Archive for the ‘Nutrition’ Category
How to Gain Huge Muscle Fast – Meal Planning For Muscles
In this article for Free Muscle Building Tips I will examine one of THE most common problem’s among beginning/intermediate lifters trying to build huge muscles.
Tell me if this sounds familiar….. You train 3-4 days per week with the proper intensity (hopefully without overtraining) using a proper combination of basic compound movements; yet for some reason your gains are coming MUCH slower than they should be or have come to a grinding halt.
Perhaps you are simply trying to prevent losing your hard earned muscle tissue after the end of a lifting cycle.
You probably reviewed you training routine several times out of frustration,yet everything SEEMS ok….
Well, there’s a likely culprit involved and its called IMPROPER MEAL PLANNING. For some reason many lifters never seem to get a handle on this one!
You see, no matter HOW hard you train; without proper meal planning your ultimate goals will never be acheived!
For “Proper Meal Planning” you positively MUST keep the following factor’s in consideration:
*Proper caloric intake
*Approximate caloric ratios
*High quality protein, fiber,carbohydrate and fat food sources
*Appropriate Water intake
*Optimum pre-workout and post-workout nutrition
*Morning and bedtime nutrition
*Consuming 5-6 small meals per day spaced 2-3 hours apart
When planning your meals, these are the “nutrient ratio’s” (approx.) you may want to follow are:
Carbohydrates-50-55%
Fat:15-30%
Protein:20-30%
Water:sip throughout the day
By taking the time to plan meals and grocery lists which follow these guidelines you should GREATLY increase lean muscle mass as well as burn fat more efficiently and quickly.
It might seem difficult at first, and a tedious task to carry out. Often times we have jobs or hectic lifestyles which make it a challenge in itself to commit to a proper feeding regiment.But after a while you’ll get used to it, and it will become more of a way of life than anything else. You’ll also feel healthier and more energetic throughout the day as well.
The reason for this is because by eating smaller meals more often your body will remain fed and therefore not only build muscle mass more quickly,but it will also burn fat more easily and assist in the maintenance of your hard earned muscle.
Beside’s,if your busting your butt in the gym;why throw those gains away through neglecting your dietary needs?
OK, so the BOTTOM LINE of this simple lesson is this:
Half the battle is in the preparation;and what that mean’s here is that equally important,possibly even MORE important than what you accomplish in the gym are the foods/liquids that you consume throughout the day and how you consume them. Because working out merely sets the muscle-building process into motion, but its the foods that you consume and how you consume them that carry out the muscle building process.
If you will spend 30 minutes or so a week planning your meal preparation in advance you will be surprised not only in your gain’s in strength and size, but you will feel better all the way around because of it.
Also most of you will probably want to add a quality protein powder/drink to your diet,which is optional.
I personally have used Matrix 5.0 with really good result’s; it is an egg,whey,casein mix which is pretty tasty(I love chocolate).
I have also experimented with a 99-100% pure cross-flow microfiltered whey isolate called “Nytro Whey” from Prosource,mixed with a casein powder from optimum nutrition with really good result’s.
The more you follow a proper meal planning schedule,the less you will be forced to rely on supplement’s which will save you money in itself.
Train hard,train steady,eat right,get rest, and watch yourself grow!
6 Weight Gain Tips Without Getting Fat
After you read this short article, you will have leaned some quick tips to start gaining healthy weight.
Here’s 6 simple ways on how to gain weight without getting fat:
Tip 1: Eating Enough Quality Calories
Have you ever asked somebody who’s trying to gain weight what they eat?
I did. And the response I received was shocking.
“I just eat.”
That’s what he said. I just eat.
You MUST know how many calories a day you need for your weight gain goal.
This person desperately wanted to gain weight and every time I saw him the gym he had some excuse as to why it wasn’t going his way. And it was usually related to his metabolism.
Let me tell you…
If you want to gain quality weight, you have to eat high quality dense foods and ENOUGH of them. Furthermore… if you want to gain weight without getting fat, then you bulk with the same principles as if you were on a cutting diet. Choose higher-calorie foods when given a choice.
In my years of experience, when I bulked up and gained weight and fat, the biggest mistake I made was not tracking what I ate. I always tracked my diet when I was on a calorie restricted phase (that was a given) but when I wanted to gain weight I just ate everything I could.
Have you ever felt that way?
In order to gain weight, you need to eat more than your usual maintenance calorie intake but not so much as to just store the excess calories and get fat. And you need to eat consistently.
That should have been your “ah -ha” moment.
Gaining weight isn’t your cue to eat everything under the sun. In order to gain weight, lean mass and not get fat, you need to eat just over what you body needs to maintain. In this manner, you’ll provide your body with all the calories it needs to build muscle but you won’t give it so much as it stores the excess as fat.
[ Remember that anything in excess, even protein, can be stored as fat. ]
The key is to gain healthy weight and minimize the fat gains.
Tip 2: Grocery Shopping 101
If you are looking to gain weight, then don’t have bare cupboards. Go to your kitchen right now after reading this section and take a look at what you’ve got in stock.
Make sure your kitchen is fully stocked with the foods you need to eat. Dense foods work wonders for putting on the weight.
Examples are whole-grain breads, vegetables such as avocados and potatoes, kidney beans, lean red meat, poultry and fish.
Bare cupboards = no weight gain!
Bodybuilding doesn’t have to break the bank. Many times you can get bulk items for much cheaper than you think. Packages of tuna, turkey, chicken legs, pasta all are great bulking items that don’t cost a ton of money.
Perishable items like fruits and sugary laden items and condiments are usually things that cost the most.
Tip 3: Meal Planning for Dummies
Part of performance nutrition is eating 5-6 times a day. Every 2-3 hours you should be consuming a meal consisting of a lean protein, fibrous/starchy carb and potentially a healthy fat.
If you really want to gain weight, you need to eat 5-6 times a day! And it needs to be consistent. This means no skipping meals.
Eating 3 times a day full of bacon and eggs might have worked for some of the past legends but it probably won’t do you any good.
Keeping your metabolism high and your system flushed with nitrogen (protein) will ensure you keep all the muscle you are working to build and that you are consuming slight excess calories for weight gain.
If you eat a big dinner but skip snacks and have light breakfasts, that is part of the problem. Healthy weight gain only comes from people who are consistent in their eating and don’t skip meals.
Failure to plan your meals ultimately means you won’t be eating enough to gain weight.
Tip 4: Nutrient Variety is Key
It happens to the best of us… We get used to eating certain foods and we don’t budge. For a bulking diet, this can be a killer as it drastically limits the number of calories you can eat. Plus, you will limit the nutrients and vitamins you will be able to intake. Both are essential to maximum healthy weight gain.
Did anybody ever tell you that nutrients are essential for growth?
Tip 5: Essential Meal Timing
While it might be socially acceptable to eat just 3 times a day, that is not acceptable for those who are serious about putting on lean muscle mass without putting on fat.
You’ve heard all the benefits of performance nutrition and eating 5-6 times a day but re-read this…
Quality muscle gain without putting on fat requires a high metabolism AND an excess number of calories.
In order to do just that, you need to eat frequently.
That means 5-6 times a day (or more).
Tip 6: Eat, Eat and Eat [ did I mention eat ]
Don’t feel hungry?
Eat. Now in most cases, that is against the current movement but in reality, if you want to put on quality mass you have to eat regardless of your hunger levels. Eating based on your mood is not the path to healthy weight gain.
Countless people tell me they cannot eat like a 200 lb bodybuilder.
That’s because they are not a 200 lb bodybuilder.
Once they eat more, gain muscle mass, they will be and it will seem like nothing to eat like a 200 lb bodybuilder.
This doesn’t mean stuffing yourself, gorging on food or getting sick. It means eating more and more gradually over time in order to prime your body for more frequent meal times. Slowly start adding more food to your portions until you’ve nailed your perfect weight gain calorie needs.
As you eat more and small but frequent meals, you won’t feel stuff and your body will become more efficient at digesting and breaking down foods.
All this means to you is…
A higher metabolic rate and more calories!
The two essential keys to putting on weight without the fat.
:: Additional Tips ::
* Drink plenty of water. With your additional meals and workouts, you’ll want to ensure you are properly hydrated.
* Engage in a weight training program. Building muscle is a priority during your bulking phase. Since you will have plenty of energy from your carb sources, you should be fueled and primed to get some of the best and most intense workouts of your life. Now is an opportune time to build muscle.
* Limit your cardio workouts. Cardio workouts are a tool. Use it sparingly depending on your metabolism. If you feel like you aren’t putting on weight, reduce the amount of cardio you are doing. If you feel like you are putting on a bit too much fat, increase the cardio.
* Take weekly weight and body fat measurements. By taking a weekly measurement, you can see if the weight you are putting on is fat or muscle.
Weight Gain Tips
Have you been asking yourself the question like “why can’t I gain weight,” repeatedly? Well, you’re not alone. I have asked that same question dozens and dozen times. There are thousands more out there! Perhaps it is because you have a very fast metabolism? That is one factor or could be that, you don’t have the appetite for food and eat little instead, most skinny people are like. Take it from someone who knows or maybe your weight gaining routine is incorrectly executed.
Gaining weight is something that involves a difficult and tiring process. I should know and It could be frustrating and really exhausting. Some may think that it’s a lot easier to achieve than losing weight. Well, hell no! It was equally as tough. Hopefully these weight gain tips will help you to achieve your goals.
Just a simple reminder though, one of the best weight gain tips to remember is to do everything in sizes around BIG! That means- “to get big you need to eat big and lift big.” Keep on saying that repeatedly your head up until you are able to internalize it. A lot of us think that weightlifting is the row towards gaining weight. Well, no doubt it is because; weightlifting plays a significant part. However, in gaining weight, you need to look beyond the act of weight lifting! You should also know that diet is as significant when it comes to weight gain as well as discipline and determination.
Follow these tips and surely one day you’ll wake up in awe to see your hard rock and eye popping body.
Start Counting…
You have to count the amount of calories you consume on a normal daily basis. However, it doesn’t mean you have to alter or change your usual eating habits – just eat as you would and to take note of the calories you have consumed. This is really something of importance so try to be as accurate as you can. And then of course, you also have to count your scales or in other words weighing. see the changes, you’ll be inspired regardless of how little you’ve changed. It entails success that is why.
Be cautious of your meal diet…
Eating is the most significant thing you’ll need when you want to gain weight. This means that you will need to be eating more caloric food than you’ll burn. However, it doesn’t exactly mean that it is all right to eat anything within your reach.You need to be cautious of what you eat. You have to include foods that will help you gain mass and not bad unhealthy fats in your weight gaining diet menu. 6 meals per day is a good start. Cool huh! Aside from breakfast, lunch, dinner you also have three other small meals that should be taken throughout the day. Set your clock that you will be eating at least every 3 hours. There is a cardinal rule in weight gain diet that is – when you eat big, you get big. Quiet simple? You bet!
Foods like steak, chicken,vegetables and fruits and milk or dairy products like cheese and assorted types of nuts are the kind of foods to healthily feast on. Yummy! Make it a point to eat 4 to 6 pieces of fresh fruits per day and at least four glasses of milk including at night before bed. But make sure the milk you drink has low fat. Low fat milk is a great source of calcium and a cheaper source protein. On the other hand, simple snacks like a glass of milk, apples and peanuts may surprisingly work wonders.
Remember also to plan your meals carefully, ahead of time and you have to stick to the plan because, what you eat on the process is the most significant ingredient for the success weight gain goal. Do some Lifting… Right discipline to eating is of importance in gaining weight, but you have to do both, that is eating with weightlifting otherwise all that weight you’ve gained will be fat and not muscle.
When you try to gain weight, make sure you’re working out at least 3 to 4 times per week. Be sure you are weight lifts are done correctly! After lifting hard, rest and then recover for the next workouts. You must focus on the huge exercises. The ones like squats, bench press, bent over rows, dead lifts and chin-ups and some military press works fine as well. These are amongst the may exercises you can choose from, that will transform the extra calories in your consumption into muscle and later then you will gain weight.
You should also remember that you can not gain weight simply by doing exercises such as step-ups in your workouts. Various joint lifts is something you’ll need and that will shock your whole system and awaken your body into growth. Later in the process try adding a small amount of weight, bit by bit each time you workout. This will help strengthen your muscles. Why? Because, if you concentrate on your strength then size will follow. You need to be stronger and be bigger. You’ve been through a gym right? Try to look around and you will notice that the strongest of guys there are also the huge ones. I bet you’ve observed that.
Constant Weighing…
Weigh yourself at least every end of the week. You will notice you are gaining a relative amount of weight after a short period of time. However, don’t expect miracles. Nobody can put on 10-15lbs for that short period. You can’t rush, gaining weight anymore than 1 to 2 pounds in just a week is not really healthy which means that you’re putting on fats instead of muscles. As the saying goes- “Patience is a virtue.”
Later you will be stopping in gaining weight. Now, when that happens you should focus on eating more and more. If when you stop from gaining weight for lets say about 2 weeks then start on eating an extra amount of at least 250 calories per day. When do you do that. Take notice, each time you see that you have not gained weight after 2 weeks then that’s the time you add an extra 250 calories in your diet.
Say NO to Bad Fats…
Yes, I know you want to gain weight but, you don’t want to be gaining weight when you know that it is all just fat right? Of course! So, cut out the bad fats like chips and candies. No more hello’s to you’re fave McDonalds and clear out of anything that is fried. Instead, turn on high protein and foods that are low fat like tuna fish, seafoods, chicken breast, lean meats, turkey, fruits and vegetables. These are the really good and clean kind of foods you should eat.
Drink a lot…
Sorry, but I mean water only! Drink around 8 to 10 glasses of water a day or even more if you can.That would be better. That’s a lot of water! But, you know what? believe it or not, water is what you’ll need for the energy that you’ll need in gaining weight. Quiet amazing! Dehydration is not good because it can lead to various health problems, promote less stamina.
Get Lots of Sleep…
Sleeping is the easiest tip in weight gain yet, it is often times the most neglected. Minimum amount of sleep is at least 8 hours at night. Our body needs sleep to function properly.
Following these get it tips, you might be asking yourself how much will I gain?
Our body responds in different ways, so the progress may vary. Meaning, if you do eat well, do some weight lifts hard, add it up with some muscle building supplements then expect to gain about 10lbs or more within 6 to 8 weeks in period. Wow, that’s quiet a lot!
Lastly, you might be confused why add supplement when you’ve already done all the natural ways that says it’s the way to weight gain. Well, here’s the thing- Think of supplements as the finishing touch! It is not exactly saying that you need it. Supplements will help you gain the weight a lot faster. I bet you would want that?! That’s what they are for, just a supplement to a good diet and training.
So, always remember- eat big and lift big to get big and for the finishing touch- just add a little supplement to it!
How to Gain 50 Pounds of Muscle – 5 Tips For the Hard Gainer to Pack on Quality Muscle (Fastest Way)
Are you looking for ways on how to gain 50 pounds of muscle fast? There is so much information available it can be both overwhelming and confusing as to what to do correctly. This article will give you the necessary muscle gain tips to follow on a consistent basis and get the muscles growing quickly on your frame.
Without the correct nutrition all the training you do in the gym can go to waste. Neglecting what you eat will never give you the body of your dreams, so in this article lets cover the correct way to diet to gain muscle growth in the shortest period of time.
~ How to Gain 50 Pounds of Muscle Tips:
#1. Eat at least 40 grammes of protein per meal - This is a good guide for a male weighing less than 200 pounds. Protein should account for at least 35% of your overall daily calorie intake and this will be enough to increase muscle mass. Also it will aid in maintaining your appetite, speed up recovery and keep your body fat levels low.
#2. Eat at least 60 grammes of carbs per meal - You will need this to get you through your weight training and cardio work outs. Lack of carbs can also slow down the muscle building process, as your muscle tissue can be used as energy. Aim to eat the low glycemic index carbs because they are slower releasing for energy and lower in sugar to keep you lean aswell. Monitor carbs carefully for your waist line, if you are getting fat around the waist drop the carbs and up the cardio to keep defined.
#3. Eat at least 20 grammes of fat per meal - Fats are ok to eat as long as you eat the correct ones, so get into a habit of reading food labels properly. Fat is a key fundamental in boosting testosterone levels to gain mass. The fats to avoid are trans fats which can be found in french fries, doughnuts, fried chicken and cookies etc. These will clog up your arteries long term so go more for mono and poly fats.
#4. Eat vegetables with every meal – Vegetables for muscle growth? Absolutely! Firstly the antioxidants will help to reduce the free radicals from your heavy workouts, plus they will speed up recovery by getting to work and healing those damaged muscle cells. Every 2- 3 hours and 2 servings per meal you must be eating your vegetables.
#5. Eat liquid meals 40% and wholefoods 60% of the time - An important part of the formula in the how to gain 50 pounds of muscle programme. Your whole food is full of digestive enzymes that help you absorb nutrients instead of too much “powder food” in the form of shakes. Shakes are there for convenience and try to only use them for 2 meals a day and never more than 3 if your life is super hectic.
~ How to Gain 50 Pounds Of Muscle Extra Tip:
#6. Eat your largest meals at breakfast time and pre/post workout - These are the 3 times when your body will get its best results to gain muscle mass fast from eating your 3 biggest meals. Energy for the day and your training, plus keeping your abs in shape by eating the most calories at these times.
Nobody ever said that it was gong to be easy adding 50 pounds of sold quality muscle to your frame. The good news is that by following these guidelines you will be well on your way to achieving your goal.
Bodybuilding Nutrition
Nutrition is very important when you decide to become a bodybuilder. This is why you do have to look at good bodybuilding nutrition even before you start to plan your workout routine. With the proper diet, you have the world at your feet when it comes to engaging in exercises for bodybuilding. The main thing is how often you eat. Three square meals a day are out the window, as you should be eating at least six small meals a day. This is because you need the nutrients to supplement what your muscles are burning as they turn into lean muscle mass. It will also help you burn body fat faster and flush the burned out calories out of your system.
The meals you eat should contain 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein and 20% fat. The fats should come from lean meats and plants and 40% of your meals should be made up of protein. This is because the protein transforms into muscle tissue. The carbohydrates in your diet will supply you with the energy you need for stamina. You may be surprised to find that a healthy diet needs 20% fat. The fat helps to protect essential organs of the body and they also work as insulators for the nerves.
There are also bodybuilding supplements you can buy over the counter to make sure you are getting all the nutrients your body needs. Read the labels carefully so you are aware of the side effects, if any, of those supplements. High potency multivitamins are often overlooked. They will not create the lean muscle you need, but are important in the chain or reactions that need to take place in your body.
Fast Ways For Teenagers to Gain Weight – 3 Weight Gain Tips For Active Teens
Most teenagers have a very difficult time trying to gain weight and muscle mass. A growing teen uses so many of their nutritional needs for development their high activity that there isn’t much left for the body to use for weight gain. There are fast ways for teenagers to gain weight but you have to follow a consistent strategy everyday and not let yourself get sloppy.
Some simple weight gain tips include tying together nutrition, training, and required rest.
Nutrition
The simple formula for weight gain is you must consume more calories than you expend. This is really difficult for teens that are not taking time to eat or stopping for a fast food lunch and then snacking on junk food later. There must be a minimum of 6 high quality feedings a day. This could be 3 healthy meals and 3 snacks. Empty calories like burgers and fries don’t count because they are of such poor quality that they can’t effectively be used to gain muscle mass. Eat high quality protein for breakfast like eggs plus add some oatmeal or whole wheat toast with a piece of fruit. Constantly look to replace junk food with high quality foods that have protein that can be used to fuel new growth.
Training
Some teens can gain weight just by adding extra calories because it is a time when hormonal levels of testosterone are the highest in their life. Testosterone is the main muscle building hormone and responsible for the new muscle growth you experience when hitting puberty. Eat more protein and calories and you have a chance of gaining more muscle but if you really want your weight gain fast you need to hit the gym. Do heavy basic movements like squats, deadlifts, chin ups, and dips. Forget about all the fancy exercises like pec dec and concentration curls. Those exercises won’t help you to build mass.
Rest
The last and sometimes most difficult necessity for teenagers to gain weight is rest. Sleep is when your body recovers and synthesizes new muscle tissue. Growth hormone levels increase during REM sleep which is another powerful muscle building hormone. Lack of sleep increases cortisol levels and cortisol is a muscle destroying hormone that can add fat to the waistline. Have you ever seen a skinny guy with a fat belly? That is probably due to excess cortisol. It does the opposite of testosterone by metabolizing muscle and adding fat to the belly. Get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep and 10 is even better for active teens. This means staying up until 3am to play Halo 3 with your pals is going to hurt you unless you can sleep until noon.





