How to Increase Muscle Mass and Gain Weight

HOW TO INCREASE MUSCLE MASS AND GAIN WEIGHT

The goal of a comprehensive weight training program is to gain muscle mass and strength and to lose fat. For some athletes, gaining muscle mass and weight is difficult because of poor nutritional habits and a fast metabolism. To gain muscle mass and weight, you must understand several key facts: (1) to get stronger muscles and gain muscle mass, you must train explosively with heavy weight; (2) to keep muscle mass from being used up to supply the body with energy, you need to eat at least 15 calories per pound of body weight ( for a 200 lb. athlete, that means eating around 3000 calories per day); (3) drink plenty of water so that intense weight training doesn’t deprive the muscles of water causing muscles to lose size; and (4) allowing the body to recover by getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night.

CALORIES

A “hard-gainer’s” diet should consist of 15 calories per pound of body weight, for 2 to 4 weeks. Gradually increase the number of calories per pound. Most calories should come from starches and carbohydrates, not proteins. Most high-protein diets are low in carbs and high in fat. To produce large strong muscles, you must eat more carbohydrates. 60%-80% of daily calories should come from starches (corn, potatoes, beans, peas, nuts, pasta, breads), 5%-10% should come from simple carbohydrates (sweets and desserts), 10%-15% should come from proteins (milk, meats, eggs, soy beans, nuts), and 5%-20% from fats (animal or vegetable cooking oils, olive oil, butter). Still, protein must not be neglected. Not enough protein will keep muscles from repairing the damage from weight training, and building new muscle fibers. You need 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, mostly from animal sources so that you get all the BCAA amino acids you need.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

(1)Whey Protein

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(3)Creatine

SPECIFIC DIET FOR FOOTBALL (per day)

6 fresh fruits 4 cups pasta2 cups skim milk

8 oz. fruit juice4 raw or steamed vegetables1 oz. low fat cheese

4 servings of potatoes3 6” pancakes1 cup low fat cottage cheeses

3 cups brown rice2 desserts4 oz. meat

2 oz. nutswhole wheat cereal (Quaker Oats)