In our mission to gain muscle and strength, we’ve all run across someone (or, hell, been that guy ourselves), who is ALWAYS trying to put on muscle.
You can go six months without seeing him. But, like clockwork, when you cross paths again he looks exactly the same.
This scrawny guy is desperate to know every training secret that will get him huge. He searches every corner of the internet for the perfect diet that is going to give him the muscle he so desires. Sadly, it seems like this guy is a dime a dozen nowadays. He swears up and down that he is doing everything he should to pack on at least a little muscle. It seems to be a cliché, but when told he needs to eat more to put on weight, his answer is always the same: “Dude, I eat all the time!” Obviously not, dude.
For anyone that has taken on, and conquered, the challenge of putting on an impressive amount of muscle, you know how difficult the process is. Day in and day out you’re having to cram in an amount of food that can typically feed a family of four. Always feeling like you’re pregnant with a beach ball. Wondering if going through all of this is really worth it in the end. Hating the guys who seem to put on muscle without eating a buffet’s worth of food. One of the most frustrating parts about the process is what I briefly hit on earlier. The typical advice for this guy is going to be eat more. For most guys, that’s easier said than done. For starters, telling someone to simply eat more is relative. It’s too ambiguous. That can mean totally different things to everyone. It doesn’t answer the “what” and, most importantly, “how” to go about eating more to add muscle.
After being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and losing 55 pounds in one month’s time, I had to go through this process myself. The following five strategies are the lessons I adopted through my transformation. I now use these strategies to help other guys who are nothing but skin and bone put on that needed muscle. You may have heard of or used a couple of these strategies. But knowing about something and taking action on it are very different.
A good rule of thumb is to add a new habit once every two weeks. This gives you enough time to determine if that change is progressing you towards your goal, and to ingrain it into your daily routine. Image courtesy of: muscleandstrength.com
1. Focus on One Change at a Time
This one comes first because it is the foundation of the remaining strategies.
A habit-based approach is typically used in the fat loss community, but it can just as easily be adopted for someone who is looking to pack on some muscle. Implementing a habit-based approach is all the rage in the fitness world lately- and for good reason.
The approach allows us to make changes in our lives that actually stick. Focusing on one simple change at a time isn’t the hardcore way that most bro-science experts recommend. However, it allows the changes we make in our lives to become second nature. Let’s look at some recommendations that are normally given to a skinny guy who wants to put on some weight:
- Weight train 3-4 times per week with big, multi-joint exercises
- Eat one gram of protein for each pound of bodyweight
- Make sure to take in enough carbs to support your training
- Be sure to eat a pre and post-workout meal with X amount of protein and carbs
- Sleep 7-9 hours per night
There are a countless number of other recommendations, but you get the idea.
If our newbie trainee, or even someone more experienced, isn’t currently doing any of these things, doesn’t it seem pretty daunting to take them all on at once? It’s comparable to the middle-aged mom that hops on the latest diet that’s trending. She may stick with it for a week or two, and get results. But she’s going to end up crashing and burning due to the overwhelming changes that were made.
Outside of the simplicity a habit-based approach offers, there are physiological benefits. For someone looking to lose fat, it wouldn’t be recommended for them to drop their calories down as low, and as fast, as possible. We’d have them gradually reduce the amount over a period of time. This way there is room for adjustments when fat loss begins to stall. The same can be said about adding calories for gaining muscle. If 3,000 calories per day is slightly above your maintenance level, is there a point to eat 4,000 per day? No, there is not. Unless your goal is to add a decent amount of fat on top of your new muscle, but I doubt that’s the case.
A good rule of thumb is to add a new habit once every two weeks. This gives you enough time to determine if that change is progressing you towards your goal, and to ingrain it into your daily routine. A habit can be as small as being sure to eat 50 grams of protein at dinner every weekday. Or it can be as big as eating four muscle-building meals every day. Use your current knowledge, skill, and confidence levels as a guide to figure out where to start and how fast to progress.
2. Super Shakes
Adding in two or three super shakes each day is the first strategy I use to add in extra calories to a skinny guy’s diet.
They’re fast to throw together and provide a high amount of calories and nutrients. They are also easy to drink when you’re full from eating a hefty amount of food all day long.
There are all sorts of possibilities when it comes to which ingredients to use. As long as you follow this basic outline, you’re good to go:
- Handful of fruit (berries or a banana work well)
- One or two scoops of high quality protein powder (I prefer whey)
- One or two servings of nuts or nut butter
- Small handful of a vegetable (spinach is a great option. Celery can work, too)
- 1-4 ice cubs for a thinner consistency, or 5-8 to have it a bit thicker
- Liquid of choice (water or almond milk)
Throw everything into a blender and let it rip. You can’t even tell the spinach is in there, I promise!
If you like to eat more frequently throughout the day with smaller meals, I’d use the shakes as a meal in itself or as a snack. If you prefer to eat less frequently with larger meals, I’d put the shakes at the backend of each meal.
Throw everything into a blender and let it rip. You can’t even tell the spinach is in there, I promise! Image courtesy of: mealsandmovesblog.com
3. Eat Vegetables and Protein Before Carbs
What part of a meal do most people overeat?
If you said carbs, you hit the bullseye. So this is why saving the carbs for last is a good strategy to pack in some extra calories.
Say you’re plowing through one of your muscle-building meals. You just took the last bite of carbs that you have on your plate. You notice there is still a decent amount protein and vegetables left. Knowing how filling both of these can be, especially protein, it’s going to be a tough task to down the rest of the meal. It’d be a lot easier to polish off a pile of carbs. From a health standpoint, I’d rather someone consume the necessary amount of protein and vegetables and leave a little bit of carbs. This is better than the other way around even if building muscle is the goal.
If you’re someone that finds eating carbs last does NOT make a difference, recent research shows that eating protein and vegetables before carbs has a positive impact on insulin and glucose levels. Meaning, with insulin levels being kept under control, the chances of putting on some excess fat will be diminished. Also, it’s less likely that a sugar crash will occur, leaving you begging for a nap in the middle of the day. Even if this particular strategy doesn’t do much for you in terms of getting in more calories, there’s evidence that it is extremely useful.
4. Add Fats to Vegetables
If you’ve been in the training and nutrition game long enough, you’ve probably heard of people who take shots of olive oil to bump up their calorie totals.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you to bust out your college shot glass. But there is a takeaway we can use.
As long as you listened to your mom growing up, you know we need to eat enough vegetables each day for the fiber and micronutrients they contain. While these factors are, indirectly, important for muscle building and overall health, they don’t do much for calories. So why not kill two birds with one stone and add calories to the vegetables we’re already eating?
One of the most common ways to do this is by making your own salad dressing. A quick and easy recipe involves 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, two tablespoons of white or apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix the four ingredients together. This will yield you about ¼ a cup of dressing along with just north of 350 calories. You can throw the dressing on a salad or drizzle it over raw or cooked vegetables. Using a healthy amount of butter (I’m talking real butter, not margarine) or cheese on top of your vegetables can also add 200-300 calories. If you’re going the cheese route, be sure that you handle dairy well. Eating something you don’t tolerate for the sake of a few extra calories isn’t worth it. Using dips such as guacamole or hummus are also great options that many people don’t think of. Just four tablespoons of some hummus brands will give you 150 calories. There is no reason why doing your health a favor and adding extra calories have to be mutually exclusive.
5. Drink an Intra-Workout Shake
Even though drinking a shake during workouts isn’t anything revolutionary, it bears repeating.
Most guys don’t take advantage of it. This is by far the most popular strategy, mainly because it can be done effortlessly.
You’re most likely drinking some water during workouts anyway, so adding in a few scoops of carbs and protein is hardly going to be noticeable. If you can find the right brand, intra-workout shakes tend to taste pretty good. Not only will this add a significant amount of calories to your daily total, it’ll give you a significant boost during your workouts. Carbs are the primary energy source for muscles during intense training sessions. Having a intra-workout drink containing fast-acting carbs will ensure that your muscles have the proper nutrients for finishing a tough workout. Also, you’ll be more likely to retain all of your hard-earned muscle. The total amount of calories for an intra-workout shake is going to vary from person to person. 400 calories is a good starting point for most. Depending on your calorie needs and budget, you can adjust up or down. As far as what those calories should consist of, aim for a 2:1 or 3:1 carb to protein ratio. For the ingredients in the shake, there is a wide variety to choose from. Something higher quality is going to contain whey protein hydrolysate and cyclic dextrin. If you’re trying to save some money, using a basic whey protein and dextrose will work. If using dextrose, be cautioned that it is quite sugary, so be sure to use it immediately before and during your training sessions. Otherwise you’re going to be dealing with a rough sugar crash. Even though this is a fantastic option, it’s recommended that you build a strong foundation from eating whole foods before implementing an intra-workout shake (remember strategy number one?). Guys tend to think that drinking a shake during a workout is like drinking a magic potion. It’s not, trust me. It helps, but if that’s the only change you’re making, you aren’t going anywhere.
You’re most likely drinking some water during workouts anyway, so adding in a few scoops of carbs and protein is hardly going to be noticeable. Image courtesy of: menshealth.com
Wrap Up
Eating the required amount of calories to build muscle can seem like a full-time job at times.
I’ve been there. It can be a real pain in the ass.
By applying each of these strategies to an already solid plan, over time, you’ll be well on your way to getting that hard-earned muscle. Think of it this way: would you rather be someone who is strong and muscular with a full belly of food, or someone who is skinny, weak, and swears that he eats enough?
About the Author
Joe Huskey is a strength and nutrition coach from St. Louis, MO. He owns JoeHuskeyFitness.com where he writes, offers online coaching for select individuals and talks about the St. Louis Cardinals. His battle with ulcerative colitis sparked the need to learn everything he can about strength and nutrition, which he now uses to coach others toward regaining their health and athletic abilities.
We value your privacy and would never spam you