Weight Gaining Tips: How to Pack on Muscle

Although most people are usually concerned with weight loss there are some people that are interested in weight gain. Being underweight can be caused by a few things, such as, poor nutrition, lack of access to enough food, disease or illness, being hospitalized with food restrictions, etc. The bottom line is a situation where more calories are being used up compared to what is taken (and absorbed) in.

Weight gain may sound easy enough, but there are those that have a hard time achieving it. Even with effort this may be caused by lower appetite, or a metabolism where the body is extremely efficient at not gaining weight.

Before embarking on a weight gain program there are a few things to consider. For example;

• once weight gain is achieved it may be permanent.
• more weight may have an effect on how you feel, e.g. lethargic, tire easily, out of breath, etc.
• weight gain can consist of either muscle gain or fat gain (or both). Muscle gain is much harder to achieve but it is much healthier compared to fat gain.
• trying to gain weight by eating fattening foods can result in high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and maybe high blood pressure.

If you are serious about this then you need to decide what you want to gain, muscle or fat, or maybe both.

If it's fat, start eating more. Eat more fatty foods, along with foods high in simple carbohydrates. Fatty foods includes things like: red meat, fried foods, baked goods, etc. Food high in simple carbohydrates includes things like: pasta, potatoes, rice, bread, and processed sugars. Eat often throughout the day, and don't miss any meals.

If it is muscle you want to gain then you need to increase the amount of protein you consume, which can be obtained from foods such as chicken, fish, milk, eggs, and whey protein powder. Along with this you're going to have to hit the weights. In the weight room you will need to do heavy weights, with fewer reps. Work each muscle group about 3 times per week. And, do not do any cardio. Cardio exercise may reverse the effects of the heavy weight lifting.