How to Gain Weight Fast for Men

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According to Doug Kalman, R.D, director of nutrition at Miami Research Associates, "Most lean men who can't gain muscle weight are simply eating and exercising the wrong way." Read the tips below to find out how to gain weight fast[1] in a way that will increase your muscle mass without compromising your health.

How to Gain Weight Fast

Steps

  1. Keep in mind your goal is to gain weight while building muscle mass. If you just start eating a lot more and you don’t exercise, all you’ll end up with is unhealthy fat gain.
  2. Concentrate on adding protein to your diet. Protein is what makes your muscles grow, and muscles weighs more than fat; the more muscle mass you have, the more you will weigh. Get the maximum amount of protein that your body can use in a day—about 1 gram for every pound you weigh. If you currently weigh 170 pounds (77.27 kg), add at least 170 grams of protein to your daily diet.
  3. Figure out how many more calories per day you need. Use a quick online calculator to find your resting metabolic rate (RMR)[2]or use the formula below:
    • Multiply your weight in pounds or kilos by 12.
    • Multiply that figure by 1.6 to get your basic resting metabolic rate (how many calories you burn without exercising at all)
    • Multiply by 5 the number of minutes you spend each week on lifting weights.
    • Multiply by 8 the number of minutes you spend each week on aerobic exercise (running, cycling, etc.)
    • Add together the total minutes you spend on each type of exercise each week and divide the total by 7. Add this number plus 500 to your basic metabolic rate. The result will tell you how many calories you need every day to gain 1 pound (.45 kg) a week.
  4. Increase the amount of time you spend on strength training. Concentrate on building up your largest muscle groups. For best results, do 3 sets of 12 repetitions for each type of strength training.
    • Squats
    • Pull ups
    • Bench presses
    • Dead lifts
  5. Give your muscles time to recover from strength training exercises. Muscles grow when you are at rest, which is why it is advised to rest for 24 hours after a day of strength training. Your muscles also need some recovery time while you are engaged in strength training; be sure to rest for 1 or 2 minutes between sets of repetitive sets.
  6. Have an energy shake immediately after each workout. According to a study carried out at the University of Birmingham,UK, [3]energy shakes will help you improve your endurance while exercising. Carbohydrates increase the insulin level in your body, and that will slow down the rate that your body breaks down protein—the protein you need for muscle building. Have a banana, a handful of dried fruit or a sports energy shake immediately after you work out.
  7. Don’t abandon your high intensity workouts. You do burn more calories during aerobic exercise, but aerobic exercise stimulates your muscles in ways that strength training does not. Aerobic exercise increases your cardiovascular health, and it will keep you from getting fatigued when you are doing your strength training.
  8. Eat six meals a day. It’s important to keep your body supplied with energy and nutrition throughout the day. Some of your meals can be in the form of high calorie, healthy snacks, such as nuts, avocados and protein shakes.
  9. Get 8 hours of sleep every night. If your body doesn’t get enough rest every night, you won’t have enough energy to exercise.
  10. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Your body has the ability to adapt quickly, so if you don’t alter your exercise routing occasionally, you will hit a plateau. Once a week, change up your routine. You can increase or decrease the number of reps or sets, or simply change the order in which you normally do your routine.

<Back --Muscle Building 

Tips

  • Look for protein shakes that include all the essential amino acids in addition to carbohydrates and protein. Drink a protein shake about a half hour before you begin working out. Your body absorbs the liquid quickly, and you won’t have to delay a workout because you’ve just eaten a heavy meal.

Warnings

  • Consult your doctor before initiating significant changes in your diet or exercise routine.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/gain_ten_pounds_of_muscle/index.php
  2. ↑ http://www.bewell-dowell.org/bewell/content.php?page=restingmetabolicrate
  3. ↑ http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/energy-drink-do-protein-shakes-improve-performance-40878
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