Tips for Gaining Weight

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
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Hi, I’m a 44 year young man. 190 lbs although through the week I meander to 194-197 then back down. I was introduced to this site about a month ago and given a copy of the 10x3 workout which I have modified slightly i.e. replacing some lifts with the trap bar and squating with the padded rack bar. I’m on my second week of this workout and seem to be gaining strength.

I’m looking to put on more weight (210-215) which seems to be difficult. Any suggestions? The only supps I’m using right now are Super pump 250, Pro- Recovery and Pro-Male. I eat well but it seems my appetite could be better but I just don’t feel that hungry. Whats up with that?

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As John Berardi and Lonnie Lowery have mentioned, sometimes you just have to force yourself to eat, even if you don’t feel hungry. Stay strict with eating every [u]three[/u] hours. It’s really the key to gain that extra weight (hopefully LBM, not fat).

Start out with small meals (500-700 calories) every three hours (5-7 meals a day). Eat even if not hungry.

It takes time, patience and discipline, but after a while, your body should get used to eating more frequently, and soon, you’ll have no problem eating every three hours. In fact, you’ll get to a point where you need to watch how much you eat.

I started out 10+ years ago eating three regular meals and two snacks. After a while, I learned more about nutrition and began incorporating protein with each meal and eating more balanced meals. Thanks to T-Nation and plenty of JB’s recommendations, I can easily eat 5-7 times a day (and more!), and I love to eat and actually have to sometimes refrain from eating too much (depending on if I’m trying to gain or lose).

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and if every three hours doesn’t work (though it should)… try every two hours.

thats what I had to do to start gaining.

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I wish I had your problem, I can eat and eat and eat some more. I go to a mexican joint, plow through chips and salsa, eat all of my fajitas and starting digging in to what my wife has left and then continue with the chips and salsa. It’s a wonder I don’t weigh 300 lbs.

But yea, forcing yourself to eat is a good idea. Creatine would be a good supplement to take, that will help. Or if you just want to gain weight period, drink alot of beer. That is a sure fired weight gainer right there.

Believe me needing to gain weight is a far better problem than losing it.

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Put natural peanut butter (the kind with the oil that must be mixed back in) on everything. On French Toast, bagels, in your Classic Grow! protein shakes (particularly the Low-Carb Grow! one before bedtime), on your asparagus, with peas and carrots, on your steak…everything. Okay, I went overboard, but natty pb will give you some good calories and good fat.

Some folks have said that they aren’t very big fans of milk, but I mix my Classic Grow! shakes with skim for some extra calories and a great texture (not that Classic needs much help in that arena). If you aren’t lactose intollerant, you should be fine with it.

Speaking of fats, get some flax seeds and mix them with your oatmeal or whatever you have for b-fast (they go well in pankages too, btw). And get some flax oil and fish oil. All good for you. You can take more than the RDA for fish oils, especially with a low(er) carb meal or shake.

(You ARE going to score some Classic Grow! and Low-Carb Grow!, right? I knew you were! Good job.)

Classic Grow! and Low-Carb Grow! taste fantastic, especially Milk Chocolate, imo. And they mix well with (don’t flame me) flavored non-dairy coffee creamers like hazelnut and such or with baking flavors like vanilla, etc.

This may be heresy to some here, but I like to drink my calories in this form. It is so easy to simply eat the regular 3 meals and drink the other 2 or 3 than to consume that much solid food, particularly in the summer. Post workout and bedtime are the most important for me, and I’m fairly sure several others would agree with that.

Go read the info on Grow! and Surge.

Get it done; do it early, do it often.

Enjoy the ride,

Matthew

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Read John Berardi’s “tips” article, particularly the story about Scrawny John and his friend who went to football camp.

Also, to minimise fat gain I find that eating all my carbs (even the huge amounts sometime needed for growth) in the first half of the day really helps.

Good things.

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I didn’t see it mentioned above, but get up in the middle of the night and eat again (cottage cheese is good for this meal).

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Slowly ramp up your calories too. If you go from eating 2,000 to 4,000 calories in a week you will feel like crap and probably gain too much fat initially.

Read Berardi’s stuff.

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OOOOOOTAY!!! Thanx for all the info guys. If I can’t take something out of all of that and gain. I’d have to be a moron. Thanx again. It’s greatly appreciated.