Gaining muscle weight may be valuable in playing sports, working at your profession and performing home tasks. Take carpentry, for example. By adding muscle mass, you will have an easier time hoisting two-by-tens onto the second floor of a house, lifting ladders onto a truck and stacking 3/4-inch-thick sheets of plywood. Take an approach that involves exercise and smart eating habits to gain more muscle weight. If you do not pay attention to your diet, you will not have the raw materials needed to pack on muscle.
Step 1
Consume more food. To increase your muscle weight, you also have to increase your calories. Add 500 calories to your current intake and choose foods that give you energy and promote muscle growth. Fruits, vegetables, lean beef, chicken breasts, eggs, whole grains, low-fat dairy, seeds, nuts and beans are examples. Utilize an online source like The Daily Plate for help tracking your caloric intake.
Step 2
Increase your intake of meals. Eat every two to three hours all day long, starting as soon as you get up. This keeps your muscles supplied with nutrients and your energy levels elevated. Combine complex carbohydrates and protein in each meal, such as a baked chicken breast with steamed broccoli and quinoa.
Step 3
Drink water throughout the day to keep your muscles hydrated and to avoid empty calories. Avoid beverages that are high in caffeine and sugar, such as coffee, energy drinks, soda, processed fruits drinks, lemonade and alcohol. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get approximately 2.7 liters of water a day and men get approximately 3.7 liters. This comes out to about 11 cups and 16 cups, respectively.
Step 4
Lift the heaviest weights you can lift and do primarily compound exercises. Compound, or multi-joint exercises, work more than one muscle at a time and lead to a maximal increase in muscle size. Include exercises like bench presses, shoulder presses, bent-over rows, pull-ups, squats and dead lifts. Perform eight to 12 reps, three to five sets and have a spotter on hand to help you with your lifts.
Step 5
Spend your nights sleeping. Skimping on sleep not only compromises your recoveries, but it also makes you tired during your workouts. The end result is compromised muscle gains. Typically, adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Tips and Warnings
- Take at least one day off before you work the same muscle group again. Otherwise, you will open yourself up to injury and not give your muscles enough recovery time.
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