Gaining body weight can be a tricky process, many fells who are trying hard to get bigger struggle with the belly fat that comes complimentary to the weight gain process.
When it comes to gaining bodyweight your primary goal should be to gain muscle mass without getting much fat.
Weight gain or bulking might look easy to many guys, but it requires more than staying in a calorie surplus, especially when you want to gain size without developing a thick layer of belly fat.
People trying to bulk up follow a simple principle, ‘Eat more!’ but they usually lack the fundamental insights to optimize other factors like the right macronutrient ratio, exercise pattern, maintaining optimum hormone balance, etc.
Ahead in this article, we are going to discuss 7 fundamental tips that will help you gain extra body weight without gaining belly fat.
1- Track Your Calories
This is the most fundamental aspect of a successful diet but many people seem to miss out.
When people are trying to gain weight they usually increase their calorie intake but do no systematic tracking of calories which lead to unexpected results in the long term.
The problems start when the body starts to accumulate excess body fat. A ‘dirty’ bulk is not healthy, and it’s usually very difficult to trim down that excess fat that you gained while eating in a caloric surplus.
A good estimate of how many calories you should be consuming is to take your body weight and multiply it by 16. (For example: 200 pounds x 16 = 3,200 calories.) If you don’t see any gains after two weeks, try increasing your calories by 200 per day until you hit the sweet spot.
2- Fuel It Right
Many people try to increase their calorie intake but do not concern themselves with the right macro ratio.
You can not expect to experience healthy body changes if you are relying on junk food to stay in a caloric surplus.
Eat clear food with an aim of a 40:30:30 ratio of protein to carbs to fats during the day. Every meal should contain a good amount of protein and carbs should be saved for pre & post-workout meals.
3- Stock Up Your Protein Source
Having a good juicy steak at dinner is not enough to properly fulfill your body’s protein needs. Protein intake should be spread evenly throughout the day to ensure proper fueling and recovery to muscle.
4- Skip Processed Foods
You can not expect a clean weight gain if you are eating those double cheeseburgers and fries will certainly get you to your calorie goals.
With every meal, eat plenty of veggies and lean meats. When choosing your carb source, pick foods like potatoes, yams, rice, whole grains, oats, etc.
5- Train Heavy
Anyone who is trying to get bigger and stronger should focus more on the compound lifts like bench press, military press, squats, deadlifts, etc.
Muscle isolation exercises if for those who are trying to get a better definition, not the size.
LIft heavy, Lift compound, and Drop sets should be on priority if trying to gain size.
6- Get Enough Cardio
Guys trying to gain weight try to avoid cardio at all costs, this is not the right approach.
Regular cardio is a great exercise for your cardiovascular system and also improves the blood flow through the body.
Slow and steady cardio three days a week will help you dodge the fat accumulation around the belly.
I usually prefer swimming, cycling, soccer, or badminton to torch a few calories.
7- Sleep 7-8 Hours Every Night
Sleep plays a very important role in the development of a healthy body. A sleep-deprived person is highly likely to gain fat and low testosterone levels.
Sleep regulates many crucial growth hormones that are essential to staying healthy and energetic.
Avoid shortchanging your results and get seven to eight hours of deep, restful sleep per night.
Hey guys thanks for reading, let us know your thoughts on the article. Questions are welcomed in the comments as always.
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