People who are naturally thin and have a hard time putting on weight are commonly referred to as hard gainers. Exercise and dieting are two lifestyle factors that can add pounds to the frame. The actual goal is to build muscle. This in turn can improve performance with contact sports like football and ice hockey, and it can also boost your self confidence levels. To achieve this, you need to have high levels of discipline.
Calories
Instead of eating less food as would be the case with weight loss, more food needs to be eaten to increase weight. The addition of 250 to 500 extra calories per day will cause a weight gain of approximately 1/2 to 1 pound per week, according to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center. To find a starting point, use an online resource to track your calories for five days (see Resource). Add up your total intake, divide by five and increase your calories. For example, if your average came out to 2,150 calories, your new intake will be 2,400 or 2,650.
Increased Meals
Increased meal frequency helps alleviate the burden of fitting extra calories into your day. Instead of eating the standard three square meals a day, consume six meals instead. This also keeps energy levels high and a steady flow of nutrients going to the muscles. Keep the calories coming in as healthy as possible. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar like cakes, cookies, doughnuts, ribs, burgers and french fries. The foods you choose should be quality sources of protein, carbs and essential fats. Lean beef, chicken breasts, fish, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds are examples. Eat a meal every two to three hours.
Liquid Calories
When it comes to packing on weight, liquid calorie beverages are instrumental between meals. To keep your calories healthy, opt for orange juice, grape juice, low-fat milk, soy milk and sport drinks. Sweetened teas, slushies, lemonade, soda and alcohol are all high in empty calories. You can also mix up high-calorie smoothies and sip on them to boost your caloric intake.
Types of Excercise
Compound, or multi-joint, exercises involve more than one muscle at a time. These are the base exercises performed with a weight gaining program because they recruit a high amount of muscle fiber. Add exercises like bench presses, overhead push presses, bent-over rows, squats and deadlifts to your workouts. The key is to use a heavy enough weight that will only allow you to do eight to 12 repetitions with good form. Aim for three or four sets with each exercise and take two days off between workouts.
Post-Workout Shake
Post workout shakes are consumed immediately after training sessions to quickly give the body nutrients that are vital for repair. A shake normally consists of a fast-absorbing carbohydrate and a fast-absorbing protein. Grape juice with whey protein powder is an example. After a workout, glycogen is depleted and the muscles need nutrients to repair. Glycogen is the stored form of carbs that get used during weight training workouts. The grape juice delivers carbs and the whey protein helps repair the muscles.
Cardio
Cardiovascular exercise is kept to a minimum when it comes to weight gain. If you perform long sessions on a treadmill, your body will burn a high amount of calories and you will defeat your bulking efforts. If you choose to do any cardio, keep your intensity low, your time frame to no more than 30 minutes and your frequency to three days a week or less. The biggest benefit you can achieve from cardio is it will increase your appetite.
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