Gaining weight isn’t exactly hard to do: unless you’re a true “hard gainer” (rare), an endurance athlete or have a physically-demanding job, you shouldn’t have any trouble eating enough food to bulk up!

Gaining quality weight is another matter, however.

In the old days, bodybuilders ate indiscriminately in the off-season. Sure, they added muscle… but they also packed on a lot of extra fat – which would then have to be laboriously dieted off.

Needless to state, this isn’t a very healthy way to go about it. Regularly gaining and losing large amounts of weight (aka “weight cycling”) is also problematic.¹

Nowadays, bodybuilders focus on staying in shape during the off-season. It’s still a time for gaining weight, yes, but our goal is to gain lean muscle weight, without adding a lot of excess fat. This requires us to be much more discriminating about what – and how much – we eat year-round.

This applies to the guy who’d like to build a better beach body, too. You may not aspire to be a professional bodybuilder, but the same “tricks of the trade” will help you in your quest to build more muscle mass and improve your physique.

How Many Calories Do You Need?

A calorie (actually a kilocalorie) is a unit of energy. Scientifically speaking, it's the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water 1°C. Since your body maintains a core temperature of roughly 37°C, 24/7, it’s obvious that you need a certain number of calories just to exist. The number of calories needed to perform basic life functions (like breathing and thinking) is known as your resting energy expenditure (REE).

Activities such as walking, talking, eating and – yes – exercise require additional energy. So, your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is your REE, plus the energy used for physical activity and digestion (aka the “thermic effect of food”).

To put it another way…

Your TDEE is the total number of calories you can eat without gaining or losing weight.

Not surprisingly, this is the starting point for any plan designed to chisel off body fat, including this one. So forget about ads for books, programs or supplements that claim you can "eat all you want and still lose weight." If you want to reduce your body fat, you need to reduce your calorie intake, too – that’s the bottom line.

BUT...

Your TDEE is the total number of calories you can eat without gaining or losing weight.

Not surprisingly, this is the starting point for any plan designed to gain lean mass, including this one. It takes surplus calories to build muscle, but not so many that they add to your love handles, rather than your quads, pecs or biceps! Thus, the number of extra calories you consume each day needs to be tightly controlled. Unless you’re still in your teens; are highly active (competitive sports or physical labor); or are “hard-wired” to be thin (ectomorph) – no-holds-barred eating is a recipe for disaster.

Macronutrients: Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates

Obviously, there’s more to gaining mass than just eating the right number of calories: you also need to consider where those calories come from. For lean gains, you need the right balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates.

Protein

You need to consume high-quality, lean protein to build muscle. A good amount of protein to aim for is 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. This is more than most dieticians recommend, but it’s perfect for strength/physique athletes wanting to add lean body mass. Your protein sources should be low in fat, as fat is a highly concentrated source of calories! The “hidden” calories in fatty meats, cheeses and restaurant/fast foods can easily tip the scales in favor of fat, rather than muscle gains.

Optimal Protein Sources	Sub-Optimal Protein Sources
lean beef (flank steak, beef tenderloin, 96% lean ground beef)	deli meats
skinless chicken breast	hard cheeses/processed cheese
turkey breast	lunch meats/hot dogs
egg whites	bacon/sausage/salami/pepperoni
fish/shellfish	whole milk/milk drinks/milk substitutes
pork tenderloin	fried chicken/fish
non-fat cottage cheese	ground beef with >4% fat (by weight)
nonfat Greek yogurt (plain)	cuts meat with visible fat/marbling
water-packed tuna	buffalo wings, bbq ribs

Note: don’t be fooled by front-of-package labeling! This may come as a surprise, but more than half of the calories in 15% “lean” ground beef come from fat! This is because the label is based on the percentage of fat by weight. Since fat is a concentrated source of calories, even small amounts of fat can add a lot of unwanted calories.

As you can see from the table, an optimal source of protein is…

• Low in fat, carbohydrates and sodium;
• Derived from animals rather than plants.

Meat, fish, poultry, egg and dairy proteins are not only concentrated sources of protein; they’re also rich in the essential amino acids (EAAs) that our bodies cannot make. One of these, leucine, is especially important for muscle protein synthesis.² By contrast, plant foods contain less protein (and leucine!) overall; and may be deficient in one or more EAAs.

Fats

As noted above, fat can contribute a lot of extra calories to your diet. Nonetheless, some dietary fat is important for good health and optimal anabolic hormone levels. A little goes a long way, though, since fat contains 9 calories/g vs. 4 calories/g for protein & carbs. Because of this, limit your fat intake to small servings of natural, whole food sources and unrefined/supplemental oils, such as the ones listed below.

Optimal Fat Sources	Sub-Optimal Fat Sources
almonds/walnuts/pistachios	commercial cooking oils
ground flax seed	margarine/butter
hemp/sunflower/sesame seeds	commercial salad dressings/mayonnaise
wild-caught salmon	bacon/sausage/salami/pepperoni
avocadoes	whole milk/half & half/cream
extra-virgin olive oil	shortening/lard
fish oil	ground beef with >4% fat (by weight)
EFA Lean Gold	cuts of meat with visible fat/marbling

Note: be especially wary of foods containing “partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil.” Partially-hydrogenated oils contain harmful trans-fats, which are linked to heart disease and strokes. ⁶

What makes the fat sources on the left better choices than the ones on the right? The ones on the left provide heart-healthy monounsaturated and/or omega-3 essential fatty acids. Foods like nuts, seeds, avocadoes and salmon also supply valuable nutrients in addition to the fat. On the other hand, the fat sources on the right contain excessive amounts of saturated fat, trans-fats and/or pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.⁷

Carbohydrates

Carbs are not the enemy, despite what low-carb advocates claim. Complex carb sources like fresh vegetables/fruits, legumes and whole grains provide energy, vitamins/minerals, disease-fighting phytochemicals and fiber - which are important for both athletic performance and long-term health. When you're training heavily, complex carbs - taken at the right times in the right amounts - can be your best friend!

Optimal Carb Sources	Sub-Optimal Carb Sources
sweet potatoes/yams; white potatoes	french fries/potato chips
brown/wild rice, barley, quinoa	white rice
old-fashioned/steel-cut oatmeal	packaged, ready-to-eat cereals
100% whole wheat bread/pasta	bread/pasta made with “enriched” white flour
legumes (beans and dried, split peas)	baked beans; canned bean/pea soups
fresh and frozen (unseasoned) vegetables	sauced/buttered frozen vegetables
fresh and frozen (unsweetened) fruit	dried fruit/”fruit snacks”/juices/juice drinks
Rye Crispbreads	commercial crackers and tortilla chips
corn tortillas; air-popped popcorn	jams/jellies/honey/agave syrup/sugar/maple syrup
Power-Carb	candy, cookies, snack cakes, breakfast bars
	sweetened coffee drinks, energy drinks, Gatorade, sodas, “Vitamin Water”

Note: don’t be misled by front-of-package terms like “organic,” “natural,” “healthy,” “made with whole grains,” or “low fat.” Organic sugar and “natural” unbleached white flour aren’t any better for you than their conventional counterparts. Likewise, many products “made with whole grains” are simply white flour products, with a few grams of whole grain flour added to justify the label claim.

In truth, many so-called "healthy" food products aren't good for you at all: they're just less unhealthy than the “regular” versions. A truly healthy food will make a strong, positive contribution to your diet, not simply contain fewer "bad" ingredients.

It should be easy to see the differences between the optimal and sub-optimal carb sources in the table above. An optimal carb source…

• Is either unprocessed; or minimally-processed so that the original nutrients are retained;
• Is high in natural fiber;
• Does not contain added fat, sugar or sodium;
• Does not trigger excessive insulin production.

Eating 2.0g of carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight should be just about right for most people looking to limit fat gains; although men with physically demanding jobs or activities may need up to 3.0g of carbohydrate per pound.

How Many Meals Should You Eat?

It goes without saying that you should strive to eat more than 3 meals a day! For most people looking to add quality weight, 5 – 6 meals a day is ideal. Eating frequent, smaller meals helps gainers feel energetic, rather than stuffed and sluggish. This system helps prevent overeating, keeps insulin (a fat-storing hormone) levels lower,⁸ and provides a steady supply of protein to your body throughout the day.

Note: you don’t have to be a slave to the kitchen to manage 5 – 6 daily meals! While eating frequent, protein-packed meals is important, you can rely on specially-formulated products – like Lean Body® Mass 60 or my Lean Body® – to fill in the blanks.

Putting it all together...

Putting it all together...

Use the Calculator to figure out what your intake of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates should be, and divide it between 5 – 6 meals. Each meal should provide a balance of lean protein, “good” carbs and healthy fats.

Here’s a simple meal plan for a 200 pound man:

Meal		Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)	Calories
Breakfast: Veggie/Eggbeater omelet, 1 cup oatmeal, 8 large strawberries, EFA Lean Gold		24	48	11	387
Mid-morning: 1 scoop Lean Body® Whole Foods shake; 1 large banana		37	62	6.5	455
Lunch: 3 oz. sliced chicken breast; 1 whole wheat sandwich roll broccoli florets/baby carrots/low-fat dip		37	55	14.5	499
Mid-afternoon: Cookie Roll Snack Bar; large apple		26	66	8.5	445
Pre-Workout: Super Charge Xtreme, 2 scoops of Power Carb		0	58	0	232
Post-Workout: 3 scoops of Lean Body® Mass 60		45	57	5.5	458
Dinner: 4 oz. grilled orange roughy, 1 c. steamed brown rice pilaf, steamed green beans, spinach salad w/1T olive oil-vinaigrette dressing; EFA Lean Gold		33	57	12.5	473
Totals:		202	403	58.5	2949

• 1.

  Keep a journal. If you're serious about your training, you already keep records of your exercises, sets, reps and loads. If you're serious about gaining muscle, you'll do the same for your meals. There are a number of online programs and mobile apps you can use to make this simple, although even pencil-and-paper will do. If you need to tweak your program (and most people do, at some point), your journal will provide you with valuable insights on how to do it.

• 2.

  Measure your food. The “normal” portions we’re used to eating and drinking have expanded over the years... and Americans have been expanding right along with them! "Portion distortion" is one reason why people add excess body fat: they're eating many more calories than they think they are! Take peanut butter for an example: a "serving" is two LEVEL tablespoons. Most Americans use heaping spoonfuls, which are equivalent to 2 - 3 servings. Even small underestimates, over the course of day can add up to a lot of extra calories.

• 3.

  Measure your progress. Don't rely solely on the scale, as simple changes in weight can be deceiving. Since you’re trying to limit fat gains, you need a method for assessing changes to your fat and lean mass. The simplest and best method is to pick up an inexpensive caliper, Accu-Measure™.

  Note: You can get your own Accu-Measure Body Fat Calipers by calling call Labrada Nutrition at 1-800- 832-9948 (Dept. LBP1) or log onto www.leanbodypromise.com or www.labrada.com.

• 4.

  Plan ahead! Shakes and bars can be lifesavers, but you still need to eat real food! To make this easier, you should prepare certain staples in advance. It's easy, for example, to put together a quick, healthy stir fry, if you have pre-chopped veggies, grilled chicken breasts and pre-cooked brown rice already stored in the fridge or freezer.

• 5.

  Pack a cooler. There are a lot of simple to prepare-and-eat foods you can take with you to work: sliced pre-cooked meat or poultry, raw veggies/grape tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit, wholegrain crispbreads, cottage cheese/Greek yogurt (plain), foil tuna packets, pre-made (deli or home) tabouli and hummus are some examples. If you have access to a microwave, you can also bring leftover chili, stew or other entrees from home.

  Don’t forget to pack some healthy snack foods too! Raw (or lightly toasted) nuts/seeds, jerky, Rockin’ Roll Bars or Cookie Roll Bars need no refrigeration and fit easily into a pocket or backpack: perfect for munching on-the-go.

• 6.

  Limit your alcohol intake while you’re trying to gain mass. At 7 calories per gram, alcohol contributes more empty calories than pure sugar! You should be consuming (mostly) quality calories to gain quality weight!

Absolutely! While you don’t need many different products, a few, carefully chosen ones can make a big difference in your results.

The supplements I recommend for building muscle are...

• 1.

  A well-made weight gainer. For guys on the go, it can be tough to get enough calories in from solid food meals. This is where a product like Lean Body® Mass 60 comes in: one serving delivers 60 full grams of high-quality lean protein and 610 calories. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and creatine, yet is non-bloating and easy to digest. It’s complete enough to use throughout the day, in-between your regular meals, to make it easier to get the calories, protein and nutrition your muscles need to grow.

• 2.

  A solid pre-workout formula to enhance focus, training drive and workout performance. A lot of guys hit the weights after work, when they're fatigued and high on stress. The right pre-workout supplement can make a world of difference in the ability to give it 100% in the gym.

  Unfortunately, all too many pre-workout formulas are padded with "label decoration" - irrelevant and/or poorly-researched compounds that look impressive on the label, but contribute little or nothing to its effectiveness. This is why I developed Super Charge: ALL of the ingredients in this clinically-proven formula have been thoroughly researched... and it tastes great, too!

• 3.

  Pre-workout carbs. A supplement like Power Carb is high octane fuel for your muscles. Taken before, during and/or after your workout, Power Carb provides you with the energy you need to pound the weights.

• 4.

  A good anti-catabolic. A lot of trainees focus on muscle protein synthesis (MPS); but when it comes to building muscle, MPS is only half of the story. The other half is reducing muscle protein breakdown! High-quality protein provides the building blocks for new muscle fibers, while a clinically-validated supplement like HICA-Max keeps catabolism at bay.⁹

• 5.

  Optional extras... Humanogrowth naturally supports healthy testosterone levels: a must when you’re trying to add size and strength. Likewise, a beta-alanine supplement like BA-Endurance can reduce muscular fatigue so you can power through more reps.¹⁰ CreaLean™ is a perfect source of creatine to augment what you get from Lean Body® Mass 60; while BCAA Power will help boost muscle protein synthesis AND reduce fatigue when taken before (or during) your workout.

Need additional tips or support?

You can get it on my new forum! If you hit a stumbling block, have questions or want to share your progress, log into labrada.com/forum! We want to hear from you!