Weight Gaining Tips

Sometimes I get asked for weight gaining tips--guys asking me how to put on mass.

There are a couple of  things I would recommend for gaining healthy weight:

Weight Training:

First and foremost, I would recommend you start training with weights about three to four times a week.  You want healthy muscle mass, so there are no short-cuts here: get to the gym!  But there are certain types of routines that are better for those who want to gain weight.  You need a routine which focuses on basic, compound movements such as the deadlift, squat, and bench press.  Don't waste your time on cable cross-overs, etc.  You may do that once you are an advanced lifter, but for now you are interested in gaining weight.  Work on the big lifts and you will get big.

Diet:

For putting on muscle I would recommend eating about .70 grams of protein per lb. of body weight (that's lower than many bodybuilding magazines recommend, but there's no science behind super-high protein diets).  Then you'll need to shoot for a positive calorie balance--consuming more calories than you are burning.  A good starting place would be about 17 calories per lb of body weight daily.  The same 160 lb man may need to eat 2,700 calories (or more to gain weight).  Keep track of this--you may be surprised at how few calories you are actually eating.

What about supplements and weight gaining powders?  Well, they really aren't that important.  It's fine to take creatine and maybe one or two protein shakes a day.  But most of your protein and calories should be coming from "real" food--eating big is the key to getting big and gaining weight.  And remember this tip: most bodybuilding supplements are a complete waste of money.

If you are serious about transforming your physique I'd recommend learning from someone who has already done it.  This is why I recommend Vince Delmonte's No Nonsense Muscle Building.  He transformed his body from a scrawny long distance runner to a muscular fitness model champion.  Just CLICK HERE to check out his program.

Vince Delmonte's Remarkable Transformation