Fish has long been known to be a source of Omega-3 fatty acids but it wasn’t until recently that the exact effects of these acids have become known. And, now that the results are out in the open, people have been consuming fish or fish oil to receive the benefits they give.

Omega-3s (specifically eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid or DHA) are known to help combat cardiovascular problems, memory loss problems, inflammatory conditions and obesity. Ensuring that your diet contains enough Omega-3 fatty acids will help you ward off these conditions. And as you’ll soon find out, Omega-3 can also help you to build muscle.

In 1996 the American Heart Association released the Science Advisory “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Lipids and Coronary Heart Disease.” The advisory report listed the benefits of taking these substances based on evidence from clinical trials.

In November 2002 the American Heart Association released a Scientific Statement “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease.” This statement more specifically linked consumption of Fish Oil (and Omega-3s) to a decrease in the risk of heart arrhythmias (which can lead to death), a decrease in triglyceride levels, a decrease in the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque and a slightly lower blood pressure.

Although Omega-3s can be found in multiple sources including fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon, fish oil and even in flax seed oil. However, only fatty fish or fish oil contains adequate amounts of EPA and DHA.

Most people view Omega-3 fish oil supplements as general health supplements, however, supplementing your weight gain diet with fish oil should help you achieve an improvement in your body’s composition by decreasing the amount of excessive body fat mass as well as a lower likelihood of the fat being distributed in the abdominal area.

Studies have shown that even during periods of weight gain Fish Oil will help redistribute the fat cells away from the abdominal area and limit the rate of atherosclerotic plaque. In other words, even if it doesn’t help decrease weight it will help you be a “healthier” fatter you :)

Meanwhile, research from the Washington University and the University of Nottingham suggests that Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil supplementation can help improve muscle growth. In this study, healthy men and women supplemented with 4 grams of fish oil per day (1.86 g EPA + 1.5 g DHA) for 8 weeks. One of the most interesting findings of this study was that fish oil supplementation significantly improved muscle protein synthesis, suggesting an anabolic response to amino acids and insulin, which is an enormous benefit to people interested in gaining muscle mass and such.

Other studies have shown that Fish Oil has a significant effect on the brain and cognitive functioning. DHA plays a vital role in brain development and then maintenance of normal brain function in adults. The study “Helland IB, Smith L, Saarem K, Saugstad OD, Drevon CA. Maternal supplementation with very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation augments children’s IQ at 4 years of age. Pediatrics. 2003 Jan;111(1):e39-44” showed that maternal supplementation with fish oil has been shown to increase the IQ of children at age four by an average of 4.1 points.

Are There Any Side Effects?

Fish Oil seems to have very few side effects and it is generally considered safe and well tolerated. It even has fewer adverse effects than other dietary supplement oils. Doses equivalent to three times the FDA’s maximum safe dosage (3 grams EPA/DHA per day) have shown to be safe in rats. Studies have shown that the main side effects in humans have been a fishy taste in the mouth or “fish burps” but these side effects depend on the type of supplement taken.

It should be noted, though, that there are two major possible side effects of consuming too much fish oil. The first is that consuming high doses of fish oil may decrease the function of the immune system (as compared to an increase in function on lower dosages). The second is an increase in LDL cholesterol and an increase in HDL cholesterol. As with any dietary supplement, if you simply follow the directions and consult with your physician you can rest assured that the supplement is helping you.

Cost per Day

The Omega-3 dosages used in the research study were 1.86 grams (EPA) and 1.5 grams (DHA). The NOW Foods Ultra Omega 3 fish oil costs $21.25 (if you include free shipping) for 180 soft-gels. Since each soft-gel contains 500 mg of EPA, you would only need to take 4 soft-gels per day. This would last you 45 days so the cost per day would be around .48 cents. This is very inexpensive when you consider the muscle building and health benefits that you get from fish oil.

Final Thoughts

All in all, fish oil supplementation appears to improve our body’s ability to prevent disease, strengthen immunity, and improve muscle growth, among other benefits. Whilst you could get Omega 3 fatty acids from fatty fish in your diet, the problem is you would have to consume a large amount of fish. If you don’t, then you can take an Omega 3 fish oil supplement.

I’ve only tried the Now Foods Ultra Omega 3 Fish Oil. If you’ve found a better deal on a high EPA fish oil then let us know in the comments below. This can include liquid fish oil since I know some people find it hard swallowing big softgels.

Sources:

National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health
American Heart Association
Smith et al. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids augment the muscle protein anabolic response to hyperinsulinaemia-hyperaminoacidaemia in healthy young and middle-aged men and women, Clin Sci121(6):2011;121(6):267-78. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21501117
Helland IB, Smith L, Saarem K, Saugstad OD, Drevon CA. Maternal supplementation with very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation augments children’s IQ at 4 years of age. Pediatrics. 2003 Jan;111(1):e39-44. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12509593

Peanut butter is in my opinion one of the best sources of calories for someone who has trouble gaining weight. Nowadays due to the popularity of energy bars, weight gainers, and protein powders, many athletes and weightlifters seem to forget about including real meals within their diet plan

It can become tiresome doing the same routine day in and day out and let’s face it sometimes you just don’t want liquid calories but something more delicious and substantial to eat.

Instead of getting the bulk of your calories from protein by consuming protein shakes, why not substitute your supplementation regime on some days with real foods that will offer you the same nutritional profile?

Then you get the best of both worlds: a high protein nutritious meal and a break from the mundane routine. The less monotonous the routine the more likely you are to stick with the muscle building program.

Why peanut butter? Well, peanut butter is an awesome muscle building superfood because its high in calories and an affordable source of protein and healthy fats that are needed to build and repair muscles.

Peanut butter lifters rejoice this week with seven great ways to incorporate peanut butter into your diet. Here are some cheap and easy to make peanut butter muscle building recipes that I found elsewhere on the internet. Simply click on the link for more information about an individual recipe using peanut butter.

1. Chocolate and Peanut Butter Protein Bars Recipe
2. Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
3. High Protein Peanut Butter Balls
4. Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Pancakes (feel free to use honey instead of maple syrup)
5. Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles
6. Banana Peanut Butter Weight Gain Shake Recipe (see recipe at the bottom of the page)
7. Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich

Get inspired with these peanut butter muscle building recipes. Eating doesn’t have to be boring! You can never get tired of eating peanut butter sandwiches try and make them a staple in your diet. In addition to using the chocolate peanut butter sandwich recipe above you can add ingredients such as honey, jelly, and cinnamon to change things up.

The chocolate-flavored peanut butter sandwich would have to be one of my favorite nutritious, high-calorie snacks.

Have cheap and easy to make recipes using peanut butter of your own? Let us know in the comments below.

Let’s face it, if you’re feeling like crap you will not be very motivated to workout. Without eating enough of the right foods to fuel your training program, fatigue may beat you to the finish line and your muscle gains will come to a quick halt. Worry no more! Here’s the inside scoop on how to eat to beat fatigue and overcome those training plateaus to maximize your muscle building efforts.

Get your confidence back!
The first thing you need to do is re-gain your confidence. Plateaus in training happen to every weight lifter at some point in their lives and it is no reason to give up lifting weights. I know many people who couldn’t get through it and so they gave up. Wrong!

Change your exercise order
The first thing you need to do is change the order that you do your exercises. Many people do the same workout for years at a time and after a while their muscles become bored and stuck. Change the order you do your exercises. Even go so far as to chuck away some exercises for a few weeks and try something new. If you do a split change the muscles that you pair together.

Rocky did this when he had to learn to box with a different leading hand. He had to change the way he worked his muscle by changing the exercise order.

Change your lifting style
If you are one of those dudes at the gym who lifts his weights super fast and with plenty of energy then slow things down. Do every single repetiton as slow as possible. It might mean you only get out four or five but it will give your muscles a new way of training and force them to adapt to something new.

Rocky (in every movie!) kicks up a gear and goes from slow boring training to hard and fast lifting to really boost his muscle development. Maybe we need to do the reverse.

Take a few weeks off
At the end of every year I take off a few weeks from training. I still go for jogs and do some pushups occasionally but I don’t go to the gym and I don’t push my body too hard. This is one of the best secrets there is. Your body will recouperate, revive and you will find you grow and come back to training with more passion and energy than ever before. During my weeks off I eat well and take care of my system. Injuries recover and I feel like a new man. If you are stuck on a plateau maybe you are overtraining and your body can’t keep up anymore.

Rocky overtrained. No doubt about it. If you don’t take a few weeks off every now and then you will burn out. Once a year is plenty.

Clean things up
After a few years of lifting weights you can get into certain bad habits. Leaning back when you do a barbell curl, bouncing the bench press off your chest, etc. All these things lessen the amount of stress you put on the muscles and retard your progress. If you are stuck on a bodybuilding plateau try re-learning all the techniques and make sure you lift cleanly. Really hit those muscles you are targeting well.

Watch Rocky’s boxing style in episode one and compare it with episode three. Everything cleaned up and he became a huge, ripped and skilled fighting machine!

Find different ways of adding resistance
The absolute basic principle of bodybuilding is that you need to gradually increase the work you are doing so that your muscles keep responding and growing. If you are on a plateau it means you have stopped growing. Therefore, find new ways of adding resistance to your exercises so that your muscles are forced to respond.

If you can’t add anymore weight to your bench press try doing pushups as soon as you finish your set; something your muscles aren’t used to. Or, instead of trying to add more weight take weight off each set so that your muscles get more of a “endurance” type workout. Be creative and find new ways to challenge your body. This tip is cash money! Rocky ran stairs, chased chickens and did all sorts of things to develop his skills. Be creative!

Don’t neglect your diet
Proper nutrition and a good weight training program need to be combined if you want to start putting more muscle on your scrawny body. Trying to train intensively when malnourished or feeling fatigued is a recipe for disaster.

Make sure that you are getting adequate calories and protein in the diet for supercompensation to occur. Supercompensation is the period after a training session when the muscles have a higher performance capacity. This is important to progress to lifting heaver weights. Due to your increased activity level it’s a good idea to increase your protein intake.

If you can’t get enough protein from raw foods then protein supplements is a consideration. Just make sure you buy a good quality whey protein. If you are unsure of what whey protein you should get, read supplement reviews online to know what others think of different brands.

Food is fuel for your body
Consuming food during the time that you are most active allows a steady flow of energy to your muscles and, most importantly, to your brain. It doesn’t make sense to bank the majority of your calories until dinner and afterward, when your body requires the energy earlier in the day.

Snack throughout the day. Your breakfast and lunch fuel will only last a few hours, so you need to be snacking during the day to maintain energy levels. I would suggest you avoid sugary snacks, which will give you a burst of energy but not much of anything else.

Replace coffee for more water
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Keep your caffeine consumption to a moderate amount, no more than about two cups of coffee per day. Water is the most important nutrient that the body needs, so make sure you are drinking enough water.

Conclusion
The bodybuilding plateau is a scary and annoying time for any lifter. With a few minor changes to your training and diet, however, you can get your training and muscle growth back on track. Don’t be afraid to change your old habits to get some new results. Just like Rocky.

Tariq Sims is a NRL footballer that signed with the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2011 season – making his debut in Round 2 against the Newcastle Knights.

Sims, who is of Fijian/Caucasian descent, was playing for the Brisbane Broncos. From 2008 to 2010 he played in the Bronco’s Under 20s team.

Even though Sims attracted the attention of the Cowboys this season as an up and coming rookie, not too many people know about the dietary changes that has transformed the 21-year-olds physique from a modest 84kg footballer that was playing as a winger to a 106kg backrower.

The then under-20s coach Anthony Griffin, who is now the head coach of the senior Brisbane Broncos team, gave a honest assessment of the teenager back in 2008, believing he lacked the size to play in the NRL. The assessment forced the club to perform various tests on metabolism and other things and that helped to formulate a customized weight gain diet plan so that Sim’s could put on some bulk.

These dietary changes included eating bananas and peanut butter sandwiches just before bed, drinking weight gain protein shakes on a daily basis, and eating every two to three hours throughout the day.

This eating plan helped Sims put on 22kg within the space of three years and the results speak for themselves with the Cowboys young gun on the correct path to claim the NRL’s rookie-of-the-year award in 2011.

Sims recalls the daily grind of always eating, which included many late-night feeds, in a desperate attempt to make his NRL dreams come true.

Make no mistake; trying to gain weight is not an easy task. It requires dedication and strong will power. “It was very hard to do,” says Sims. Also he was required to be “Waking up in the middle of the night trying to choke back a sandwich was bloody hard to do, let me tell you.”

In addition to eating like a horse every two to three hours, Sims recalls drinking fluids and protein shakes being an important component of his weight gain diet.

“Before and after training, I made sure I drank plenty of water to stay hydrated and I would have at least three protein shakes a day.”

Although Sims’s wasn’t called up for State of Origin duties this year, during State of Origin series game two he was called into camp by Blues coach Ricky Stuart to give him a better understanding of exactly what it takes to become an Origin footballer.

During this time he had a good chat with NSW captain Paul Gallen, who was very influential on Sims and spoke to him a lot about mental preparation and the external pressures of the game.

Do you know which of the amino acids is frequently used by dieters and bodybuilders to build muscle tissue? Amino acids are the chemical components that are the basic elements of proteins. Each Amino acid performs specific functions in the body. The benefits of Amino acids are numerous and varied and will be discussed in this article, especially with regard to the benefits for bodybuilders.

To understand the importance of these chemicals, you must understand how important proteins are to life. Proteins are found in every living organism, from the largest animal down to the tiniest microbe.

Proteins form the structure for every living creature. The proteins making up the body are not derived from dietary sources. The body breaks down dietary protein into its Amino acid components, which the body then uses to create the proteins it needs.

In its various forms, protein participates in numerous chemical processes necessary to maintain life. They assist with the transportation of oxygen, the contraction of muscles, and with the exchange of nutrients between intracellular fluids and body tissues, blood, and the lymphatic system.

Next to water, protein is the most abundant substance in the human body. It is found in muscles, tendons, bones, hair, nails, organs, and glands.

There are twenty of these acids found in protein. Of these twenty, humans can produce 10 of them, with the remainder supplied in foods.

The 10 acids that humans are unable to produce are called essential acids. Failure to obtain even one of these chemicals causes a degradation of the proteins in the body. Unlike fats and starches, these chemicals are not stored for later use.

The remainder of these amino acids is considered to be unessential. This means they do not need to be obtained through the weight gain diet as the body can manufacture them on its own.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are three essential amino acids, including Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. They can be easily obtained from protein foods and are the three most important amino acids in the manufacture, maintenance and repair of muscle-tissue.

First on our list of essential Amino acids is Isoleucine. Isoleucine helps with the formation of hemoglobin and regulates levels of sugar in the blood. It also participates in the formation of blood clots.

Our next item is Leucine. Leucine is another branched-chain acid that protects muscles and acts as fuel. If also helps to build muscle tissue and is commonly used by bodybuilders for this purpose.

It promotes the healing of muscle, bone, and skin after traumatic injury.

The last Branched-chain Amino acid is Valine. Valine is needed for muscle metabolism and for tissue repair and growth.

It is useful in treating a deficiency of Amino acids occurring as a result of drug dependency.

The Other Amino Acids

The next amino acid we will discuss is Alanine. Its main function is to help the body metabolize Tryptophan and Pyridoxine.

It helps the body to metabolize glucose, a simple carbohydrate the body uses for energy.

Next we have Arginine. Arginine promotes immune system function by increasing the size and activity of the Thymus gland, which produces white blood cells called T-Cells.

Arginine is used to make a chemical called Nitric Oxide.

Nitric Oxide causes the blood vessels to relax and may help with conditions such as Atherosclerosis, Intermittent Claudication, and Erectile Dysfunction.

The next item in our list is Asparagine. Asparagine helps the nervous system to maintain a calm equilibrium. In other words, it helps prevent you from becoming overly excited or overly calm.

It helps the body to metabolize ammonia. It is considered to be a nonessential Amino acid.

Next we have Aspartic acid. Aspartic acid helps to increase stamina and combat fatigue. It is sometimes used as a treatment for Depression.

Chronic fatigue may result from low levels of Aspartic acid.

On a cellular level, it assists with the functions of RNA and DNA, which carry genetic information.

Our next item is Cystine. Cystine is involved in the production of collagens, which is the main protein of connective tissue.

It is necessary for proper utilization of Vitamin B6 and helps heal burns and wounds.

It promotes healing after surgery and severe burns.

Now we have Glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is converted to Glutamine where it functions as a neurotransmitter.

It is useful for metabolizing fats and sugars.

It helps transport potassium across the blood-brain barrier into the central nervous system.

Glutamine is our next Amino acid. Glutamine easily crosses through the blood brain-barrier into the brain where it is used for fuel.

It is frequently use by dieters and body builders to build muscle tissue.

Next on our list is Histidine. Histidine is an essential Amino acid that helps with the growth and repair of various tissues.

It helps to maintain the myelin sheaths, a protective outer layer covering the axons of neurons in the nervous system.

The next item in our list of Amino acids is L-lysine. Lysine is necessary for proper bone development and growth in children.

It helps with the production of hormones, antibodies, and enzymes.

L-lysine is used as a treatment for lesions of the mouth and genital regions caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Next on our list is Methionine. Methionine helps to prevent fat buildup in the arteries and liver that might block blood flow to essential organs.

It is a beneficial antioxidant as the sulfur in it neutralizes free radicals. Some studies have shown it may help improve memory.

The next item in our list of Amino acids is Phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is an essential acid that, once inside the body, can be converted into Tyrosine, which is needed for the production of the neurotransmitters Dopamine and Norepinephrine.

Phenylalanine is a neurotoxin and high levels of it can lead to cellular death in the brain. It constitutes half of the artificial sweetener Aspartame, a sweetener that is found in diet sodas.

One animal study has shown it may be a useful treatment for Parkinson’s disease. More research in this area needs to be done.

Next we have Proline. Proline helps keep skin healthy by assisting with the production of collagen.

It works to maintain and heal cartilage, which makes it useful for conditions such as Osteoarthritis.

Next is Serine. Serine helps the body to properly metabolize fats and fatty acids.

It assists with the production of immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins play an important role in the immune response, by destroying foreign substances such as bacteria.

We now come to Threonine. Threonine is an acid that helps to maintain a proper balance of proteins in the body.

It helps produce elastin and collagen, two elements needed for healthy skin.

As it is found in the Central Nervous System, it may be helpful in treating some types of Depression.

Our next Amino acid is Tryptophan. Tryptophan is used by the body to produce Serotonin which is needed for normal sleep.

It helps to alleviate insomnia, as it is a natural relaxant.

It helps the immune system to function properly and minimizes the severity of Migraine headaches.

As it helps to produce Serotonin, it may help with certain types of Depression.

Our last Amino acid is Tyrosine. Tyrosine is a precursor to the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, which function as mood elevators.

A deficiency of Tyrosine may result in inadequate amounts of norepinephrine in the brain that may lead to Depression. It increases alertness while simultaneously fighting fatigue.

Alcohol and muscle building does not mix. I think if you are serious about your health and muscle building development and you want the maximum possible benefit from your weight training program, then you should drink alcoholic in moderation or NOT at all.

Moderation is usually considered as having 1-2 drinks a day. If the aim is building muscle, it likely won’t do much harm, and may even have some health benefits such as increased HDL. I know everyone has heard that drinking wine is good for you and that is true to a certain degree. The actual truth can be found in the grape skin. It has an enzyme that is good for you and you can get it from grape juice.

However, excessive alcohol consumption will undoubtedly compromise the results you’ll get from your weight gain diet and training program. The truth is that you should not want to consume these types of alcoholic drinks because you are in constant training of some type or another. Hangovers are a result of dehydration. Alcohol dehydrates the body since it draws water from the cells and increases water loss through the kidneys.

Dehydration cannot only hinder muscle growth, but it can be dangerous also. For example running requires water within the body to keep you cool. If lack the proper hydration you are risking over heating such as heat exhaustion, muscle cramps, or heat stroke.

Alcohol consumption hinders your body from absorption of the proper nutrients for muscle growth during weight lifting. Remember we are dieting to have their proper fuel for our type of training. We don’t want to block the vital nutritional gains. We want to enhance them.

Alcohol suppresses your body’s ability to burn fat. The main reason is the oxidation of the alcohol takes top priority over the oxidation of other macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, and fats. In other words, while your body is busy metabolizing alcohol it cannot properly utilize the fats, carbohydrate and protein. As long as the alcohol is in your system, your body will simply convert most of the calories you normally eat into body fat.

Alcohol also decreases natural production of testosterone in the body, which is one of the main anabolic muscle building hormones.

Due to alcohol beverages being calorie dense, some people may think it’s a good way to gain weight. However, due to the lack of nutritional value it provides and interference that excessive amounts of drinking can have on your schedule, it just isn’t worth it if you are serious about seeing good results.

I admit that I have been guilty of focusing primarily on the ectomorph body type, also known as the “hardgainer” on this site, because they are the ones who knowingly want to gain more weight and feel better about themselves. However, teenagers and adults are not the only people who are struggling to gain weight. Weight gain is a problem which is common amongst babies and toddlers as well. This age group can have a tendency to be fussy eaters which can effect their development and growth rate, especially when they hit about 18 months to 2 years of age.

Whether you are 18 yrs old or a toddler who is only 2 years of age, the fundamentals of weight gain are no different. To gain weight faster you required to increase your total calorie intake. This can be accomplished by increasing the portion sizes of your normal foods, increasing your meal frequency, and by adding new foods to your regular diet.

When I was given the book, “The Man Who Ate Everything” by Jeffrey Steingarten one year for Christmas, one paragraph in this book stuck with me:

Exposure, plain and simple. Scientists tell us that aversions fade away when we eat moderate doses of the hated foods at moderate intervals, especially if the food is complex and new to us. (Don’t try this with allergies, but don’t cheat either: few of us have genuine food allergies.) Exposure works by overcoming our innate neophobia, the omnivore’s fear of new foods that balances the biological urge to explore for them. Did you know that babies who are breast-fed will later have less trouble with novel foods than those who are given formula? The variety of flavors that make their way into breast milk from the mother’s diet prepares the infant for the culinary surprises that lie ahead. Most parents give up trying novel foods on their weanlings after two or three attempts and then complain to the pediatrician; this may be the most common cause of fussy eaters and finicky adults–of omnivores manqués. Most babies will accept nearly anything after eight or ten tries.

So I decided to put this into practice. I’ve always had an aversion towards blue cheese and olives. Firefly, a tapas restaurant I frequent in town, serves a little plate of olives and bread to their guests upon arrival. Every time I visited, I’d pick up one olive and eat it. After multiple visits, I’m now a huge fan of olives.

I did the same with blue cheese and now I frequently add chunks of blue cheese to my salads to provide some protein and my goodness is it tasty!! It’s not just good with salads either! Sometimes I add blue cheese sauce on broiled chicken or steak or pork chops or in hamburgers. Also good on spinach, broccoli or cauliflower. And depending on the type of blue cheese its generally higher in fat than many other cheeses, so it’s an easy and tasty way to increase fats in your diet. I suggest you to learn why you need to eat fat to build muscle.

I know cottage cheese, a milder tasting cheese, is often a recommended bodybuilding food on a weight gain diet, but I was not very impressed when I tried it. If you can gain an appreciation for a more diverse range of foods then it will allow you to pick and choose the foods you enjoy eating. You don’t have this flexibility if you only like a limited number of foods.

I challenge you to try this too!! For parents who have a child with a poor appetite who is not gaining weight, its important to be introducing new foods like peanut butter, fish, and different fruits & veggies to your toddler and seeing what they like!! Sometimes its simply a case of finding out what they like or being persistent until they finally decide to like a new food.

Although the classic Mediterranean Diet is followed by many people who are on a weight loss diet, this diet is also suitable for those trying to gain weight. While everything matters, one of the themes of this site is that of eating healthy, which is why I wanted to give this popular diet a special mention as I think its a good place to start for anyone looking to formulate a healthy weight gain diet.

Some people turn a blind eye to the Mediterranean diet because it can contain approximately 30 percent of the total calories as fat, 50 percent of the calories as carbohydrates, and 20 percent of the calories as protein. However, despite having a high fat content, the Mediterranean diet still has a fairly low overall energy density because of the other foods that are consumed in the diet. In contrast, most of today’s Western diets tend to not only be high in fat but low in foods such as fruits and vegetables. And more to the point, if you have an ectomorph body type and therefore a hard gainer, your skinny genetics will more then likely prevent you from gaining much if any fat at all anyway.

Plant Foods

A big part of the Mediterranean diet is based on plant foods such as beans, nuts, fruits, vegetables, legumes, olives and olive oil, more so then other popular diets. For instance, the Greeks and Italians often dip bread in virgin olive oil instead of slathering butter all over it. Have you tried this, perhaps in an Italian restaurant? It’s much better, but requires some effort and some getting used to. (Not alot of effort, simply remembering to pick up a bottle of virgin or extra virgin olive oil while you’re at the grocery store!) Use lots of olive oil in most meals its a convenient way to to add calories to almost anything which is especially helpful when gaining weight.

When we discuss eating more fruit, let’s be clear about what kind of fruit that means; fresh is best, because fresh fruit is not processed, has no sugar or fructose added, and is generally much more healthy. Fresh fruits, in the amount of 4 or 5 servings a day, have also been proven to not only keep our bodies healthy, but keep our skin looking younger as well. If the goal is weight gain on a Mediterranean diet, then don’t ignore fresh fruit juice. You should find a good balance between real fruit and juices. Drinking some fruit juice is especially useful when gaining weight because it’s very nutrient-dense for its size, when compared to veggies. Various medical journals show that 8 oz. of real fruit juice can significantly reduce blood pressure, cutting the risk of heart disease.

Carbohydrate

The Mediterranean Diet also includes regular servings of pasta, rice, and bread, all calorie dense carbs which will aid in weight gain. When people think of the Mediterranean Diet or of going to an Italian restaurant, they tend to think of pasta and Parmesan cheese. Pasta with red sauce sprinkled with some Parmesan is a staple meal in the Mediterranean diet which is now normally part of an athletes’ diet because its a great source of carbohydrate.

Healthy Fats

Monounsaturated fats are some of the healthiest type of fats to include in a balanced diet. Of course, the foundation of this diet is olive oil, however, the Mediterranean diet also includes regular servings of nuts as snacks in between meals, as in a handful per day of walnuts, almonds, etc. This is so easy. Pick up a bag or can, separate them into baggies containing about a quarter cup each, and then only eat 1 bag every day or two. Remember that while nuts contain some great anti-oxidants, Omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin E, they also have healthy fats so it is good to eat them. Nuts are delicious and should be a part of your Mediterranean Diet. You can also add a few dollops of peanut butter to your weight gain shake.

Meat

While we’re on the subject of high nutrient density foods, let’s talk a little about red meat. Eating some meat such as beef, pork, lamb etc is recommended on a Mediterranean diet. Just make sure to eat red meat in moderation and choose to go with the lean cuts when you can. Part of the healthy Mediterranean Diet also consists of eating fish instead of red meat on a regular basis.

In Conclusion

There is not doubt that The Mediterranean Diet is a good place to start if you are wanting to gain weight and muscle. According to a new study, following a Mediterranean diet combined with exercise, limiting alcohol intake, and not smoking, could extend life expectancy by up to 15 years.

The emphasis when on a Mediterranean Diet should be to stay away from highly processed foods, eat several servings of fresh fruit daily, add a couple ounces of nuts/dried fruits for good measure, and get your protein from fish or other lean cuts of meat.

If you are strict with this diet and consume the sufficient amount of calories necessary to put on weight, there is no reason why you shouldn’t reach your weight gain goals sooner rather then later, plus you will receive all the other health benefits the Mediterranean Diet provides.

Hey guys!

I want to share with you a great chocolate protein bar recipe I found online. I’ve taken the recipe from Anabolic Cooking.

When I first started taking bodybuilding seriously I was a fan of the commercial protein bars. The macronutrient profile of commercial protein bars looked alright, they had a high protein content which would satisfy protein requirements for one meal, and they were convenient to eat.

However, the problem is that the majority of commercial protein bars are loaded with sugar and bad fats, resembling candy bars more then anything else. Worse still, the average price for them is $5 a bar, which can put a hole in your pocket pretty quickly, especially if you’re eating 2-3/day.

So why not try and make your own protein bars? They’re a healthier option, taste great, and super cheap. This recipe makes 5 bars which works out to cost less than 50 cents per bar!!!

Ingredients:

- 8 scoops chocolate protein powder (i think chocolate flavor tastes the best but you can try some different flavors)

- 1 cup oatmeal

- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter

- 3 tbsp honey

- 1/2 cup 1% milk (maybe a bit more milk if you need more moisture)

Directions:

1. Mix together the protein powder, oatmeal, peanut butter, honey and milk.

2. Place the bowl in the fridge for about 45 mins.

3. Form into 5 bars.

Nutritional Facts:

(Per Serving – 1 Bar)

Calories: 452

Protein: 50g

Carbohydrates: 36g

Fat: 12g

So if you’re trying to gain weight and looking for a high protein high & calorie snack to fill in the gaps between meals, then try out these chocolate flavored protein bars.

A few tidbits for making really good chocolate protein bars. Make sure you leave the mixture in the fridge for long enough, otherwise it won’t set properly and become firm. If the mix is just a gewy mess it will be difficult cutting the mix into bars. They taste good using the regular recipe above, but one modification you can make is to add crushed peanuts on top of the mix.

Dave Ruel’s Anabolic Cookbook features over 200 of the best & easy to make muscle building recipes, so you will never get bored with your weight gain diet again. But it’s more than just a cookbook, “Anabolic Cooking” is a complete nutritional guide full of nutrient timing strategies, post workout nutrition secrets, and much more.

In this article I will discuss the benefits of the healthy cooking oils. Deciding on the best cooking oil can be tricky and can particularly confusing for many people when deciding which oils are the healthiest for cooking their weight gain meal plans.

Each type of oil has different amounts of saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and the cooking process also plays a role in what oil you should use as well.

Canola Oil

Mildly flavored, this monosaturated oil contains more Omega-3 fatty acids than other vegetable oils. Excellent for high temperature frying.

Olive Oil

A monosaturated oil containing phytochemiclas that helps lower blood cholesterol levels and fight against cancer. Good for making salad dressings and sauteing food. However, it is not suitable for high temperature frying or baking.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The least processed and most flavorful type of olive oil. It contains polyphenols that help boost the immune system and has high levels of vitamins A and E. Excellent for making salad vinaigrette.

Soybean Oil

It is rich in polyunsaturated fats and two essential fatty acids that helps the body absorb vital nutrients. Also contains Omega-3 fatty acids but in less quantites. Good for cooking.

Sunflower Oil

It is rich in polyunsaturated fats, thus able to lower blood cholesterol levels. It also contains the most Vitamin E as compared to other vegetable oils. It does not contain Omega-3 but Omega-6 fatty acids are present. Good for all kinds of cooking.

Peanut Oil

Rich in monosaturated fats. It also contains resveratrol, a substance found in grapes and red wine known to help reduce cardovasicular diseases and cancer. Good for all kinds of cooking. It is also used in salad dressings.

Most oils which are derived from nuts are considered to be healthy, but one should be mindful of nut allergies when cooking with these oils.

Olive oil is considered to be the healthiest oil by many nutritionists, because it provides a healthy mix of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed cooking oil, and the more processed the oil, the less nutritional value it tends to offer.

For those of us trying to gain weight, a high calorie weight gain diet does not necessarily mean an unhealthy diet. If you are into cooking and using ingredients like olive oil, you will be able to consume extra calories in the form of healthy monounsaturated fats. It’s also incredibly easy to add olive oil to many weight gain meals that you cook yourself.

A specialized diet that includes all the essential nutrients is a must for any person who is trying to gain weight. For everyone who is interested in putting on weight, you should consume more calories than an ordinary person with the same physique to support the energy requirements a human body needs. What types of foods or diet program a person has to follow is totally dependent on the goals you wish to achieve.

Carbohydrates are an important component of bodybuilding nutrition as they supply enough energy to deal with the rigors of intense weight training and muscle recovery in the regular diet of a bodybuilder. Bodybuilders normally prefer low-glycemic polysaccharides and other slowly digestible carbohydrate varieties that release energy slowly in a stable fashion. A sharp insulin response of high-glycemic carbohydrates may cause a situation where the body tends to store additional food energy in the form of fat rather than as muscle.

A bodybuilder can avoid this situation by including the right choice of low-glycemic carbohydrate foods in his regular diet. But they may require some quick digestible carbohydrates in the form of dextrose or maltodextrin after his tiresome workout to help the body to replenish glycogen stores within the muscle.

In bodybuilding nutrition, protein also plays an important role in helping a person to increase lean muscle mass. As part of a weight gain diet, bodybuilders have to include twenty five to thirty percent of protein per the total calorie intake to get best out of the physical activity that he undertakes. It will help him to improve his body composition in a better way.

What should be the ideal amount of protein to be included in the diet of a bodybuilder is still a debatable topic. While some argue that 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight is ideal, others are recommending 1.5 to 2 grams of protein in bodybuilding nutrition. A bodybuilder always require regular intake of protein during and after working out. It should also be taken before he goes to bed. It can be any thing that includes chicken, beef, pork, nuts, fish, eggs or diary products.

When on a mass gaining program, you normally are required to split your main meals in to 5-7 meals a day with almost equal quantity of nutritional value at regular intervals. Such a lifestyle will help you to increase your caloric intake while making it possible to eat a higher quantity of food due to the increase in the basal metabolic of the body when compared to the three meals a day diet program that others follow.

At first this sounds like a lot of food, and it is if you are not used to eating this amount of food, but you don’t have to jump straight into eating up to 7 meals per day. You can gradually increase your meals and caloric intake and you will find that your body will get used to eating more food. In addition, supplements such as weight gainers and meal replacements can be a good way to consume more calories if you are struggling with a weak appetite.

The following is a 3000 calorie weight gain diet plan which is suitable for a 150 pound person who wants to go on a bulking up diet to gain 5-10lb of lean muscle mass.

If you find that you are not putting on any weight in a couple of weeks then you probably have an especially fast metabolism and would need to increase your caloric intake by an extra 300-500 calories.

On workout days, it would be the same meal plan, except that you would also take a weight gain protein shake for the post-workout meal to makeup for the calories you burned during the training session.

6:00 am Breakfast: 6 Egg Omelet

6 eggs, whole
1 cup of mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of onions, thinly sliced
1 cup of green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups low-fat chocolate milk

9:00 am Snack: Banana Oat Weight Gain Shake

2 cups low-fat milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup Quaker Oatmeal (cook with boiling water)
1 small banana
1 tablespoon honey

12:00 pm Lunch

1 baked potato
150 grams of canned tuna
salad with low fat dressing
1 glass of orange juice

3:00 pm Snack: Grilled Chicken Sandwich

2 grilled chicken breasts
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 banana

6:00 pm Dinner

2 cups of cooked white rice
100 grams of grilled swordfish
1/2 cup of cooked vegetables
1 glass of water

9:00 pm Late Night Snack

2 cups cooked white rice
100 grams of chicken breast grilled
1 cup broccoli

Total Calories: 3082

As you would know, you need to be eating every 3 hours or so. To maximize the time you spend in the gym, no matter how hard you train, if you do not eat properly and supply the body with the necessary calories and nutrients, then ultimately you are stopping progress. That’s why bodybuilders attribute about 80 percent of their success to a “clean” diet.

Healthy Weight Gain Diet Plan Guidelines

Having read this article up until this point, you should now have a better idea of what a 3000 calorie diet plan looks like. In the case of failing to stick with an elaborate diet plan like suggested above, it would be advisable for beginners to follow these guidelines:

Do’s

• Consume a small amount of protein at every meal. Eat meat, fish, eggs, poultry and dairy products. The body can only digest and absorb about 60 grams of protein at every meal, making it unnecessary to cram large amounts of it in one sitting.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables that are as natural as possible.
• Eat a little vegetable fat, such as seeds and nuts, which is useful for healthy nerves and skin.
• Take some form of vitamin supplement each day.
• Eat at least three times a day. Light meals are digested better and more effectively uses by the body.
• Drink a lot of water.

Dont’s

• Eating highly processed food like fried chips and fast food which have a high sugar and fat content.
• Eating excessive amounts of animal fat (try to remove most of the fat from the meat or choose lean cuts).
• Drinking alcohol or carbonated drinks.
• Using too much salt or seasoning for salads, etc.

High calorie snacks are great but it’s best to have a well thought out eating regimen, so you can plan and prepare your meals for the week. However, we’ve all had those times where we get away from our plan or fail to prepare a meal and we need something quick to maintain our caloric intake. Below are some suggestion for snacks you can have when you can’t get to, or don’t have time for a real meal. With that said, please keep in mind the importance of consuming regular balanced meals. I suggest using high calorie snacks like these to fill in the gaps.

Breakfast cereal – Cereal is a great tasting high calorie snack that you can take and eat almost anywhere; just remember to also pack some fruit and nuts. A 50 gram serving will give you about 185 calories. Some cereals can be full of added sugar and don’t offer much in the way of nutritional value, so instead you should go for a healthy cereal option like Special K. Check to see if the cereal contains ingredients like whole grains, oats, and has 13 grams or less of sugar, per serving. Also, who says it’s suitable to eat only for breakfast? You can have it anytime of the day, it makes a great night time snack.

Meal replacement shake – These are great and many different companies make shakes like these. Some of these meal replacements come in a powder form that you mix with water or milk; while others are already in a liquid form that you can drink whenever you’re ready. All of them usually have a good balance of all the macro-nutrients you need to support healthy nutrition.

Protein bars – Weightlifters have a notorious reputation for always munching on these or stocking their bags with these bars. I recommend trying Optimum 100% Whey Crisp Bars, Marshmallow Treat. The marshmallow flavor of this protein bar tastes great, can be easily chewed and digested, and has a good macro-nutrient profile.

Granola bars – These are much cheaper than protein bars and sometimes they can be just as effective. Just compare the nutritional panel on each of them and find a bar that meets your needs.

How about a smoothie – You can make smoothies at home and take them with you or if you live in a city like New York with at least 2 delis on most city blocks, you can get someone else to whip you up one in a jiffy. Most of the shops or juice bars that make smoothies usually have some protein powder on hand and a bunch of other stuff that you might not have otherwise considered adding to your smoothie.

Ice Cream or a milk shake – Very tasty and plenty of calories in the form of carbohydrates, protein and fat. I suggest choosing a brand that is lower in cholesterol and saturated fat.

Bananas – This fruit is a good source of potassium, quick calories, and fiber. You can find bananas almost anywhere in the world, and at anytime. Have a couple bananas when you can’t get to a full meal.

Yogurt – Not only is yogurt full of protein; it’s a very valuable snack because of the active cultures (good bacteria) it contains. These cultures have been known to improve your digestive system and support a healthy immune system. When you’re shopping for yogurt be sure to read the label and only buy brands that contain “live and active cultures”. A suggestion is to add fruit and nuts to the yogurt as desired for even more calories.

A quick sandwich – It’s true you can make a sandwich out of anything: tuna, deli meat, peanut butter, etc! Another idea is to use wraps (like a tortilla) and spread out some salad greens, cheese, and meat and roll it up.

Doughnuts, brownies, or cookies – I am not by any means suggesting that you load up on sweets as your high calorie snacks, but when you can’t get to a real meal treats like these will help you meet your caloric goals.

Fruits are an excellent food choice for people who lift weights and trying to gain weight. Despite being high in natural sugars, fruits are nutritionally very good for us. Simple carbs are also very concentrated, so they are an easy way to add calories.

I believe that fruits are the most underestimated part of a weight gain diet. Unfortunately, fruits are often overlooked by many people, especially the younger guys who think its all about protein intake. Protein is important for building muscle, but if you eat too much protein, your body will resort to using it for energy rather than building muscle. Not good! You want to get calories from other food sources like fruits (bananas and apples, for example) which are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Even though you are lifting heavy weights to gain muscle mass, your body is required to prioritize its activities. Way down the list of priorities is building muscle. You need to keep the heart pumping and the organs working to stay alive. By eating fruits you supply your body with the vitamins and minerals necessary to keep you healthy. A healthy body with a strong immune system is conducive to getting more muscular, so make it a priority to eat more fruits. Here are five ways to include more fruit in your diet:

1. Eat fruit for breakfast

A fruit salad is the perfect for anytime of the day but is great for breakfast. Its a light meal and makes you feel good. I find the energy lasts a lot longer than traditional breakfasts like toast and cereal. To make a fruit salad, you can add apple, grapes, tomato, sultanas etc. Add whatever fruits you prefer really.

If you are in a bit of a rush in the mornings, you can also add it to cereal. Add a tonne of fruit to your cereal bowl with milk and honey. This will turn any ordinary cereal into something really tasty! A delicious breakfast that gives you everything you need.

2. Snack on fresh and dried fruit

When you are hungry try having fresh fruit like a banana, apple or dried fruit. Don’t always think about a can of coke or some hot chips. Think about eating some fruit they are great to snack on. One of my favorite fruit snacks is dried apricots I can’t get enough of them. Consider adding dried fruits to a nuts mix. It’s a really yummy and high calorie snack. You can even make your own dried fruit.

3. Add fruit to your weight gain shake

Adding fruit to weight gain protein shakes is a great way to get more vitamins and minerals after working out and will also help fill you up. Banana is best or any frozen fruits like strawberries and berries will add flavor and calories. These weight gain shake recipes should give you some ideas.

4. Fruit smoothies

A fruit and yogurt smoothie is a quick and easy way to get more fruit in your diet. After a workout its best to have a high protein weigh gain shake, but for other times of the day, a fruit smoothie is a great alternative. These fruit smoothie recipes should give you some ideas. No time to make one? There are a ton of those juice shops which provide juices and smoothies squeezed from pure fruit.

5. Drink fresh fruit juice

Fruit juice is more concentrated then eating the fruit itself, thus a good option when gaining weight to consume more calories. For example, one medium size orange contains about 60 calories, drinking a glass of orange juice contains about 160 calories.

And I don’t mean you should drink the juice you can buy at the supermarket. That fruit juice has been heated to temperatures that kill its nutritional value and has had preservatives added to stay on the shelf longer.

The type of fruit juice I am talking about is the real stuff that you make yourself – 100% natural fruit juice, where you add a variety of fruits into a juicer and drink it fresh. This is a much more healthful option then drinking supermarket fruit juice. In fact, not only is fruit juice a healthy and nutritious drink and easy way to get extra calories, but the juice diet has also gained momentum in the weight loss world.

As a hardgainer, you understand the importance of protein, and when you are trying to include more protein in your diet, there is only so many cans of tuna you can have before you begin to hate tuna with a passion. The trick is to eat muscle building foods which are versatile and can be easily combined with other ingredients to make a tasty meal.

1. Peanut butter

The number one super food to us hardgainers is peanut butter. Peanut butter is tailor made for hardgainers and many seriously credit it with helping them gain weight. While being calorie dense it does not have much saturated fat, it has carbohydrates as well as proteins making it a complete meal. Snack on some crunchy peanut butter and celery sticks, have a peanut butter sandwiches or eat a few spoonfulls.

2. Low fat milk

Another super food for hardgainers is milk, especially low-fat or two percent milk. This is full of good carbohydrates, protein and has enough calories to really help a hardgainer. It’s easy to mix milk with fruit and protein powder to make a tasty weight gain shake. Having a weight gainer shake as the last thing you eat before bed is a good idea. This can be replaced by mixing some flax seed or canola oil with some whey and milk. This is to cater to calorie loss during hours of sleep. As soon as you wake up, you have to once again eat with a vengeance.

3. Chicken breast

Chicken breast is another super food to include in a hardgainer’s diet because it’s one of the best sources of lean protein. You should be taking chicken breast, lettuce, and mayo sandwiches to work everyday.

4. Fruits & vegetables

A muscle building diet should also consist of lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Similar to protein requirements, you should try and include some fruit and vegetables with every meal. Eat fresh fruit like berries, bananas, and oranges. Good veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, squash, and yams.

5. Brown rice

Brown rice is another really good super food to include in a hardgainer’s diet because it’s a great source of complex carbs. You can serve brown rice alongside chicken breast and cooked beans to form a good post workout meal when your body really needs the carbs and protein. Brown rice can also be used to make a tasty stir fry, which is one of my personal favorites.

As proper nutrition for hardgainers you need to consume a good mixture of carbohydrates and protein every time you eat. To ensure that you are never hungry, carry high calorie muscle building foods such as peanut butter, protein bars, and fresh fruit and veggies to curb the appetite.

When in situations where you have to eat fast food, go for the better nutrition option by going for the chicken burger instead of the fries. When possible eat the grilled and not the fried. If at all possible, avoid the desserts and highly processed snacks, instead fulfill that hunger with a few spoonfuls of peanut butter, yogurt, or glass of milk.

But what matters most is to EAT even when you don’t feel hungry. If you have a weak appetite, look for ways to increase your appetite naturally, and when you do not have a choice, eat what is available to you, just make sure to EAT because you are a hardgainer and you want to beat your metabolism into submission.

By far, caffeine is the most popular drug in the world. But is caffiene good for working out? That is the question many lifters would like the answer to. We drink coffee, cola, tea and energy drinks, so we consume a lot of caffeine everyday. But what do you really know about it? Is it good for working out, and most importantly, good for your health?

I thought it would be a good idea to take a deep look into caffeine and find out whether it is something that is good for you or not. I started doing my research and the first thing I noticed is that there is a lot of conflicting information about this substance. Some say it is good, other say it is bad. So look at the advantages and disadvantages of taking caffeine when working out and then decide for yourself.

The Advantages and Benefits of Caffeine

Now it is time to take a look at some of the advantages of this popular drug.

1. It makes you feel good

When you develop a slight addiction to caffeine it makes you feel good when you consume it. This is evident in people who drink a lot of coffee. An early morning cup makes them feel great but if they go a day without one they are grumpy and tired. So this benefit is also a negative.

2. It will increase exercise performance

Bodybuilders and many other athletes have been using caffeine for a long time to enhance their training and workouts. While it is usually illegal to use during a sporting even itself, caffeine does provide you with a lot of energy and extra stimulation. It might help you go that little bit farther when working out at the gym. This is why Caffeine is the most common ingredient in pre-workout supplements.

3. It increases mental alertness

If you need to study for exams or work then the stimulants in caffeine can help you stay focussed for longer. It helps you stay attentive and alert but too much can make you feel too awake and agitated.

4. It can help with burning fat

It has been shown for a long time now that caffeine can improve your fat loss results. For example, many bodybuilders will take a caffeine supplement or have a cup of coffee before going to the gym to do their cardio as it can help with the workout. The way it does this is to speed up your metabolism as well as helping to break down the fat itself.

5. Prevents bowel cancer

One of the best benefits of caffeine, however, is that it can help prevent bowel cancer. This is in relation to coffee – it can help you clean out your bowels by making you go to the toilet more; partly due to the diuretic function that it has.

6. Prevents other illnesses

Caffeine in some forms has shown to have a preventative effect for some long term diseases like diabetes and alzheimer’s disease. This is a big bonus for anyone who drinks coffee or tea.

The Disadvantages and Dangers of Caffeine

Now that we have looked at the advantages of caffeine it is important to look at some of dangers that are associated with this drug.

1. Sleeplessness and anxiety

If you have problems sleeping or are highly stressed then too much caffeine is a bad idea. This relates to the stimulant effect that caffeine has one the body – it wakes everything up.

2. It can increase blood pressure

If you have heart problems then this drug isn’t a good idea (nor is any drug for that matter!). It has been shown to increase blood pressure as well as speeding up the heart rate.

3. It is addictive

The bad thing about drugs is that they are addictive. Once your body gets used to a certain amount it needs more to stay happy. This is the same with caffeine. Many people start off drinking a cup of coffee in the morning but after a while they need one at lunch and in the afternoon as well. Soon they need more then two or three cups during the day just to function properly. It would be a more healthful approach to fuel your body with nutrients instead of stimulants.

4. It comes in bad foods

Think about the times when you consume caffeine. Usually it is a coffee with cream and two sugars, a can of Coke filled with more sugar than you care to think about or in chocolate where, again, the fat and sugar is a worry. This is a serious downside to caffeine, more often then not it’s associated with the foods you want to try and avoid.

5. It can be detrimental to building lean muscle

Excessive caffeine consumption can increase cortisol levels in the body, placing it in a catabolic state. This is the oppositive of what you are trying to acheive if you want to gain muscle weight.

6. It’s easier then you think to overdose on caffeine

Caffeine is not just in coffee. You will find it in teas, chocolate, and many soft drinks/energy drinks. While you think you may only be drinking two cups per day, you may in fact be consuming a lot more.

In Conclusion

Like anything that we consume it is important to do it in moderation. If you are drinking more than two to three cups of coffee per day it is likely that it’s doing more harm then good. If your goal is to gain weight then you should try and minimize caffeine intake whenever possible.

However, I don’t see it as being a huge problem if you occasionally consume a strong coffee in the morning or occasionally take caffeine supplements to boost your workouts.

Due to the diuretic effect it can have it would be a good idea to consume water when you are drinking coffee to prevent dehydration.

Understanding how to accurately read food labels is a very important skill when starting a weight gain diet. It’s an important skill because you want to be able to determine how much protein, carbohydrate, and fat is present in the foods that you eat, and which foods to avoid.

Serving Size

The important thing you need to realize is that even though food labels list a certain number of calories per serving, this does not mean you are in fact consuming this number calories per serving. Often times the serving size listed on the food label is not accurate. This is a problem because the nutrition food label is based on the “serving size,” so if you make the mistake of assuming this is correct then you will be getting the wrong information.

So, what should you do to get an accurate serving size? After a while it will just become second nature and you will know how many calories you are eating just by looking at the serving size. I generally recommend breaking out the measuring scales for a few weeks when first getting started, until you have a good eye for determining serving size.

Calories

Calculating the total number of calories would have to be the most important data on the food label if you are trying to gain weight. Figuring out the correct number of calories from protein, carbohydrate, and fat is relatively straightforward. You simply have to take the number of grams listed in the amount per serving and multiply this number by 4 for protein and carbs. Figuring out the fat calories is a bit different. Take the number of grams of fat listed in the amount per serving and multiply this number by 9.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrate would have to be the most misunderstood piece of information on food labels. Regardless of what you may have read, carbohydrate is an important part of a bulking up diet and should make up about 50% of total calories. There are two main types of carbohydrate – simple and complex carbs, but they are not created equal. Most of your calories from carbs should come from complex sources, but how do you know if a food is a simple or complex carbohydrate?

The first way of knowing whether or not a food is a simple carb or complex carb is identifying which foods fit into these two categories. Foods which contain complex (good) carbohydrates include most fruits, vegetables, pasta, beans, nuts, oats, whole grains, whole wheat bread and brown rice. Simple (bad) carbs can be found in most types of junk food, such as cakes, candy, soda, syrups, white bread and white rice.

The second way of knowing whether or not a certain food is a simple or complex carb is by reading the nutrition label. Listed below total carbohydrate is “dietary fiber” and “sugars”.

Dietary fiber is the indigestible parts of plant cells and is one of the few nutrients which you want to be high on the food label. If a food has a high amount of fiber (only needs to be a few grams), it’s more then likely a complex carb. Although it’s considered a carbohydrate, fiber does not convert to glucose and therefore does not raise your blood sugar the same way other carbohydrates typically do, which is what makes a complex carb good in the first place.

The “sugars” section includes those that are present naturally in the food. For example, lactose which is present in milk and fructose in fruit, as well as sugars added to the food during processing. Your body usually can’t distinguish between natural and processed sugars. Foods which have high sugar content will usually mean it’s a simple carb, so it’s best to stay away from them as much as possible.

Do you occasionally find yourself fatigued only half way through your workouts? What you eat before and after your workouts can play a role in how energetic you feel for your workout and how quickly you recover afterwards. In this article I will focus on pre workout nutrition.

Your body strives to maintain a certain amount of blood sugar (glucose) in your blood stream to be used for fuel. Different foods affect how quickly your blood sugar rises. When your blood sugar rises too quickly, your body responds by releasing extra insulin (insulin is what allows the sugar to go from your blood stream into the cell to be used as energy or stored for later usage). When this surge of insulin has done its job, the “rebound effect” has happened; your blood sugar levels drop too low, thus leaving you feeling fatigued – a.k.a. the quick sugar fix.

If you skip pre workout meals or go too long without eating before a workout, your blood sugars will drop very low, leaving you feeling fatigued, dizzy, weak, and possibly nauseous. The more intense your workouts, the more benefits you will receive. If you do not properly fuel your body for a workout, you will not be able to put energy into your weight training routine. The lackluster workouts will negatively effect your muscle building capacity which is why pre workout nutrition is so important!

Not all foods affect everybody the same way. Certain classes of foods tend to be predictable for the majority of the population, but certain foods will vary from person to person. The best thing to do is experiment to see what works best for you and how your body responds to certain foods.

The best pre workout snack is a food that raises your blood sugars slowly. These foods are slow digesting, therefore the sugars from the foods are released very slowly into your bloodstream, your body releases small amounts of insulin at a time, which translates into a steady energy supply over several hours.

Now the complicated part is not all types of foods are slow or quick to digest. For example most fruits are slow to digest, except for bananas and raisins. Each food has to be tested separately to be classified, and then the results will vary from person to person. Here are some of the factors affecting how foods are rated:

• How much fiber is in a food. Foods with higher fiber content take longer to digest.
• Sugar content. Sugar is quickly digested and released into the blood stream.
• Fructose (fruit sugar). Fructose is a simple sugar, but takes longer to digest because it must go to the liver first to be converted into glucose and then sent back to your bloodstream where your body can use it for energy.
• Raw or cooked. Cooking makes a food more digestible. Raw foods take longer to digest.
• Protein content. Approx. 65 percent of protein becomes glucose, but it takes 6-8 hours to do so. Foods with protein take longer to digest.
• Fat. Fat takes longer to digest, and therefore has a stabilizing affect on blood sugar.
• Processing. Processed foods tend to have fiber removed, and therefore are quickly digested.

Since foods that take longer to digest give a steady supply of energy, these foods are the best pre workout foods. For the most part they are complex carbohydrate foods and most fruits, which should make up the basis of your pre workout nutrition. They should be eaten 2 to 3 hours before your workout. If eaten just before working out your body will not have time to digest the food and it will lay in your stomach because your blood has been diverted away from digestion and to the working muscles, causing you to feel bloated or sick.

Here are some good slow digesting (low glycemic index) pre workout foods:

1. Apples
2. Oranges
3. Grapes
4. Grapefruit
5. 1/2 cup of pasta
6. A few slices of whole grain bread
7. Oats
8. Yogurt
9. Nuts
10. 1/2 cup of brown rice

Let’s be realistic though, there are times when you don’t have time to eat 2 to 3 hours before working out. In this case, you should turn to faster digesting foods which will give you a quick short burst of energy. They should be eaten 20 to 60 minutes before your workout.

Here are some good fast digesting (high glycemic index) pre workout foods:

1. Bananas
2. Raisins
3. Energy Bars

If you are looking for a good pre workout snack idea, you can try this recipe:

• 1/2 large Banana
• 1 tbsp Raisins
• 1/4 ounce Walnuts
• 1 tsp Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup cooked Quaker Oatmeal

Let’s face it. There can also be times when you may have to get up early in the morning to do your workout and don’t have time to eat before working out. In situations like this I will usually just have a banana and strong coffee.

Do you guys usually have something to eat before a workout if you train first thing in the morning? Thought I’d ask the question in case anyone is interested in a discussion. Something I haven’t touched on is pre workout supplements, but I will discuss this in a different post.

Regardless of what you may have read, breakfast is not the most important meal of the day. While you don’t want to skip breakfast, the pre and post-workout meals would have to be the most important meals of the day, because they fuel your workouts and post workout your muscles demand the nutrients to repair and build muscle tissue so you can grow.

Pre and post workout nutrition will supply all the nutrition that the body needs to build muscle. During workouts the body needs essential nutrients to withstand strenuous workouts. After the workouts, the body is highly in need of essential nutrients, as it is exhausts them during workouts. A proper weight gain diet must have five to six short meals in a day, eating approximately every 3 hours like clockwork.

Muscle building nutrition must be very specific in terms of calories consumed. Adjust the calorie intake value according to how much weight you want to gain. When you increase the workouts, it amounts to reduction in intake of calories. More exercising has to be compensated with more intakes of calories to support your high intensity workouts.

Pre-workout meals should be light and higher in carbohydrates, which fuel your activity, not high-protein, and not fill your stomach. This can be done with a shake or food. If you eat too much then your system is diverting blood to digesting the food and not supplying your muscles with oxygen and nutrients. Before a strenuous high intensity workout, eat about three hours before working out to avoid indigestion. By doing so the body effectively absorbs all the nutrients and gets ready for the strenuous workouts. Liquid meals can be also be taken for a pre-workout meal. They can be more convenient because your body effectively digest liquid meals, so you can have them within half an hour of the workout.

For a post-workout meal, again either a shake or food, with a ratio of 3 or 4:1 of carbs to protein. The carbs help replenish the glycogen storage you have used while working out and fuel the body as it recovers, and the protein helps to repair and build muscle tissue. It’s also a really good idea to combine carbs with protein. In order to get the most from a protein shake you need to have the correct amount of carbs in the shake for the protein to get delivered correctly.

How long should I wait to eat after working out? Try to consume these nutrients within an hour of working out, that seems to be the best window while your body is looking to absorb these nutrients.

There is more to building muscle then just lifting weights. A muscle building diet (commonly referred to as a weight gain diet or high protein diet) is a heck of a lot more important then most people give it credit for. If you are not eating enough to grow, then you will not build muscle, it’s simple. So, what is your current diet of choice to put on some bulk? Are you testing out a muscle building high protein diet plan which has proven to add lean muscle with the least amount of body fat. If you aren’t then your muscle building capacity will be greatly affected. It makes sense to follow a strict diet plan which you know works.

I used to be one of those individuals who struggled with massive weight gain. I knew I was meant to be ALWAYS eating but I did not know how to approach it properly. That was until I discovered what muscle building foods to eat, when to eat, how much to eat and specific micro nutrient ratios in order to maximize muscle gain. Even though I’ve gained 40 pounds after starting a muscle building program specifically for hardgainers, I am always trying to pack on more muscle, so a muscle building diet which is high protein has be something that you will want to stick with. This means making sure the diet is practical and contains a great deal of variety so eating doesn’t become a monotonous task. There is only so much canned tuna you can eat!

What is a good muscle building diet?

When it comes to a worthy muscle building diet, you should always remember that what you put in your body is crucial. Loads of McDonalds and Burger King will not do the trick. Hopefully you weren’t misguided in thinking that eating dirty would benefit you any. It’s basically all made up of fat and sodium. These are two elements that your body generally doesn’t need more of. Most of us get plenty of both in what we consume daily.

Now, as for a decent muscle building diet, you will require heaps of protein. Try and get a bit of protein in every meal. This is where I will make a recommendation. In addition to your high protein sources such as chicken, turkey, eggs, milk and vegetables, I will also suggest whey protein powder. This is a new-age thing. It became popular after the whole soy protein spiel, and it’s supposed to be better. Whey protein comes in a powder form and you can mix it with skim milk. I purchased a two pound container of Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein for 22 dollars. Once added with milk, fruit and cooked oats to make a weight gain shake, it’s like 40 grams of protein or more. That’s pretty decent and is convenient for a post workout drink when your muscles demand a fast digesting protein. If you are trying a muscle building diet, two whey protein shakes a day will add quite a bit to your usual eating habits.

One of the key elements that must go along with any muscle building diet is weight training. You want to build your arms, legs and abs? That’s fine! Now you have to adopt a good weight training regime. It’s imperative to build those muscles. What you’ll ideally want is high weights and low reps. This is the most efficient way to get results. Start your muscle building diet today.