“Hey Lee,
I go to the gym regularly and I workout hard, but for some reason I am not getting any bigger… WHY ???”
I get asked this question A LOT by skinny guys who are desperately trying to put some solid muscle mass on their bones. And very often the reason for their lack of results is NOT with the workout program they are following, but rather what’s fueling their workouts.
What you eat is one of the most critical aspects of gaining muscular bodyweight. You can have your weight training routine down pat, but if your diet doesn’t meet your nutritional needs you will NOT get bigger, regardless of how hard you train in the gym.
Most people who call themselves “hard gainers” are usually just under eaters. A lot of folks will skip breakfast, have a small lunch or snack during the day, then pig out and stuff themselves at dinner and say “I Eat A LOT…”
But in order to gain size you need to provide your body with a surplus of calories and nutrients from which to grow from.
There are many different formulas you can use to determine how many calories you need to eat each day. But the quickest and easiest way to guesstimate how much you should be eating is to simply take your total current body weight and multiply it by the following:
- For Fat loss = eat 12 calories per pound of bodyweight
- For Maintenance = eat 15 calories per pound of bodyweight
- For Muscle Gain = eat 20 calories per pound of bodyweight
This is a very easy way to estimate caloric needs. Even though this method is not perfect, it’s good enough to get you started in the right direction. These calorie guidelines will put you in the ballpark and from there you can adjust your caloric intake up or down as needed based on your actual progress.
Traditional bodybuilding diets recommend eating small frequent meals every 2-3 hours throughout the day. And one of the easiest ways to go about this is to consume your 3 main meals per day (i.e. breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and then have a high protein snack (such as a protein shake or protein bar) in between each meal to help increase your eating frequency and caloric intake.
Now I know that there is a lot of controversy online over whether or not you really need to eat 6 meals per day. And it really depends on your individual fitness goals. For cutting calories and losing weight it’s easier to reduce your calories by simply eating fewer meals per day. But when your goal is to increase your calories and bulk up you should be eating more frequently. When you divide your food up over multiple meals it’s easier on your digestive system and easier on your stomach, rather than trying to stuff more calories into fewer meals.
A good macro-nutrient break down for gaining muscular bodyweight is:
– 30% protein
– 40% carbohydrates
– and 30% fat.
This balanced diet will give you lots of protein which is the raw material needed for muscle growth, plenty of carbohydrates for energy and muscle glycogen, and adequate fat intake for optimal hormone production.
Below you’ll see a sample Bulk Up Diet Plan for a 175 pound man (3,500 Calorie Per Day Diet). You can use this as a template for your own bulking diet. Just adjust the food portions up or down in order to meet your desired calorie and macro-nutrient intake.
If you would like some help with planning your bulk up diet, I can make you a Customized Diet Program specific for your body type and and fitness goals.
You can calculate the total number of calories consumed based on the macro-nutrients. Every gram of protein has 4 calories. Every gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories. Every gram of fat has 9 calories.
With this sample diet plan you’ll notice how the meals are split up over the course of the day. I like to stick to the traditional 3 main meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – with a high protein snack added in between each meal. For a total of 6 feedings per day.
This approach works really well for skinny guys who are trying to gain muscular bodyweight. This sample 3,500 calorie bulking diet plan is just an example to go by. Feel free to adjust the food volume and portion sizes up or down based on your individual calorie and macro-nutrient needs.
If you would like for me to personally design you a Customized Diet Program, just click the link below for more information…
https://www.leehayward.com/blog/customized-programs
Practical Meal Prep Tips…
Many of the coaching students that I work with usually already have a good idea of how they “should be” eating. But their main excuse is they don’t have the time to eat properly. So below I’ve outlined a few time saving eating tips that you can use to help make eating a healthy muscle building diet simple and easy.
When you cook your food, cook up large quantities so you’ll have left overs. This saves time and makes it easier to have quick nutritious meals on hand. I’ll often grill several steaks at a time, cook several chicken breasts at a time, bake several potatoes at a time, cook up a large pot of rice, etc.
A George Foreman grill (or similar type of grill) is awesome for fast cooking. Because you are cooking food from the top and the bottom the cooking time is literally cut in half!
A frozen chicken breast can be cooked and ready to eat in just 10 minutes. While you are eating your breakfast each morning you could have your chicken breasts cooked on the grill for meals later in the day.
Potatoes, yams, etc. can be cooked within 10 minutes in the microwave.
Bags of pre-made salad, spinach, bags of chopped frozen veggies, etc. are a quick way to add healthy veggies to your diet. Fresh fruit like bananas, apples, oranges, etc. are easy to pack with lunches.
An easy to make breakfast favorite of mine; is to cook up some instant oatmeal, stir in a couple scoops of vanilla protein powder, add some apple sauce, top with a dash of cinnamon and Presto! You’ll have yourself a tasty nutritious breakfast ready to eat in about 5 minutes.
A fast and healthy lunch would be to pack a grilled chicken breast and baked potatoe in a small Tupperware container. Toss in some pre-washed salad veggies, take a piece of fruit, and you’re all set.
Most people usually do not have much of a problem eating well for dinner as this is typically the biggest meal of the day for the average person. Just make sure to have generous portions of protein foods like beef, chicken, turkey, fish, etc. Wholesome complex carbohydrates such as potatoes, yams, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, etc. And also include some green veggies like a garden salad, steamed, or stir fried veggies.
For in between meal snacks and times when you can’t sit down to the table for a formal meal you can still keep a steady supply of protein and nutrients in your system with quick foods like; protein / meal replacement bars, protein / meal replacement drinks, beef jerky, mixed nuts, fresh fruit, cottage cheese, etc.
Now while these tips here can certainly help put you on the right track to building the big athletic muscular physique that you desire, there is still a lot more that goes into proper muscle building nutrition.
So if you would like to get your very own customized muscle building meal plan, one that’s tailor made to your exact nutritional needs and body type, then you should Sign Up for a Customized Diet and Training Program. I will design a customized program just for you for to help you build a lean muscular physique.
Click Here to start your very own “Before” and “After” Physique Transformation!
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What’s One Thing All These People Have In Common?
They all followed a customized diet and training program from Lee Hayward!
Start Your Physique Transformation Today!
61 Comments
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Bali
Hey Lee if I pack chicken breasts in tupperware containers and bring them with me to school… how long can they last before spoiling?
Joe
Hey Lee right now I’m a tertiary student and I have to pack 2 meals to bring with me to school… just wondering… can eggs be brought to school as a protein source… is there any other way to cook it other than hardboiling it as i will have to peel the shell off… Can I bring soft boiled egg whites in a protein shake and drink it later or will it spoil?
leehayward
They’ll be good for the day, I do this all the time with no problems.
leehayward
Peel off the egg shells right after the eggs are cooked and then pack your peeled eggs in a tupperware container.
Food like this is generally ok to be left for several hours. When I was in school I would pack chicken, eggs, etc. and just eat them cold during my breaks. I never had access to a fridge or microwave and I made out ok…
Or at least I like to think that I did LOL 😉
Otherguy
Lee i find this part of my workouts hard. Since i go to school i have lessons and everything, And there is so much i can carry in my bag because of my books etc… I eat breakfast at 8:10, then i get a break at 11:10, then another 1 hour break at 1:30 which is when i workout at the school gym, then i finish school at 3:40.
my usuall diet is bread, tuna, fruit, water, and for home i have brown rice with chicken or fish.
Is it ok to have a fruit or something every 2 – 3 hours or MUST it be something full of protien. If it must be a protien food then what would you reccomend i can buy cheaply like fruit that i can eat every 2 – 3 hours with out the hassle of making something every day.
Thank you lee. Keep on blogging, i like your posts!
Harold
Great post! Thanks a lot! Although I knew that eating right is a must. This just reminded me of why I’m not building muscle at the moment!
Kevin
Lee,
Quick question… Great article, that def. opened up my eyes. I know this doesn’t have to do much with it but I have seen that you have been responding to people’s posts. What is your view/beliefs on natural testosterone boosters and pro hormones. I know you are a natural lifter and drug free so obviously you don’t use steroids or any other illegal supplements but what about these. I have used pro hormones and steroids in the past about 5 years ago (yeah pretty dumb not proud) and now committed to only natural bodybuilding however I am trying to develop my own theory on what natural is and what is “ok” to take. I have experienced both sides and starting to realize that doing it the natural way isn’t getting me very far even with a great diet/lifting schedule and I just want to know the truth. Are test boosters and PHs the key to getting big aside from freak genetics that I DONT have? Let me know what you think. Thanks Lee!
Has
Hey lee, been following u for a long time first of all u have been writing like ur best blogs in these few weeks (I have read almost all of ur articles) I mean the one with the Bench press and deadlift dou amazing n soo true, best muscle building exercise and now this keep up the good work n i have been doing bodybuilding or atleast trying to do it for two years and have gone past all this and had to learn it the hard way if only u had put these post before i would have been much bigger haha….
I have a few questions
I have alot of fat on obliques n u know u cant spot reduce fat but if i train them regularly would the muscle cut down the fat or would it make it look even more bigger(any exersices)? what should i do first cut down the body fat or bulk up n then do it?When training for fatloss should you take creatine or not?
p.s ur a legend!!!
Kieran
Hi Lee. i’m 18, and I have 7000 calories a day on average, yet i’m stuck at about 81-82kg at 6ft 2″ and 5% body fat. I don’t think it would be physically possible for me to eat more food. I’m in good shape, but i’d like to put on more size. It’s just not happening though. Any tips or ideas?
Thanks, Kieran
william
Hi Lee,
I think age and body status also count. For example, I am 40yrs old, 5″7, 165lbs Asian, chest 42″, upper arm 16″, waist 31″, thigh 24″. I workout 4 days a week, for nearly 5 years already, for initial 3 years I was doing exactly what you’ve suggested, and managed to gain 20 pounds of muscle. But after that rapid growth, everything slows down as you get close to your limit, and I was literally getting fat ( up to 185lb ) now I can only manage to grow 1 pound of muscle / year ( luckly ), and if I constantly eating more than 1500cal / day, I get fat. Now I cannot see any improvement when I take more protein than 90-100g per day. However, I still manage to lift heavier or more, may be 5% increase in every 4 months. So, my question is whether you have a better way to gain faster to help advance level? Usually lifter at this stage consider steroid ( which is a no no for me ).
Jason
nick
hey lee, in your start your transformation today thingo. youve got vince who is also someone out to do a similar thing that u do except a little more expensive. whys that?
and what do you think off DC training (google it)
TinyTim
I am gone quite a bit so I take my lunch box and fill it full with cottage cheese, carrots, yogurt, pasta, chicken, etc and use ice packs to keep the stuff cold, fresh, safe and from going bad in case I don’t eat it all. During school I bring in my lunch box or stuff food in my backpack and my gallon of water every time.
clickondenad.tk
hi idol im gadz from philippines 24yrs old im ectomorph , this is my 1st day chest workout routine = 4 set 12,10,8,6 reps of incline barbell press in pyramiding set, next 4 set 12,10,8,6 reps in flat barbell press in pyramiding set, next im go to 3 set 12,10,8 reps of flat DB press in pyramiding set, next in 3 set and 12,10,8 reps incline DB press in pyramiding set, then i next incline and flat DB flys 3set same weights, next 3 set 12reps of dips and last 3 sets of 12,10,8, reps dec fly for my inner chest … every sets i have a 2min of rest each set. i
idol if this my chest workout rountine is good for me to gain chest muscle especially in my inner chest? ?
Jeremy
Hi, I have been training for like 2 years consistently. I am eating right with enough calories and really good food choices. Sadly, I still feel like my muscle gains are really really slow even though I am training really hard and eating very very good.
I’m not sure how people always say the rule ‘aim for 1lbs weight gain a week’ but in reality this is far from true. It’s almost very very hard to gain consistently one pound of weight week after week. Otherwise everyone that trained hard and eat hard for 10 years could be 300lbs of muscle.
Lee, what are your thoughts on real weight gain that would be reasonable for someone that has been training for a while? 5lbs – 10lbs of muscle in a year?
leehayward
Protein bars are something that you can have as a quick snack on a break at school. My friend Dave Ruel has a killer home made protein bar recipe where you can make them for less than a dollar per bar!
You can check it out at:
http://www.leehayward.com/go/protein-bar-video.htm
leehayward
Natural testosterone boosters can be helpful for guys in their 30’s and older. It’s not a magic bullet that will solve all your problems, but they can help.
The funny thing is that most people who ask me about testosterone boosters are teenagers. And test boosters are not much good for younger guys because they are already at their natural peak for hormone production. So for teens and folks in their early 20’s it would just be a waste of money.
leehayward
Most people don’t realize just how strict you have to be in order to get really lean. The whole idea of “I eat good and workout regularly” isn’t enough when it comes to getting ultra lean.
And the mainstream fitness media isn’t helping either. With so many workout programs and fitness gimmicks coming out saying that you can get ripped with 20 minute workouts just 3 days per week, etc. It’s pure Bull Sh!t.
I personally average 2+ hours of training daily when I’m getting ready for a bodybuilding competition along with following a super strict diet plan. It’s not “easy”, but that’s what it takes. If it were easy than everyone who joined the gym would be ripped but we know that’s not the case.
Anyway, with that being said. If you are “fat” now, then focus on fat loss and getting your bodyfat down to 10% or 15% and then focus on building lean mass. It’s easier to make solid muscle gains when you are leaner and keep yourself leaner. If you bulk up and get fatter, then you’ll end up losing a lot of your lean muscle when you finally switch gears and focus on getting leaner.
To help maintain lean muscle when dieting you should include supplements like creatine, glutamine, etc. to help maintain as much lean muscle and strength as possible.
leehayward
Ok 7,000 calories per day is A LOT. If you are truly eating that much day in and day out consistently then good for you. But it’s rare, even most top pros don’t eat that much consistently.
Since you are so young, rather then focusing on eating more and more. Just focus on your actual workouts in the gym. Take your focus off the weight scale and instead focus on getting stronger in the gym.
A bigger muscle is a stronger muscle (and vice versa). So if you just get as strong as possible (while maintaining good exercise form of course) you’ll gain muscle.
Trust me this rapid fast metabolism won’t last forever. As you get older chances are you’ll naturally fill out more and most likely you’ll even go to the other extreme where that extra food is causing you to gain too much (i.e. right around the middle where we don’t want it).
Bottom line, don’t try and FORCE yourself to grow, but rather consistently provide the food and workouts that your body needs and LET yourself grow.
leehayward
From the sounds of it you are limiting your growth by trying to stay too lean. Eating 1500 calories and 100 grams of protein daily is not enough to get bigger and stronger, even for someone with a naturally small structure such as yourself.
I’d recommend that you follow the nutritional guidelines that I outlined in my “Bodybuilding Nutrition Made Simple” e-Report https://leehayward.com/blog/free-stuff
leehayward
I’ve used Dogg Crapp training before and it’s a solid program. I’ve made some killer gains using it. But you have to be careful because constantly pushing yourself like the program recommends can quickly lead to burn out and injury.
leehayward
You are doing way to much, no need to do every bench pressing exercise variation in a single workout. Do 1 or 2 pressing exercises. 1 or 2 fly exercises. and then finish off with some push ups. That would be plenty for a chest workout.
leehayward
We strive for 1 pound per week weight gain. And for the short term it does work. But you are right, no one can keep gaining at that rate forever. Your gains will come in spurts. No body can grow non-stop forever.
The opposite it true for fat loss. We strive for a 1 pound per week weight loss, which works well for the short term. But it doesn’t last forever. If we kept it up over the long term we’d disappear away to nothing LOL 😉
Patrick
Have you worked with Type II diabetics, Lee? My diabetes is very much under control and my diabetes has been for well over a year and a half, after I was diagnosed. I weighed 203# at 5ft 6in when I was diagnosed. I honestly didn’t exercise and ate pretty much what I wanted. No longer. I exercise every day, 45-60+ minutes per day, at age 56, rotating between cardio (walking and mountain biking) and weight lifting. I just am not bulking upa nd I WANT TO. I am 164# with great vitals and consistently good blood sugars (all within normal range of less 100). My doctor repeatedly tells me he wishes all his diabetic patients were as good as I am. I’d like to gain 15+ pounds of muscle. I feel awesome when I lift. I have completed your questionnaire but before I submit, it would be helpful to know if you can work with me. Thank you so much, Lee. You emails have really helped me.
Jeremy
I understand what you mean. So I should just keep training hard and eat hard and I will grow slowly when spurts come? Kinda suck because I start quite small size like 12 inch arm but I’m above 30% bodyfat so I’m considered obese.
Now that I’m at 10% bodyfat and gained to like 14.5 inch arm (which is still puny compared to everyone else!) and growth is really slow now. Well, I need to learn to be patient I suppose. Bodybuilding is a ‘slow’ game. Wonder how people really put on like 30-50 lbs of muscle in a couple of months like some of them always say.
nick
another reason why some people can not grow is due to overtraining. your workouts should most likely be around an hour not to much longer. when you over train you don’t allow your body enough time to recover and this will stop gains. some signs of overtraining is lack of energy, pain in joints, and decrease in training volume and intensity. such as not being able to lift normal weight. i would train 3-4 times per week with a one day break in between training. this should allow you to pack on some new size.
leehayward
With rapid fast gains that generally comes from either 1 of 2 things…
1. They are brand new to working out and are experiencing the “newbie” muscle growth spurt.
OR
2. They just came off a hardcore fat loss diet and their body is rebounding due to the extremely high calorie intake. This happens when bodybuilders come off a super strict pre-contest diet and then pig out eating everything in sight afterwards.
But other then this muscle gains come slowly, but they do come if you are consistent over the long term.
I also think you are not giving yourself enough credit for the progress you have already made. Going from 30% bodyfat down to 10% is awesome progress. And the fact that you’ve been to gain muscle while doing that is even more impressive. So give yourself a pat on the back, you are on the right track!
leehayward
Good solid advice for a mass building program, thumbs up! 😉
leehayward
Yes, I am familiar with with diabetes, I know several people personally who have it and are dealing with it right now. Great job on what you are doing right now, you seem to have things under control (which most people just don’t have the will power to do). So for that I tip my hat to you Patrick.
Obviously at this stage of the game you will not be able to make quick muscle gains, but regardless of your current situation improvement is always possible and to reach your goal of gaining 15 pounds of solid muscular bodyweight is quite realistic within the next 6 months or so.
If you’d like me to help you personally with a customized diet and training program geared towards gaining lean muscular bodyweight, you can sign up for my customized diet and training programs at:
https://leehayward.com/blog/customized-programs
hassan saani
hy lee im your student hassan i go gym regularly but i cant gain my biceps size
please teel me some thing for this perpose i m very tens about this
yeo yi qi
hi,i’m from Singapore & your website is really very useful in helping me to lose fat & gain muscle.=)
i would like to know what george foreman grill will you recommend.
I have to import it from US,so I need some advise on which model to purchase so that I would waste any money purchasing a bad model.
thanks in advance!=)
Ismail
Hey Mr.Haward
First of all two words for ya awesome blog. Second i have a very quick question…. Do soft drinks consumption affects our training.
Thank you.
No BS Muscle Gaining Secrets
Lee-
Great post again.
I remember hearing about a famous powerlifting coach who would require his students to drink a gallon of milk, every day, just as an insurance policy that they were getting enough protein and general sustenance.
I took a nutrition class last year that required that we keep a detailed diet journal for two weeks. What an eye opening experience!
I wasn’t eating NEARLY as much as I thought I was!
I recommend that people try keeping a journal, you might be surprised about how much (or little) you are actually taking in.
Thanks again,
Ian
Hamed
I just have 1 question .. I know many asked u this question but which one works best muscle once a week or every 3-5 days ?? I find it easier mentally if I do it once a week I feel like I can go all out !! But when I go 3-5 days I feel a little afraid that I might not be recovered and do a mistake and get injured but I can’t get it into my head that once a week is enough for muscle growth !!
My nutrition is exactly as u outlined but my workout is the problem !!
Thanx
Bob
The George Forman grill is a total disaster as the extreamly high heat kills all nutrients in food
leehayward
I’ve created an arm specialization training system that you can follow to help improve stubborn arms. It’s called “Blast Your Biceps” and you get get it online at: http://www.BlastYourBiceps.com
leehayward
There are all kinds of kitchen grills you can use, it doesn’t have to be “George Foreman” brand. Ideally you would want a large one. Look at the different options you have available and get the biggest one you can find. This makes cooking in bulk easier. Also look for one that has an adjustable temperature. Some of the older models just have one temperature setting, but the newer ones can be adjusted from low, medium, to high heat just like a stove top.
leehayward
I will have some diet soda once or twice a week as a treat, or if I go out to a restaurant. But it’s not a regular part of my diet. I recommend you drink pure water as your drink of choice for the health reasons and to help cleanse and hydrate your body.
leehayward
Both options will work. I’ll cycle my training from time to time so I may go through a phase of hitting each muscle group once a week with a big workout. And I may go through phases of hitting each muscle group twice a week with a smaller workout.
I recommend you check out my article at: http://www.leehayward.com/workout_programs this will help clear up a lot of your training questions.
leehayward
The newer kitchen grills actually have a temperature setting so you can adjust from low, to medium, to high heat just like a stove top.
darin
After a year of slow progress I really focused on diet and getting the.right amount of food and also rest. Within one year I went from 190 to 218. Diet is key for sure!
Alex
I buy canned chicken like how tuna is packed. Can that be the same as grilled chicken?
Alex
I buy canned chicken like how tuna is packed. Can that be the same as eating a regular chicken breast?
Levi Santana
I’ve started working out 6 months ago. My weight was 48 kilos back then. After taking mass building supplements and high protein high carb diet,my weight jumped from 48 to 63 kilos. however, I’ve noticed that I never gained anymore weight lately even when I’m eating a lot, it started when my insomnia started to get worse. Been staying up till 3 in the morning and wake up at 5 am then go to wrok as a nurse at 6am. So perhaps my rest:workout ratio is improper…
ron s.
leehayward
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Chicken is chicken, the only difference between fresh and canned is the canned will have more sodium. But it’s still the same as far as protein content.
leehayward
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Getting adequate sleep is critical. You need sleep to fully recover and grow. If this continues you should get it checked out by a doctor to see what’s wrong.
leehayward
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While hormones definitely play a part, the biggest and most developed guys that I know are masters at doing the basics. Meaning they are consistent with their training, consistent with eating, and consistent with their sleeping. They are almost like robots doing everything on schedule and to the letter.
Most guys “know what they should do”, but the problem is they don’t do it 100% of the time. They skip workouts from time to time, they often miss meals or cheat on their diet, they go out drinking and stay up late, etc. and then wonder why they not making gains in the gym. Then they blame it on genetics or because they don’t use drugs. When in reality it’s all the little things done consistently day after day that add up to making gains or not.
Prosource.net
I think you should take some health supplements, If you do gym without fat than you loss your weight which is very harmful for your body.
David
Otherguy,
You could put some protein powder in a water bottle a sip it throughout the day. You could also get a bag full of cashews, sunflower seeds, almonds ect and snack on those throughout the day. They’re high in protein, as well as healthy fats…and when eaten togeather, they will give you all the amino acids you need.
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