difficult. It really isn't rocket science people! Unfortunately for many beginners this isn't the case. No matter what they seem to do, they can't build muscle. Does this sound familiar?

If your efforts to build muscle are going unrewarded, there is a reason. A complete evaluation of your muscle building program may be in order. It is now your job to
determine which of the three steps to building muscle are missing.

Even if just one of the three steps to building muscle is missing, failure is imminnent.

Build Muscle Fast Tip #1 - Eat The Right Foods

Eating the right foods will help supply your body with the energy it needs during your resistance training workouts. The right foods are also crucial in the recovery process. Your body actually uses the food you eat to build your muscles while you sleep. Eating the right foods is a key to building muscle fast.

Build Muscle Fast Tip #2 - Weight Train

Weight training does not actually build muscle. It breaks down your muscle! However, this breakdown of muscle tissue is what triggers the body to repair its self. It then goes a step further and builds more muscle that was previoiusly there. This leads to increased muscle size.

Build Muscle Fast Tip #3 - Rest and Recover

Adequate rest and recovery is one of the most overlooked, yet most important factors to building muscle fast. In order to build muscle yoru body needs not only adequate rest in between workouts, but also a full nights sleep every night.

During rest and recovery is when the body actually repairs and builds muscle tissue. If you do not allow your body enough rest and recovery time, building muscle may be next to impossible. You will begin to feel symptoms of overtraining, and will be more prone to injuries.

Remember that in order to build muscle fast, you must rest your body!

In Conclusion, building muscle fast is a realistic goal if approached correctly. With the right combination of eating, weight training, and recovery, extraordinary results are a realistic possiblity.