How to Put on Weight & Muscle

For those who have trouble putting on weight and building muscle despite eating well and exercising, it's important to get all the facts about what it takes to gain healthy weight. Widespread myths about nutrition and exercise requirements compound many hardgainers' problems. You may not have the genes to look like a bodybuilder, but you can learn how to put on weight and muscle efficiently by eating the right foods in the right amounts and exercising in ways that stimulate muscle growth.

Things You'll Need

• Food diary Calorie-dense snacks Free weights

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Choose the right balance of calorie-dense foods. To gain healthy weight, you'll need a diet that's approximately 15 percent protein, 55 percent carbohydrates and 30 percent fat. The most effective ratio varies by individual, so you'll need to experiment a little. Choose healthy foods that contain a high amount of calories and nutrients per gram, such as nuts, beans and legumes, avocados, olive oil and lean meats. If you use weight gainer shakes, balance the protein, carbs and fat, rather than drinking only protein shakes. Use these foods to add 500 calories a day to your recommended daily calorie intake based on height, weight and activity level. Keep a food diary so you know exactly how much of what you're eating and what to change if you discover the diet isn't working for you.

• 2

  Eat frequent meals and snacks. Because your stomach holds a limited amount, it's easier to eat more by increasing the frequency of your meals instead of just the size. Aim for six meals a day. Plan your meals in advance so you won't skip a meal because you don't know what to eat. Carry healthy, calorie-dense snacks with you and eat whenever you feel even a little bit hungry. Bananas, peanut butter, whole grain crackers, sticks of string cheese and energy bars are ideal for this.

• 3

  Lift weights heavy enough to stimulate muscle growth. Muscle growth happens when you place enough demand on the muscles to overload them without injuring them. Lift weights you can do a maximum of six repetitions with. Increase the amount of weight you lift by 10% once you can easily do 10 to 15 reps with that amount. Exercise all muscle groups equally to avoid leaving one area, such as your legs, underdeveloped.

• 4

  Vary your workout routine. Sticking with just a few exercises week after week can cause uneven or slow muscle development. It can also leave you bored and less likely to work out. Prevent these problems by regularly trying new exercises with free weights and working with all the weight machines you have access to, rather than just your favorites. For more variety, try a throwing sport like discus, javelin or shot-put.

• 5

  Get enough rest. Your body builds muscle while you rest, not while you work out. Working all your muscles every day can impede muscle development and lead to injury. Do a total body workout every other day or work a different muscle group each day and allow those muscle to rest for a day before you work them again.