Do you want to beef up that protruding ribcage with a little more meat? Are you tired of being the 110-pound weakling?It can feel a little strange to wish you were a few pounds heavier when everyone around you seems to be trying to shed extra pounds. Try saying it out loud; the phrase “I’m trying to gain weight” will gather many wistful responses of “I wish I had that problem.” What those people don’t know is that as someone who’s looking to bulk up safely, your struggle will be just as difficult as the person who’s trying to lose weight.Whether you have a high metabolism or a naturally slender frame, it’s possible to gain weight and even have fun doing it. So tell your friends to get all their skinny jokes out of their systems because once you learn how to gain weight, you’ll be on your way to becoming a bona fide beefcake.
Food
In terms of healthy eating and regular exercise, the process of knowing how to gain weight draws some similarities to the process of losing weight. When you’re looking to gain weight in a healthy way, you need to consume more calories, but that doesn’t mean you should hustle over to the vending machine and pick up a dozen bags of junk food. You don’t want a beer belly to cover those ribs -- you want muscle. You want to go for foods that will help you build lean mass and give your body the nutrients it needs as you build that muscle. Eat more but eat well, incorporating healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and lean proteins like chicken, fish or beans. Considering it takes about 3,500 extra calories to gain a pound, with all that low-fat healthy food around, you may be wondering when the “gaining” will come into play. Don’t the items above sound like the food choices of someone trying to lose weight? Part of the answer lies in portion size. Unlike someone trying to shed pounds, you can allow yourself an extra helping of pasta at dinner. You don’t have to feel guilty about adding another tablespoon of olive oil to your chicken stir-fry. You can also eat more cheese, potatoes and nuts. Each day, eat three meals along with a couple of snacks.
In terms of healthy eating and regular exercise, the process of knowing how to gain weight draws some similarities to the process of losing weight. When you’re looking to gain weight in a healthy way, you need to consume more calories, but that doesn’t mean you should hustle over to the vending machine and pick up a dozen bags of junk food. You don’t want a beer belly to cover those ribs -- you want muscle. You want to go for foods that will help you build lean mass and give your body the nutrients it needs as you build that muscle. Eat more but eat well, incorporating healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and lean proteins like chicken, fish or beans. Considering it takes about 3,500 extra calories to gain a pound, with all that low-fat healthy food around, you may be wondering when the “gaining” will come into play. Don’t the items above sound like the food choices of someone trying to lose weight? Part of the answer lies in portion size. Unlike someone trying to shed pounds, you can allow yourself an extra helping of pasta at dinner. You don’t have to feel guilty about adding another tablespoon of olive oil to your chicken stir-fry. You can also eat more cheese, potatoes and nuts. Each day, eat three meals along with a couple of snacks.
Exercise
Another key component in knowing how to gain weight is exercise. You want the extra pounds to arrive in the form of muscle, not flab, so you’ll need to give your exercise regimen a new focus on strength training.Weight lift at least three times a week if you want to gain weight. Form is important; if you’re unsure about any exercises, pay for a few sessions with a personal trainer. Having a spotter is a plus, especially if you’re a beginner. Go hard each workout and lift as much as you can handle; try for enough weight so that you can only do about six to eight repetitions of the exercise.
After your workout, give yourself a day or two to recover. Because working your muscles produces tiny tears in the muscle tissue, your muscles will build more efficiently when you give them time to repair themselves. Healing time means your muscles will be stronger the next time you lift. Each workout, or each week if it takes you longer to adjust, increase the weight that you’re lifting. Do this in small increments and you’ll notice a big difference in strength in just a few weeks. If this is your first time lifting weights or starting an exercise program, don’t spend every waking moment at the gym. Two or three days a week to start will be enough to start gaining weight. As for cardio, a little goes a long way. When you’re on a weight-gaining regimen, you need to conserve your hard-earned calories. Cardiovascular activity, on the other hand, while providing its own benefits like better heart health, will burn calories, possibly preventing you from bulking up. Strike a balance by opting for light cardio, such as walking, a couple of times a week.
Another key component in knowing how to gain weight is exercise. You want the extra pounds to arrive in the form of muscle, not flab, so you’ll need to give your exercise regimen a new focus on strength training.Weight lift at least three times a week if you want to gain weight. Form is important; if you’re unsure about any exercises, pay for a few sessions with a personal trainer. Having a spotter is a plus, especially if you’re a beginner. Go hard each workout and lift as much as you can handle; try for enough weight so that you can only do about six to eight repetitions of the exercise.
After your workout, give yourself a day or two to recover. Because working your muscles produces tiny tears in the muscle tissue, your muscles will build more efficiently when you give them time to repair themselves. Healing time means your muscles will be stronger the next time you lift. Each workout, or each week if it takes you longer to adjust, increase the weight that you’re lifting. Do this in small increments and you’ll notice a big difference in strength in just a few weeks. If this is your first time lifting weights or starting an exercise program, don’t spend every waking moment at the gym. Two or three days a week to start will be enough to start gaining weight. As for cardio, a little goes a long way. When you’re on a weight-gaining regimen, you need to conserve your hard-earned calories. Cardiovascular activity, on the other hand, while providing its own benefits like better heart health, will burn calories, possibly preventing you from bulking up. Strike a balance by opting for light cardio, such as walking, a couple of times a week.
Supplements?
When it comes to supplements, you might not need them. It’s better for your digestive system to get your nutrients through whole foods, and your diet should be your first source of healthy calories. If you’re eating properly, there’s no reason why you would need to add supplements.If you’re interested in supplements, look carefully at your diet. Keep track of what you’re eating and supplement your diet with what you’re lacking. If your diet lacks protein, opt for whey protein powder. Not eating enough fruit? A multivitamin could cover your slack.Other wildly popular supplements like creatine, which is touted to help reduce fatigue so you can lift more, and glutamine, which can be a source of fuel for muscle cells, may also find their place in your regimen, but the song remains the same: If you’re eating what you should, supplements are not crucial to learning how to gain weight.
When it comes to supplements, you might not need them. It’s better for your digestive system to get your nutrients through whole foods, and your diet should be your first source of healthy calories. If you’re eating properly, there’s no reason why you would need to add supplements.If you’re interested in supplements, look carefully at your diet. Keep track of what you’re eating and supplement your diet with what you’re lacking. If your diet lacks protein, opt for whey protein powder. Not eating enough fruit? A multivitamin could cover your slack.Other wildly popular supplements like creatine, which is touted to help reduce fatigue so you can lift more, and glutamine, which can be a source of fuel for muscle cells, may also find their place in your regimen, but the song remains the same: If you’re eating what you should, supplements are not crucial to learning how to gain weight.
__________________________________ you are what you eat
When you begin your bulk-up journey, it may seem that progress comes slowly. Don’t lose hope. Remember: Your body needs to consume 3,500 extra calories in order to gain one measly pound. Gaining one to two pounds a week is a healthy goal; any more than that and you’re probably just piling on fat. One to two pounds a week may seem a paltry goal, but it equals about five to eight pounds a month. And along the way, you’ll notice little improvements that will keep you motivated on your quest to knowing how to gain weight. You’ll be able to lift more weight; your muscles will begin rising to the surface; you’ll feel more confident. The only thing that may suffer is your social life, because it may be hard to tear yourself away from a mirror.
When you begin your bulk-up journey, it may seem that progress comes slowly. Don’t lose hope. Remember: Your body needs to consume 3,500 extra calories in order to gain one measly pound. Gaining one to two pounds a week is a healthy goal; any more than that and you’re probably just piling on fat. One to two pounds a week may seem a paltry goal, but it equals about five to eight pounds a month. And along the way, you’ll notice little improvements that will keep you motivated on your quest to knowing how to gain weight. You’ll be able to lift more weight; your muscles will begin rising to the surface; you’ll feel more confident. The only thing that may suffer is your social life, because it may be hard to tear yourself away from a mirror.
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