Weight Gain Plan

Use this weight gain plan to gain muscle mass and build strength. Weight training is essential, but your success starts with proper nutrition.

This page tells you everything you need to know about gaining weight: From diet to training and from sleeping to supplementation.

Once you're done reading, it you'll have the essential knowledge and tools necessary to bulk up - You'll be tipping the scale in no time! (In a good way, though.)

So how do you gain weight? It's easy...

...Eat more!

You Can't Gain Weight Without Calories

You simply cannot experience weight gain if you do not eat enough calories (units of energy from food). Let me spell it out clearly: The Calorie is King.

Why You Need a Lots of Calories. You must have a caloric surplus; that is, you need to consume enough calories to:

• Maintain. Perform any kind of movement, activity or involuntary body functions and processes.
• Grow. Have leftover calories, which are to be stored in the body (preferably as muscle tissue).

If you fail to follow this simple rule, you can forget about your weight gain plan because you'll never gain a single pound. If you're wondering exactly how many calories you should consume, then you're in luck...

Note that if you're an ectomorph (one of the different body types) and/or are very active throughout the day, you should multiply you bodyweight by a higher number (e.g. 20+ calories/lb., depending on the speed of your metabolism and your activity level).

It doesn't matter if you get these calories in 3 meals or 9 meals (anyone who disagrees is behind the times with research). Do whatever is most practical for your lifestyle and calorie needs (e.g. if you need 5000 calories, 3 meals isn't that practical). Just make sure to eat pre-workout and post-workout meals on training days.

Okay, so now you know that calories are the most important part of bulking up. But there is more to a weight gain plan than just stuffing your face with calories - That's assuming of course, that you're attempting to build slabs of lean muscle mass rather than soft rolls of jiggly fat. :-D

Wouldn't it be great if we could all just eat fried dough and cheesecake all day everyday in order achieve a calorie surplus? While that diet would certainly cause weight gain, your muscle gains would be pitiful to say the least...

...Which brings me to my next point...

...Protein!

Protein is essential to a weight gain plan in order to build muscle mass. Protein is made up of amino acids, which are literally the building blocks of muscle tissue.

How much protein do you need per day?

Carbs & Fats

Now that we've covered protein, what should you do about carbs and fats? Well, it depends. Some people do better with more fat and fewer carbs, while others do better with more carbs and less fat (see low fat diet plans).

The proportion of fats to carbs (or vice versa) is much less important to the effectiveness of your weight gain plan compared to the total number of calories and grams of protein...

...You will be fine as long as you have a somewhat diverse diet, getting enough essential fatty acids, fiber, vitamins and minerals (and of course enough protein and total calories).

Food Choice

This list of muscle building foods contains a bunch of nutritious food options that will not only help you gain weight and muscle, but keep you healthy too.

Don't be afraid of eating some so-called "unhealthy" food as long as you don't go overboard. Despite what some dogmatic fitness and nutrition enthusiasts would like you to believe...

...It's entirely possible include "unclean" food as part of an effective diet. You simply have to make it "fit" with the rest of your nutrition requirements.

Water

Drink about 1 gallon of water per day; more it's hot and/or if you're active.

Hydration is important. Whether you're drinking water to lose weight or gain weight, it doesn't matter; the fact remains that high quality h₂O is required to optimize your body regardless of what your goal is.

A well-hydrated body runs better than a thirsty one. Put differently, you'll gain weight and muscle mass faster if you drink the right amount of water. This is because the cellular processes involved in muscle building require sufficiently hydrated cells in order function efficiently.

Weight Lifting Routine & Sleep

I'll keep this section to a minimum since I assume training and recovery is the most obvious and straight forward aspect of a weight gain plan.

You need to train hard and consistently with a weight lifting routine that matches your experience, goals and preferences.

You must also sleep enough to ensure optimal muscle recovery. Try to get a solid 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. Remember, this is the only time that you can build muscle.

Weight Lifting Supplements

You don't need any supplements to gain quality mass. However, the right supplements can certainly give you a boost (but they do not replace diet or training).

Don't bother with any products until you have become comfortable with your weight gain plan. That is, you should be consistent with your diet and training before you dabble.

For further information, you should read the section on weight lifting supplements.

Share |

^Top of Page