Weight gain program: training and nutrition

Posted on: 10/16/2024

During this phase, the bodybuilder makes an effort to gain weight quickly, preferably in the form of muscle, notably by consuming more calories. Combined with an appropriate training program, this strategy enables you to achieve rapid results or boost your progress.

However, mass gain as described is not for everyone, and needs to be adapted to your profile. Depending on your objective, you need to adapt your nutrition and sometimes your training. That's the purpose of this article, a real guide for beginners and experienced bodybuilders alike, who want to make a success of their weight gain.

Weight gain: don't set the wrong goal

As you know, if you want to build muscle fast, you need to focus as much on your training as on your nutrition. And sometimes even modify your lifestyle. The aim is to put your body in the ideal conditions to gain maximum muscle.

During mass gain, you need to exceed your maintenance caloric requirement to gain muscle. This can be done "cleanly" with a modest caloric surplus, or roughly, by exceeding your needs by several hundred or even thousands of calories. Clean" mass gain, mainly lean mass, will enable you to increase your muscle mass without gaining too much fat. This is in contrast to traditional or "dirty bulk" mass gain, which will make you gain weight quickly, but a lot more fat.

How much weight should I gain ?

There are several possible scenarios, depending on your physique and level. Those new to bodybuilding can be divided into 4 categories:

1 - You have a normal physique

Not too thin or too fat, your BMI is within the limits. You want to build mass to gain muscle quickly. In your case, you need to opt for "clean" mass gain, by eating a little more than you need - with healthy food - but without depriving yourself. Because to gain muscle, you need to eat more than you need and exceed your maintenance. A good goal is about ½ to 1 kilo of weight gain per month. This may not sound like much, but this pace guarantees a steady gain in muscle mass with a controlled level of fat. During mass gain, monitor your overweight and waist circumference every 2 weeks, and adjust. As you can imagine, nutrition and food choices will be of crucial importance if you want to gain mainly lean mass and minimize fat gain.

2 - You're thin, even skinny

You gain weight with difficulty. Your BMI is below 18. This is due to a very active metabolism and an insufficient diet. In this particular case, traditional weight gain can be considered. As an "ectomorph", you need to put on weight, increase the number of meals and calories, and not limit yourself to an overly healthy diet. Fat gain won't be a problem for you and will enable you to flesh out your frail physique, at least in the early stages.

3 - You are overweight or obese

Your BMI is 25 or higher. You gain weight easily with your slow metabolism, and fat is a problem. In your case, weight gain is out of the question. Opt for a fat loss diet - or a healthier diet - coupled with sport. Ideally, you should combine weight training with endurance activities. In the early stages, you'll gain muscle and lose fat. Later on, you'll be able to add your own mass if you still want to gain muscle.

4 - You're skinny fat,

In other words, you lack muscle but you also have a little misplaced fat. You're "out of shape". You start bodybuilding to fix this. In your case, opt for "clean" weight gain. Your objective is to modify your body composition, gain muscle and get rid of a little fat.

For already-trained body-builders, intermediate or advanced level, the aim of mass gain will be to boost progress in the event of stagnation/plateau. The choice is yours regarding mass gain, and you can do clean or traditional mass gain. You have enough experience to judge what's right for you and what's not. But remember that too much accumulated fat is not good for your figure or your health. And if you want to look great for the sunny days - or a competition - you'll have to get rid of all the excess fat by dieting or doing a particularly long and potentially negative dry run for your muscle mass. So before you let yourself go at the table and turn into a Michelin man, think twice!

What should I eat to gain weight ?

For successful weight gain, you're going to have to eat more. But how many calories should you consume? And what should you increase in terms of macronutrients? Protein, carbohydrates or fat ?

How many calories should I consume to gain weight ?

It's not complicated. The first thing to do is to find out how many calories you need to consume to stay at the same weight. To do this, you need to know your DEJ. It stands for "Dépense Energétique Journalière", i.e. the calories you burn every day. To gain mass, you'll need to eat more than your DEJ. How simple is that?

Then simply add a few more calories to your DEJ. This will depend on the goal and the individual, and you'll need to adjust this figure through practice. In general, it's recommended to add 250 kcal to your diet at the beginning (beginner to normal physique). But this figure can be doubled or tripled for lean people who want to gain muscle/weight quickly. Conversely, for weight loss, you'll need to reduce the number of calories. A reduction of 200 kcal in relation to the DEJ will be a good starting point.

You'll find daily energy expenditure calculators on the web, as well as apps that make it easier to calculate meal calories.

For nutrients, follow these recommendations. Protein should be calibrated at 1.5 to 2 grams per kilo of body weight. Choose mainly animal sources (meat, fish, eggs and dairy products) and a little vegetable (pulses). For lipids, aim for 1.5 g per kg of body weight, giving priority to good fats (healthy oils, oilseeds, fish, etc.). For the rest of the calories and to reach your quota, supplement with carbohydrates with a low GI (Glycemic Index) (legumes - lentils, kidney beans, oat flakes; starches - brown rice, pasta). And eat enough fruit and vegetables for fiber, vitamins and minerals.

And how many meals a day should I eat?

Don't hesitate to increase the number of meals and snacks you eat when you're building muscle, to help you reach your goal and distribute calories and nutrients more evenly. The ideal? 4 to 5 meals/snacks a day.

What about dietary supplements? Are they useful?

Useful yes, compulsory no! Some can help you reach your goal more quickly. But the most important thing is to eat, and that means solid food. Here are some interesting supplements for mass gain:

1 - Gainers. It's a mix of protein and carbohydrate powders that boost your calorie intake. They are ideal for slim people, ectomorphs or "hard gainers" who find it hard to eat. Because gainer shakes provide liquid calories that are easily absorbed. There are traditional high-calorie, high-carbohydrate gainers (Mass Gainers) for slim people, and more balanced, high-protein gainers (Lean Gainers) for other athletes.

2 - Whey protein. A highly anabolic dairy protein powder, rich in BCAAs and very well assimilated by the body. It's an easy way to increase your intake of quality protein. A must-have.

3 - Creatine. An effective amino acid for building muscle mass, increasing strength and training harder than ever. Considered the most effective dietary supplement.

4- A vitamin and mineral complex. Simply to avoid deficiencies. Because athletes need more.

What bodybuilding program should I follow when building muscle mass ?

You're wondering what training program to follow when you're gaining mass, whether you should change your program, training frequency or set length. None of the above! In fact, training when you're building muscle doesn't have to differ from your normal training routine. The principles of muscle growth remain the same.

Of course, with a more consistent diet you'll have extra energy, and that's a good thing. You'll be able to give it your all and beat your records at the gym. Bear in mind that it's by progressing in the gym that you'll stimulate muscle mass gain. And it's through rest and diet that you'll see it in the mirror and on the scales.

In short, stick to the same principles that have always worked:

- Focus on basic exercises to stimulate maximum muscle mass: squats, deadlifts, dips, bench presses, shoulder presses, pull-ups and bar rows should all be part of your program.

- In terms of distribution, do 3 to 5 sessions a week. If you're just starting out and/or can only train 3 times a week, opt for a full-body program - which works the whole body in each session. For 4 sessions a week, a split routine (half-body) will do the trick. And a Push/Pull/Legs program if you opt for 4 to 5 sessions a week. Training more is not recommended. Also, remember that it's not a good idea to work each muscle only once a week - except for advanced bodybuilders - the minimum being 2 times a week, and that's for most bodybuilders.

- As far as sets are concerned, it is often recommended to do sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. A classic. In fact, science shows that you can gain muscle with both short and long sets; the ideal being mix the 2 approaches. But the most important thing remains to progress from one session to the next, to exceed your previous performance in order to surprise the muscle and make it grow. To do this, you need to progressively increase the loads and/or the number of repetitions. Progressive overloading is the key to hypertrophy..

- Follow the adage "Eat, sleep and train". Rest days count almost as much as training days - it's all about recovery. Also, don't spend your life in the gym, and limit the duration of your sessions (no more than 1 hour 30 minutes). It's intensity that counts! Lack of sleep is very harmful to your hormones and your performance at the gym. Not getting enough sleep is a common mistake that limits weight gain. So is stress, so learn to relax.

FAQ : Weight gain program

Q1: When should I start building muscle ?

And yes, when is the right time to gain mass? Generally in winter, because fat can be hidden under clothes. A dry, muscular physique is more suited to the warmer weather. It's also easier to eat light in summer than in winter. The weight gain phase is often an opportunity to indulge at the table.

Q2: Why am I not building muscle mass ?

The causes can be multiple. You're not consuming enough calories or you're working out too much (cardio, physical work). Your training lacks intensity or, conversely, you're overdoing it (lack of recovery). Another possibility is that you're impatient or your goals are completely unrealistic, modelled on busy athletes.

Q3: How do you manage weight gain on a tight budget ?

Proteins are the most expensive (fish, chicken, beef, etc.). But there are inexpensive sources. Eggs, cottage cheese, canned tuna, pulses (kidney beans, lentils, peas) or protein powder are your best options. Also, be smart: buy in bulk, plan your meals in advance and cook at home.

Q4: I eat like ten to gain weight, but large meals upset my stomach. What can I do about it ?

You need to increase rations gradually. You can't double your diet overnight! Add a snack, then two, and reduce the quantity of your 3 big meals - which are too hearty. By spreading out the calories, you'll be able to eat more without disturbing your digestion. And choose foods that are easy to digest.

Q5: Do I need to do cardio to gain weight ?

If you're having trouble putting on weight, limit or eliminate cardio training for the time it takes to gain mass. This is often the case for ectomorphs who have difficulty eating. Otherwise, for the rest of us, it's perfectly possible to do one or two cardio sessions a week, as long as this doesn't affect performance in the gym. If your aim is to lose fat and gain muscle (overweight, obese and skinny fat), you need to do cardio several times a week in addition to weight training.