Add aerobics: This makes the lungs and heart work more efficiently. It also helps with general toning. It’s easy and cheap to incorporate aerobic exercise into a daily routine. This includes the fun stuff like swimming, biking, playing ball, hiking, jogging, skiing or tennis – just about any physical activity you enjoy. Even a brisk walk counts.
Really, I can’t say enough about this. I am not someone who has time to cook fresh protein packed meals all day long at home. From my experience as someone who works upwards of 70-80 hours a week, I have come to the firm belief that unless you think ahead, you will be stuck without your proper meals. You will rush out the door the next day on your way to work unprepared, and at the mercy of your own voracious appetite. You will have to stop for some fast food more times than once on that day. I believe that this one factor will make or break you in your journey.
Protein is the most filling type of calorie. If you pay attention to the media, you will notice high-protein diets being recommended for people that are trying to LOSE weight. That is because protein fills you up quickly, digests slowly, and dulls hunger. That is the opposite of what you want to happen when you are trying to gain weight! When trying to gain weight, you need foods that are less filling (so you can consume more calories), that digest quickly (so you can eat more times throughout the day… again, so you can consume more calories), and heighten hunger (so you feel hungry more, because you guessed it, that will help you to consume more calories). Remember, the more calories in, the more weight you gain.
TIP! Keep track of the time that it takes you to complete your workouts. A lot of people put their focus on the amount of weight they’re lifting, their reps, and the amount of rest that they get.
If you want to take it straight after you’ve worked out, choose the one that contains easily digestible ingredients. For instance, whey isolates protein powder, generally combined with a carbohydrate like maltodextrin or dextrose, is a great source of glucose.
There is one factor that plays a major role in results though and one that we have absolutely no control over and that is genetics. A person’s natural physical makeup is entirely dependent upon genetics. Tall parents have tall kids, fast parents have fast kids, and skinny parents have skinny kids and so on and so forth. Hardgainers, or ectomorphs as they are often referred to, can thank their parents for their inability to easily pack on muscle mass. Ectomorphs naturally have a harder time than most putting on muscle mass and keeping it there. If you are one of these hardgainers who has been trying to put on quality mass then you know exactly what I am talking about. Fear not though as there is hope for you hardgainers yet.
What muscle gaining supplements cannot do, however, is lift weights for you! No matter how many muscle building supplements you take, you will not grow larger if you are not working out. Supplements are not magic pills that can change your physique overnight. Only exercise and weight training can do this. Supplements simply help push the results a little further.