Fitness: 3 Reasons that Weight Gain Was So Difficult.

Gaining Weight is not an easy task for most guys out there. While some genetically gifted guys can put on weight at fast, that just isn’t the case for most of us. Over the years of coaching and training, there are 3 common reasons why you are not gaining weight. The good news is, these mistakes can easily be avoided but first you need you to realize what is wrong. Once you realize what is wrong, you will be on your way to gaining lean muscle mass!

1. Bad Food Selection :

When it comes to packing on lean muscle mass, many guys think that they can down anything they want. Truth is if you put crap into your body, your going to look like crap. The important thing to remember when it comes to food selection is not all calories are created equal. Having 700 calories of steak and potatoes is a lot different then having 700 calories from the dollar menu at McDonalds.

You see, in order to gain weight you need to eat a lot of quality food. Here is a good rule of thumb to follow, “if man made it, don’t eat it” – Jack LaLane. Instead of eating empty calories like fast food, processed foods and sugary snacks and drinks, eat calorie dense and nutrient rich foods. Foods like steak, chicken, eggs, fish, potatoes, rice, nuts, berries, oats, rice etc…These are the foods that will help you gain weight, more importantly gain lean muscle mass.

So next time you even think about eating crappy food because you need to gain weight, stop and think twice before you do it. Remember that in order to gain lean muscle mass, you need to eat quality food, not the crap most guys eat.

2. Nutrient Timing :

Another HUGE mistake you are making is not timing your meals properly. You see, if your goal is to gain weight, you need to take advantage of eating first thing in the morning when you wake up and also late at night before bed.  Guys that don’t take advantage of these crucial windows of opportunities will have a hard time gaining weight.

Post workout is another crucial time to get in a lot of quality food – especially protein and carbs. Some of my favorite post workout meals include protein oatmeal, homemade weight gainer shakes, steak and potatoes and chicken and rice.

3. Not Tracking Your Progress:

Winston Churchill once said “he who fails to plan plans to fail”. If you want to gain weight yet you don’t know where you are at right now, how can you formulate a plan to succeed? You can’t. So before you start on your mission to gain weight, ask yourself “where am I at right now and where do I want to go?” Think about what has worked for you in the past and what has not.

What do you currently weigh? How much do you currently eat? What are you currently eating?

By answering these questions you will know what you need to do moving forward and you will be able to track your progress. If you are not tracking your progress, you are taking a shot in the dark and setting yourself up to fail. This is a common mistake that many guys make, but it could easily be fixed with some self assessment and willingness to write down your goals.