Archive: How to Gain Weight in 6 Simple Steps
Posted on Sunday, May 04 @ 15:07:03 MDT
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Written by: Marc_David
Here's 6 simple ways on how to gain weight without getting fat. When I started I was 150 lbs at best before I got serious about weight gain. In just under 5 months, I put on 30 lbs of lean body mass and am able to maintain 190 lbs. Here's the overview in a nutshell of: How to Gain WeightHow to gain weight in six simple steps
Tip 1: Eating Enough Quality Calories
Have you ever asked somebody who's trying to gain weight what they eat?
I did. And the response I received was shocking.
“I just eat.”
That's what he said. I just eat.
You MUST know how many calories a day you need for your weight gain goal.
This person desperately wanted to gain weight and every time I saw him the gym he had some excuse as to why it wasn't going his way. And it was usually related to his metabolism.
Let me tell you...
If you want to gain quality weight, you have to eat high quality dense foods and ENOUGH of them. Furthermore… if you want to gain weight without getting fat, then you bulk with the same principles as if you were on a cutting diet. Choose higher-calorie foods when given a choice.
In my years of experience, when I bulked up and gained weight and fat, the biggest mistake I made was not tracking what I ate. I always tracked my diet when I was on a calorie restricted phase (that was a given) but when I wanted to gain weight I just ate everything I could.
Have you ever felt that way?
In order to gain weight, you need to eat more than your usual maintenance calorie intake but not so much as to just store the excess calories and get fat. And you need to eat consistently.
That should have been your “ah -ha” moment.
Gaining weight isn't your cue to eat everything under the sun. In order to gain weight, lean mass and not get fat, you need to eat just over what you body needs to maintain. In this manner, you'll provide your body with all the calories it needs to build muscle but you won't give it so much as it stores the excess as fat.
[Remember that anything in excess, even protein, can be stored as fat.]
The key is to gain healthy weight and minimize the fat gains.
Tip 2: Grocery Shopping 101
If you are looking to gain weight, then don't have bare cupboards. Go to your kitchen right now after reading this section and take a look at what you've got in stock.
Make sure your kitchen is fully stocked with the foods you need to eat. Dense foods work wonders for putting on the weight.
Examples are whole-grain breads, vegetables such as avocados and potatoes, kidney beans, lean red meat, poultry and fish.
Bare cupboards = no weight gain!
Bodybuilding doesn't have to break the bank. Many times you can get bulk items for much cheaper than you think. Packages of tuna, turkey, chicken legs, pasta all are great bulking items that don't cost a ton of money.
Perishable items like fruits and sugary laden items and condiments are usually things that cost the most.
Tip 3: Meal Planning for Dummies
Part of performance nutrition is eating 5-6 times a day. Every 2-3 hours you should be consuming a meal consisting of a lean protein, fibrous/starchy carb and potentially a healthy fat.
If you really want to gain weight, you need to eat 5-6 times a day! And it needs to be consistent. This means no skipping meals.
Eating 3 times a day full of bacon and eggs might have worked for some of the past legends but it probably won't do you any good.
Keeping your metabolism high and your system flushed with nitrogen (protein) will ensure you keep all the muscle you are working to build and that you are consuming slight excess calories for weight gain.
If you eat a big dinner but skip snacks and have light breakfasts, that is part of the problem. Healthy weight gain only comes from people who are consistent in their eating and don't skip meals.
Failure to plan your meals ultimately means you won't be eating enough to gain weight.
Tip 4: Nutrient Variety is Key
It happens to the best of us… We get used to eating certain foods and we don't budge. For a bulking diet, this can be a killer as it drastically limits the number of calories you can eat. Plus, you will limit the nutrients and vitamins you will be able to intake. Both are essential to maximum healthy weight gain.
Did anybody ever tell you that nutrients are essential for growth?
Tip 5: Essential Meal Timing
While it might be socially acceptable to eat just 3 times a day, that is not acceptable for those who are serious about putting on lean muscle mass without putting on fat.
You've heard all the benefits of performance nutrition and eating 5-6 times a day but re-read this…
Quality muscle gain without putting on fat requires a high metabolism AND an excess number of calories.
In order to do just that, you need to eat frequently.
That means 5-6 times a day (or more).
Tip 6: Eat, Eat and Eat [ did I mention eat ]
Don't feel hungry?
Eat. Now in most cases, that is against the current movement but in reality, if you want to put on quality mass you have to eat regardless of your hunger levels. Eating based on your mood is not the path to healthy weight gain.
Countless people tell me they cannot eat like a 200 lb bodybuilder.
That's because they are not a 200 lb bodybuilder.
Once they eat more, gain muscle mass, they will be and it will seem like nothing to eat like a 200 lb bodybuilder.
This doesn't mean stuffing yourself, gorging on food or getting sick. It means eating more and more gradually over time in order to prime your body for more frequent meal times. Slowly start adding more food to your portions until you've nailed your perfect weight gain calorie needs.
As you eat more and small but frequent meals, you won't feel stuff and your body will become more efficient at digesting and breaking down foods.
All this means to you is…
A higher metabolic rate and more calories!
The two essential keys to putting on weight without the fat.
:: Additional Tips on How to Gain Weight ::
* Drink plenty of water. With your additional meals and workouts, you'll want to ensure you are properly hydrated.
* Engage in a weight training program. Building muscle is a priority during your bulking phase. Since you will have plenty of energy from your carb sources, you should be fueled and primed to get some of the best and most intense workouts of your life. Now is an opportune time to build muscle.
* Limit your cardio workouts. Cardio workouts are a tool. Use it sparingly depending on your metabolism. If you feel like you aren't putting on weight, reduce the amount of cardio you are doing. If you feel like you are putting on a bit too much fat, increase the cardio.
* Take weekly weight and body fat measurements. By taking a weekly measurement, you can see if the weight you are putting on is fat or muscle.
Marc makes his quick bodybuilding breakfast - step by step: (no cooking needed!)
* This article is exclusive to IronMagazine.com, reproduction in any form without prior consent is strictly prohibited.
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Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book "The Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding" (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn't. Marc has written over 20 articles and has been featured in several health and fitness websites. Marc's opinionated and informative articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and training are featured regularly on: www.freedomfly.net
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