You can’t argue the fact that when it comes to the subject of fitness or diet, there are gazillions of information that caters mostly to people who wish to lose weight. Now, what about skinny people looking to gain weight? Although being overweight can be a real pain, having a skinny, high-metabolism body is not a very pleasant experience either. As a once chronic hard gainer, I can’t begin to tell you how painful it was to be constantly disparaged with terms like “the skinny guy”, “twiggy”, “sticks”,” bony”, “Mr. Anorexic”’, and too many irritating and hurtful ones to list.
Being frequently belittled is just one of the many problems faced by those with extremely lanky frames. Skinny people are also susceptible to many health problems, prone to bouts of flu, usually perceived as weak and unattractive, low self-esteem, and much, much more. I’m sure there are many skinny, lanky guys out there who are dying to gain a little bit of weight, along with some muscle mass to become more appealing to the opposite gender or simply to increase self-confidence in general.
Genetics is the major reason why a lot of hard gainers find themselves in a bind when it comes to putting on weight. We skinny people have extremely high metabolism hence we don’t put on weight as effectively as those who are blessed with normal metabolic rates. Although genetics may not work in your favor as far as gaining weight is concerned, there are proven means to such as Testogen that will help you solve the problem. All it takes are the right knowledge coupled with a little hard work.
Always keep in mind that adding slabs of mass onto your thin frame is absolutely possible no matter how lousy your genetics may be. The following are ten very effective mass building tips for skinny people who want to gain weight and increase muscle size:
- Eat a lot
I know this may sound obvious but the cold hard fact is that most hard gainers fail to consume an adequate amount of calories to increase their weight. Remember that you have a higher metabolic rate than the average person therefore your caloric intake must be significantly higher as well. In order to gain weight and build muscle mass, you must consume more calories than you burn.
- Consume high protein foods
You may have trouble gaining weight and all, but that still doesn’t accord you the license to indulge in all kinds of junk foods, unless you’re in hurry to become overweight. Junk foods are mostly made up of empty calories, totally void of nutrients, and therefore, will not help you add pounds of healthy muscle mass to your body. Eating protein-rich foods on a daily basis is an absolute must if you wish to put on “muscle weight”. Protein is the cornerstone for optimal muscle development. Without this nutrient, your body will not be able to build and repair damaged muscle tissues, sustained during an intense heavy workout. Foods with high protein content include poultry, fish, beef, whole eggs, milk, cottage cheese, tofu, and the mighty whey.
- Eat slow-digestion meals before bedtime
Most people would regard the notion of eating before bedtime as a sure-fire way to add excess body fat, but for skinny people who want to gain weight, the importance of eating slow-digestion meals prior to dozing off cannot be stressed enough. The key to avoiding adding unwanted body fat is to choose proper foods such as milk, oatmeal, and flaxseed oil to drip feed your muscles with the necessary nutrients when you’re fast asleep.
- Concentrate on free-weight compound exercises
Place more emphasis on free-weight compound movements like presses, deadlifts, squats, rows, chin-ups, and dips. They are proven to recruit more muscle fibers leading to a massive gain in size and body weight.
- Train heavy
Focus on training with heavy weights, otherwise, you won’t grow. How heavy? Well, if you’re able to bang out 8 to 12 reps that means the weights are not heavy enough.
- Don’t neglect your legs
Pay attention to the muscle groups in your legs as well. Train them just as hard as you would train the rest of your body parts. A pair of muscular legs will contribute greatly to the overall development of your physique.
- Avoid cardio
Since you’re a skinny hard gainer aiming to increase mass and weight, cardio is totally unnecessary. Perform cardio after you have successfully gained the weight that you wish for.
- Spend Less Time in the Gym
Overtraining may greatly hinder your progress and lead to burnout or worse, muscle injuries. You’re not a pro-bodybuilder so keep the length of your workout to not more than 1 hour and stick to 3 sessions per week for good results.
- Consider the appropriate supplementation
Supplements are not an absolute must of course, but they do, however, make your life easier and certainly allow you to accomplish your goals faster. Proven weight gain and muscle-building supplements that you should consider are creatine, meal replacement powder, and basic whey protein.
- Seek instructions from proven muscle-building programs
By and large, the most essential part of one’s muscle-building plan. A good muscle-building program with strong support modules can mean the difference between success and failure as it consists of proven mass-building tips, motivation tactics, exercises, and diet for people who want to gain weight which is compiled in an organized, streamlined training system. One program played a major role in changing my physique in less than 2 months!
