The Tao Of Big Gains: Mass Building Hacks to Help Skinny People Grow Weight

Well rounded meals high on nutrition for gaining healthy calories

Ectomorph Weight Gain Protocol:

How To Eat A Lot!

Gaining weight isn't about eating a lot of food, but consuming plenty of calories. So you need additional calories--more or less 500 plus calories--than what you usually consume. This margin will also be given to you by the app. Gradually, your weight will climb up .25 kg (.5 lbs) to 1kg (2 lbs) per week.

Meals that have low caloric value and make you feel full too soon won't help make much difference on the weighing scale. So do the opposite! Eat foods that are more condensed in calories and don't feel too filling.

The apps may give you a meal plan, or you could build a list yourself. If you buy a packaged product, they usually give the whole nutritional information behind the pack. Or you could look it up online. Look for foods in your locality itself that easily form a part of your staple diet. We'll discuss what these "special" foods are, and see how to make a diet plan, in another article.

Basically, this is how your meals should be:

#1. High in calories. So choose your meals accordingly. Swap the low calorie ones for higher calorie alternatives.

#2. Less in fiber (about 10-15g fiber a day is a plenty), so you can get hungry and ready again in a short time.

#3. Less in water (like dried fruits instead of fresh ones). Also, try not to drink water before or during your meal.

#4. Cooked deep enough that they are easy to chew.

#5. It's even better if you can drink, rather than eat your meals, whenever you can. Blend the goodies into vegetable or fruit smoothies, milkshakes or juices. You'll secretly sneak in more calories before your tummy takes notice.

#6. Well rounded and healthy. A highly nutritious diet will increase your appetite, digestion and ability to eat properly.

#7. Make them tastier. Top your treats with tasty seasonings or condiments, or just plain old ketchup and mayo! We eat more when we enjoy, remember?! Interestingly, these toppings also have hidden calories that are helping you reach your aim. But because they aren't always healthy, have only a little bit of them..

Additional Weight Gain #Hacks

#8. Did you know, certain herbal and dietary supplements increase your appetite? They increase your urge to eat more. If you live in India, Chawanprash has that known effect, and it is available over the counter.

#9. Don't skip sleep. Even if your work or study demands overtime, try finishing up by the day. Night is for rest! Or you won't be able to digest the food properly.

#10. Surprisingly obvious hack: Workout! The more you exert yourself, break down muscle, and burn calories, the more fuel and stuff your body needs to repair and replenish itself. It will also help you sleep deeper because of the fatigue. Remember: Your body breaks when you work and builds when you rest. At least 7 hours quality sleep for most adults!

Important Tip: When you're eating in surplus, you have more energy, which means you may get fidgety, restless and walk around a lot which will make you lose calories. You may even skip meals unknowingly, because your body will try to maintain the same weight you naturally have been in. So it is essential to spend energy in a productive way by working out. Also, if you study or do some rigorous mental work, that too makes you hungrier! Good sleep becomes even more important if you're exercising your body and brain.

How Many Meals

Have 5 - 6 evenly sized meals, or if you like the traditional style then 3 major ones with few snacks and sips in between. But DO NOT skip meals and do not go long hours hungry, because you will lose those precious calories! That's why you should keep some snacks handy, so you can pull them out whenever you need to stock up.

How To Workout

If you want to grow big but lean like Mr. Lee, not skinny fat which is really unattractive, you should be working out. Choose a weight training regime which is slow paced, less aerobic (because that makes you lose fat), and which goes no longer than an hour. If you play a sport that has a lot of cardio, you might want to stop that for a while. Rather, hit the gym minimum 2 - 3 times a week to lift heavy!

A program like Bony to Beastly, which is specifically designed for skinny guys (the female version is Bony to Bombshell), would be swag for the task! You could also give Jeff Cavaliere of Athlean-X a try!

Poignant Point: Eating well is more important than the program you follow. But following a diet plan only makes sense if you are also working out regularly. Confusing, but true!

Your pre- and post- workout meals should be rich in carbs and protein. A lot of fatty foodstuffs are still NOT advisable, even though you hardly have any fat..!

How About Supplements

You can opt for an additional aid like a Mass Gainer or Whey Protein. However, supplements aren't substitutes for regular meals. Have them only if you are following a weight training schedule at least thrice a week, along with a well rounded diet.