Muscle Gain because you can get too skinny!

Muscle Gain…not fat gain!

This is a tricky game of cat and mouse, but if done right, and at the right time, you’ll get the results you want.  After losing a total of 76 lbs. I was at 164 lbs. but my target weight was 170 lbs.  So, I needed to gain 6 lbs….but after all the hard work to lose the weight you better believe I was scared of gaining back fat in places I didn’t want it.

I tried a few things and found the trick to gaining muscle mass (not fat clumps) is as much about changing your workout regimen as it is about eating right.  It’s another game of simple mathematics, but to gain muscle mass you have to make sure your math is right.  You don’t want to over consume calories such that your surplus actually starts to be stored instead of used to build muscle…but, at the same time, you don’t want to under eat as to not allow for muscle growth and proper weight gain.

I tried a few things and found the trick to gaining muscle mass (not fat clumps)….It’s another game of simple mathematics, but to gain muscle mass you have to make sure your math is right.  





So, what’s the equation for gaining muscle mass?

Calories Consumed  > Calories Used

In other words, eat more calories than you use. The range you should be in is about 100-200 extra calories a day.

That is it!

If you’re lifestyle works with the IF style of eating then you’ll be able to consume a bit more fat in your diet (this is a very true and surprising result of the IF eating plan).  





Now, depending on what eating style works best for you (intermittent fasting vs. 5 meals a day vs. the spartan diet vs….etc.), you’ll have to pay attention to the amount of fat content in your diet.  If you’re lifestyle works with the IF style of eating then you’ll be able to consume a bit more fat in your diet (this is a very true and surprising result of the IF eating plan) but in general you’ll want to keep the fat consumptions under control. Never the less, we all need to remember that eating more is only half the battle –

you also need to change your workout routine to help maximize weight gain.

So, what’s the best exercise routine for gaining muscle mass?

  • WEIGHT TRAIN –

    At least 3 times a week…I would say 4 times but most studies show 3 is enough…IF DONE RIGHT!

  • HEAVY WEIGHTS –

    No more than 8 reps per exercise…if you can do more than 8 then up the weight.

  • REDUCE CARDIO –

    Maybe do it once a week.  This might be hard for a lot of runners, but if you are looking to gain muscle mass YOU’LL HAVE TO REDUCE (OR ELIMINATE) YOUR AEROBIC EXERCISE…or eat so much it might not be humanly possible to gain weight.  The truth is some people may have to cut their runs completely out of the picture until they reach their target weight.