WEEK TWENTY-FIVE :: What Is The Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?

[admin]

TOPIC: What Is The Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?

For the week of: May 5th - May 11th.

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What type of diet plan should you follow if you want to gain weight as quickly as possible (without too much fat gain)? What type of protein/carbs/fat ratio should you try to have each day? How many calories per day? What types of food should you be eating? What types of food should you avoid? What can you do to increase your appetite?

How much weight should you be trying to gain each week? How much fat is acceptable to gain during your weight gain period? How can you tell if you are gaining too much fat?

BONUS QUESTION: What is the most calories that you have eaten in one day when trying to bulk? What did you eat? How did you feel the next day?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $75 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it. Become famous!

Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

[Blitz n destroy]

The best way i have found to quickly gain weight is to stick to a 50 30 20 ratio of protein:carbs:fat. I tend to stick close to 4000-5000 calories a day, and spread them through out 8 meals. 4 of these meals should be protein shakes made with protein powder, some sort of complex carb( i use oatmeal ) and peanut butter. Another staple of my quick bulk diet is the PBJ. 3 pieces of bread, loads of peanut butter and a decent amount of natural jelly. Avoid highly processed carbs and high fructose corn syrup. I also take dessicated liver tabs, and they really help to inscrease appetite.

Aim for 1-2 lbs of mass gain a week. low amounts of fat are acceptable as long as they dont hide your muscle gains. if you can tell your getting more muscular and you dont feel the added fat, youre fine.


Im not sure as to the exact amount of calories i bombed myself with, but once a week during my bulk i ate out at this restraunt down the street. i had a massive plate of spaghetti and meatballs, a massive plate of alfredo, 10 bread sticks, and soup. This was my desperate attempt to overload my body once a week and shock it. The next morning i crapped like an elephant, but other than that i felt fine

[mivi320]

What is the Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?

As bodybuilders, we're always looking at ways to improve our physiques. Sure, we know that in order to get cut up and lose weight, we have to follow a strict eating plan that is based around an energy deficit which usually means restricting calories and doing massive amounts of cardio. But what about for those that want to improve their physiques by adding some quality muscle mass and size? What type of plan should you follow if you want to add some serious size to your frame? Listen up and read on to find out!

Calories
The most important factor that determines whether or not you will grow is calories. If you don't consume enough calories, you'll lose weight. If you consume a surplus of calories, you'll gain weight. It's that simple! The bottom line is that if you want to pack on some serious mass, eat 18-21xYour bodyweight worth of calories. Spread the calories out by eating more frequent meals to encourage an anti-catabolic atmosphere that promotes growth. Anywhere from 6-8 meals is usually ideal for most to fit their daily quota of calories in for the day. Combine a calorie surplus with a sound training and supplement regimen, and you got yourself an arsensal for some major mass!

Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat Ratios
Now that we have the amount of calories that you must consume daily covered, let's proceed to the ratio of protein, carbohydrate, and fat issue. The fact of the matter is that ratios are irrelevant because your calories should not determine your macronutrient intakes; lean mass should. I hate to break it to anyone, but ratios are nothing more than an accidental attribute of a given diet - after it has been put together based on a number of factors such as training volume, goals, and body composition changes. I really hate to say it, but it's not a starting point upon which you base your needs for a mass gaining diet. The bottom line is that ratios are strictly incidental. The whole 40/40/20 split of protein, carbohydrates, and fats is just a cookie-cutter macronutrient proportion of conventional bodybuilding diets.

What types of Foods to consume when looking to Bulk up
If you're goal is to bulk up by adding quality muscle and size to your body with as little fat gain as possible, then what foods should you consume? Given you're eating enough calories to add weight at atleast .05-1.0lb. a week, then you should get in plenty of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and the "good fats."

1.Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are basically slow burning carbohydrates, as opposed to quick acting simple carbs, that generally provide you with more satiety, satisfaction, and nutrition. Here is a list of complex carbohydrates that will assist you with your weight gaining program:

-Brown Rice
-Oatmeal
-Cream of Wheat
-Whole grain Bread
-Whole grain Pasta
-Fruits
-Vegetables
-Wholegrain and High Fiber Cereals
-Potatoes
-Beans
-Lentils

2. Lean Proteins
Lean Proteins are generally protein sources that contain little to no fat. These lean proteins usually have a great amino acid profile, and are chock full of wholesome nutrients that will aid you in your recovery and muscle building! Here's a list of lean proteins that are acceptable when looking to add size:

-Egg Whites
-Chicken Breasts
-Fish
-Lean cuts of Steak and Red Meat
-Skim or 1% Milk
-Turkey
-Lean cuts of Pork
-Fat Free or 1% Cottage Cheese
-Veal
-Protein powder

3.The "Good Fats"
The "good fats" are fats that can actually improve blood cholesterol levels, fight off infections and heart diseases, and provide you with a wide range of health benefits. Here's a list of "good fats" that you should consume to promote growth and size gains:

-Olive Oil
-Salmon
-Avacodo
-Nuts
-Seeds
-Fish
-Natural Peanut Butter
-Flax Seed Oil

What types of Foods to avoid when looking to Bulk up
Time to move on to the foods to avoid and refrain from when looking to add as much muscle as possible while keeping fat gains to a minimum. Basically the foods you would want to avoid are foods that have undergone some form of processing and adulteration. These foods tend to be loaded with excess sugar, trans fat, and simply do not provide the wholesome nutrition that the heart healthy foods I have listed above do. Cheat meals can be helpful when trying to bulk up, as they offer some great physiological advantages and keep you sane. They have their place, but don't abuse these cheat meals. A good rule of thumb is to have a cheat meal once every week or two weeks to keep you sane and take a break from eating the same foods over and over. If you're a determined person and feel no need for a cheat meal, more power to you! A cheat meal is not necessary, and can even make the cheater feel guilty and make things worse. Just remember: Everything in moderation.

What can you do to increase your appetite?
Okay, so in order to add some massive size and muscle mass you have to eat plenty of calories and 6-8 meals daily. How do you manage to have an appetite to even look at all that food? If you're one of those people who just never seems to have a big appetite to chow down on large amounts of food, then you've got to find ways to get the food down to promote growth. Eating the majority of your calories at the one time of day seems to work wonders for getting down those calories. Whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or one of your in between meals, just be sure to get in enough calories! Making homemade weight gainers is an excellent idea for someone who finds it hard to scarf down massive amounts of food. Here's a few recipes for some homemade weight gainers that will provide your body with some quality calories:

Chocolate Banana Fusion
16 oz. Skim Milk
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
1 large Banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large fat free vanilla pudding

Reeses Shake
16 oz. Skim Milk
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
3 Tablespoons Natural Peanut Butter
3 Packets Artificial Sweetener

Fruit Flavored Shake
1.5 cups of Water
2 scoops Whey Protein Isolate
1/2 cup 100% Fruit Juice
5 medium sized Strawberries
1/2 banana

Blend all ingredients for 45 seconds or until desired consistency in blender!


How much weight should you be trying to gain each week? How much fat is acceptable to gain during your weight gain period? How can you tell if you are gaining too much fat?
A good rule of thumb is to gain .5-1.0lb. a week. This variable is the best for avoiding excess fat gain because you'll be gaining at a steadily progress. Remember that bodybuilding is a marathon not a sprint. Don't try to gain 3 or 4 pounds a week, as this will likely cause unwanted gains in adipose tissue instead of lean body mass. Set reasonable goals that you know you will be able to accomplish. So how much fat is acceptable to gain during this bulking phase? Each person has to decide for himself or herself how much fat is acceptable to add during the mass adding stage. Surely you would want to add some muscle to your frame, but along with that muscle gain will come fat gain. However, if you follow the nutrition guidelines I mentioned you'll keep fat gain to a minimum. Once you have accumulated too much fat for your liking, then simply analyze your diet and adjust accordingly. How can you tell if you're gaining to much fat? Feeling bloating and retaining water is only natural for someone eating large amounts of calories and trying to add on some muscle, and many times people confuse this bloating feeling with the addition of fat tissue. Simply go by the mirror to monitor your progress. If you're looking like the Michelin man, then it's time to stop the bulking cycle and examine the cause of this unwanted fat gain, which is usually the nutrition program.

What is the most calories that you have eaten in one day when trying to bulk? What did you eat? How did you feel the next day?
The most calories I've consumed in one day when trying to bulk up was 4,000 calories. On my last bulking cycle, I ate a consistent 3,000 calories a day, but the day I ate 4,000 was a bit different. It was my cheat day! I allowed myself a cheat day when I could eat anything I felt like, and I went all out! I ate anything from Fried Chicken, Chocolate Cake, French Fries, Pizza, French Toast to 3 cups of Oatmeal! I felt somewhat bloated the following day, but not as much as I thought I would. Prior to cheating big time, I had hit a plateau and wasn't gaining a single pound no matter how hard I tried! One week after cheating, I checked the scale and it read that I had gained one pound! That's the magic of having a cheat day or a cheat meal!

Good luck with your Mass Gaining Goals!
Mike

[Vinny_Au]

nice 1 miv

[ravadongon]

WEEK TWENTY-FIVE :: What Is The Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?

By Ravadongon

Gaining mass or bulking as it is termed by bodybuilders, can be a very satisfying phase for any lifter. Some find it easier to do then others, and some just can’t seem to do it at all. Hopefully I will be able to help some of you who struggle to gain muscle mass, or put on too much fat while trying to do so. Here are some common questions asked by people in this situation:

What type of protein/carbs/fat ratio should you try to have each day?

The majority of people will suggest to follow a 40-40-20 diet (protein/carbs/fat). However, for bulking, I would suggest you follow a 25-55-20 diet, don’t fear carbs, but stay away from simple sugars (excluding post workout). As for protein, get about 1.2-1.8g/lb of bodyweight per day.

However be sure to note these are only basic guidelines, some people will be more carb/fat sensitive and may need to adjust these ratios to suit themselves.

How many calories per day?

Your caloric needs for gaining mass are dependent on your metabolism and activity rate. A way in which you can determine how many calories you should get per day is by multiplying your bodyweight (in lbs) by 18-22. Obviously people with a faster metabolism will need to be in the upper range and maybe even above, while people with a slower metabolism will want to be in the lower bracket, to avoid large amounts of excess fat gains.

Another way in which you can calculate your caloric needs, is by using a BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) Calculator. A very useful BMR calculator I have found is this one by Leah Wynne (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/leah1.htm). Once you have found your maintenance caloric needs, add 500 calories to this and this is how much calories you need to gain muscle mass at a safe rate (without excessive fat gains).

Make sure you distribute your calories (and macronutrients) evenly over your meals. To find out how many calories or grams of macronutrients you should have per meal divide your total daily calories or macronutirents (whichever one you are trying to find out) by the number of meals you have (you should be having 6-8 meals per day)

What types of food should you be eating?

Good Protein Sources
- Meat (steak, chicken, lean beef, ect.)
- Milk
- Whey Powder
- Peanuts
- Eggs
- Fish
- Cottage Cheese
- Canned Tuna

Good Carbohydrates Sources
- Oats
- Whole Wheat/Grain Bread
- Whole Wheat/Grain Pasta
- Sweet Potatoes
- Brown Rice
- Oat Bran Cereal
- Fresh Fruits
- Fresh Vegetables
- Beans
- Lentils

Good Fat Sources
- Olive Oil
- Fish Oil
- Flax Seed Oil
- Natural Peanut Butter
- Nuts
- Seeds

What types of food should you avoid?

As a general rule of thumb, any processed, modified food should be avoided if your goal is to make lean gains. These foods are loaded with high amounts of trans and saturated fats and simple sugars. Here are a list of foods that should be avoided if you are unsure. There are many others that can be listed but this is just to name a few common ones:
Bad Protein Sources

- Fatty meats
- Fatty dairy
- Most lunch meat
- Large amounts of soy

Bad Carbohydrate Sources

- Regular bread
- Anything with added sugar
- Most cereals (excluding Oat Bran)
- Soda
- Fruit juice
- Bagels
- Fruit bars
- Candy

Bad Fat Sources

- Margarine
- Vegetable oil
- Corn oil
- Heated/fried oil

What can you do to increase your appetite?

Often eating huge amounts of calories can be very hard to do. If you’re having trouble downing all your food, then there are three things I can suggest you should do.

Firstly, if you haven’t already spread your meals out evenly (in terms of calories) throughout the day. It has been shown that eating at regular intervals boosts your metabolism.

Secondly, allow for variation in your diet. This doesn’t mean you can eat junk food, it means try to vary meals each day, still keeping them healthy. If you feel you don’t know what kind of stuff you can have, then take a look at the recipe thread in the nutrition forum to provide you with meal ideas: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=26231.

Thirdly, if you still have trouble downing food, implent a HOMEMADE weight gainer shakes. These are a cheap and easy way to down a lot of calories, being in liquid form. All you need is a blender and the following ingredients:

Bodybuilding.com Forums Homemade Weight Gainer

1 scoop of protein powder
0.5-1 cup of oats
1-2 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 banana or any other serving of fruit (e.g. berries)
1 cup of low fat milk

Blend and enjoy!

What supplements should you take?

Supplements I would recommend you take are:

Multivitamin (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/multi.html)
Protein powder (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/proteinfinder.htm)

One of the following:

Creatine Monohydrate (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/creatine.html)
Creatine Ethyl Ester (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/cee.html)
Kre-Alkalyn (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/kre.html)

As the name supplement suggests, these should only be used to supplement your diet and without a good diet these “supplements” will have very little influence.

How much weight should you be trying to gain each week?

Generally the acceptable amount without gaining excessive fat is between 0.5-2lbs/week, amounts will obviously vary due to genetics and lifting experience. Trying to gain much more weight than this will result in a largely increased amount of fat storage in the body. However if you stick to the strategy I’ve provided you with, you should not see any excessive fat gains.

How much fat is acceptable to gain during your weight gain period? How can you tell if you are gaining too much fat?

I can’t tell you what will be an acceptable amount of fat to gain while bulking, because it is difficult to determine a universally acceptable amount. All I can say is what I said before, if you follow the outline I’ve given you, you will avoid gaining huge amounts of unwanted fat. An easy way and probably the best way to assess how much fat you have gained, is to go by the mirror. Often it’s hard to remember exactly how your body looked a couple of weeks ago, so if you have this same problem, then I advise you to get a cheap digital camera and take pictures every few weeks to monitor this. This way you can adjust your diet accordingly and/or add more cardio to monitor your progress and/or introduce fat loss supplements (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/fatloss.htm).

What is the most calories that you have eaten in one day when trying to bulk? What did you eat? How did you feel the next day?

I stay very consistent when bulking, so I rarely go over the amount I set myself at the beginning of the bulk. If I ever cheat I never count my calories and I’m guessing, never go over 4000 calories, because I’ve never been a big eater before I got into lifting. Generally when I do over eat, I don’t feel to good during that day and the next day, so I try and avoid doing that. As I said I’m very consistent when I bulk so I very rarely cheat and if I do, it isn’t anything to write home about.

[cutlerfan]

The best weight gain diet plan involves lots of calories high in both protein and carbs. You must also consume fats but it is important that it is healthy and not lard. The number of calories really depends on your current weight and how easy it is to gain weight and of what quality weight that you gain. Too much weight gain can lead to too much fat. I always multiply my bodyweight by 17 when bulking and 15 when maintaining and 12 while cutting to decide how many calories to consume. I use the above formula because I always gain sloppy weight when I go calorie berzerk. For those who can gain quality muscle eating almost anything I suggest doing so.

I suggest to gain some serious mass in the offseason or when your not concerned with being in good shape to eat plenty of carbs throughout the day especially before and after a workout. To avoid gaining too much fat I suggest cutting down the pasta type of carbs and increasing carb sources such as potato's, rice cakes and vegetables. And with proteins I say anything goes as long as it is high in protein.

When bulking it is important to supplement intelligently. This means multivitamins, fish oils for fat, protein powder w/ higher carb content and a creatine to add some water weight and a little extra for intensity to build the muscle. Notice I did not put weight gainer. I did this because it is a source of sloppy weight that a lot of people get while bulking. You want less sloppy weight so you don't have to cut more and lose a lot of muscle in the process.

[juanca]

well, let me first start off by saying that i dont believe there is a BEST anything.
now what there is, is good sound principles that if followed, will help you gain mass.
in the next 4 steps, i will outline 4 basic, but fundamental principles in order to gain mass in an article i call: Weight Gaining Basics 101

step 1:eat more calories, especially protein
it's easy to see that if you follow a haphazard approach to eating-gulping down foods whenever you fel like it or eating the typical three square meals a day and snacking on sugary and/or high fat foods in between- youre likely to look like 70% of americans. Overweight and outright fat! If you want a body that loudly advertises your coommitment to yourself and your goals, then YOU have to go above normal.

Heres the Lowdown on foods for maximum growth....

While food wont make your muscles grow, it will provide the essential elements necessary for muscle recovery. see, when we eat foods, our bodies break them down to obtain the necessary fuel to sustain life and perform our daily activities, including working out. there are three possible fates for the foods you consume: 1) it can be used up or burned, 2) it can be stored in the muscles for use, and 3) it can be stored as bodyfat. of course, the latter is not what we want. instead, well choose option 2:stored in the muscles for use.

First off, its a good idea to know how many calories you should be shooting for. you can easily figure out your daily caloric intake by taking your bodyweight and multiplying it by 15 (if your goal is to gain bodyweight, that is). (so for example, a 175lb man would eat approximately 2,625 calories). its not a perfect science, and its not any more complicate than that, but it works. believe me. still, im not saying you have to run around all day counting every calorie you consume. just be aware of how many calories-how much fuel- your body needs every day to build muscle.

Whenever youre considering what types of foods should make up those calories, remember this: all calories are not created equal. think of it this way....fat requires only 2% of your bodys energy to use it, carbohydrates require roughly 10% of that energy, whereas protein requires an astonishing 20% of your bodys energy to burn it....that means, by consuming more protein, youre actually burning more calories each time you eat.(yes, 20% of the calories in the protein are being burned just by eating it.)

Plus, proteins primary purpose is to provide the muscles with ample supplies of essential and nonessential amino acids to rebuild the tiny tears in the muscle fibers. This process is known as protein synthesis. And amino acids, derived from proteins, are the building blocks for this process. got it?

So to increase the bodys metabolic rate and amino acid/protein turnover in the muscle cells, its imperative that you consume more protein(probably A LOT more than youre consuming now). Research from leading authorities on protein shows us that right around one gram of protein per lb of bodyweight(that is , the weight you WANT to weigh) or 30 to 35% of your daily caloric intake is adequate. This amount of protein is safe for supporting the metabolism and helping the body grow and maintain new muscle tissue. These proteins can be in the form of lean red meats, turkey, salmon, egg whites, protein powders, or RTD shakes that contain whey and/or casein. so, in the example of our 175lb man above, he would consume approximately 2,625 calories per day*30% = 787 protein calories / 4 (calories per gram of protein)= 197 grams of protein per day.

Carbohydrates, then, should be consumed in the range of no more than 50 to 55% of your daily intake, avoiding simple carbs like jams, jellies,fruit juices, most breads and cereals,etc., and completely limiting sugary or refined carbs like donuts, cakes, sodas, candies, ice cream, most sugar containing drinks, etc., and incorporating plenty of fibrous carbs like broccoli, corn, brown rice, various fruits,etc.

Scientific evidence has also shown that if we consume too many carbs(especially at one sitting), our bodies respond by causing a surge of insulin to be released. insulin, a hormone, encourages muscle cells to take up more nutrients for storage, but unfortunately, it may also "transport" these excess carbs and fat to be stored. the good news is, by adding more protein to each meal, youll "buffer" this insulin secretion, actually slowing the rate of absorption of carbohydrates into the blood. And more good news....eating protein also kicks up another hormone called glucagon (think of it as insulins opposing hormone), which can offset the fat storing ability of insulin by helping dispose of it before it stores more fat. And , new studies offer evidence that glucagons release in the body may further stimulate the fat burning cycle by encouraging fat to be freed up and more easily used as energy. Using our previous example, 2,625 calories per day 8 50% carbohydrates= roughly 1,312 carb calories /4 (calories per gram of carb)= 328 grams of carbs per day.

Fat, on the other hand, has the greatest propensity to be stored as fat. for that reason alone, its smart not to take in more than 15 to 20% dietary fat in any given day. however, when youre attempting to build muscle, you also dont want your fat levels too low. as science has revealed, this can cause testosterone and growth hormone levels to drop. for this reason, its fine to eat foods low in fat. its also a good idea to add some good fats to your diet. Fats known as essential fats. these can be found in the form of flax, safflower, olive, or borage oil. rest assured, these fats will help rev up your ability to pack on muscle. but be careful. Fat is still easier to store as fat. be cautious about how much of these oils you consume on a daily basis. So, when it comes to fats, our 175lb man would consume 2,625 calories per day * 15%fats= roughly 394 fat calories / 9(calories per gram of fat)= 44 grams of fat per day.

keep this in mind: missing your required proteins, carbs, and fats by a few grams here and there wont hurt your chances of muscle building success. so dont stress over being exact. but skipping meals anf following a haphazard approach to eating WILL instantly stop your muscle gains.

CONTINUED..........

[juanca]

Step 2: Graze-eat more frequently

The key with nutrition to pack on more muscle is to work WITH your body, not against it To eat smart and more, not careless and less. if you eat the right type of foods, in the right amounts, at various times throughout the day, science has indicated your body will absorb and assimilate more of the foods you eat, and your bodys biochemical processes will become more efficient, which includes the ability to turn over more protein/amino acids to help rebuild muscle tissue faster. this is precisely what you want!

To do this, you need to spread your meals more evenly throughout the day, in five or six smaller meals, rather than two or three large meals(or an overindulgence in high sugar/high fat snacks whenever youre hungry). See, science has shown that you can maximize the foods absorption(so your body can use more of it); supply your body with a more stable (non-spiking) level of insulin-levels your body can adequately manage- and increase the amount of available amino acids that will steadily increase your bodys ability to build muscle throughout thee day.

Meal frequency, or meal patterning, is really as simple as it sounds- its about timing your meals. Here are the rules: never go more than a few hours(two to three hours, while youre awake) without eating a meal. This includes starting the day with a well balanced, moderately low fat, protein and carb containing meal. (thats why skipping breakfast, or any meal for that matter, is SO damaging to our muscle building efforts...because along with you, your muscles have just fasted for eight hours or so (depending on how many hours you youve slept), and theyre literally starving for nutrients. And, if your muscles arent fed soon enough, they will begin to enter a stage known as catabolism, which is the breakdown of muscle tissue. (this is THE absolute worst possible state to be in! you want to avoid this at all costs!)

Yet, by feeding the body more regularyl, you help convince it there is no deprivation, no famine around the corner....and as long as protein is present, youll remain in an anabolic (or muscle building) state and continualy rebuild muscle cells.

CONTINUED..........

[juanca]

Step 3: Drink more water....Fill your muscles

OK, so youre either saying to yourself, heres another one of those "all too common, commonsense" things, or, whats this guy talking about, "fill my muscles!"? Am i right? Well, let me explain....

See, youd be surprised by just how many muscle bound guys (and gals) claim they drink "plenty" of water, but if you followed them around throughout the day, youd find they take in less water than a dried up death valley cactus. any chance this sounds like you?

Sure, we all "know" we should drink plenty of water, but do you? Really? pay careful attention for a day and see how much you drink. its probably safe to say you could use a drinking fountain close to your desk or you need a crash course on why water is so vitally important to your muscles, just to reignite your awareness.

here are the facts (the amount of h20 your body requires, daily, just to "live"): the average person loses two cups (16oz) of fluid through normal perspiration. another two cups (now making a total of 32oz) are exhaled as water vapor during breathing. together, the intestines and kidneys use about six cups a day. that brings our total daily water usage to a whopping 10 cups or 80oz just to live-NOT including the added water loss resulting from perspiration during any heavy weight training or cardio.

Think water isnt important? Think Again!

As science has revealed, our bodies are made up of 70 to 75% of water. so its essential, make that imperative, that your muscles stay completely hydrated. stay hydrated, and your muscles are sure to look fuller. plus, get better pumps in the gym and, if your bodyfat is low enough, may appear more vascular. Whats more, water initiates a cascade of biochemical processes within the body that are essential for everything from digestion to enhanced energy levels.

But were not talking about drinking water when youre thirsty. as you may know, thirst is a sign your body is allready dehydrated! not staying fully hydrated is a common mistake made by many bodybuilders and athletes. The importance of being properly hydrated for maximum musle growth cannot be overstated. WHY? even a slightly dehydrated muscle can lead to significant deficits in muscular output, performance decrements, not to mention the risk of sickness and, in severe cases, even death. Even a three to four perfect drop in body water levels(signaled by thirst and muscle fatigue) can decrease your muscular contractions by 10 to 20%. Put your body through this sort of dehydration consistently and you can FORGET about gaining muscle!

Keeping your muscles hydrated and full will keep them recovering faster and keep your muscle bound results on track in the gym.

CONTINUED......

[juanca]

In conclusion.......

Granted, there ARE other ways to gain weight/muscle, BUT, the 3 tips i have just outlined constitute part of what i consider to be some of the main "core elements" needed to achieve success when it comes to packing on rock hard muscle mass.
so now what do You do?
well, for starters, you can stop "Imagining" what life would be like with a bigger, stronger physique and START achieving it by following these 3 simple rules.

JC

[juanca]

man i hope i win!

JC

[Aftershock]

TOPIC: What Is The Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?

Well since you ask for just gaining weight in general the answer is very simple. Eat a crap load of food CONSTANTLY just every time you get a chance take in as much food as you can. Doesn't matter when or what it is just eat. Sit on your ass all day and do nothing.

I guarantee for strictly just weight gain there is nothing better out there.


-AS

[juanca]

Well since you ask for just gaining weight in general the answer is very simple. Eat a crap load of food CONSTANTLY just every time you get a chance take in as much food as you can. Doesn't matter when or what it is just eat. Sit on your ass all day and do nothing.

I guarantee for strictly just weight gain there is nothing better out there.


-AS

hahah!

if that doesnt get 1st place, then idk what will

JC

[Aftershock]

hahah!

if that doesnt get 1st place, then idk what will

JC

LMAO. can you imagine....

[Audioslave]

I'm not here to hate, but you guys should really post your sources. You guys wrote great articles, but credit should also be given to your references too.

[sicosico]

I'm not here to hate, but you guys should really post your sources. You guys wrote great articles, but credit should also be given to your references too.

exactly

[english oak]

Like many of us I got into bodybuilding because I was a skinny teenager. I wanted the gains fast and didn't really care about the quality of size I added. This was my first mistake.

Weight gain for me was some muscle but largely fat. I trained three times per week - one bodypart per week - the general gain stuff, and devoured weight gain powders that at that time did not mix well and were mostly full of sugar. I force fed myself with high calorie meals. Again this was a large error.

I now know that there is a correct way, and it is the correct way for everybody, regardless of endo or ectomorph physique. But it took me ten years of constant obsession; here are SOME of the pearls I learnt.

Eating the same foods regularly enables the body to recognise and break them down more efficiently.

Eat eggs, bananas, oranges, rice, nuts, rare steak, chicken, broccoli, carrots, fresh fish, oysters, green tea, but fundamentally volumes of water. Water and protein are the building blocks. The above also gives you every mineral and vitamin the body needs.

Your body will tell you when you need to be eating. As you get to know your body more you'll be able to be one step ahead have the food eaten and be digested for when it needs the nutrients.

If you are not gaining lean muscular weight eat more of the above. If you are gaining a little too much fat - TRAIN MORE.

Training frequently - bodyparts twice per week, sparks a need for the nutrition you are supplying. Basic supply and demand. If muscles need it they wil soak it up. If not it will hang around your midsection or become waste - depending on your body type.

The body can only asscimilate a certain amount of protein. Protein shakes may help short-term but they are expensive and you will be flushing most of the $£'s down the pan in the long run.

Creatine is again good short-term but stop taking it and the water retention in the muscle stops too.

Train consistently and take a long-term approach. Think of your body as a whole and not just the some of its parts. Your heart for example must be the main muscle you look after, then the pec, delt, and biceps will be of the RIGHT quality further down the line.

[keninottawa]

Your body will tell you when you need to be eating. As you get to know your body more you'll be able to be one step ahead have the food eaten and be digested for when it needs the nutrients.

Amen! There's too much of the 'you need to eat NOW or you will surely die' attitude in the weight-gain lingo. Frequent meals are ideal (and convenient for fitting in large amounts of calories), but if you know you're going to ruin your appetite by cramming down food when you're not hungry, wait until you're hungry again to eat big!

Remember, psychological stresses have a big impact on weight gain, too.

[JWmuscle]

juanca(me) has recieved a temp 14 day ban for the JSM thread, haha, o well

but yea, im posting as JWmuscle for now,
i hope i win.

just wanted to let you know in case i win.

JC

[Gags]

What is the Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?

As bodybuilders, we're always looking at ways to improve our physiques. Sure, we know that in order to get cut up and lose weight, we have to follow a strict eating plan that is based around an energy deficit which usually means restricting calories and doing massive amounts of cardio. But what about for those that want to improve their physiques by adding some quality muscle mass and size? What type of plan should you follow if you want to add some serious size to your frame? Listen up and read on to find out!

Calories
The most important factor that determines whether or not you will grow is calories. If you don't consume enough calories, you'll lose weight. If you consume a surplus of calories, you'll gain weight. It's that simple! The bottom line is that if you want to pack on some serious mass, eat 18-21xYour bodyweight worth of calories. Spread the calories out by eating more frequent meals to encourage an anti-catabolic atmosphere that promotes growth. Anywhere from 6-8 meals is usually ideal for most to fit their daily quota of calories in for the day. Combine a calorie surplus with a sound training and supplement regimen, and you got yourself an arsensal for some major mass!

Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat Ratios
Now that we have the amount of calories that you must consume daily covered, let's proceed to the ratio of protein, carbohydrate, and fat issue. The fact of the matter is that ratios are irrelevant because your calories should not determine your macronutrient intakes; lean mass should. I hate to break it to anyone, but ratios are nothing more than an accidental attribute of a given diet - after it has been put together based on a number of factors such as training volume, goals, and body composition changes. I really hate to say it, but it's not a starting point upon which you base your needs for a mass gaining diet. The bottom line is that ratios are strictly incidental. The whole 40/40/20 split of protein, carbohydrates, and fats is just a cookie-cutter macronutrient proportion of conventional bodybuilding diets.

What types of Foods to consume when looking to Bulk up
If you're goal is to bulk up by adding quality muscle and size to your body with as little fat gain as possible, then what foods should you consume? Given you're eating enough calories to add weight at atleast .05-1.0lb. a week, then you should get in plenty of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and the "good fats."

1.Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are basically slow burning carbohydrates, as opposed to quick acting simple carbs, that generally provide you with more satiety, satisfaction, and nutrition. Here is a list of complex carbohydrates that will assist you with your weight gaining program:

-Brown Rice
-Oatmeal
-Cream of Wheat
-Whole grain Bread
-Whole grain Pasta
-Fruits
-Vegetables
-Wholegrain and High Fiber Cereals
-Potatoes
-Beans
-Lentils

2. Lean Proteins
Lean Proteins are generally protein sources that contain little to no fat. These lean proteins usually have a great amino acid profile, and are chock full of wholesome nutrients that will aid you in your recovery and muscle building! Here's a list of lean proteins that are acceptable when looking to add size:

-Egg Whites
-Chicken Breasts
-Fish
-Lean cuts of Steak and Red Meat
-Skim or 1% Milk
-Turkey
-Lean cuts of Pork
-Fat Free or 1% Cottage Cheese
-Veal
-Protein powder

3.The "Good Fats"
The "good fats" are fats that can actually improve blood cholesterol levels, fight off infections and heart diseases, and provide you with a wide range of health benefits. Here's a list of "good fats" that you should consume to promote growth and size gains:

-Olive Oil
-Salmon
-Avacodo
-Nuts
-Seeds
-Fish
-Natural Peanut Butter
-Flax Seed Oil

What types of Foods to avoid when looking to Bulk up
Time to move on to the foods to avoid and refrain from when looking to add as much muscle as possible while keeping fat gains to a minimum. Basically the foods you would want to avoid are foods that have undergone some form of processing and adulteration. These foods tend to be loaded with excess sugar, trans fat, and simply do not provide the wholesome nutrition that the heart healthy foods I have listed above do. Cheat meals can be helpful when trying to bulk up, as they offer some great physiological advantages and keep you sane. They have their place, but don't abuse these cheat meals. A good rule of thumb is to have a cheat meal once every week or two weeks to keep you sane and take a break from eating the same foods over and over. If you're a determined person and feel no need for a cheat meal, more power to you! A cheat meal is not necessary, and can even make the cheater feel guilty and make things worse. Just remember: Everything in moderation.

What can you do to increase your appetite?
Okay, so in order to add some massive size and muscle mass you have to eat plenty of calories and 6-8 meals daily. How do you manage to have an appetite to even look at all that food? If you're one of those people who just never seems to have a big appetite to chow down on large amounts of food, then you've got to find ways to get the food down to promote growth. Eating the majority of your calories at the one time of day seems to work wonders for getting down those calories. Whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or one of your in between meals, just be sure to get in enough calories! Making homemade weight gainers is an excellent idea for someone who finds it hard to scarf down massive amounts of food. Here's a few recipes for some homemade weight gainers that will provide your body with some quality calories:

Chocolate Banana Fusion
16 oz. Skim Milk
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
1 large Banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large fat free vanilla pudding

Reeses Shake
16 oz. Skim Milk
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
3 Tablespoons Natural Peanut Butter
3 Packets Artificial Sweetener

Fruit Flavored Shake
1.5 cups of Water
2 scoops Whey Protein Isolate
1/2 cup 100% Fruit Juice
5 medium sized Strawberries
1/2 banana

Blend all ingredients for 45 seconds or until desired consistency in blender!


How much weight should you be trying to gain each week? How much fat is acceptable to gain during your weight gain period? How can you tell if you are gaining too much fat?
A good rule of thumb is to gain .5-1.0lb. a week. This variable is the best for avoiding excess fat gain because you'll be gaining at a steadily progress. Remember that bodybuilding is a marathon not a sprint. Don't try to gain 3 or 4 pounds a week, as this will likely cause unwanted gains in adipose tissue instead of lean body mass. Set reasonable goals that you know you will be able to accomplish. So how much fat is acceptable to gain during this bulking phase? Each person has to decide for himself or herself how much fat is acceptable to add during the mass adding stage. Surely you would want to add some muscle to your frame, but along with that muscle gain will come fat gain. However, if you follow the nutrition guidelines I mentioned you'll keep fat gain to a minimum. Once you have accumulated too much fat for your liking, then simply analyze your diet and adjust accordingly. How can you tell if you're gaining to much fat? Feeling bloating and retaining water is only natural for someone eating large amounts of calories and trying to add on some muscle, and many times people confuse this bloating feeling with the addition of fat tissue. Simply go by the mirror to monitor your progress. If you're looking like the Michelin man, then it's time to stop the bulking cycle and examine the cause of this unwanted fat gain, which is usually the nutrition program.

What is the most calories that you have eaten in one day when trying to bulk? What did you eat? How did you feel the next day?
The most calories I've consumed in one day when trying to bulk up was 4,000 calories. On my last bulking cycle, I ate a consistent 3,000 calories a day, but the day I ate 4,000 was a bit different. It was my cheat day! I allowed myself a cheat day when I could eat anything I felt like, and I went all out! I ate anything from Fried Chicken, Chocolate Cake, French Fries, Pizza, French Toast to 3 cups of Oatmeal! I felt somewhat bloated the following day, but not as much as I thought I would. Prior to cheating big time, I had hit a plateau and wasn't gaining a single pound no matter how hard I tried! One week after cheating, I checked the scale and it read that I had gained one pound! That's the magic of having a cheat day or a cheat meal!

Good luck with your Mass Gaining Goals!
Mike

I am Liking it!

[minicooban]

I'm So Glad Guys The Finally We Have A Nutritional Topic After Supplements And Lot Of Excercices Topic
Best Way To Gain Weight Or Muscle
Well,let Me Start To Tell Everybody That The Best Ratio Shuold Be 40-40-20
40% Carbs,40 % Protein And 20% Fats
Too Much Of Anything Can Be Stored As Fat,the Best Way Of Protein Should Be 1.50 Or 2 Grams Of Protein Per Body Weight,more Than 2 Grams And U End Up With A Bigeer Waist Line And Gut
What We Have To Avoid??
High Fructose Corn Syrup,this Is A Man Made Sweetener That's Cheaper And Sweeter Than Sugar.food Manufactures Love It Because It Enhances Their Profits,so They Add It Into An Unbelievable Number Of Foods.cereal,ketchup,soda,pasta Sauce,cookies,even Some Meal Replacement Bars Wich Are Supposed To Be Good For You list Hfcs Way Up High On The Ingredients List,this Is A Processed Sweetener That Is Really,really,really Bad For You.that's Because Id Packed With Calories,but Your Body Doesn't Recognize These Calories.in Fact Hfcs Shouts Off Your Body's Natural Appetite Control Switches,so You Can Eat And Eat Far Beyond What Your Body Would Normally Be Able To Handle.
Unlike Glucose,your Body Doesn't Use Fructose As Inmediate Source Of Energy,it Metabolizes It Into Fat.

Trans Fat.this Include Hydrogenated Oils Or Partially Hydrogenated Oils
Saturated Fat Found In Fatty Cuts Of Red Meat And Whole Milk Dairy Products.
Now That You Know What Not To Eat Let's Start With What Is The Best To Eat
6 Meals A Day,3 Of This Large And 3 Snacks,eating Frecuently Spped Up Your Metabolism And Burn More Fat,always Have To Have Breakfast Cause Is The Most Important Meal Of The Day,since Your Body Is In Catabolic State First Thing In The Morning Is A Breakfast Packed With Lot Of Carbs And Protein,i Recomend Hot Cereal,in These Days Everybody Seems To Be In Love With Oatmeal,there's Nothing Wrong With The Oatmeal But If You Get Tired Of It Try Other Hot Cereals Packed With Even More Fiber Than Oatmeal,look For 7 Grain,cracked Wheat,bulgur Wheat,this Three Cereals Are Higher In Fiber 3 Times More Then Oatmeal And Are Easy To Cook,another Good One Is Barley Wich Is High In Selenium,mix This High Cereals With Friuts Or Berries And Use Splenda As Sweetener,forget About The Orange Juice Or Grapefruits Juice,juices Are Packed With Sugar,eat Fruits Like Oranges Or Grapefruits,always Remeber That Fruits Dont Spike To Much Your Glucose Because Of The Fiber Also Fruits Have Vitamins
For Protein I Recomend Egg Whites,don't use The Whole Egg,2 Whole Eggs Have More Than The Amount Of Cholesterol That You're Suppose To Have A Day And Have Fat Too,so In The Rest Of The Day You Still Are Going To Have More Animal Protein And You Don't Want At The End Of Your Weight Gain Diet Plan End Up Taking Lipitor To Lower Your Cholesterol,if You Dont Like Eggs Another Choice Is to Mix Plain Yogurt With Wey Protein,you Can Eat Your Eggs With 2 Slices Of Whole Wheat Bread,other Goodies For Breakfast Are Natural Peanut Butter,fat Free Cream Cheese, Whole Wheat Bagels,dry Cereals With High Fiber And No Sweetener,1 % Cottage Cheese,wich Is Really High In Protein 1 Cup Is 32 Grams Of Protein,always Look For Low Sodium Products,remember That High Sodium Foods Make You Fatter And Is Not Good For Your Heart.
I Just Want To Make Clear What's Good For Breakfast In The Rest Of The Day You Should Go This Way
For Snacks Include Nuts,tuna Cans,vegetables And Fruits
Good Sources Of Carbs Are # 1-beans!! Why Bean Is The Winner?? Because In Beans You Can Find A Good Source Of Carbs,protein And Lot Of Fiber,look For Another Food Rich In Fiber And Bean Will Win In The Food Label With More Fiber,so Since Beans Are So Many Variarity You Will Never Get Tired Of Em,you Can Buy Em In A Can And Always Wash Away The Sodium.other Good Carbs Are Sweet Potatoes,brown Rice,whole Wheat Bread,pastas,fruits And Vegetables.remeber Than Fruits And Vegetables Are Lower In Calories But Are Higer In Disease Fighter,you Can Eat As Much As You Want,just To Mention If You Didn't Know 40 % Of The Broccoli Is Protein And Think Of The Huge Vegetarian Animals Like Elephants And Cows So Try To Incorporate More Vegetables And Fruist And You Will Be Healthier With A Better Skin
Good Sources Of Protein Are Eggs, Low Fat Or Fat Free Dairy Products,low Fat Red Meats,turkey And Chicken Breast And Extra Protein Powders Like Whey,soy,eggs Or Casein,use This Powders Before And After Workouts,alwys Remember,no More Than 2 Grams Of Protein Per Body Weight,in That Order You Don't Store Too Much Fat In Your Body,always Drink Plenty Water With Every Extra Protein Shake
The Good Fats: This Are Polyunsaturated Fats,there Are 2 Types,omega 3 Qnd Omega 6,you Can Find Omega 3 Mostly In Fish,it Has Been Shown To Help Protect Your Heart From Cardiovascular Disease,this Type Of Fat Actually Help You To Control Your Weight,you Can Find Omega 3 In Flax Seed And Flax Oil.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids Help Lower Bad Cholesterol And Raise Good Cholesterol,the're Found In Vegetable Oils,meat,eggs And Dairy Products.
Monosaturated Fats:are Fond In Nuts,olives,peanuts,avocados And Olive And Canola Oils And Have The Same Benefits Of Polyunsaturated Fats.
Alwys Measure The Amont Of Fat In Your Diet Since Are The Higer In Calories And I Put It In A Ratio Of 20 Compare With 40-40 Of Carbs And Protein.
Limit Your Cheating Meals To 1 Or 2 A Week,eat And Eat More Whenever You Feel Hungry But Eat Smart With More Frits And Vegetable,drink Plenty Of Water And Eat Wet,believe With This Diet You Will Gain Pure Muscles In A Safer Way With No Higer Cholesterol Levels And Have Good Suplements To Enhace A Good Excercice Performance!!!!
Any Quetion I Will Answer!!

[ShannonC_77]

What is The Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?


There isn’t one!! Everyone is always trying to find the ‘perfect’ diet and it’s like once they find it, they’ve struck gold. The truth however, is that what works really great for one person, may produce completely different results for another. And on top of that, what worked for you when you were 17 may be totally different from what works for you when you are approaching 30. Our bodies unique and individual, therefore we each will react slightly differently to a diet protocol, and we individually are also constantly changing on an ongoing basis as well. As we add muscle mass to our frame, we require more energy just to sustain ourselves. Therefore, our diet, whether it is to gain, lose, or maintain weight must keep changing also. On top of that, activity factor will be a large contribute to what we need to put on our plates. Those who are highly active and still wish to gain weight, will need to eat more calories from carbohydrates, as these are the main source the body uses for energy, than those who just lift weights and then spend the rest of the day sedentary. All of these factors aside though, there are some general guidelines that one can use to form as the basis of what will become a great diet program for themselves, and then use trial and error to make the final specific touches to ensure they achieve their own optimal success.

Consideration number 1: Calories

This is the biggest factor that will determine what happens to an individuals’ bodyweight. If we eat more calories than we burn, we will gain weight. If we eat fewer calories than we burn we will lose weight, and if we eat the same number we burn, we will maintain. The timing and type of these nutrients, along with what type of exercise you are doing will be what helps determine what percentage of this added weight becomes precious muscle tissue and what percentage becomes stored as body fat.

There are many different formulas out there for determining how many calories you need to maintain your weight, however these should be taken with a grain of salt. I have done many different formulas that have given a wide variety of results, varying by 500 calories. With regards to weight gain or loss, this is a considerable number. A better way to go about figuring how many calories you need to consume is by tracking what you are eating over a period of a week. Then put it into a diet analyzer and determine how many average calories you are eating on a daily basis. If you are currently maintaining your weight, this would be your maintenance level. Once you have this figured out, then you need to add between 300-500 extra calories a day to promote muscle growth. Chances are, the closer to 300 calories over you are, the more likely you will pack on lean tissue, while the closer to 500 you are, the more chance you have that some may be stored as bodyfat. This is perfectly natural however, and one must accept the fact that they will gain some bodyfat in the process of adding muscle, however, once the muscle has been added, they will be able to burn it off at a quicker rate. Your current bodyfat status also will determine what % is muscle and which is fat. For those who are already quite lean, about 70% will be muscle tissue and 30% will be fat, while those who are already at a higher bodyfat percentage, the ratio will be closer to reversed. Therefore, it’s quite a bit more beneficial to loose a bit of weight if you are heavier before starting a bulking process. A good rate to gain weight at is 0.5-1 pound a week. It takes 3500 calories to form one pound, so at a rate of 500 calories a day over maintenance, you will be at 1 pound per week. How much fat is acceptable to gain during a mass building phase is really quite individual. Some people really aren’t that bothered by adding a bit of bodyfat as they know they will be able to lose it again, or it just isn’t an important issue to them. Others who really hate the process of leaning down, will probably prefer a too add a much lower amount of bodyfat and therefore would be better suited to going for the 0.5 pound per week goal, as it will likely be leaner tissue. (generally the slower you gain; the greater chance it will be lean tissue). The best way to tell how much fat your gaining is to have a bodyfat test done beforehand and then periodically throughout the process. If you see yourself gaining unwanted pounds of fat, this probably means you should adjust your calories slightly so as to not be quite so high over maintenance, or consider performing a little cardio during your training to help counteract the fat gain.

Consideration # 2: The Macronutrients

You will hear many people praise high protein diets, however I firmly believe while in a mass phase this is not necessary. Granted, the thermodynamic effect of protein is slightly higher than carbohydrates or fat, meaning if you over eat on protein, you will burn off more of the calories just digesting the protein than if you over ate on carbs. However since you are trying to gain weight anyway, this really isn’t an important factor. Also, protein does help regulate insulin levels, which will affect how much of the food you eat gets shuttled into fat tissue, however if you are eating sufficient calories evenly space out in each of your 6-8 meals a day, chances are you will be eating a good source of protein at each meal so this won’t really be a major worry either. The truth is, once you eat enough protein for your body to meet it’s needs (which is roughly around 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight), excess protein will get broken down and used for energy just as a carbohydrate will or will get stored as bodyfat. Since building muscle is an energy consuming process by the body, you are better off eating more carbohydrates to provide your body with this energy (and then it doesn’t have to expend as much energy transferring protein to a usable form of energy) than eating more protein. The amount of carbohydrates you should eat will be highly variable depending on your activity factor. If you are highly active, you will need to consume more carbohydrates since you will need to provide your body with more energy on top of what it needs to fuel this activity to add muscle mass (and be in a caloric surplus). And of course, you need to ensure you are getting adequate sources of healthy fat in your diet, as this will help keep you healthy and keep your system working efficiently (not too mention that fat is the most calorically dense nutrient and for those who are on very high calorie diets and have trouble working up the appetite to eat this much, they will have an easier time if they include healthy fats in their diets since they won’t have to eat as much food!). A good ratio to try for is 20-25% protein, 15-20% fat and 60% carbs. Some people will be genetically more predispositioned to adding more bodyfat and may want to consider a slightly higher ratio of protein as this may help them to add more lean body mass. As well, some people just feel better on different types of ratios. I have tried diets that are 40% protein and I felt terrible the entire time, I had stomachaches, trouble concentrating and just didn’t feel well at all. I find that I do much better on a moderate protein diet and one that includes more carbohydrate calories. Others may find the opposite. What’s important is finding what works for YOU! Just like your workouts, if Bob gains an inch on his arms by doing 10 sets of 10 reps of barbell curls 3 times a week, does this mean you will? Definitely not. Everyone has their own recovery capacity and tolerable workload, and this program could overtrain you so bad you actually begin to lose size. The same thing goes for diet.

As for the best types of foods to be eating, for carb sources, concentrate on whole grain, as close to the ground foods as possible, such as oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole wheat bread (check ingredients on this one as these are highly variable), and whole wheat pasta. You want your protein sources to be lean, so include chicken breasts, tuna, lean turkey meat, egg whites, other fish sources, cottage cheese and lean cuts of red meat. A good protein powder will also help you out a great deal as they will help to increase your calories without adding bulk to the diet and are highly conventient. (check out http://www.bodybuilding.com for a large selection at great prices) Finally your fat sources should come from olive oil, natural peanut butter, fatty fish such as salmon, and if you chose to use oil capsules.

Consideration #3: Post-workout

This is one factor that has been well researched and is very similar for almost everyone. You must consume a good source of protein and a carbohydrate immediately or as soon as possible following a workout. You have just put a whole lot of stress on your body (or at least we hope you have, since after all you do need to provide the overloading stimulus to create more muscle tissue or else no diet will help you gain muscle mass) and your muscles are crying for nutrients. By providing them with this fuel, you will increase their recovery time and help them to start repairing and rebuilding themselves immediately. If there was one thing that you do not want to screw up with your diet, this is definitely it! It’s best to get a quick absorbing carbohydrate with your protein as this will help to speed up the uptake of the protein and glucose in to the muscle tissue, as well as provide the insulin spike to aid in this process. About an hour or so after this meal, you will want to take in another that includes protein once again, and then a more slow digesting carbohydrate so you body will continue with this process over a longer period of time.

[ShannonC_77]

Continued....

So finding the best mass gain diet is something that you must do for your own. While you can look to other people for advice on what has worked best for them, don’t take this to mean that you will achieve the exact same success for yourself. Take the basics of their program, try it out, if you aren’t getting the results you desire, add or subtract calories, adjust the macronutrient ratio, and make sure you are getting a good postworkout meal in. Also, be sure to monitor your diet every few months, because chances are, if you eat the same amount of calories day in and day out, you body will get used to this and will begin to plateau. At this time you will need to introduce it to more calories to spur growth once again or play around with other plans, such as a few days at a much higher calorie level and than a day or two at a lower level of calories to shock your metabolism and get it out of it’s plateau.

Personally, the most calories I have ever eaten during a mass gain diet is 3600. I am female however and weigh 120 pounds and stand 5’6” so this is quite a bit for someone of my size (yes I’m quite small, and still adding weight!! J). I worked my way up to this amount gradually so my body had time to adjust which made it easier to tolerate this amount of food, and was less inclined to just store the calories as bodyfat. At times I definitely experienced some bloating, and was forcing myself to eat when food was the last thing I wanted to look at. Working up an appetite is definitely something you may struggle with if you require a high amount of food. Trying to break it up into many meals may make this easier since you won’t be taking in so much during one time and turning a few of your meals into liquid meals will also help with the fullness factor. Eventually though your body will get used to the food and you will find yourself hungry and wanting to eat it. Just hang in there though, keep faith, and eventually you will reach your goals!!

Now go start eating!!

[bigcalves]

What Is The Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?



Bulking up is a part of bodybuilding. All the pro's and amateurs bulk up and then cut down for a competition. Without bulking up, your progress would come to a snail's pace. When 'bulking' you should focus on gaining as much muscle as you can, while keeping fat gain at a minimum. Your best judge is you. And your friend is the mirror. Do not base your resutls on weight, charts and logs. Sure those are necessary, but are not the prime factor on determining your progress. Before you start keep a log of all your lifts, and measurements. Record your progress every 2 weeks and that way you can determine if you are heading down the right path.


When bulking up you should keep body fat at a minimum. Gaining more than 2lbs per week is bad, and it means you are over eating and you should cut your calories by 200 or 400 calories to ease off the fat gains. Our goal is to gain muscle and not fat. Let's be realistic, fat will come but you shouldn't gain more than 4-7% fat on your whole bulk. If your gianing 10%+ you are surely overeating, or consuming junk food. Again, the mirror is your best friend. When bulking i monitor my fat gains and when i gain too much fat i can usually tell why it is. Learn to listen to your body and not the scale. Do not overbulk, because if you do, you will have a hard time loosing it all off. Plus with all the cutting you will do, you will loose more muscle which will lead you to no where. Like i said, it's not wise to base it on the scale or a program, always determine your progress through looking in the mirror.


Although weight training is necessary to gain muscle, the right diet is needed. Nutrition is about 80 percent of bodybuilding. So no matter how much you train, and how many sets you do, if you don't feed and rebuild your body, it simply won't grow. I see tons of people in the gym with perfect routines, going day by day, always the same. I know that their diet sucks, but again i see them editing their routines and following the next best workout program. The other factor that seems to be over looked is rest. You need 8 hours of good quality sleep. Don't expect to grow while you watch TV until midnight and then wake up at 6 for work or school. Your body needs to repair. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) kicks in within 2 hours of your sleep and repairs broken down tissue, or you muscle. That way you get bigger and stronger. When you cut down your sleep, you are taking away 2-4 hours of the main building process, and that is no good in trying to get more muscle. You need trainign, diet and rest to get big. Once begin to master these components your gains should be comming in quite nicely.



The best type of diet for bulking up


When bulking up, you need an organized eating plan. Also you have to educate yourself about carbs, protein and fats. You need to know how calories work, and how to calculate your meals. First off your going to need to form a ratio. Through years of experience, i've found that 50/30/20 (carbs,protein,fat) works best for gainign quality weight. Now since the body get's used to the amount of food your giving it, you will have to UP the calories by 300 every 2 weeks. The first week that you start bulking you will go +500 calories, and then 300 calories every 2 weeks from then on. The 300 calories will be the same ratio as your diet. You will bulk up for 14-16 weeks, or until you decide to cut down. Let's say you were eating 2000 calories before you started. Thats your maintenence. First you will add 500 for the first 2 weeks, and then 300 for every other week. So it will look something like this. This is only a model, so add 500 calories to your maintenance calories.


Starting at 3000.
Weeks 1-2 = 3,500 cal
Weeks 3-4 = 3,800 cal
Weeks 5-6 = 4,100 cal
Weeks 7-8 = 4,400 cal
Weeks 9-10= 4,700 cal
Weeks 11-12= 5,000 cal
Weeks 13-14= 5,300 cal
Week 15-16 = 5,500 cal


You can stop at anytime if you feel you reached your goal, or are gaining too much fat. Let the mirror be your judge. Don't follow the scale or a program. It would be fooish if you are happy at week 13 and you continue to week 16 and gain 5 or more lbs of fat. Always look in the mirror. Having logs and looking at the scale is fine too, it's actually necessary, but always let the mirror be your main source for judging your progress. Now since you know how many calories you have to eat, it's time to see what you will be eating. Carbs, protein and fats are what your diet is made out of. You know the ratio you need, now we need to figure out what of each you will be having and what foods are great sources of each macronutrient.



Carbohydrates


Carbs are needed for energy. You need alot of carbs, since they make 50% of your diet. Going too high on carbs will result in fat gain. Too little carbs will results in using other macronutrients as enegry which is also bad. You need to balance it out, and 50% is exactly what will do the trick. In the world of carbs, there are simple and complex carbs. Eat simple carbs consisting of dextrose for after workout only, otherwise avoid these carbs as they result in insulin spike and fat again. Feel free to eat alot of fruits though. Next are complex carbs which are great for bulking. They are slowly released into the body not greating a spike, and perfect for your diet. Now here are some great sources of carbohydrates.


SIMPLE CARBS- Dextrose, Fruits, Sugar, High fructose corn syrup, Sports drinks, Candies, etc..

COMPLEX CARBS- Brown rice, 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Oats, Pasta, Spaghetti, Beans, Veggies, etc..



Protein


Protein is very important. Protein builds lean muscle tissue, and that's how you get big. Without protein, it's like trying to drive a car without gas, or on the fumes. You need 1-2grams per lb of bodyweight, and 30% of your diet will be just enough to get you big. With a diet rich of protein, you will grow and feel better. Protein is found in meats and poultry. Be careful and avoid meat with the white stuff on it. That is saturated fat, and no good for your body or health. Red meat is perfect for getting big, but also contains saturated fats. Eat beef only 2-3 times per week and becareful and cut off all the visable saturated fat. Tuna and other fish are great for lean protein. Since not all of us can eat meat all the time, whey protein is perfect for supplementation. Whey saved my diet when i started my job. It was 8 hours and i had a 1 hour break in between and i was able to eat a big meal. But i also needed two smaller ones in between. So i got my cantiene and put 2-3 scoops of whey and i also had a banana or something to fullfill my diet requirements. I strongly suggest that you pick up a tub of Whey Protein.


Protein Foods- Tuna, Salmon, Chicken Breast, Beef, Pork Chops, Turkey, Egg Whites



Fats


Fats are often overlooked in todays 'athlete' diets. Since the 90's fats got a bad reputation. So in everyone's mind, fat equals fat around your belly. In reality, fat from food and stored fat on a body are two different things. Everyone needs fat in their diet. From active to non active people, fat is needed. Since we are trying to get bigger, fat is 20% of our total intake. Don't worry it will not magically stick to your belly. There's different kinds of fat. There is Saturated, and Unsaturated fat. The saturated fat has a sub category of Trans fats, while the Unstaturated fats have Poly and Mono. You should avoid Saturated fats, and avoid Trans fats at all costs, since all they do is clog arteries and have 0 beneficial results in your body.

Poly and Mono are helpful and help the body and are also prooven to raise natural testosterone. Something that every lifter can appriciate. These 'good fats' belong to the Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) which are needed for your body and are quite good for you, with little to no bad benefits. Salmon and fish are excellent sources of protein and the fat that we want. There's virtually no Saturated fat in fish and that is good to keep your bulk diet clean. Be sure to consume alot of nuts and cook with olive oil. These will give you pure EFA's and will be very good for your body and healthy for your system. Please don't overlook fat, because it plays an important role in any diet, bulking or cutting.


Good Fats- Nuts, Olive oil, Fish, Seeds





CONTINUE...

[bigcalves]

CONTINUED...





Foods To Avoid


Sure we are bulking. But i strongly suggest do not go out and load up on fast food thinking that you loaded up on calories and will get big. Well you are right on one thing, you will get big, but the only measurement that will change will be your waist. We don't want that. So even though we are consuming a high amounts of calories, that doesn't give us the right to pig out. It's ok to have a cheat day once every 1 or 2 weeks, but don't overdo it or you will gain extra fat which when cutting time comes around is no fun. It means you will cut longer, loose more muscle and have a bussy schedule. So take it nice and slow, stick to basic foods from each group, nothing too extreme and remember to listen to your body. Even if it's time to chage the calories a bit, if you still feel that you are making gains, then don't change it. It's about looking in the mirror and determining how you've progressed. If you gain fat a little faster, then have fewer cheat meals. Do not hesitate to tweak your calories, or do a carb load depending on how you feel. After all it's your body and everyone reacts differently.


There are some bad carbs.Ok now it's time to seperate the bad from the good. When eating carbs becareful not to over eat on the simple carbs. Simple carbs are excellent for after a workout because they will go in your system for energy or muscle rebuilding fast. But when you are not doing anything and have large amounts of simple carbs (High GI) you are asking for fat loss. Since it all goes in your system and your body doesn't need it. Avoid foods like candy, pure sugar and foods containing alot of sugar. Ice cream, pizza, potato chips and twislers are all bad for you and won't give you the gains you are looking for.


As for protein, you can't really mess up that bad. Just make sure you are eating clean, lean protein. Don't eat fatty steak everyday and wonder why you are gaining fat fast. Avoid the white stuff (Saturated Fats) and be sure to eat alot of fish and chicken breast. Be sure to avoid mixed beef that is full of Sat. fat and other bad stuff. Also avoid meats that are generally high in fat and feel greasy when eating. Chicken is good, but don't buy fried chicken or chicken strips that have 20% real chicken in them. Also avoid pork. Sure pork chops are good for red meat, but other than that pork is bad and pretty fattening. Meats like lamb and duck are greasy and don't have good protein in them. Besides from chicken breast, tuna and the occaisional red meat fix, all other meats have too much Sat. fat for large consumption.


Fats are always overlooked and to people they are the same. Wrong. There are bad and good fats. I already explained the benefit and what and where good fats come from. Now it's time for the bad fats. They are found in red meat. Beef, pork, lamb. You name it, and it's there. Saturated fats are usually found looking white at room temperature and if you taste them they feel very greasy. Avoid them at all cost since they are no good for you. They clog up arteries, and the leading causes of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, high cholesterol and death. Cheese and eggs also contain this type of fat, like the red meat it come's from an animal. Aside from red meat and diary, Saturated fats are found on artificial products such as potato chips, fast food and junk candy. The Saturated fat from these products comes from low quality, cheap oils that companies use to lessen the cost, increase the greasy taste and cause major problems to today's society. Avoid these bad fats.



Increasing Appetite


There are several methods of increasing your appetite. First a short but intense run in the morning will help you eat all your meals. Try running for 10 minutes at full speed until you can't run no more. Don't worry it won't hinder your gains, as for anything it will help with your leg development. After your run you will feel hungry and that feelling will stay for the whole day. Also, eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism fast. By doing that you will burn your food faster, so you will feel hungry and less full. Also you meals will get smaller, which is good especially when you pass 4,000 calories. I cannot imagine splitting 3 meals for 4,000 calories. Also there are alot of supplements you can take that increase appetite and metabolism. A fat burner in a small dose will not hinder your gains but will make you a little jumpy and hungrier. Also caffiene and similar energy boosting supplements will help in creating a bigger appetite. Always remember that if you don't feel like eating, but throwing up, then it's wise to take 1 more hour of free food time. Listen to your body and that will prevent you from harming it.



Supplements for Bulking


Although diet, training and rest are key, supplements can play an important role in bulking. They will give you the extra boost you need. By taking supplements you can increase your gains. Not anything dramatic, but still it's well worth it to invest in supplements. They can give you a extra boost when you need it in the weightroom or shorten your recovery time. No matter what, i strongly suggest supplements, and the best place to get them for an affordable price and excellent quality is Bodybuilding.com's store. There you will find everything you need, filled with tons of articles and places that can give you a very close look in the world of supplements. Although famous, these few supplements are very effective and not that expensive.


Whey Protein
No matter how hard you try, nothing replaces good old whey. It has a fast digestion rate, and comes in very pure form. By taking whey, you can increase your protein uptake by 50-150 grams per day which is very time saving and efficient. Whey is a must for after a workout since your muscles are tired and need to be replenished. Also when you wake yup, whey is the best choice for protein in my opinion.


Creatine
Creatine is used by tons of people world wide. It is safe, 100% natural and effective. From Olympians to gym rats, people use creatine. It gives an extra boost when working out. It can also help you gain more muscle and better your lifts. It boosts up the ATP energy which is responsible for short, drastic muscle movements. Perfect for weightlifters all around, creatine is a must for bulking up.


L-Glutamine
L-Glutamine is an amino acid. It is a 100% natural and safe supplement. It is used mainly for recovery. It can help you recover faster from the hard leg or back workout that you had. That way intensity and recovery for your workouts is at an all time high. L-Glutamine also helps maintain a positive Nitrogen balance which is very healthy for your body.


Multi-Vitamins
These days everyone takes Multi-Vitamins. That is a very smart choice. Since we all need vitamins, and we can't always eat every fruit out there, so Multi-Vitamins are a very wise choice for any diet. Since you are bulking, you need vitamins to maintain your body healthy. From all the workouts and stress that you put on it, it's a must that you have vitamins to replenish and rebuild. Always a must for every bodybuilder.



BONUS QUESTION: What is the most calories that you have eaten in one day when trying to bulk? What did you eat? How did you feel the next day?



The most calories i have ever had in one day were 6,000+. It was the last week of my bulk cycle. I was eating around 4,500 calories and i felt the urge for fast food. I haven't had it since the my last bulk that was 8-10 months ago. I knew that i was supposed to eat 80 carbs and 40 protein for my 11 o'clock meal. So i went to McDonalds and bought 5 McChickens with all the works, 2 Double Cheeseburgers and Super Sized Fries. Surprisingly i was used to getting bloated from eating 8 meals per day. When i ate all my food within 20 minutes i didn't feel different that from finishing all my other meals. It got a little different later on...

About 2 hours after eating all this good, i was 1 hour away from my next meal which is at 2 o'clock. I was sweating and i felt really lazy, since my body was digesting all this food. My workout is at 3 that afternoon and i was trainign arms. For some reason i felt really good at around 2. Surprisingly i ate my meal and went to workout at 3. That day i was training arms and i felt really good. I felt that i was carb loaded and that i had tons of energy. After my workout i felt very hungry and ate my post workout meal which is pretty big. After this i went home. Keep in mind that i never visited the bathroom for number 2. Didn't either the whole night.

In the mornign i woke up feeling very bloated, even though my last meal was 8-9 hours ago. I went to the bathroom and was there for about 40 minutes 'discussing bussiness'. After i got out i felt very sick and in about 2 hours i was fine and ready for my 3rd meal at the time. This experience thought me not to pig out and gave my more wisdom for future bulks.

In conclusion i want to say that bulking is not easy. You will have to follow a good nutrition plan, a good weight lifting routine, and provide yourself with enough rest. It might be hard to get used to, but after a few weeks you will get used to it. The benefits are far greater than the sacrafice. Keep logs, and charts. Keeping track on your progress will not only tell you how you are doing, but also motivate you into becoming bigger and more muscular. Good luck and keep bulking!

[Kill_yourself]

What Is The Best Weight Gain Diet Plan?

When many people start to go on a training program, they always leave out one very important factor, The diet. They fail to understand that:

25% workout + 75% diet= 100% results

This is the fact that causes many people to give up in their pursue for that desire body and give themselves a self fulfilling excuse on why they bailed out. Reasons such as: “My genes are not built for this” or “It is not that I am lazy, but these programs do not work on my body type”

So regarding this week’s topic of what is the best way to gain weight, I am the best person to tell you that. I used to weigh 90lbs standing at 1.75 meters. I bet you can imagine how skinny that would look. But I managed to gain 70lbs over a period of 6 months and I only had an increase of 4% body fat. I had the inability to gain much fat and had a high metabolic rate, which was common for most people that are seeking to gain some muscle mass.

The Diet

As mentioned above, I have strongly highlighted the importance of a proper and clean diet if you are looking to gain some muscle mass. Some may argue that as long as you workout very intensely, and eat a “normal” diet you will still be able to gain muscle. That is absolutely UNTRUE! As a “normal” and standard American diet consist of three meals :

First: Cereal, Eggs and milk (8am)
Second: Sandwiches (2pm)
Third: Steak or something extremely heavy and filling (7pm)

As we can see, a normal diet consists of only three meals, which would not be the best thing to do, if you are looking to maintain a high metabolic rate. To minimize the amount of fat gained during the process of gain weight is to eat 5 meals daily to maintain a high metabolic rate, such that any food that is ingested into the body can be digested and utilize as quickly as possible instead to staying in in the body and converting into fat.

Our body starts to convert fat when 2 things happen.

1. You do not eat regular meals and in a preventive measure taken by the body to prevent starving, the body naturally stores fat because fats has a higher calories and your energy levels will still be maintained in the event that the stomach is empty.
2. You are eating more calories then needed, and the excess calories that is derived from fat will turn into, well FAT.

Concept of building muscle

Okay. Now let’s think about something else for one second. Imagine that your roof on your house is your muscles. And what happens is that, every time you train your muscles in the gym, it is equivalent to smashing little holes on that roof. And in order to fix that roof, we would need money. And this money would be the diet that you are eating. Sure, for the first few times that you smash that roof (aka muscle) you would have the money(aka nutritional content in diet) to fix it. But as time goes by, and your finances starts to go lower, it would be a lot easier not to fix the roof at all.

Now that is what happens to our body. Initially when we first go on a weight program, even without the help of a clean and proper diet we would still be able to gain some form of muscle in the early stages. But soon this progress will come to a halt because the body is not receiving enough nutrients to maintain daily activity levels and at the same time build extra muscle.

So that also means that in order to gain muscle or weight, we would have to first eat a diet that has a more calories(made up mostly of carbohydrate and protein and not fat) that what we actually need, so the extra can be used to build muscle. So step 1 would be to determine the amount of calories needed for your daily activity.

Step 1: Count calories
You can do so over here:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/pierce39.htm

Step 2: Plan Diet
Take the figure that you have calculated from the above link and add 500 to that figure. That would now be the amount of calories that would should be ingested during your time of gaining weight.
And every 2 weeks if you are not seeing either size gains of weight gains, increase 500 more calories every 2 weeks until you start to see gains in weight again.

P.s Eating on a day when you work out and eating on a day when you do not work out is not the same. Your body does not require as much calories as compared to a non workout day.

To maximize you training efforts, it is critical that you eat one and a half hour before your workout and within one hour your workout.




Protein and Carbohydrate Ratio


weight training day


……Pre and post workout meals……..Non-workout meals……Bedtime meal
Calories….carbo/protein ………………..carbo/protein ……….carbo/protein

1500……...70/23……………………….. 45/30………………......15/22
2000……...94/31………………………...60/40..…………………20/30
2500……...117/39……………………….75/50…………………..25/37
3000……...141/47………………………..90/60..………………...30/45
3500……...164/55……………………......105/70………………...35/52
4000……...188/63………………………..120/80………………...40/60
4500……...211/70………………………..135/90………………...45/67
5000……...234/78………………………..150/100……………….50/75
5500……...258/86………………………..165/110……………….55/82
6000……...281/94………………………..180/120……………….60/90
6500……...305/102………………………195/130……………….65/97

Non-weight training day

…………Meal1and meal 2……….........Meal3 and meal 4…….Bedtime Meals
Calories….Carbo/protein………………..carbo/protein………..carbo/protein
1500……..42/28…………………………….34/23………………...11/16
2000……..56/38…………………………….45/30………………...15/22
2500……..70/47…………………………….56/38………………...18/28
3000……..84/56………………………….....67/45………………...22/33
3500……..98/66…………………………….79/53………………...26/39
4000……..112/75…………………………...90/60………………...30/45
4500……..127/84…………………………...101/68……………….33/50
5000……..141/94…………………………...113/75……………….37/56
5500……..155/103………………………….124/83……………….41 /61
6000……..160/113………………………….135/90……………….45/67
6500……..183/122………………………….146/98……………….48/73


* i tried to make it as straight and clear as possible already. but for all, i shall explain the chart. The numbers are in 4 columns. The set of numbers on the far left would be column 1. And the column number will increase was you move right.

Column 1 is the caloric numbers
Column 2 are the carbo/protein ratio for your pre and post workout meal. But for the chart on non- workout days, column 2 would be the carbo/protein ratio for meals 1 and 2
Column 3 would be the carbo/protein ratio for your other meals
Column 3 would be the carbo/protein ratio for your bedtime meal.

• Some people would have concerns over whether you should be eating simple carbohydrate or complex carbohydrate. In general, you should focus on simple carbohydrate for your Pre and Post workout meals and all other meals should focus on complex carbohydrate. But a slight mix would be fine as long as the amount of simple carbohydrate does not exceed more than 50% require in a complex carbohydrate focused meal. That goes the same for a simple carbohydrate meal.
• In order to plan your diet, you are allowed a 7 grams difference from the figures above. All the above figures are in grams.

• As you already have realized, I did not include a proper plan for fat intake. That is because, the amount of fat that you should be ingested should be kept to a minimum and should not be increase in the event of caloric increase.

In the case of putting on weight without fat accumulated, we do not have to take much notice about the amount of fat taken. As long as you try to avoid foods that are high in fat such as milk, which is about 33% FAT! In short try to avoid excess fat when possible. Although it is virtually impossible to not eat fat at all due to the fact the most food actually contain fat, a prevention of deep fried or oily foods will be best way to stay away from fat.

Note: If you eat a huge combination of fat and carbohydrate at the same time, your chances of increasing your body fat will be greatly increase. Although it is not possible to eliminate fat completely when eating food with carbohydrate, it is possible to reduce the amount of extra fat that you are ingesting. E.G. eating junk food with your meals or adding mayo to your food. These are the things that would significantly increase the amount of fat ingested.

[Kill_yourself]

Types of food

Usually when you buy food from the supermarket, the food would have some sort of label stating the nutritional content in the food. But sad to say not all foods have that. So for foods that has labels, it would be easier for you to plan your diet. But for foods that have no nutritional labels, you can always visit the huge nutritional database available at www.bodybuilding.com It is extremely useful and has a huge range of foods.

Recommended foods

Protein sources
Skinless Chicken breast
Turkey
Steak
Eggs
Tuna
Soy
Tofu

This protein sources are not only easily obtainable, it is also extremely high in protein.

Carbohydrate Sources

There are 2 types of Carbohydrate. One would be called “simple” and the other “Complex” Carbohydrate. The difference is that simple carbohydrate tends to be used very quickly in the body. It can be quickly digested and utilized, providing a quick energy boost. It can be digested so quickly because of its simple molecular structure. That is why simple carbohydrate is best taken before and after the workout. So that it can provide the much needed energy for and workout and also after the workout.

Complex Carbohydrate is also able to provide energy. But the only difference is that our body is not able to digest it as quickly as simple carbohydrate. Due to this reason, complex carbohydrate can create a kind of Time release effect within our body when the nutrients are digested, which make sit a perfect choice for meals that do not require immediate energy boost.

Simple Carbohydrate
Fruit juices
Fruits
Sugar
Honey

The amount of carbohydrate content in the above can be obtained on the bodybuilding site.

Complex Carbohydrate
Macaroni
Rice
Bread
Oats
Potatoes
Pancakes

Not Recommended Foods
Fizzy drinks (Although they contain a high simple carbohydrate content, it is artificial so it should be used as a source of simple carbohydrate)
Deep fried junk food.
Burgers
Fries
Tidbits
Chocolate

Although these foods may look irresistible, but these foods can only do you more harm than good. But indulging in these foods once in a blue moon to keep you motivated in your quest for that perfect body is fine, as long as you don’t need motivation every 2 minutes.

How to increase appetite?
This is something that I have desperately tried to figure out for the last 6 months. Whenever I know that it is time to increase my caloric intake by 500, I usually hold back because I know that my appetite is not big enough to eat anymore. So I was in a real lost at what to do.

My initial experience
At first when I started to go on a diet to bulk, I was practically forcing myself to eat the food presented to me on that plate. And every time, I would always push a little too far and would end up in a 10 minute state of agony vomiting whatever that I have just ingested. And that would in turn bring me back to square one. Every time I finish vomiting, I would be weak and would have no appetite to eat anymore despite knowing the fact that there is nothing in my stomach and if I do not eat soon I would be putting my stomach in a state of starvation.

And in order to counter my body’s instinct to eject any overloading of food, I came out with a stupid theory. I though that as long as I distracted myself from the thought of vomiting, I would not vomit. So I used to dig my nails into my palms and use the sense of pain to distract me from the thought of vomiting. Although it worked for the first few times, it didn’t last. I started to lose that concentration and my hands were soon having more and more cuts and bruises. I knew I had to come out with something new.

The Real way to increase appetite:
First and foremost, Quit smoking! Smoking can greatly reduce your appetite. So if you want to down that chicken breast, drop that cigarette stick.

Second: Every time it is time to increase your caloric intake, do not hold back even if you know that you are unable to eat anymore. Just go ahead and plan what you are going to eat for that increased caloric level. Then when you get the food, eat as much as you can. And the moment you feel you cannot go any further. STOP! DO NOT CONTINUE! Even if there is still food left, throw the rest away. All you have to do is to remember how much you have left behind. And the next day when you eat that meal again, make sure you eat more than what you did the day before. Do this everyday and your body will slowly adapt and increase the amount of food you can ingest. Soon you will find that eating the meal is no trouble at all. This method is very effective because it gives the body time to adapt and not expecting the body to create a bigger stomach in 2 seconds

Third: Increase your activity level. Just small and simple steps will do. For example, do not take a bus if it is within walking distance; do not take the lift when you can climb the stairs. Of course if you work on the 88th storey it is out of the question. In general it just means to increase your activity level. This will help to further increase your metabolic rate and digestion rate.

Weight gaining every week

So how much weight is it safe to gain every week such that you do not blow up into an elephant within 3 months. An average of 700g-1kg is perfectly fine. If you feel that you are increasing weight much faster than that and you are very sure it is caused by fat accumulation, then reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories.

So how much fat gain is acceptable?
This is very hard to say. Everyone has a different concept regarding this topic. Some people think that too much fat is when you have no abs. Some would think that it is alright to lose the abs as long as you do not grow a gut. So there are many different levels of acceptability. So when you personally feel that you are growing to much fat, reduce the calories by 500.

A good way to judge if you are gaining to much fat is by using a Fat measuring calipers. It is sold at the online store on bodybuilding.com
If you do not have the intention to buy one of those, a simple measure on the waist is also acceptable. As long as you do not grow more than 2 inches that what you desire, you are fine. For example, you currently have a 26 inch waist. And you would want to see it up to 30. So if you reach 33 you know you are gaining a little too fat. So reduce 500 calories.


Bonus Question

The most amount of calories I have eaten in a day would have to be 4000 calories. At that time I was trying to push the limit of how much I can actually eat.

This was what I ate:

Meal 1
300ml soy
2 scoop 100% whey protein
1 dried cup rice
200ml milk

Meal2
7 Eggs
500ml soy
200ml apple juice

Meal 3
400ml soy
3 scoop 100%whey protein

Meal 4
300g chicken breast
500ml soy
1 cup macaroni

Meal5
1 packets tofu
600ml soy

* I use a lot of soy because of its economical value and its content.

The next day when I work up, I felt extremely bloated. But since I already have a habit of drinking a protein shake in the morning to jump start my body, I forced myself into taking it. But in the end I vomited out the shake(waste of money, moron!) but I was a little smarter this time. I knew that since I vomited my stomach was empty so I drank another protein shake and this time it was perfectly fine.

[doggiejoe]

Putting On Weight

It’s Monday and you walk into the gym. You check in. It’s time for your weekly weight check. You head over to the scale. You step on. To no surprise, you still weigh in at the same weight. You try to hide the frustration and walk away to another endless workout.

With every other person in this world worried about losing weight, the hard gainers around the world have been forgotten. There’s a new fad diet on how to lose weight every week. Every advertisement you see is “How to drop 30 pounds in 1 week” not once do you see a commercial on “How to gain weight”.

Gaining weight is one of the hardest things to overcome, for some people. For others, this might not be the case. So if you have problems or are looking for new ways to put on weight and muscle mass continue reading this article.

Weight Gaining Principles

Bulking Diet

There are 3 categories of body types. There are the Mesomorphs, the Endomorphs, and the hard gainers known as the Ectomorphs. Each requires different training and diets. You first have to know which body type you are. Then you’re going to have to plan your diet accordingly, to gain weight.

If you’re reading this article, more than likely you’re an Ectomorph. To every skinny kid across the world trying to be the hulk, I tell them this… “If you want to hulk up, then you got to BULK UP!”

The purpose of a bulking diet is to put on muscle and keep fat gains to a minimum. When bulking, fat gain is inevitable just like when cutting it’s impossible not to lose muscle. In most cases to maintain your weight, multiply 15 by your bodyweight to get the amount of calories you must consume. Though this might not be true for some people. It all depends on your metabolism as some people burn calories faster/slower than others.

To gain weight, you would multiple 18-22 by your bodyweight. If you’re an Endomorph I suggest 18, if you’re a Mesomorph I suggest 20, and if you’re an Ectomorph I suggest 22. For example, an Ectomorph weighing in at 140 would consume around 3080 calories a day.

Furthermore remember to up your calories and as your weight goes up. For example, if you went up 5 pounds in weight, then you’re going to have to add an extra 110 calories to your diet to keep the gains coming. One thing you’re allowed to do is to have a “cheat day”. I limit cheat days to every 2 weeks on a particular day.

The bad thing about going on a bulking diet is that you’re going to gain unwanted fat no matter what. Don’t think you’re special and this doesn’t apply to you. So you want to keep your diet as clean as possible, to keep fat gains as low as possible. Remember to keep healthy priorities. Also remember you want to create a calorie surplus, meaning you consume more calories than you burn.

Meal Frequency

Now that you know how many calories you’re going to have to consume, you have to spread out your meals throughout the day. You want to eat every 2-3 hours throughout the day and have about 6-8 meals while spreading your calories evenly. Also make sure your highest calorie intake is after your workout, when you need it most.

The reason you want to eat every 2-3 hours is to avoid a catabolism stage where your body eats away at your hard earned muscle. A great misconception is that if you don’t eat, your body will eat away at fat. Wrong! Your body will eat away at your muscle tissues first.

It is also proven that your body absorbs nutrients better when fed 6-8 meals a day rather than the traditional 3 meals a day. Consuming 6-8 meals a day tricks your body to store less fat. This is will give you what you want, which is more muscle mass/weight and less fat.

Macronutrients

Protein

Protein is the single most important nutrient to a bodybuilder. To gain weight you will need it because protein is what makes and maintains most of the stuff in our bodies. It is recommended that a bodybuilder should consume at least 1 gram of protein for every pound they weigh, but I recommend 1.5-2 grams for bulking. Any more than 2 grams of protein and it might turn into fat.

Good Sources of Protein: Chicken, lean red meats, beef jerky, tuna, salmon, fat free deli meats, shrimp, egg whites, skim milk, cottage cheese, and protein powder supplements.

Carbs

Forget all the evil talk you have heard about carbs. Not all carbs are bad for you because not ALL carbs are created equal. There are 2 different types of carbs, “simple” and “complex”. Simple carbs enter your system faster while complex carbs take longer. You want to consume low glycemic carbs before a workout for more sustained energy levels throughout your lifting. While high glycemic carbs should be taken after your workout to reach your muscles quicker. Just remember carbs are your body’s source for energy!


Good Sources of Carbs: Fruit, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, potatoes, beans, brown rice, pasta, lentils, 100% juices, yams, and all vegetables.

Fats

Fats? Yes fats, you need fats. Just like carbs, not ALL fats are created equal! In fact, hormones are produced from fats. There is such a thing as “good fats”(unsaturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats) and “bad fats”(saturated, trans fats). “Good fats” are great for your overall health. Remember don’t be afraid to eat fat!

Good Sources of Fats: Natural peanut butter, seeds, olive oil, virgin olive oil, canola oil flax seed oil, fish oil, hemp seed oils, soy bean oils, walnuts, cashews, avocados, and raw fish all have EFA’s(Essential Fatty Acids).

Ratio

There are many different recommended ratios. From 60/20/20 to 25/55/20. Just like the different type of ratios, there are the different types of people. No single ratio will match everyone. So in order to know which ratio is best for you, try different ratios depending on your body type. I recommend starting with 40/40/20 and going from there.

One fact you should be aware of, is that the fat ratio should always remain at 20%. If it’s less than 20% then your hormonal production will lower, if it’s any higher than 20% then you will start gaining more fat.

What Foods To Avoid

You want to avoid any food that has undergone processing or has been fried. Also don’t always fall for “Low Fat” products. Read the ingredients, if it contains high fructose corn syrup, avoid it at all costs, as this is a bad type of carb. As well, avoid every single fast food restaurant you come across.

Bad Protein Sources: Diary products from whole milk, fried foods (chicken), and meats with high fat.

Bad Carb Sources: Processed juices, soda, candy, regular bread, pancakes, doughnuts, all pastries, and high fructose corn syrup.

Bad Fat Sources: Saturated fats, trans fats, deep fried items, hydrogenated vegetable oils, coconut oils, palm oil, and palm kernel oils.

How To Increase Appetite

When you body adapts to eating every 2-3 hours, I guarantee your metabolism will be increased and you will need food every 2-3 hours. I know if I miss a meal by 10 minutes I become extreme hungry, that’s something that never happened when I only ate 3 meals a day.

Another way to increase your appetite is to vary your meals. You don’t want to go into a routine where you eat the same thing over and over again because you’re going to get tired of it. Eat new things you never ate before and implement them to your diet.



You could also increase your appetite by using motivation. Face it, if you don’t eat, you won’t grow. So use this as motivation and stuff your face with a great deal of healthy food. Remember the saying “Eat big, to get big!”

How much weight should you be trying to gain each week? How much fat is acceptable to gain during your weight gain period? How can you tell if you are gaining too much fat?

You should be trying to gain at least .5 of a pound each week. But you don’t want to gain more than 2 lbs a week, because the rest will probably be fat or water. So if you’re going over 2 lbs you aren’t accomplishing your goal, which is to gain muscle mass and not fat.
You want to make changes GRADUALLY. If you go up too fast in weight, you’re going to be left with a higher percentage of fat.

There’s no universal table on how much fat is acceptable. You’re going to have to limit your fat gains on your own standards and goals. The way I do it, is to check in the mirror everyday and assess my diet from there. If I see a lose of too much definition then I change things around so I can keep the fat down.

Continued…

[doggiejoe]

Other Key Factors Of Gaining Weight

Weight Training

Dieting and weight training work hand in hand. Weight training stimulates muscle growth, while your diet feeds your body the proper nutrients it needs to build new muscle tissues. In order to gain muscle mass you’re going to have to change your workout routine. This means you’re going to have to workout with lower reps and heavier weights. I recommend keeping all your exercises on a 4-8 rep range.

In addition, make sure you have the “Big 3” lifts in your routine. The “Big 3” includes the bench press, squat and deadlift. These are the stable lifts in putting on great amount of muscle mass. I’m sure everyone here has the bench press in their routine, but the squat and deadlift often go overlooked. These lifts increase natural testosterone release throughout your entire body and will help in all your other lifts.

Nutrition Log

Keeping a nutrition log is just as important as a workout log. You wouldn’t go to the gym without a plan, now would you? This is a great way to stay organized and it will help you achieve your goals. Writing what you eat each day will help you keep track of what you ate, and will assist you with the calculations of your diet. You can also plan ahead on what you’re going to eat and when, so you can stay on task and not have to worry about what you’re going to eat next.

Sleep

Without any sleep, your muscles wouldn’t grow. Lack of sleep will also make it harder for you to gain muscle and not fat when gaining weight. You want to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Another strategy used to gain weight is to take a “power nap” after a meal (15-45 minutes). Since you are sleeping you won’t be burning any calories and this will create a great calorie surplus, which leads to weight gain. In addition, make sure to have some sort of slow digesting protein when going to bed so you’re anabolic throughout the night.

Other Things To Aviod

Yes you want to consume a lot of calories, but you don’t want to OVEREAT. An outrageous amount of calories (Ex. 5000 cals for a 140 pound person) is not good for you to gain weight. Even if healthy, all these extra calories will cause a gain in fat and not muscle.

Smoking is bad for you, this is especially true when it comes to gaining weight. Cigarettes contain nicotine, which promotes weight loss and is damaging to your lungs. Not only is quitting smoking better for your overall health, but after quitting smoking you’ll be able to smell and taste food better. What most smokers fear is that they will actually GAIN WEIGHT after quitting! So kick the habit now!

Avoid dehydration! You want to keep your muscle cells well hydrated throughout the day so they can grow. Being hydrated can also help with weight gain. Our bodies are made of 70% water so it’s easy to see why water is good for you. Water will also clean your insides and keep you healthy. The recommended water intake is 1 once for every kilogram you weigh. Be aware that a lack of water will interrupt the process of gaining weight.

Then there’s the no brainer. Cardio! If you want to gain weight, then why in the world would you do cardio? Cardio and any other physically demanding task outside of weight training should be avoided. Remember you want to create a calorie surplus, so all the calories you burn, you’ll have to add again. In addition stay away from products that contain caffeine that will certainly not help with weight gain.

Supplements

Weight Gainers

Weight Gainers are loaded with calories to help you meet your calorie and protein goals. It’s a great weapon to have in your arsenal. Every Ectomorph should their share of weight gainers in their kitchen counters. I recommend that you go with Prolab N-Large 2(best value) or make your own weight gainer.

Sample Weight Gain Shake

2 cups of Skim Milk
2 scoops of Whey Protein
2 teaspoons of Natural Peanutbutter
1 Banana
1/2 cup of Oats
1 teaspoon of honey

*Yields about 800 calories and about 70 grams of protein! Make sure only to drink this after a workout, or lessen the ingredient to meet your own requirements.

Meal Replacement Proteins/Protein Bars

Many people overlook MRP’s. But these can be very good to a person. You can’t always cook 6-8 meals a day; this is where MRP’s come in handy. They are convenient and inexpensive. They are a great way to have a healthy meal on a hectic day. They also come with a great ratio of protein/carbs/fats.

Protein bars are just as delicious as any other candy bar. Your taste buds will thank you. They are high on protein and will also help you achieve your daily diet goals. Just like MRP’s they can be used in place of a meal and are convenient for people on the run.

“Good Fats”

I have already stressed the importance of “good fats”. EFA’s(Essential Fatty Acids) should be apart of everyone’s diet. EFA’s should be on top of everyone’s priorities list after a decent multi-vitamin and whey protein. So make sure to go out of your way and pick some up.

Creatine

Creatine can be one the easiest ways to put on weight. Although the weight will be water weight, it’s weight nonetheless. So if you’re looking for a quick weight gain(around 5 pounds or so), pick up some creatine monohydrate. Not only will creatine put weight on you, but it will also give you an improved strength.

Consistency/Goals/Personal Experience

Changes in your body won’t take place overnight. Gaining weight is a game of patience. Most people that don’t see results right away, lose motivation and end up quitting. You need to stick to the program and stay with it for at least for 6 weeks to see drastic changes. This means you can’t miss a workout nor can you miss a meal. Consistency is the secret to weight gain.

Without goals, life isn't worth living. This isn't any different when gaining weight. Everyone should have a goal and go after it. Don't make outragous goals like 25 pounds in 2 weeks. Think realisticly like gaining 5 pounds every month for a short-term goal. Then you can have a long-term goal, like gaining 30 pounds in 6 months. Have something to look forward too and you'll gain motivation which in turn will help you gain weight.

When I first started working out I was the classic Ectomorph. I was around 120 pounds and way underweight. Through hard work and dedication I’m now at 185, 4 years later. Talking from experience gaining weight is very difficult, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be putting on weight like a monster. Just remember the basics, stay consistent and you’ll be well on your way.


BONUS QUESTION: What is the most calories that you have eaten in one day when trying to bulk? What did you eat? How did you feel the next day?

The most calories that I’ve consumed had to be about a month ago. I was bulking and it was a “cheat day”. Wow I love those days. I attended 2 buffest in the same day. The first buffet was in the evening and was a Chinese buffet. I tried just about everything in that buffet. I had around 3 rounded plates of Chinese rice, 6-8 chicken nuggets, chicken breasts, shrimp, just too much to list.

The other buffet was at nighttime and it was a pasta buffet. Wow did I pig out there also. I hadn’t had pizza in months before then. I had at least 5 slices of pizzas, 2 plates of spaghetti, and a whole bunch of garlic breads (Those are so addictive). Not to mention downing it down with Diet Coke. Then I topped it all off with 2 cups of ice cream with a cherry on top! I’m not sure how many calories I had that day, but it was certainly over 4000 calories.

Let’s just say the toilet and me were the best of friends the day after. I went about 3 times that day. I didn’t feel too bloated though. And to my surprised my body looked more defined in the mirror. After releasing some “stress” in the restroom, it was like any other day. I went back to the basics, and back to the healthy foods.

[bigcalves]

funny how no one had Reatio's,sleep/rest and supplements. But when i posted my article all the ones after have it. ....