I know what it feels like to train, eat, and sleep with zero progress. You try everything, yet nothing works. But you know what?
It all boils down to something. Odds are, you are not immune from the laws of the universe, one of which is the following:
If you eat more calories than you burn, you MUST gain weight.
It’s just that simple. Now, I’m not saying whether the weight you gain will be fat or muscle, just that if you aren’t gaining weight, you aren’t eating enough. Period.
Or, alternatively, you’re doing too much exercise (you’re burning too many calories). One of the things hardgainers have – that they don’t want – is a fast metabolism. So, one thing you’ll want to explore is slowing down your metabolism. This is easier said than done.
It’s mostly mental, however. Just relax. Calm down. Don’t worry. Life is good. Meditate. If you find yourself tapping your toes, stop. If you find your leg twitching while watching the tube, STOP (I hate that)!
But the bottom line really is to eat more. Eat stuff that makes you hungry an hour later, like white rice (essentially, high glycemic foods, food that causes a rapid rise in blood sugar and an outpouring of insulin). Of course, don’t consume “empty calories” like soda and flavored water. Rather, stick with white rice, fruit juice, pastas, and bread.
Eat something like that with every meal. And make sure you’re taking in enough protein. What is enough? At least one and one-half grams per pound of bodyweight (remember to adjust your intake as your weight increases).
Don’t just eat 3 meals, either. You want your blood flush with the building blocks of protein, amino acids. Constantly keep your belly full by eating every 2-3 hours, all day long. You can facilitate all this food intake by mixing up a weight gain shake in the morning and carrying it around with you all day, taking sips every 15-20 minutes.
Rest assured, eating this much and this often is difficult. But it’s necessary.
And know that I share your pain. Overweight folks think it’s hard to cut calories. I think it’s even harder to eat when you’re not hungry! It’s really not natural.
Eat more. Train less. Relax.
In short, become a bear.
If you want to learn more about how to bulk up, gain weight, and get the best and biggest body of your life, check out Hardgainer’s Manifesto.
If you ever feel like giving up, read this for inspiration. It’s just news story, so there isn’t much meat here, but the guy started bodybuilding 3 years ago – at 58!