Gaining weight

[Rockeh]

Hey all,

I've had tons of help and support from a few members here regarding my fitness and I've taken their feedback to good use, however I would like to make an open discussion about how to gain weight.

Here's my situation, I'm 20 years old, weigh 143 pounds and am 5'9. I have a very high metabolism, I could eat everything in the world and not gain a pound.

Would anyone be able to offer any tips on how I could gain weight? I'm trying to work on building muscle mass which seems almost impossible with not a lot of fat content on me. :p

Any help would be appreciated!


Edit: overall, I'm looking for feedback on how to gain weight/muscle mass and strength.

[bloggins]

Not sure I'm going to be able to tell you anything that a simple google search hasn't already told you- assuming you've even done one.

The same rules apply to you like they do to everyone else... to build muscle you have to damage tissue and give it the resources it needs to rebuild. To rebuild you need protein. To speed it up glutamine comes in handy. In order to have the energy to do that damage, you need to bring in carbs to fuel the workout. Waxy Maze is nice because it's ultra concentrated and rapid transporting... perfect for pre-workout.

Damaging tissue happens the same way now as it did 50 years ago... heavy / er weights, few / er reps. Longer rest between sets. Creatine will help to either increase the speed of your recharge or increase the output of your set with a similar recharge time.

Deadlift. Squat. Barbell lifts. Don't tell me at 20 your knees and back are bad and you don't want to hurt them. Fricken heard that enough. Learn proper form. Youtube can be your friend if your friends can't.

Nothing is going to make gaining weight easy no matter how many people you ask. Lift heavy, replenish your body. And repeat.

[Rockeh]

Hey, thanks for the feedback. JayG from here sent me a message about a month ago about strength building and suggested to do a lot of free weight workouts. I've been doing dead lifts, squats and good mornings for about a week now. I also have a protein shake right after I workout.

I'm not looking for an easy solution, I know it's something I have to work hard for. Ive heard about taking creating but am skeptical to try it.

Thanks again! :)

[kriand]

I found iI gained enough weight just being on the job.

[bloggins]

That's a union shop for ya ;)

(kidding)

[kriand]

That's a union shop for ya ;)

(kidding)

And good cooks..........:p

[FLASHOVER05]

Solution.....



Get Married

[Mike31]

Hey Rockeh,

I`m 21 and trying to gain weight. I`ve gained some over the past month and am going to keep with what has been working for me. I`m 6'5 and weigh about 210. I`ve been eating 3500 calories a day and try to eat about 3700 on days I workout. I have a weight gainer which gives me 1060 of my daily calories and something like 55 g of protein. Like people have said already, compound exercises (exercises that use multiple muscle groups) such as deadlifts, squats, bench press and barbell curls have worked well for me. I dont do much cardio, I run 10 km once a week and otherwise my workouts seem to be intense enough to keep any fat off. Let me know if you find a good program, i`m trying to put on more weight too (hopefully 10 lbs!). Good luck!

[JayG]

Barbell curls are not compound movements. They take place around a single joint axis. Close grip chin up will work your biceps as good as barbell curls and your back and your core musculature.
As far as weight gain goes there really is one good answer and that is to eat more. You cannot expect to gain extra weight if your are consuming maintenance calories.
There are two metabolic principles that will alway be the case and are inescapable. You will gain muscle and fat if you eat more and you will lose fat and muscle if you eat less. There are things you can do to help get more muscle than fat but you have to be prepared to put on some fat as well. That's why bodybuilders are always bulking and cutting; to put on more muscle than fat and to lose fat knowing they will also lose some muscle. You must lift to gain muscle and lift when cutting to preserve as much muscle mass as possible.
You should also be consuming one gram of protein per pound of body weight if you are serious about gaining and about 500-1000 calories over your maintenance level. Whey protein is an excellent way to get in your protein and some calories post workout. Creatine may also help. I'll try to dig up the studies I have on it this weekend and post them here for others who are on the fence about creatine so you can make up your own minds about it. (for the record I am still on the fence about it even though I have probably 7 studies showing only benefits). Branch chain amino acids can help as well.
But the best thing to do is keep it simple: eat more, get lot's of protein and use some whey post workout.
When I can dig up more research this weekend I'll post again.

[vancityviking]

JayG is correct, you just have to eat more. Way more. People who 'can't gain a pound' are usually not eating nearly as much as they think they are.

The easy part of gaining weight is hitting the gym, but 80%+ of your results are going to come from what happens in the kitchen. Eating will be a chore for you if you really want to get bigger, eating will be uncomfortable at times, but deal with it. You can have the most intelligently designed program in the world, but if you do not eat enough to support it, you will not get the results you want.

If you don't know how to eat 5,000+ calories / day, google GOMAD and look at the various ways 'hardgainers' like you have found to reach that number.

[Rockeh]

Hey Rockeh,

I`m 21 and trying to gain weight. I`ve gained some over the past month and am going to keep with what has been working for me. I`m 6'5 and weigh about 210. I`ve been eating 3500 calories a day and try to eat about 3700 on days I workout. I have a weight gainer which gives me 1060 of my daily calories and something like 55 g of protein. Like people have said already, compound exercises (exercises that use multiple muscle groups) such as deadlifts, squats, bench press and barbell curls have worked well for me. I dont do much cardio, I run 10 km once a week and otherwise my workouts seem to be intense enough to keep any fat off. Let me know if you find a good program, i`m trying to put on more weight too (hopefully 10 lbs!). Good luck!

Thanks man, nice to relate with someone in the same boat as me!! Most people I know are trying to lose weight or maintain.. I've never really associated with anyone who is in our situation so it's hard!

Solution.....



Get Married

I'm almost there haha but still doesn't seem to work :p

I found iI gained enough weight just being on the job.

I wish I would be on the job!!

Barbell curls are not compound movements. They take place around a single joint axis. Close grip chin up will work your biceps as good as barbell curls and your back and your core musculature.
As far as weight gain goes there really is one good answer and that is to eat more. You cannot expect to gain extra weight if your are consuming maintenance calories.
There are two metabolic principles that will alway be the case and are inescapable. You will gain muscle and fat if you eat more and you will lose fat and muscle if you eat less. There are things you can do to help get more muscle than fat but you have to be prepared to put on some fat as well. That's why bodybuilders are always bulking and cutting; to put on more muscle than fat and to lose fat knowing they will also lose some muscle. You must lift to gain muscle and lift when cutting to preserve as much muscle mass as possible.
You should also be consuming one gram of protein per pound of body weight if you are serious about gaining and about 500-1000 calories over your maintenance level. Whey protein is an excellent way to get in your protein and some calories post workout. Creatine may also help. I'll try to dig up the studies I have on it this weekend and post them here for others who are on the fence about creatine so you can make up your own minds about it. (for the record I am still on the fence about it even though I have probably 7 studies showing only benefits). Branch chain amino acids can help as well.
But the best thing to do is keep it simple: eat more, get lot's of protein and use some whey post workout.
When I can dig up more research this weekend I'll post again.

Thanks for the tips, you've given me a lot of insight and I've taken in your advice. I'm doing the routine you suggested to me and I feel a lot better about it :)

JayG is correct, you just have to eat more. Way more. People who 'can't gain a pound' are usually not eating nearly as much as they think they are.

The easy part of gaining weight is hitting the gym, but 80%+ of your results are going to come from what happens in the kitchen. Eating will be a chore for you if you really want to get bigger, eating will be uncomfortable at times, but deal with it. You can have the most intelligently designed program in the world, but if you do not eat enough to support it, you will not get the results you want.

If you don't know how to eat 5,000+ calories / day, google GOMAD and look at the various ways 'hardgainers' like you have found to reach that number.

I've never heard of GOMAD until you brought it up. Thank you! Seems like an efficient "booster" to help me out.. and it helps that I absolutely love milk!

As for 'eating as much as you can', does it matter what I eat if I'm trying to gain? Should I 'fast food' it? I have access to unlimited free McDonald's *barf* being a store manager but don't know if it would be the proper way to gain weight.. I don't want to kill my heart. :p

[vancityviking]

I've never heard of GOMAD until you brought it up. Thank you! Seems like an efficient "booster" to help me out.. and it helps that I absolutely love milk!

As for 'eating as much as you can', does it matter what I eat if I'm trying to gain? Should I 'fast food' it? I have access to unlimited free McDonald's *barf* being a store manager but don't know if it would be the proper way to gain weight.. I don't want to kill my heart. :p

Honestly, you're 20 years old. You are not going to put yourself in any risk of a heart attack by scarfing down double cheeseburgers (a great choice by the way, they are packed with protein) to meet a certain caloric goal. I would try to keep the majority of what you eat 'clean' - which basically means avoiding processed food as much as possible and eating lots of fruit and vegetables. However, if you need the calories, grab a couple Mcdoubles.

What you are asking requires a fairly complicated answer, which I will not get into here (you can always google the terms 'clean bulk' and 'dirty bulk'). So, I'll try to keep this brief:

I've been a 'hard gainer' (LOL at that term, by the way, even though I'm using it) for almost my entire life. The easiest way I ever found to gain weight was drinking a LOT of whole milk, and eating a big bowl of ice cream every night before bed, with the rest of my diet based on natural, whole foods - lots of proteins, lots of potatoes and yams, lots of vegetables and fruit, oatmeal, peanut butter, eggs etc. However, I actually found that an extra 20 pounds on my frame hindered me more than it helped me, although I was strong as hell. You may have a different experience and find the extra weight absolutely adds to your athleticism.

The fellows above are also correct about focusing on compound movements, and to get an idea of how to organize such workouts you can - yes, here it is again - google 'Stronglifts 5X5' and 'Starting Strength', depending on your existing fitness level. You could also go to the website www.70sbig.com for inspiration and further ideas on how to pack on mass.

You are at the peak of your testosterone factory, growth hormone producing capacity at your age, and spending a year or so trying to put on some muscle will be well invested.

[bloggins]

You know, in as much as I contribute to helping people make gains in strength / size (not always directly proportional) our particular genetics are geared towards helping our body be efficient based on a certain structure.

A lot of people in this "hard gainer" category weren't meant to be big, right down to their very DNA structure. You're really putting a lot of stress on EVERYTHING from your joints to your heart, your lungs... even your guts.

A person really needs to ask themself what they're trying to get bigger for. The perception that it's "sexy?" Job function? Insecurity?

The bulky muscle dork has never been particularly attractive to the masses and is more often than not just consumed with themselves in a fashion most find repugnant. The job function is another no because very seldom is being bigger going to be a bennefit: You go through air faster, your work time is often reduced because your body is working in lower rep, higher weight fashion and if you ever have anything heavy to do then you call someone else over or use a piece of equipment. Insecurity? Well- that's everyone's own issue to deal with- but there are much easier ways than trying to gain weight through weight training and aggressive anti-dieting.

Some guys are made to run marathons, some guys are made for combat challenge and some guys are made for powerlifting. I think a person needs to evaluate where they fit into the equation and stick to it because the last thing the world needs is another roided out marshmallow who inflates and deflates with every cycle and has a whole load of "I use to could" stories about how much he used to be able to lift- like anyone cares anymore.

Eat healthy, replenish your body, train hard. Be satisfied with the results.

End soapbox session.

[JayG]

http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/1998/01000/Effects_of_creatine_supplementation_on_body.11.asp x
http://jap.physiology.org/content/83/6/2055.short
These are two studies on creatine I had saved. Can't seem to find the others, but here are some articles as well. Keep in mind articles can be biased and you should look further into their sources before trusting them.
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2009/apr2009_Optimizing-Muscle-Health-With-Whey-Creatine-Glutamine_01.htm
http://www.lef.org/protocols/lifestyle_longevity/exercise_01.htm
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/feb2004_report_creatine_01.htm

[Udollf]

Eat more calories than you are eating now. The best way to gain weight is to eat more... it's also going to be hard to gain "lean mass" rather than just mass, but it can be done. Just up your calorie intake, and protein intake...no real mysteries when it comes to gaining weight.

[Udollf]

Eat more calories than you are eating now. The best way to gain weight is to eat more... it's also going to be hard to gain "lean mass" rather than just mass, but it can be done. Just up your calorie intake, and protein intake...no real mysteries when it comes to gaining weight.

San Diego Personal Training (http://www.getfitsandiego.com/personal-trainer-san-diego.html)

[Rockeh]

I've always figured to gain weight, I would need to eat way more than what I was.. but I felt uncomfortable with it. I think I've slowly have got into the phase of eating more often and not being uncomfortable about it. It just sucks because I have a slim build but with a high metabolism. :p

[HookandLadder]

I have been in your shoes, believe me. What worked for me to put on some weight, which due to my metabolism and with my daily workouts didn't go to my belly, like many people think it will. I kept eating often throughout the day my regular balanced diet, about 4-5 meals or snacks but I always started my morning breakfast and finished my day with a nightly snack right before I went to bed, with a weight gainer shake.

Pretty straight forward, just made a weight gain shake from the powders you can get in the nutrition stores but I also liked to add frozen fruit, ice cream and milk to add the extra colories and flavour. without the added flavour, some of the weight gainer powders out there can be pretty bland. 2 of my weight gainer shakes per day, accounted for an astounding 3000 extra calories with my addtions of ice cream, milk and fruit.

The key is too stay consistent, stick to a plan each and every day to keep those extra calories in your diet and you should see some results in no time. continue to hit the gym, and eating a balanced diet throughout the day and the weight you want to gain, will go to all the right places...Good Luck!

[Rockeh]

3000 calories? wow, what mix do you use?

[HookandLadder]

2 shakes a day at 1500 calories a piece. Most weight gainer powders out there are about 1000 calories or more per shake if taken with milk, rather than water.

Add some ice cream, fruit or anything else and you can increase the overall calorie intake of the drink. Great for maximum results, but be prepared to have an angry coworker, roomate or girlfriend due to the increased "flatulence" that may or may not take place!! LOL....

[Evaner]

Hi Rockey,
List of some food that will help you in gaining weight and do add these food items in your daily meals to gain effectively.
Pasta, baked potatoes, avocados, granola, fried and fatty foods. Drinking soft drinks is also effective in gaining weight.

[Evaner]

Hi Rockey,
List of some food that will help you in gaining weight and do add these food items in your daily meals to gain effectively.
Pasta, baked potatoes, avocados, granola, fried and fatty foods. Drinking soft drinks is also effective in gaining weight.
In addition drink protein meals or proteins bars in your daily meals.
san antonio gym (http://www.sanantoniofitbody.com/blog/2011/06/23/angela-basset-workout-for-a-san-antonio-gym-near-you/)

[CFATrainer]

Quote from Donny Shankles from California Strength "if you're a weightlifter and reading this and you dont have food in your hand, your wrong"

Try more milk, 4 litres a day of whole milk. I tried it for one month and had great gains in strength. Tried it again and still had great gains but put on fat weight. Everyone at my gym who has tried it has had similar results.

[SNOWDOG]

20yo......wait 5 yrs........you wont have to do anything!

[RiverR]

You know, in as much as I contribute to helping people make gains in strength / size (not always directly proportional) our particular genetics are geared towards helping our body be efficient based on a certain structure.

A lot of people in this "hard gainer" category weren't meant to be big, right down to their very DNA structure. You're really putting a lot of stress on EVERYTHING from your joints to your heart, your lungs... even your guts.

A person really needs to ask themself what they're trying to get bigger for. The perception that it's "sexy?" Job function? Insecurity?

The bulky muscle dork has never been particularly attractive to the masses and is more often than not just consumed with themselves in a fashion most find repugnant. The job function is another no because very seldom is being bigger going to be a bennefit: You go through air faster, your work time is often reduced because your body is working in lower rep, higher weight fashion and if you ever have anything heavy to do then you call someone else over or use a piece of equipment. Insecurity? Well- that's everyone's own issue to deal with- but there are much easier ways than trying to gain weight through weight training and aggressive anti-dieting.

Some guys are made to run marathons, some guys are made for combat challenge and some guys are made for powerlifting. I think a person needs to evaluate where they fit into the equation and stick to it because the last thing the world needs is another roided out marshmallow who inflates and deflates with every cycle and has a whole load of "I use to could" stories about how much he used to be able to lift- like anyone cares anymore.

Eat healthy, replenish your body, train hard. Be satisfied with the results.

End soapbox session.

A bit of an older thread for me to bring up, but...

This is a great post that shouldn't be overlooked. Functional fitness is what's important. Training for the sole purpose of gaining weight doesn't add to your overall fitness.

In the past I 'trained' for gaining weight and that consisted of eating a lot. 6 meals per day, all meals planned in advance. 30% fats, 30% carbs, 40% protein. Only healthy fats, complex carbs and lean quality protein. I made sure I got lot's of sleep at night and never worked out on back to back days to avoid 'over-training'. I only lifted weights focusing mainly on compound movements. I had a workout plan laid out months in advance. Cardio became 'taboo' for me as I started following the hard-gainer mantra; "if you don't have to run, walk, if you don't have to walk, stand, if you don't have to stand, sit"

When I was your age and before starting this type of program I was 127 pounds at 5'9ish. I followed my program to tee and settled in at 140 before realizing that my goals were out of touch with what was important.

10 years later I'm somewhere between 160 and 170 lbs and I don't worry much about the scale. I still have days where I lift heavy weights, but I also run, I do boot camp/crossfit type classes, I do body weight exercises etc.. My focus is on staying in shape for whatever might come at me outside of the gym. Strength, speed, endurance it's all important.

The best part about my old program was the meal planning. I still try to eat 5 - 6 meals a day with a balanced ratio of carbs, protein and fat. I really recommend you read up on nutrition and learn how to fuel your body throughout the day. Make sure you replenish your nutrients properly post workout, read up on recovery drinks. Take a casein shake before bed.

I've read tips on this thread about drinking pop, eating fried and fatty foods or eating McDonalds... I will have to disagree strongly here even if you decide that you want gaining weight to be your only goal. Gaining weight can be done through lifting heavy, resting often, and eating a tonne of healthy food. Junk food is junk food no matter what your goals. Sure they'll help you gain weight, but not the kind of weight you are looking for.

[mkelly_14]

coming from a kinesiology background, RiverR is right... Junk food is junk food no matter how you look at it. If you want to put on weight for life, train like an athlete, lift reasonably heavy, mix in cardio, do a lot of core work, eat healthy, sleep properly and drink lots of water. Have a look at both proteins, pre-workout and recovery drinks. I personally use IsoNatural as a protein powder, BioSteel HPSD for pre and during exercise, and BioSteel ARF for post-workout. For before your workout (at least an hour), you want protein to provide your body with what it will need to help you rebuild the muscle you damage through working out, pre/during try out the BioSteel, different supplements do different things, but if nothing else, drink water pre/during like an athlete (up to 500 mL before and 250mL every half hour by sipping on it). For recovery you do need protein, but more importantly is carbs which will help you keep energy up and prevent your body from using the protein for its energy needs.
To put on weight, you NEED to eat healthy and balanced, just eat more calories than you would for maintenance. If you just want to put on fat, do what some have said and eat McDonalds and that shit until you want to puke

[sarahyoung75]

Hey all,

I've had tons of help and support from a few members here regarding my fitness and I've taken their feedback to good use, however I would like to make an open discussion about how to gain weight.

Here's my situation, I'm 20 years old, weigh 143 pounds and am 5'9. I have a very high metabolism, I could eat everything in the world and not gain a pound.

Would anyone be able to offer any tips on how I could gain weight? I'm trying to work on building muscle mass which seems almost impossible with not a lot of fat content on me. :p

Any help would be appreciated!


Edit: overall, I'm looking for feedback on how to gain weight/muscle mass and strength.


These are some of the weight gain tips:

1.You should take high protein diet like Chicken, steak, fish, turkey and protein shakes.
2. Concentrate on eating a lot of starchy carbs including rice, baked potato’s and pasta.
3. Do exercice regularly.
4. Continue to feed every 3-4 hours up to 6 times a day

If you follow these tips you can get more muscles than fat. It is the smartest way to gain weight.

[Rockeh]

Thanks all for the tips! I've decided to eat like a cow and went with a 'Starting Strength' workout for the last month and a half.

Proud to report that my previous weigh-in was 136 pounds about 2 months ago and I now stand at 158! Dramatic increases. Not going for too much more but definitely reaching my goal weight and strength-gaining.

Thanks guys :)

[JayG]

Just out of curiosity did you put on a lot of fat with that rapid of a gain? Did you take any before and after measurements? I have found in the past it is also usefull to take measurements of the chest, bicep, fore arm, waist, glutes/hips, quad/hamstrings, and calf. This gives you much better idea of actual muscle gain, but even with measurements fat can somewhat skew the results.