Have you been too skinny for years? I know how you feel! I weighed about 145 for 20 years or so – until I made some changes. If you’re thinking that genetics, workout, and food intake are all factors of the question “why can’t I gain weight?” – you’re right! Obviously you can’t change your genes, but you can make a lot of changes in other places that will definitely help. For example, if your metabolism is as fast as mine, then simply having that information is going to benefit your plan to put on some mass.
We’ve all been there when complaining about how we can’t gain weight. Other people are like, “why is that a problem, I would love to stay skinny forever!!!!” Those individuals definitely don’t know what it’s like to burn calories without even doing anything. That’s part of our problem – we can eat just about anything – donuts, cookies, steak, potatoes, soda – you name it. We don’t gain weight. But what you’re eating is not all that matters…
It’s going to take work, and it’s not easy. There is no supplement that will have you put on 20 pounds in a day (as far as I know). Half the battle is learning about this topic, and the fact that you’re reading this is a great start! If you follow these rules or even some of them, you are going to put on some weight/mass. And it won’t just be fat! You’ll look better, feel better, and have an overall great outlook on life. How can you go wrong? Check out these muscle-building rules if you want to get on the right track.
1) Do Some Research – Why Can’t I Gain Weight?
You are starting to process right now by reading this article! Awesome – but don’t stop here if you feel you still need more information. Find guidance from individuals in similar situations. Chances are you’ve tried to use programs received from 250-pound muscle men/women. If you’re skinny – these people probably don’t have the same issues that you do. I’m not saying that their information isn’t valuable, it’s just that you would probably find more worth finding someone that has faced and overcome the same problems. Try to find out exactly what they did, and mimic what they did as closely as you can.
2) Develop a Plan and Goals
No one likes to wander aimlessly and wonder what’s going to happen next. You probably don’t go into the gym – or many places – without having some type of plan in mind. Decide what your first goal is and get a plan in place. Do you want to gain, 5, 10, or more pounds? That’s great. If that’s your goal, now you can figure out how to attain it! You can focus on what matters to you and build that into your routine. If you want to gain a few pounds a month, then you can go to the gym and hit the weights as hard as you need to. This beats going to exercise, randomly picking out a few machines, then going home. You’ll stay skinny forever with that method!
Write your goals and plan in a notebook or even your phone. Set reminders if you need to. You can even put up a calendar and track your weight progress weekly (this is what I do). It’s nice to have a visual aid that shows your progress. Then, you know you’re improving. Do what’s best for your specific personality.
3) Don’t Lose Hope and Stay Motivated
Despite what some fitness and supplement gurus might try to make you believe – and buy their products – this is going to take time. Don’t spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on stuff that isn’t going to work. Just realize that you probably won’t see the results you desire as fast as you’d like. If you stay motivated and stick to your program, you WILL get awesome results. Keep this in mind so that you don’t lose hope and ultimately give up. You are doing this the better yourself, so keep yourself moving no matter what. If you need some info on staying motivated, check out this article.
4) Find the Routine That Fits You
Working out takes physical time. If you start out with a routine that has you going to the gym 6 days a week, then you’re probably setting up for failure. For one, it’s simply difficult to find that much time to get some exercise in. A more important reason may be that your muscles need time to heal. That’s where the weight gain and mass come into play. When you lift weights, your muscles get minuscule tears in them. After this, your body repairs the damage. This is where the size comes in! If you are working out too much, you could be hindering this process. I typically recommend starting with 3 days a week to see if that’s a good match for the client. Usually, that is the perfect starting point.
5) Stick to Your Routine-Why Can’t I Gain Weight?
A LOT of individuals like to program hop (more than you may think). This is only going to hinder your progress and possibly lead to quitting. As stated, this is going to take time. Once you develop or find a routine that you KNOW is going to work, then stick with it. If you aren’t getting results in the first couple of weeks, then that’s okay. If some big 300-pound muscle man tells you how stupid your workout is, then brush it off. Chances are that they can gain muscle as easily as we can stay the same weight. Maintain confidence that this is going to work if you put the effort in because it definitely will.
6) Choose Your Exercises Wisely
If your goal is to put on some mass relatively fast, lift with more compound exercises than isolated. For example, if you’re trying to choose between pull-ups and concentration curls, then you definitely go will the pull-ups. Sure, concentration curls will hit your biceps HARD. But pull-ups are going to work your back, shoulders, biceps, and more. When you’re putting a strain on multiple muscles with one movement, you’re winning. You will maximize workout efficiency and put on some weight much more quickly with compound exercises. You don’t have to avoid isolating some of the muscles you want to improve, just don’t make that your focus.
7) Skip the Machines (for the most part)
Nothing beats throwing around some iron. Create a program that mostly uses dumbbells, barbells, and plates. This will ensure that you’re getting the most out of your time at the gym. If machines are your only option, then they’re better than nothing. But if you have a choice, definitely stick to the free weights. Not only is the workout more challenging, but it will also work more muscles simultaneously. You’ll be helping yourself follow rule number 6 if you use minimal machines in your routine. There are some exceptions, for example, if you’re unable to do a pull-up then it’s okay to use the lat pull-down station. But using free weights is typically your best bet.
8) Go Heavy or Go Home – Why Can’t I Gain Weight?
Just kidding – don’t go home. But in all seriousness, the heavier you go, the quicker you’ll put on some weight! You will see different programs that either have you doing high reps with low weight, low reps with high weight, or some type of variation. Putting on mass is going to take some heavy lifting. Focus on going as heavy as you can to get in 4 – 8 reps. Not only will you get bigger, but you’ll see a major difference in strength. Sure, we all want to put on some pounds, but it’s an awesome added bonus to get super strong!
9) Lift Slowly and Mindfully
Do you jam out some reps as quickly as you can? If so, you may want to slow down a bit – for the entire movement of your exercise. When you slow down, you’re putting more strain on your muscles as well as maintaining your focus. It’s important to concentrate on what you’re doing instead of being in la-la land during your workout! For example, if you’re working on alternating curls with dumbbells: lift and maintain a slow speed, pause and squeeze at the top, and equally importantly – lower the weight at the same slow speed. This is keeping your muscles activated for a larger portion of time, and this is what will get you big.
10) Keep it Simple and Intense
Start out working all the major muscles with as much intensity as you can handle. Have a relatively simple routine that focuses on your back, chest, legs, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. If you develop a routine that has you lifting heavy weight and focusing on these major groups, you’re going to see fast results. Have you ever done a few push-ups and noticed that your chest was pumped up? That’s the philosophy here. If you get TOO focused, like oh I have to work the medial head of my triceps, then you’ll lose efficiency in your beginning stages. Start broad, then when you gain some size and experience, you can certainly focus on sections of muscles.
11) Cardio is Still Important – Why Can’t I Gain Weight?
I’ve had so many people tell me to stop doing cardio completely! I really think that’s a ridiculous piece of advice. Yes, cardio does make putting on weight a little more difficult, but the benefits outweigh the costs by a long shot. Cardio is important for maintaining overall health. Your cardiorespiratory fitness is directly related to getting your heart rate up with some cardio workouts. Because of this, I give the opposite advice of the fitness gurus selling you supplements.
Do some cardio. You’ll get healthier, build a steady routine, and it will be easier for you to lift weights in the long run. As I said, the weight won’t come on as fast, at first, but you’ll be happy you took my advice in the future. After all, have you ever seen an MMA fighter or boxer (besides Butterbean) that skips a cardio session? Those are some of the biggest and baddest athletes out there.
12) Be Flexible
We all know that 2020 has been a rough year. Most businesses, including gyms, were closed. Not having your preferred fitness center is a definite hindrance to motivation. It’s so easy to say, “Well I guess I’ll just sit here and eat chips and ice cream all day!” It makes excuses so much more convenient. When you face these problems, try to be flexible. Do a home workout, a quick work out at work, or whatever other ideas you can come up with. A set of dumbbells really isn’t that expensive, and a bodyweight routine is even cheaper! Don’t let your external environment ruin your progress and routine. You can do what it takes.
13) Eat Every 2 Hours (or so) – Why Can’t I Gain Weight?
Sounds like a lot, right? I know I can really go an entire day without eating a bite. That’s when my body starts taking calories from itself! I’m sure that, as a skinny person, you know what that’s like. This is an issue we can battle. Our bodies have a super-fast metabolism. The only way to combat this is to give it more energy in the form of food. If you eat about every 2 hours or even more, you’re off to a great start. Continuously taking in calories is a great way to get a better handle of that fast metabolism. If you’re eating more often, your body doesn’t have to use itself for that energy.
14) Eat More and Better
I know. I know. You’re already supposed to eat every 2 hours! I never said it would be easy. In fact, this part is probably the most difficult for me. Make sure when you do start eating every 2 hours that you’re eating enough. Don’t just have a 90-calorie snack. Get the proper amounts of protein and carbs for your weight (for mass gaining). Start out between .5 – 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (per day). This may take some experimenting if you’re not used to eating large portions multiple times a day. Also, don’t waste the calories on something that’s not helping you. Skip the soda and foods in high fat. Give the machine the energy it needs.
15) Some Supplements are Okay
It’s too expensive to eat chicken and steak 6 – 8 times a day. If you do decide to eat every 2 hours and take in some great protein, then it’s okay to sub in some supplements. Here is a guide of some of our favorite weight gainers:
Don’t spend too much money on these, and if you can get proper nutrition without supplements, then that’s even better! Most people don’t get the vitamins and nutrients they need from a regular diet, so it doesn’t hurt to cheat a little with supplements. Here is a really nice scientific article on what vitamins and supplements are important – and which ones can potentially harm you:
Final:
There you have it! If you’re ready to finally put on some weight, then I hope you’ll follow some, most, or all of these rules. You’ll be healthier and put on mass pretty fast. Remember to stay motivated and don’t give up. Good Luck!