The internet is almost literally drowning in articles on weight loss and this is very understandable as, almost everywhere around the world today, obesity statistics are rising at a truly alarming rate. But we’re not going to talk about how to lose weight here, as we have dealt with that in previous articles and you can read the full weight loss guide here: http://www.trainer.ae/articles/complete-diy-weight-loss-plan-for-beginners-men-women-2294
Instead, we would like to take some time to focus on you, the skinny guy or girl, who would really like to put on a few extra pounds but are having an extremely hard time doing so. We’ve come across so many people like you, who have simply given up on their dream of being bigger and having more muscle mass, because no matter how much they eat or how much they lift in the gym, weight gain just doesn’t seem possible. But the reality is, every healthy person has both the ability to lose and gain weight; you just need to understand the factors that influence your weight and effectively manipulate them to yield the results that you want to see.
In this guide, we will show you all the basics of weight gain for skinny people who have given up on ever gaining weight. Get set for a comprehensive fitness plan that will change your life and make your dreams come true at last!
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Why are you so skinny?
Your genes are largely responsible for your body’s natural disposition (or the lack thereof) to fat. Scientists have observed that there are generally three body types which are distinguishable by their natural body frame, propensity to gain or lose weight and bone size. The endomorph, the very opposite of your body type, has a large frame and bigger bones; they are naturally built to accommodate more weight and fat. So often, people think everyone who is overweight is overweight because they eat too much. This is not exactly true although there is some element of truth to it, when taken in context, as you will see later on.
Mesomorphs, on the other hand, are perhaps what you could call the “inbetweeners”. They have moderately sized bones, broad shoulders and a roughly rectangular body shape. The mesomorph is built to accommodate more muscle and burn efficient amounts of fat. Such people really seem like they have no difficulty in getting buff and when inactive have a tendency to either get slim or slightly chubby depending on their eating habits.
And then there’s you, the ectomorph. The skinny guy or girl who has always dreamt of having arms like Dwanye “the Rock” Johnsons’ or the curves of Beyonce, but no matter how much you eat or work out, you either gain weight in all the wrong places or the weight doesn’t even have the courtesy to show up at all. Unfortunately, your body isn’t naturally built to optimize growth in the way that you might like but there a few simple hacks to get around this challenge. Ready to be the boss of you? Read on.
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Understanding Metabolism
It’s clear there are different body types, but what is it about these different body types that makes it easier or harder to gain or lose weight? The traditional wisdom has postulated that differing metabolism speeds are responsible for people’s weight gain or the lack of it; however, that theory is currently under dispute, given that several studies have produced research that does not seem to validate this claim. In the absence of a definitive answer as to the exact relationship between metabolism and weight gain, we tend to support the traditional wisdom that a faster metabolism makes it harder for people to gain weight and vice-versa.
Metabolism is a two-stage process by which the human body breaks down food to access the energy stored within, to supply itself with energy and nutrients to maintain it’s regular functions. The first stage is catabolism, where the body breaks down food and the second stage is anabolism where the allocation of energy resources for tissue building and physical activity occurs. The energy stored in food is measured in calories and some foods contain more calories than others; also, some people need less calories than others which is a piece of information you need to take note of because maximizing your calorie intake is key to weight gain.
The process of metabolism doesn’t only release and channel calories, but it also burns calories, and if you burn too many calories, weight gain will be exceptionally hard for you. In fact, burning more calories is the main point of any fitness plan for overweight people, so it stands to (somewhat primitive) reason, that you should be doing the opposite if you want to gain weight.
So how do you make sure you gain all the calories your body needs? You’ve got to eat the right foods and do the right kind of workout which we will explain in detail soon.
What to eat?
If you’re meant to do the opposite of what overweight people do, then that probably means you could just go out there and eat all the junk food and fast food that you want, right? Sorry, but no. True those kinds of foods are very high in calorie content but they are still just as unhealthy for you as they are for anyone else so you might want to steer clear as well. What might happen if you eat a lot of fatty food and junk food is that you might gain weight but in all the wrong areas, particularly your belly area, which is probably not quite what you have in mind.
Many ladies try to eat to fill out their curves but in truth, your body shape is really determined by your genetics and there isn’t too much you can do to alter it by eating. Exercise however is a better way to get a more curvy body for women. First off, though, you’re going to need a healthy diet that promotes muscle development.
First thing you should be chucking down, by the bucket load, is protein—healthy protein of course. Egg whites, milk, cheese, kidney beans, chicken breasts, steak (and other lean meats) are all very healthy proteins that will supply your body with the nutrients you need for building muscles–and building muscles is what you should be aiming for if you’re looking to gain weight.
This is probably a good time to state that nutrients are different from calories and even if your body burns up all the calories you gain in food, the nutrients are not used up in this way. Instead they are converted into chemicals that can be absorbed by the tissues which need them for growth and replenishment. So eating the right food is more important than eating a lot of food.
That being said, you still need a lot of calories to carry out your body’s daily functions and for your exercise needs, and having a fast metabolism might mean that your body will burn a lot of the calories you gain from your food so you will need to consciously eat higher calorie foods. Also be sure to eat more often even if you don’t feel very hungry.
Nutritional Supplements
If you’re an ectomorph, you have a natural disadvantage for muscle building, but you can even the score by using any of the very many nutritional supplements that have been designed with people like you in mind. Nutritional supplements are mostly highly concentrated doses of nutrients that have been artificially extracted and processed into a form that is easy for you to ingest–in the form of pills, powder or even shakes. There’s usually nothing so special to be found in these supplements that you wouldn’t find in regular meals but the nutrients in these supplements are usually much more concentrated than they would be, when found in food.
The most common supplements you should look for are:
Whey protein- Whey, a by-product of cheese production, is touted as being by some as the best protein source ever discovered on this planet. While this claim might sound a bit hyperbolic, it is a fact that whey has exceptional qualities. Whey is commonly sold as a form of protein powder which could be mixed into a beverage or cereal.
Soy protein– Soy is an excellent protein source just like whey. Unfortunately, it has managed to acquire an undeserved, bad reputation due to the fact that it contains phytoestrogen, the plant form of the hormone estrogen. Given the fact that estrogen in humans is responsible for the development of many feminine features, it was thought, in the past, that phytoestrogen would have a similar effect in men and would inhibit muscle mass gains. On the contrary, it has been found that phytoestrogen does not have this effect in humans and soy is in fact in the highest possible class of quality for proteins.
Creatine– Creatine is a natural substance that is found in protein and is stored in muscles. Creatine has two major functions in human beings: it helps energize muscles during exercise and also helps in muscle growth.
You could use any of these supplements to support a workout plan but a combination of all three would be much more effective.
Exercise
Just as exercise plays a major role in helping people lose weight, your weight gain will be largely dependent on the amount and kind of exercise you do. You should avoid exercises that would make you burn a lot of calories, so if running is your favorite hobby then sorry you might have to find another, or cutback on how much running you’re doing. An alternative training technique that might help you maintain your stamina without losing all your weight gain is anaerobic training.
Anaerobic training is literally exercise done without oxygen (that doesn’t mean you should try holding your breath while you sprint or do some other physical activity). Basically, this is exercise that is so intense that the body cannot take in all the oxygen that it needs to sustain the activity. This leads to a development of the body’s fast twitch muscle fibers which are responsible for generating explosive power. You will also burn calories when you do anaerobic exercise but this is kind of balanced out by increased muscle mass so it’s a win-win solution to some extent.
Your exercise efforts should encapsulate your entire body so that the muscle gains are evenly spread. One tip on how to gain more muscle mass faster is: do compound exercises. Compound exercises are exercises which involve the multiple use and stimulation of major joints and muscles at the same time. A good example of a compound exercise that could also be performed as an anaerobic exercise are burpees. You can read all about how to do burpees here: http://www.trainer.ae/articles/4-reasons-why-burpees-could-be-your-secret-weight-loss-weapon-2446
Resistance exercises in the gym- there are two main techniques that are used for lifting iron or otherwise training for muscle mass in the gym. You could either do high reps, using low weights or do less reps, using higher weights. The difference is: the high rep-low weight technique, will make muscles look more “defined” but the heavy weight, low rep technique, is better for producing denser, stronger muscles which is probably what you should be aiming for.
Conclusion
We hope you have found the information in this article clear and useful. Make sure you apply these tips and techniques consistently and soon enough, you might find yourself packing on weight like never before.
We think you might benefit more from having a personal trainer to guide you further and if you would like one, we would be glad to connect you with someone you can trust. Please contact us at:
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