This Guide Teaches You:
- How to determine the amount of calories you are currently eating.
- The best way to dial in your eating plan so that you can gain weight in a healthy manner.
- Which foods are best for weight gain.
- How to eat plenty of calories even when you feel full.
- The best way to workout so that you build quality muscle mass.
- How to supplement to maximize the weight gaining process.
Table of Contents:
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Skinny Guy Confessions
- 2.1. Cardio Overkill
- 2.2. Not Eating Enough
- 2.3. Remaining Weak
- 3. Next Steps: How To Gain Weight And Build Muscle
- 3.1. Step 1 - Analysis Of Your Existing Diet
- 3.2. Step 2 - Make Dietary Adjustments
- 3.3. Step 3 - Weight Gaining Goals
- 3.4. A Note About Junk Food
- 4. Whole Foods That Can Help The Skinny Guy Gain Weight
- 4.1. Power Weight Gain Shake for Skinny Guys
- 5. Hit the Gym - A 3 Step Muscle Building Plan
- 5.1. Stage 1 - Priming
- 5.2. Stage 2 - Building
- 5.3. Stage 3 - Jacked
- 6. Supplements For The Skinny Guy
Introduction
I was once a skinny guy. A very skinny guy.
Not only that, but I was also what you might call "skinny fat." Despite the fact that I loved to exercise, I looked horrible. There was no way in the world you would catch me with my shirt off in public.
I also had a very hard time gaining weight. At times it seemed like I was eating from sun up to sun down, but despite this, the scale stuck around 140-144 pounds until my senior year of high school.
Two and a half years later, by the time I had reached the age of 20, my life had dramatically turned around. I was 190 pounds of solid muscle, stronger than I ever imagined I could be, and girls were talking to me.
This probably sounds like hyperbole, or some sort of a sales pitch. I apologize if it does, but it's the God's honest truth.
In this article I want to share a few things I learned during those years. I will be providing you with specific advice of training, nutrition, cardio, rest and even supplementation. If you have any questions, or if I can help in any way, please please your questions or comments below.
Skinny Guy Confessions: What I Was Doing Wrong
Looking back upon those years, it's easy to see what I was doing wrong and why I wasn't gaining weight (and muscle). Here are the major reasons why I wasn't making progress:
Cardio Overkill - I was exercising way too much. WAY too much. During the Summer months I was outside from sun up to sun down, running, playing baseball or basketball, or swimming.
When I wasn't outside, I was indoors doing some form of cardio - step ups, jumping rope, or even aerobics (yes, it was the early 80s). It wasn't unusual for me to run 3 miles a day, do 45 minutes of step ups, and play baseball for 4 hours. This was just another typical day for me.
So here's the problem: while I was certainly fit and healthy from all that exercise, I was expending a crazy amount of calories. Am I telling you that I should have stopped exercising completely? Of course not. Cardio work is a great way to improve overall health. The problem with doing "too much" cardio (and general exercise) is that it conflicts with another one of your primary goals - gaining weight.
Research backs up common sense on this subject. (1) A recent meta-analysis on the impact of cardiovascular exercise on resistance training determined:
Our results indicate that interference effects of endurance training are a factor of the modality, frequency, and duration of the endurance training selected.
The bottom line is that when you run a lot of cardio concurrently with your resistance training, it impacts results. The more cardiovascular work you do, the greater the tendency for it to impact your results.
If your primary goal is to gain weight and build muscle, then it would make sense to not push cardio too much. This is a competing goal; one that is in direct conflict with your weight gain goal. Because of this it makes sense to minimize the amount of cardio you do.
If you are a skinny guy, keep cardio sessions to "about" 3-4 per week, for 20 to 30 minutes each. If you play sports, or have an active lifestyle and can't really reduce cardio, then it's time to improve your diet.
Not Eating Enough - Most skinny guys think they are eating enough, but are really only guessing about daily food intake. Here's what I recommend: instead of guessing, spend a week logging everything you eat. Don't change your eating habits, meaning don't purposely eat more or less than normal.
At the end of the week spend the time going through your food choices. Learn exactly how many calories you ate, on the average, during the course of the last 7 days. If you need help, there are numerous websites and books that provide nutritional information on every possible food item.
How does this number look? Is it above 3,000 calories per day? I am guessing that your food intake is less than expected.
Gaining weight and building muscle is like every other endeavor in life, meaning that it requires a certain minimal time investment to become proficient. If you want to make the basketball team, you'll need to put in some practice time. If you want to conquer the latest Xbox game, it will require a minimal time investment as well.
If you want to gain weight, you'll need to invest some time in analyzing and planning your eating plan.
Remaining Weak - Progressive overload is king. "Working out", while healthy, is not a magical method of building muscle mass. If you are not pushing yourself in the gym to build strength, you won't build muscle. Stay weak, stay small - this sums it up nicely.
When you push for strength you are forcing your body to respond. In response to this demand, you will build muscle - if, you aren't undereating.
During my teen years I did a lot of bodyweight work, along with bench presses and curls. Unfortunately, I used the same weight over and over again, week after week, year after year, and was unable to build any muscle.
No one ever told me that the body adapts rather quickly to a certain weight, and that more resistance would be required. I thought that I could magically "pump" my chest and biceps into growth using 95 pound bench presses and 25 pound curls.
Next Steps - Time to Gain Weight and Build Muscle
So, we have determined that skinny guys need to:
- Stop doing so much cardio.
- Eat more food.
- Get a lot stronger than they are now.
Cardio is the easy part. We can control how much cardio we do each week. Let's move on to the next step of our journey, and learn "how" to gain weight properly, and in a healthy manner.
How to Gain Weight
This section will provide you with a step by step process on how to gain weight in a healthy manner. If you have any questions regarding diet and nutrition, please don't hesitate to leave them in the comments section below.
Step 1 - Analysis of Your Existing Diet
This is an essential step of the process, so do not skip it, and guess at your average calorie intake.
The truth is this...most skinny guys think they are eating enough food, but when you ask them to tell you how many calories they are eating on a daily basis, they aren't certain. This uncertainty is a major part of the problem.
If you can't gain weight, something must be done. You are left with 2 choices:
- Keep doing what you're doing, in this case guessing how many calories you are eating on a daily basis, and hope you gain weight.
- Take control over the situation, learn what you are eating, make necessary changes, and set a minimum daily calorie goal.
Obviously, the second option is our only option. So, with that said, let's get started.
Grab a notebook, computer, an iPad, iPod or phone. You will need to write down everything you eat and drink this week - no exceptions. If you are not sure of the exact quantities, notate things in a manner that makes sense to you. For example:
- A fist-side portion of potatoes.
- 1/2 box of macaroni and cheese.
- Nearly a full, large-size glass of milk.
Next, head over to Calorie King and calculate how many calories you've eaten this week. Some of this will be guess work, but that's part of the learning process. Don't fret if you feel like this may not yield 100% accuracy. That's not the point. The point is to start learning about foods, their calorie content, etc.
Now, calculate a daily average. How many calories are you eating per day? 2,200? 2,500? Is this number lower or higher than you expected?
Step 2 - Make Dietary Adjustments
It's time to structure some form of eating plan, and add calories. Use this as a starting point:
- Calories. Add 500 daily calories to the average you calculated above.
- Protein. Make sure you are eating at least 180 grams of protein per day.
- Fats. Make sure at least 20% of your daily calorie intake comes from healthy fats.
- Carbs. With your protein and fats in place, fill in the rest of your daily calorie intake with quality carbs - fruits, veggies, grains, etc.
It is certainly ok to eat more than 180 grams of protein per day. While studies indicate you may only need 150 grams per day for muscle growth, you have to consider the reality that you are currently underweight, and your body may gain muscle at a relatively rapid pace. Because of this, it's better to eat a little more daily protein, rather than a little less.
High protein intake is perfectly safe to those of you without pre-existing kidney issues. Eating more protein can also help to balance out your eating plan, so that you don't have to be so carb reliant. It can be hard to force feed yourself heavy carb meals when you aren't feeling overly hungry.
The recommended 20% fat intake should also be considered a minimum. Fat is calorie dense, holding 9 calories per gram, compared to proteins and carbs which only have 4 calories per gram. What does this mean? It's easier to get in your daily calories if you increase your fat intake. You won't feel as full, because fats are more calorie dense.
If you are having a hard time enough enough food, you may want to increase your fat intake as high as 40% daily. This will make reaching your daily calorie goals much easier.
Step 3 - Weight Gaining Goals
Aim for about a 2 pounds per month. Some will consider this rate "slow", but it does add up to nearly a 25 pound bodyweight gain over the course of a year, and almost 50 pounds in 2 years.
If you follow this approach, and work hard to get a lot stronger than you are now using the workout plan below, your weight gain will be a quality weight gain. You will build a lot of muscle mass, and look great after 2 years.
Some of you may prefer to gain weight more rapidly than this. While more rapid weight gain can work for some, usually it's a recipe for fat gain. The human body can only add so much muscle mass per day, week and month. The faster (more aggressive) you push your weight gain, the more likely you are to accrue a higher body fat percentage.
This isn't what you want.
The First 2 Weeks
Ignore the weight you gain during the first 2 weeks of your bulk. During this time you are increasing your carb intake, most likely your sodium intake, and your digestive demands. Your body is holding a lot more water. This is not rapid fat gain, so don't panic!
After 2 weeks, weight gain will normalize. Weeks 3-4 will tell the true story. Make these adjustments based on your weight gain during weeks 3-4:
- Losing Weight - Code red! Add 750 calories to your daily intake. Ignore what the scale says for the next two weeks, and make new adjustments based on what happens 3-4 weeks from now.
- Holding Steady - Add 500 calories per day. Re-assess your rate of weight gain during weeks 3 and 4, and make any necessary adjustments so that you are gaining approximately 2 pounds of body weight per month.
- Slow Gain - Add 250 calories per day. Re-assess your rate of weight gain during weeks 3 and 4, and make any necessary adjustments so that you are gaining approximately 2 pounds of body weight per month.
- Optimal Gain - Stay the course and don't change a thing!
- Rapid Gain - If you're gaining weight too quickly, drop your daily calories by 250 and re-assess your eating plan after another 3-4 weeks.
A Note About Junk Food - Dirty Food
You're young, skinny and hormonally strong. While you don't want to eat a ton of junk food, taking in 10-25% of your daily calories from fast food, chips, energy drinks or cookies isn't going to hurt you. It may actually help you reach your calorie goals.
Life is about balance. As long as you are eating mostly whole, nutritionally dense foods, it's ok to add some junk in each day.
Whole Foods That Can Help The Skinny Guy Gain Weight
The following choices are whole foods, and are general "unprocessed" or "lightly processed". They are full of good nutrition, cost-effective, calorie dense, and found at every grocery store.
A little of each of these foods goes a long way. You can add small servings of these foods to shakes or meals, or use them as snacks in between meals. They add a ton of calories (and flavor) without leaving you feeling overly full.
Bulking Foods for Skinny Guys | ||
---|---|---|
Protein Foods | ||
Food | Serving | Calories |
Ground Beef, Cooked, 70% Lean | 4 oz | 305 |
Bacon, Thick Cut | 2 slices | 122 |
Chicken Wing, with Skin | 4 wings | 394 |
Chicken Leg with Skin | 1 leg | 337 |
Pork Chop | 2 chops, 8 oz | 436 |
Eggs, Large | 2 eggs | 156 |
Steak, Ribeye | 10 oz | 544 |
Salmon | 4 oz | 233 |
Beef Brisket | 4 oz | 246 |
Pork Sausage | 4 oz | 384 |
Fruits and Veggies | ||
Food | Serving | Calories |
Banana | 1 large | 121 |
Grapes | 20 | 70 |
Avocado, sliced | 1 cup | 234 |
Pineapple | 1 cup | 83 |
Orange | 1 large | 86 |
Pear | 1 large | 133 |
Sweet Potato | 1 large | 159 |
Potato | 7 oz | 142 |
Nuts and Legumes | ||
Food | Serving | Calories |
Peanut Butter | 2 tbsp | 188 |
Peanuts | 2 oz | 321 |
Almonds | 2 oz | 328 |
Pistachios | 2 oz | 316 |
Peas | 1 cup | 125 |
Black Beans | 1 cup | 220 |
Dairy | ||
Food | Serving | Calories |
Whole Milk | 1 cup | 146 |
Butter | 2 pats | 72 |
Heavy Whipping Cream | 2 oz | 205 |
Cream Cheese | 1 oz | 99 |
Cheddar Cheese | 2 oz | 228 |
String Cheese | 1 piece | 80 |
Cottage Cheese | 1 cup | 216 |
Carbs and Grains | ||
Food | Serving | Calories |
Brown Rice, cooked | 1 cup | 216 |
Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup | 222 |
White Rice, cooked | 1 cup | 242 |
Pasta, cooked | 1 cup | 182 |
Wheat Bread | 1 slice | 78 |
Oils and Misc | ||
Food | Serving | Calories |
Olive Oil | 1 tbsp | 120 |
Coconut Oil | 1 tbsp | 117 |
Frozen Pizza | 1 pie | 1,267 |
McDouble | 1 burger | 400 |
Beef and Bean Burrito, frozen | 1 burrito | 290 |
Power Weight Gain Shake for Skinny Guys
One of the easiest ways of adding calories is via a "weight gain shake". The following shake can be consumed once per day, and contains 1,066 calories. Simply add the ingredients into a blender, blend until smooth, and enjoy.
- 16 ounces of whole milk - 292 calories
- 2 scoops of chocolate BPI Sports Whey HD - 320 calories
- 2 ounces of heavy cream - 205 calories
- 1 large banana - 121 calories
- 2 tbsp peanut butter - 188 calories
Hit the Gym - A 3 Step Muscle Building Plan
Now that you have an eating plan, and know how to gain weight, it's time to maximize your training. Building muscle is rather simple. It requires:
- Consistency - Not missing workouts. Consistency plays a major role in making quality gains.
- Progressive Overload - You must get a lot stronger than you are now. No exceptions. There is no "easier" way to build muscle.
- Good Tools - Using the best possible exercises, when possible. The better your tools (exercises), the better your results.
- Patience - Gains take years, not weeks. Look 2 years down the road, not 2 weeks. You can make amazing progress in 2 year's time, so dedicate yourself to sticking with a plan.
The following 3 step plan is merely one possible way to build muscle. With that said, it's a very effective approach. Combine this plan with enough food, and you will see some very impressive results.
Here is an overview of the program:
- Step 1 - Priming Stage. This is a one month introduction. You will begin with one set per exercise, and after a couple weeks you will move on to 2 sets per exercise.
- Step 2 - Building Phase. This is a five month phase that will help you maximize your beginner gains.
- Step 3 - "Jacked" Phase. The last phase of the program, you will continue to use this phase as long as strength gains remain consistent.
Training Notes
- Sets. Push each set for as many reps as possible, stopping a set when you feel like you might fail on the next rep, or when your form starts to slip.
- Weight. Use the same weight for each set of a given exercise.
- Rep Minimums. Each exercise has a "rep minimum." When you are able to reach this minimum rep amount for each of the 3 sets, add weight the next time you perform that exercise. So when you see a "8 rep minimum" for an exercise, you will add weight when you re able to perform 8 or more reps for each of the sets.
Stage 1 - Priming
During the first 2 weeks use only one set per exercise. During weeks 3-4, use 2 sets per exercise.
Start with a very light weight for each exercise. Get a good feel for exercise form. Add weight when you are able to hit the "rep minimum" for a given exercise.
Don't take big jumps in weight; instead take the smallest jump possible - generally 5 pounds per lift. Muscle building is a marathon, not a sprint. These small jumps will pay off very quickly.
You will be training 3 days per week:
- Day 1 - Workout
- Day 2 - Off
- Day 3 - Workout
- Day 4 - Off
- Day 5 - Workout
- Day 6 - Off
- Day 7 - Off
Stage 1 - Priming | ||
---|---|---|
Workout | ||
Exercise | Sets | Rep Minimum |
Squat | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Bench Press | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Stiff Leg Deadlift | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Seated Overhead Barbell Press | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Bent Over Row | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Skullcrushers | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Pull Ups/Lat Pull Down | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Dumbbell Curl | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Leg Curl | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Calf Raise | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Sit Ups | 1/2 | 10/10 |
Stage 2 - Building
Continue using the weights you left off with during the Priming stage. For any exercises you did not perform during the Priming stage, start with a light and conservative weight.
You will be working out 3 days a week, using the same schedule as you did during your first 4 weeks of training:
- Day 1 - Workout A
- Day 2 - Off
- Day 3 - Workout B
- Day 4 - Off
- Day 5 - Workout C
- Day 6 - Off
- Day 7 - Off
Stage 2 - Building | ||
---|---|---|
Workout A | ||
Exercise | Sets | Rep Minimum |
Squat | 3 | 8 |
Bench Press | 3 | 8 |
Barbell Row | 3 | 8 |
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8 |
Leg Curl | 3 | 10 |
Skullcushers | 3 | 8 |
Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 8 |
Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10 |
Weighted Sit Ups | 3 | 15 |
Stage 2 - Building | ||
---|---|---|
Workout B | ||
Exercise | Sets | Rep Minimum |
Still Leg Deadlift | 3 | 8 |
Leg Curls | 3 | 10 |
Incline Dumbbell Flye | 3 | 10 |
Pull Ups or Lat Pull Down | 3 | 8 |
Bent Over Dumbbell Reverse Flyes | 3 | 10 |
Cable Tricep Extension | 3 | 8 |
Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 3 | 8 |
Barbell Shrugs | 3 | 10 |
Side Bends | 3 | 15 |
Stage 2 - Building | ||
---|---|---|
Workout C | ||
Exercise | Sets | Rep Minimum |
Leg Press | 3 | 15 |
Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8 |
One Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8 |
Seated Overhead Press | 3 | 8 |
Leg Curls | 3 | 10 |
Dips or Two Arm Seated Dumbbell Extensions | 3 | 8 |
EZ Bar Preacher Curl | 3 | 8 |
Seated Calf Raise | 3 | 10 |
Cable Crunches or Planks | 3 | 15/60 sec |
Stage 3 - Jacked
Stage 3 is a little more intense, and introduces the deadlift and 20 rep squat. For the 20 rep squats, stop at 20 reps; do not go higher.
Workouts are structured more in a heavy, light, medium manner with Monday being the heavy day. Wednesday is a lighter day, focusing on mostly isolation-style lifts, while Friday is the medium day.
- Day 1 - Workout A - Heavy
- Day 2 - Off
- Day 3 - Workout B - Light
- Day 4 - Off
- Day 5 - Workout C - Medium
- Day 6 - Off
- Day 7 - Off
Stage 3 - Jacked | ||
---|---|---|
Workout A | ||
Exercise | Sets | Rep Minimum |
Squat | 3 | 6 |
Bench Press | 3 | 6 |
Barbell Rows | 3 | 6 |
Seated Overhead Press | 3 | 6 |
Stiff Leg Deadlift | 3 | 6 |
Dips or Skullcrushers | 3 | 8 |
Barbell Curls | 3 | 8 |
Seated Calf Raise | 3 | 10 |
Weighted Sit Ups | 3 | 15 |
Stage 3 - Jacked | ||
---|---|---|
Workout B | ||
Exercise | Sets | Rep Minimum |
Deadlift | 3 | 5 |
Dumbbell Flyes or Pec Dec | 3 | 10 |
Leg Extensions | 3 | 10 |
Pull Ups or Lat Pull Down | 3 | 10 |
Bent Over Reverse Dumbbell Flye | 3 | 10 |
Cable Tricep Extensions | 3 | 10 |
Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 3 | 8 |
Barbell Shrugs | 3 | 8 |
Dumbbell Side Bends | 3 | 10 |
Stage 3 - Jacked | ||
---|---|---|
Workout C | ||
Exercise | Sets | Rep Minimum |
Squat | 2 | 20 |
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8 |
One Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8 |
Seated Arnold Press | 3 | 8 |
Leg Curl | 3 | 10 |
Seated Two Arm Dumbbell Extension | 3 | 8 |
Seated Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 8 |
Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10 |
Cable Crunches or Planks | 3 | 15/60 sec |
Supplements for the Skinny Guy
Supplementation, like training, should be eased into. For the first phase of this program, you may want to consider fortifying your nutritional base with the following supplements:
- Multivitamin
- Fish Oil
- Whey Protein
- Weight Gainer (optional)
Weight gainers provide quite a few calories, and are convenient to have around for those busy times in life when cooking isn't an option, or for times when you miss meals.
By the second phase of this program, you should have your diet pretty much dialed in. Your training will also be on track and consistent. At this time, it would be ok to start exploring other popular supplements, such as:
- Creatine
- BCAAs
- Pre-workout formulas
- Post-workout formulas
Other supplements that may be of benefit, based on your specific needs (age, stress, sleep, low testosterone, poor recovery, etc) include:
- Antioxidants
- Joint health
- Recovery
- Sexual health
- Sleep enhancement
- Stress reduction
- Testosterone boosters
- Protein bars
- Meal replacements
References
1. Concurrent training: a meta-analysis examining interference of aerobic and resistance exercises. Wilson JM, Marin PJ, Rhea MR, Wilson SM, Loenneke JP, Anderson JC. Link.
330 Comments
I am 21yrs weighing 52kgs and 173cm high.I need to build my body and increase my height how should I go about it. thanks in advance
Hi, Brian. Start by following this article for a couple of months. Track your progress each week by stepping on a scale and see how much you put on. This guide should help you move in the right direction to a bigger and stronger you!
Sir, I eat a lot and exercises in 3 times in a week. But stiil i am not gaining weight. I am 17 years old. Plz tell some solution to this problem.
Hey Ammy - what do your daily calories look like?
hey im 20 and 50kg and height170. i hate that i have lost 6kg of my weight because i have no apitite to eat . according to this that im a girl how can i gain weight in every month by exserciseing is this program good enough?
Hey Fatemah
This is an excellent guide for anyone trying to pack on the right weight. Working hard in the gym is the easy part, make sure you're eating (and eating the right stuff) to support all that energy expenditure from the gym.
I am a 58 year old male weighing in at 140-145.
I’ve been a sugar freak most of my life and in the last 2 years almost cut it out of my diet completely. (Almost forgot, I’m an ex smoker (7 years) ex drinker (15 years) prior nail bitter (yuk!!) and an asthmatic my entire life.
Now I’m going to discipline myself (always a Marine) to follow your routine and see where it brings me in the next 2 years of life’s journey .
Thanks for the read and I’ll keep you posted if you like,
Dana selig
I am 20 yrs old and my weight is 50kg. Is it anyway possible gaining weight without going to gym because my schedule is not matching with the timing of gym. By proper diet is it possible to gain weight? Pls do reply..
Hi Viraj,
Sure, you can gain weight without going to the gym. But if you're looking to build muscle, you need to provide a growth stimulus via weight or resistance training.
Okk thanks for advice.
I m 22 years old 183cm 74 kg
Am i so skinny?
My trainer told me that the right weight is the height minus 100 cm.
Really good and thorough Information. Thank you for this! But if someone wants to work out six days a week, will it work ? And how to adjust it then.
I have breathing problems, so doing anything cardio is out of the question, same with weights. Eating is my specialty, im on my second week of taking in 3600 cal per day, sometimes i feel sick to my stomach, but i push through, so far i've gained 5lbs, the only cardio i get is walking, so far im happy for my achievement. I now weigh 125lbs, more than i've ever weighed in years. im also 56yrs old.
I m 21yr old and 50kg...i think I have ectomorph body ...I went to gym in our hostel but I am not getting any weight gain....I need better workouts program
I am 5'11 I weigh 155. I'm a construction worker and xant seem to gain weight at all. Can someone give me advice on the best way? Thank you in advance.
Im just skinny my weight is 54kg and my height is 5.7ft and i want to know that im going gym now but one of trainer give my workoutchat n another tell this chat bad to you now im confuse which i will workout chat should i ply please tell me
I have been following program this program for 7 months, and it really works! Went from 135 to 155 and increased strength tremendously! Thank you for writing this and keeping it free :)
Till today i have searched in many websites on how to gain weight healthily ,,but none of those websites i found correct. But this one I found more accurate and perfect,it is in detail. Its more acceptable and satisfying ..
Thank You for these information.
Thank you!! This simple to understand and thorough guide of every step of weight gain may have just hanged my life. 24 years old and 140. My max weight has been 153 back at 17 when I played Free safety in Highschool. And have just been hovering between 135-148 since then. Unable to go pass that point. Haven’t worked out regularly since then. But felt like I am always eating. And always wondered why I struggled to gain weight. But reading this... step one is already key. I do wayyyy too much Cardio. I’m literally the most active person I know. Sleep 4 hours a day. Work 4 days a week 6pm-4:30 am. I will get off. Sleep till 9. Get up and go play basketball for 3 hours and run errands. Chill. Then go to work. Fitting in meals whenever I get hungry. I’m a great cook. So enjoy cooking for myself. But that’s only when I have the time and can afford it. But this pointed out some key issues I have. Cardio is too high. My calorie intake is probably at 3rd world levels compared to what I need/want for weight gain. I’d love to be a full 170 of muscle this time next year. And 190 of muscle in 2 years. Another issue I have is motivating myself to stay in the gym. Because I don’t have a partner, and I don’t really have a plan other than the Nike fitness app that has workouts. But with this plan... giving me steps on how many reps and when to increase. The only thing I’m missing is a tracker. To show my max weights and how many reps I did yesterday and whatnot. But that’s something I can create for myself since you’ve given me every other key needed!!! THANK YOU AGAIN!! How can I pay for this knowledge? Seriously? 5’7 24. 140lb
95% of these comment questions can be solved by reading the article, 4% need psychiatric help, and 1% actually read the article and understand.
Those 4% you speak of do not need psychiatric help. They probably need a better language translator. Besides, what good would prescribing medicine to deal with poor English do?
am 18 year old and having weight 44 kg. what should i do to gain weight please give proper reply and which diet i should eat
i am 17 year old and having weight 42 kg. what should i do to gain weight
i'm 21, 170cm, 54kg. i need help too dude
eat more food brah
Awesome Article, Great work author I follow this type of diet plan i gain 5 Kg in 2 Months
Great article!
My name is Nick and im 16 and I want to be a professional bodybuilder and right now I am skinny and I want to know how to build muscle mass. I weigh 118.
Nick,
At your age I would recommend that you eat plenty of whole, nutritious foods, train hard, and learn to enjoy the process. You're still young, live your life, and don't get caught up in all the minutia.
Oops 5 months I see
Are stage 2 and stage 3 also one month long like the priming stage?
Nope, the second stage is five months long, and the third lasts for the remainder of the workout- for as long as you choose to continue.
Thanks... I've been long frustrated being skinny... I'll follow strictly and hope to succeed this time...
Thanks dude for this article. i'm on my first month now and i will change some routines after reading this.
I wanted to know Mr. Steven that can skip the gym portion..i don't get enough time but i do cycle for 1 hour everyday while going to coaching institutes. I am 16 year old and 5 foot 75 inches...? Thanks for help
Dear sir,
I am tradittional indial non vegetarian skinny gye. and want to gain weight as per your sedule so guide me what type of veg diat i have to take to gain weight.
Being a very skinny guy, I am really glad to find this article on the web. God, I've always been wanting to go to the gym but I don't have all the information I need. Thanks, MuscleAndStrength Team.
Hi Steven.
I am 28 year old & want to build my body. I am too skinny, but from my childhood i am having Diabetes type 1 and daily i have to take Insulin. So, please suggest me what diet should I follow and is this workout routine good for me?
Hi Steven.
I am 28 year old & want to build my body. I am too skinny, but from my childhood i am having Diabetes type 1 and daily i have to take Insulin. So, please suggest me what diet should I follow and is this workout routine good for me?
i go grocery shopping and my mind forgets I was wondering if there was a specific food I should remember what to grab
I am a medical student and I get no time for the gym. Can I start the normal push-ups with Brewers yeast suplement to gain weight?
Supplement name....
The only question I have is what is your suggested time between sets for the various workouts? Is there a different rest interval between different exercises, or moving to different body sections, i.e. moving from leg exercises to, say, chest work? I have been trying to increase the intensity of my workouts by doing full body, 1 set/exercise with little, or no, rest between exercises, following the HIT routine as written by Ellington Darden, Phd.
Up until very recently I had been doing a 4 day split routine with pretty good results, but want to change things up as it is getting a bit too routine.
53 y/o, 6'4", 215lbs, doing 3 resistance workouts per week, following each with 30 minutes of elliptical machine as the knees aren't what they used to be. :-)
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Very thorough, informative article, thank you. However, I have 2 concerns with your advice to us skinny folk. Power lifters seem to think that everyone can do what they do, not so: 1) if you're small jointed then excess loads without adequate connective tissue strengthening will result in failure. Work on wrists especially before attempting those big presses etc. I now tape my wrists AND wear straps for every upper body session. 2) this really bugs me: stop & think WHY people are skinny, despite the volume of food they eat. Food intolerances!! If you're dairy or gluten intolerant (i'm both) then consuming your "half packet mac & cheese & full glass of milk" will be disasterous to gut health & could actually contribute to weight loss! If your gut is inflamed then you won't absorb all of the nutrients, period. If you suspect something is up, eliminate it from your diet for a week or 2 & see what happens, or see a naturopath/nutritionist.
sir i am a vegitarian. i cannot eat beef or meat. could u advise me some indian food nd veggies dat can eat to increase my weight and dat can help me gain mass. i am skinny with extremly high metabolism. i need to consume around 3000 calories per day. i need to gain 16 kgs to come in normal weight catogory. right now i am 58 kgs at 177cms height. please give me some advise
This is one of the best workout progression plans I've seen in a long time. I will be following this to the book as I get back in the gym after I recover from my lat tear. (only two weeks of rehab left) Thank you Steve for all your work.
You gain weight it's true if you work out 3 times a week but without muscle to work out all your body every pat you have to work hard at least 4 5 times a week it's a program for beginner not for a guy who want a big muscles
hi....Steve.... i Earn good body Muscle .....i am Skinny guy.....plz....tell me the muscles and weight gaining Program.....during last 2 year i am doing workout but i,ll not gain my muscles and weight ..plz...tell about workout routine
hi steve, i am 31 year old guy, 173cms height, 53kgs weight.
can i gain weight at this age?
plz do suggest me. looking for a positive reply.