Gaining Weight for Skinny Guys
Did you know that the reason why you have been having trouble gaining weight is that you have a very intense metabolism, making you burn lots of calories? As with losing weight, gaining weight is all about proper diet and correct workout.
So what's the proper diet for gaining weight for skinny guys?
The reason gaining weight for skinny guys like you is so hard, is that you are not getting enough calories. The only way for you to gain body mass is to create a calorie surplus take more calories than your body burns each day.
Here are a few tips to make you start gaining weight:
Get an estimate of your daily calorie intake using a calorie calculator
Next, track the calories you consume each day; do this for a week. Compare the results of your calorie counter with the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis.
However, gaining weight is not just about eating more; it is about the kind of food you eat. Remember, you want to gain weight, not become fat.
Stay away from unhealthy food like burgers, French fries, and ice cream. Instead, you should focus on increasing portions of nutrient-rich (especially protein-rich) foods to gain weight the healthy way.
Eat foods loaded with calories such as rice and white pasta. These foods contain essential slow burning carbohydrates that will keep you energized through the day. Add olive oil to salads or tomato pasta sauce; a tablespoon of olive oil has 100 calories and it is the healthy type of fat.
Gaining weight for a skinny guy like you is all about eating protein. You need to increase your protein intake as protein helps build solid muscle tissue. Complete proteins also contain all essential amino acids needed for repairing damaged muscles. Optimize results by getting your complete protein from as many sources as possible. Proteins from animal and dairy sources such as chicken, steak, beef, fish, milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs and beef jerky are an excellent source of protein. You can also get protein by combining different non-meat sources such as nuts and beans.
Increase your intake of essential fats, such as olive oil, fish oil and nuts. Essential fats are needed for better absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and minerals,
To gain weight, you need to eat frequently. At least three meals and three snacks a day can help you gain weight. You need to consume your body weight (in pounds) x 20 calories. That means that if you weigh 135 pounds, you need to consume 2700 calories per day or more.
Correct Workout for Gaining Weight
Gaining weight for skinny guys like you means hardcore workout. Exercise might sound like a no-no. After all, doesn't exercise speed up metabolism?
It depends!
Your goal is to get a lean, muscular body. Just eating and eating without heavy workout, won't get you anywhere even if you eat healthy.
Exercise helps build muscles, but since you already have a high basal metabolic rate, just make sure you don't work out too much. Focus on bulk and strength training and limit your cardio exercises. Bulk and strength training will help you gain muscle mass.
Remember: Lift HEAVY. That means lifting heavy weight and doing shorter reps. 2 to 8 reps is enough. Start with 8 reps, keep putting on the iron and go down to 2. Rest at least 2 minutes between the sets.
Remember: Rest is very important. Your muscles grow when you're resting, NOT when you're working out.
When you rest, your body repairs the damaged muscles, making them bigger. If you don't know where to start, here are a few tips to help you build muscle mass:
Compound exercises. These allow you to train and build different muscle groups by doing one exercise,
Free weights. They are the best way to make you gain muscle mass. Since they allow natural motions you will engage more groups of muscle at once,
Basic types of compound exercises: squats, 45-degree leg press, bench press, bent over barbell row, dead lift, military press, skull-crushers, standing barbell biceps curl. Make sure you incorporate these into your workout schedule,
Track your Progress. If you consume more calories than you burn and if you work out properly, you will gain weight in no time. Weigh yourself at the end of each week to see any increase in weight. If there's no change at all, increase your calorie intake by about 500 calories per day. Continue tracking your weight and daily calorie intake and make appropriate adjustments until you see results,
Start drinking protein shakes. It is very important to have a protein shake right after your workout. When you're done with a workout your muscles are damaged. You need to quickly help them repair. A solid protein shake is an excellent way to fuel your muscles and help them recover. Get a bunch of flavors from your local supplement store or go online (Amazon.com is an excellent and cheap source of supplements if you know what you're looking for).