If you’re reading this article, you’re probably sick and tired of not seeing the scale budge and you’ve not been gaining the weight or muscle mass in the ay you’ve been intended.  You can gain lean muscle mass much easier by actually working out the right way and having a diet that promotes healthy weight gain.  This means that you don’t hang out at McDonald’s or Pizza Place every day, expecting to gain lean muscle mass.

You’ve probably heard all the “advice” before and none of it has helped.
The advice probably went along the lines of:

“You just need to eat…”
“You need to eat and eat more food every day.”
“You need to eat over and above your metabolism in order to gain weight.”

Some of these weight gain advisories are not too bad but you really can’t get a lot of practical advice out of them that will help you to gain lean muscle mass quickly and effectively.  There are some who gain lean muscle mass easily through simple bodybuilding workouts and eating many calories. Others, on the other hand, gain weight and muscle mass with difficulty and it seems like nothing they do can make them gain weight and muscle mass.

It takes these “hard gainers” a bit extra to fight off their genetic predisposition toward being skinny.  Their metabolism is zooming along and they often don’t have the muscle strength, at least in the beginning, to overcome what their body is burning off naturally.  It helps to give up the “hard gainer” excuse and to not blame genetics for all your problems.  You actually do have the same potential as those who gain lean muscle mass easily to be rock hard, firm and muscular.

Start by doubling up on the amount you’re eating right now.  If you are eating just a single chicken breast for your evening meal, eat two instead.  Double up on everything, including protein powder scoops, desserts, breakfasts and lunches.  This is just a guide point.  As you start to gain lean muscle, you might find that you can slack down on the amount of calories you eat per day but twice as many as you have been doing is a good start.  Remember that you’re eating a high protein, lower in fat meal that is low in processed foods so the food you’re eating is healthy and is going into go straight to lean muscle mass.

Make sure you eat every two to three hours and set a timer if you can’t remember to eat.  For the time you’re bulking up, you need to live your life around eating and food so that, between workouts, you’re taking the time to eat and give your muscles some food to grow with.  Only then can you gain lean muscle mass without difficulty.  Time your first meal to be fifteen to thirty minutes after you walk up in the morning.  You must use healthy food for breakfast and food that builds your metabolism so the food goes straight to muscle.  Think about things like bacon, eggs and toast as a good way to start your day.  Eat big portions that you eat out of big dishes, including big silverware to shovel the food in.

If you want to gain lean muscle, you should never train when you are hungry.  Attempting to train before you are full only puts your body in a catabolic state, where you actually lose lean muscle mass in the process.  It has to be something substantial, too.  You can’t be working out after having a piece of fruit or some crackers before training.  You gain lean muscle mass by putting food in your mouth and using that food to gain energy to work out well and with your best form.

Make sure that, in order to gain lean muscle, you eat nutrient-dense food items.  This can include carbohydrates like breads, yams, beans, oatmeal, rice, potatoes and fruits.  It can also include protein items such as chicken breast, steaks, cottage cheese, whole milk, lean beef, salmon and eggs.  Good sources of healthy fats include flax oil, avocados, nuts, peanut butter and olive oil.