Bulk Up / Weight Gain Questions and Answers
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Question

how’s it going lee i know your a busy man and probably get a lot people write you so i hope you have time to listen. im 5"8 138 pounds im 28 years old and weighed this sence i was 19 years old. i red a lot of crapp on "how to gain weight" it don’t work and nothing ever has worked. they say i nead to eat more, but if i eat any more i think ill blow up. ive tried creatine, testosterone boosters, weight gainers, meal bars, ive ate 2500 calories a day, 250 grams of protein, i tryed evey thing people told me to. i want to change my body my life and my mind i need some advice. im not looking to weight 200 pounds, 170 pounds would be cool with me and im not looking to be ripped up with paper thin skin with veins sticking out i just want to have a solid frame and be at peace with myself, i hope to here from you soon.

thanks,
terry

Answer

Hi Terry,

I know this is not what you want to hear, but the reason you are not gaining weight is simply because you are not eating enough. For your fast metabolism 2500 calories per day will just maintain your bodyweight. You need to consume between 3000-3500 calories every single day in order to gain weight.

It really comes down to calories in verses calories out. Regardless of what supplements you take or how hard you workout in the gym. You need to eat over and above what your body burns off in order to have a caloric surplus to grow from.

It is just like if you were running a business. If your income doesn't exceed your expenses then you will never turn a profit, no matter how hard you work.

I have some good bulk up eating tips that you should read at: http://www.leehayward.com/get_bigger.htm

Question

Hi Lee,

I recently joined your message boards after finding your site through google. I've read all of the section on beginner weight training.

Anyways, here's my current situation and I'm wondering what you might suggest.

I'm about 5'9-5'10. I was overweight and was 200 lbs. I lost practically 50 pounds over a period of 6 months by mainly just doing cardio and eating 5 meals a day. I basically set the goal of getting to 150 to start weight lifting and now that I've reached it I'm not really sure where to go. I still eat 5 meals a day, I was drinking Myoplex Lite meal supplements at the time but had to stop recently because I believe that it has caused me to have some acid reflux problems.

My main goal is to bulk up as much as I can. At most I would like to be 180 lbs. with muscle. Other side goals I want for myself are to increase my arm strength because I play tennis and also increase my vertical leap since I play basketball recreationally as well.

Basically, I just want to know what routine should I follow to make my goals possible. I'm also wondering what kind of supplements/meal replacements/protein shakes/etc. I could take to help maximize my goals.

Also, I wanted to know a little bit more about nutrition/dieting. I've already gotten some questions answered but I really want to know how people can count how many calories, protein, carbs, fats, etc. in everything they eat for the day. Is the best way to do this just basically to measure everything?

Any type of guidance you can give me when it comes to weight lifting is what I'm looking for. I just feel like I'm in limbo right now since I don't really know what to do since I don't want to injure myself weight lifting the wrong way (I've done it before, had a hernia surgery done a couple years ago). I appreciate your time to read my email and give me some feedback.

Jonathan

Answer

Hi Jonathan,

A great program that you should checkout that will explain the whole process of gaining lean muscular bodyweight is the Bio-Genetic Program. This program breaks the whole muscle gaining process down into a simple step by step plan. It tells you exactly what foods to eat, what workouts to perform in the gym, what supplements to take, etc. You'll really benefit from reading it.

But in the mean time I suggest that you start off with my beginners bodybuilding routine. A good schedule is to weight train every second day and then you can do cardio or play sports on your off days from weight training.

You can continue to eat 5 meals per day. You can find out your caloric needs with this Calorie Calculator Formula.

A good nutrient split for gaining muscular bodyweight is 35% protein, 45% carbs, and 20% fat. To find out how much protein, carbs, and fat are in the foods you eat you should checkout http://www.calorieking.com they have listings of nutritional information for virtually every food you can think of.
(Note: each gram of protein has 4 calories, each gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories, and each gram of fat has 9 calories)

To know how much you are eating you basically have to weigh and measure your food, calculate the nutritional numbers, and then write them down. It is a bit tedious at first, but you'll get the hang of it and it will be a snap within a couple weeks.

I have a list of my top 5 recommended supplements. These supplements will help speed your progress along by meeting the nutritional demands of your hard training.

Question

Hi Lee,

Im 17 years old and have been attending the local gym to lift weights for about year. It started well and I have bulked up since the start, I was around 9.6 stone and I am now around 10.5 stone. But I have hit my plateau and I do not know what to do. I have read on your site that I should change my workout but this is hard at my gym as it is very basic, it contains a chest press, lat pulldown, deltoids and pectoral fly machine, two leg weight machines, stomach cruncher, weights in a frame to attach different handles to and cardio machines.

I have currently started to work specific muscles on different days i.e pecs and biceps on monday, lats and triceps on tuesday etc.

For the last few months nothing has changed at all, I have got slightly stronger and can now chest press 112kg instead of 70kg when i first started, but i am not building anymore muscle. Please could you reply and help me!!

Tom

Answer

Hi Tom,

Those are great gains! As long as you are gaining strength you are also gaining muscle. Because a stronger muscle is a bigger muscle (and vise versa). But to increase your bodyweight you'll need to really focus on your nutrition. Try to eat 20 calories per pound of bodyweight per day. So for you this will equal approx. 3000 calories per day.

Focus your diet around protein foods such as beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, protein bars, etc. Complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, high fiber cereals, potatoes, yams, whole wheat pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. Limit your fat intake and avoid eating junk-foods. Make sure to eat a meal or snack every 3 hours during the day.

To find out how much calories, protein, carbohdyrates, fat, etc. are in the food you eat check out http://www.calorieking.com

As for your workouts, you can still change up your routine with the limited amount of exercise equipment that you have available. One routine that produces great results and doesn't require a lot of different exercises is the German Volume Training program (aka 10 sets of 10 reps).

Question

Hi Lee,

My name is Zafir Khan. I am 18 years old, and I have been lifting since January 1st of this year. In 5 months, I have went from being 5'10 129 lbs to being 152 lbs. My goal is to get up to about 165-170, but my weight gain has slowed down to a crawl.

I am a pure ectomorph, and it is basically impossible for me to gain any fat, so cutting isn't an issue with me. Here's how I put on my 23 lbs.

Diet
Meal 1 12 PM
2 packets of oatmeal
2 scoops of cytogainer + 1 tbsp peanut butter + milk
1 glass milk

Workout

Meal 2 2 PM
3-4 hot 'n spicy sandwiches from mcdonalds
small fries
1 glass milk

Meal 3 5:30 PM
1 can chicken breast and water
2 scoops of cytogainer + 1 tbsp peanut butter + milk
1 glass milk

Meal 4 9 PM
2-3 chicken breasts
Baked potato or pasta
1 glass milk

Meal 5 midnight
peanut butter sandwich
2 glasses of milk

Training
M Chest/triceps/calves
T Back and biceps
W Off
Th Chest/shoulders/calves
F Legs
S Off
Su Workout or off, depending on mood

Can you give me any advice on how to stimulate my growth again? Maybe I should make my diet more strict, add more calories, take more advanced supplements such as glutamine caseine, multi-vitamin? Or maybe a different training routine?

Thanks!
-Zafir

PS: I have also tried taking some time off training (1-2 weeks) and that didn't work either, I tried it a few times actually.

Answer

Hi Zafir,

Great job on gaining 23 lbs. over the past 5 months. That works out to approx. 1 lb. weight gain per week which is good progress.

To continue making steady gains in size and strength you simply need to increase your calorie intake so that you have a caloric surplus to grow from. You should eat a meal around 9:00 am to get extra calories in your system early in the day. Something like eggs, toast, piece of fruit, and a glass of milk would be a good breakfast. This should also help your workouts because you'll have 2 solid meals in you before you hit the gym. With more glycogen in your muscles you'll most likely feel stronger.

Keep your other meals the same. By just adding another meal per day you should be able to continue to gain at least 1 lb. of bodyweight per week.

If you are looking for a change in your workout routine, you should check out my 12 week training program.

Question

Hey Lee,

I am sure that you get a ton of emails but I am hoping that you respond to this soon. I just recently, well about 3.5 months ago, got into weight lifting. Before then I was a total runner and loved it! Now I am really into lifting. I have gained about 7 pounds of muscle in the past 11 weeks. I have lost a few inches and have nice muscle gains. However, I really wanted to add some bulk and more muscle in the following three weeks.

I am 5’2, 108 pounds. I eat very well, consuming about 2500 calories a day and take Amino’s. I am not sure how many calories I should eat. I feel “bad” eating a lot that isn’t protein and what not because I am afraid of getting fat.

Can you help me out? I need to gain bulk and mass.

Thanks
Marybeth
United states air force

Answer

Hi Marybeth,

I just calculated your caloric intake and you require approx. 2200 calories per day to maintain your bodyweight based on your stats and activity level. So eating 2500 calories per day will give you a slight caloric surplus and allow you to gain lean bodyweight without excess fat gain.

Divide your food intake so you eat 40% from protein, 40% from carbohydrates, and 20% from fat. These are ideal ratios for lean muscle growth. Eat a small meal every few hours during the day. Focus on good clean wholesome foods such as lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, potatoes, yams, pasta, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, etc. Avoid eating junk foods, sweets, etc. because these are easily converted into bodyfat.

If you would like to learn more about training and nutrition for gaining muscular bodyweight you should get a copy of the Bio-Genetic Weight Gain Program this is an excellent program that will allow you to maximize your muscle gains.

Question

Hi Lee

First of all can i concratulate you on a fantastic website - very informative and extremely useful!!

I'm 22 years old and from Nottingham in the UK; I've been lifting wieghts now for about a year and a half - only really taking it seriously for about 10-11 months. At first i saw tremondous results and people were noticing that i had 'bulked' up, although now i seem to have hit a bit of a plateau! What is a realistic time frame to see noticeable results? I know this will depend on a variety of factors, my workout consists of 3 days a week doing weights splitting my muscle groups and 2-3 days cardio. I would appreciate any advice you could offer as i am starting to get a little dis-illusioned! Also, what are your views on Nitous Oxide? Have you ever used it?

Thanks in advance, I look forward to hearing from you!

Cheer, Dan

Answer

Hi Dan,

This is common with everyone who starts working out. They make great gains at the beginning because the training stimulus is so new and the body responds with good muscle growth. But once your body adapts to the workout routine the growth stops. When this happens you need to change things up to get your body growing again. I have a great 12 week training program that you should check out at: http://www.leehayward.com/workou t_programs/index.htm

As for Nitrous Oxide, yes I have used it and it does increase blood flow, etc. but it is not a must have supplement. It is not something that I use regularly. I have a list of my top 5 recommended supplements listed at: http://www.leehayward.com/lees_to p5_supplements.htm

Question

hey lee,

im 17 years old i weigh bout 138 i go to the gym about 3 times a week i havent gained much size but i have gained strength. what exercises do you think i should do to gain size for my chest and arms i dont take any supplements and i do have a semi healthy diet. also if you could reccomend how many sets and reps of each exercise to do it would be great.

thanks,
mike

Answer

Hi Mike,

The reason you are not getting bigger is because you are not seriously focusing on your diet. The training will make you stronger, but it is the eating that will make you bigger. A “semi-healthy” diet just doesn’t cut it. You are not going to maximize your progress in any endeavour if you only put in a 50% effort.

There is a great training and eating plan that you should check out called the "Squats and Milk Program" (aka 20 rep squat routine). This is an awesome program for making fast gains in muscular bodyweight.

Question

During your bulking phase don't you want to avoid all forms of cardio to put on as much size as possible? Also during your bulking phase do you still watch your diet or will you just eat anything? I was reading that Lee Priest will eat gallons of ice cream and just eat whatever he can find. What kinds of foods do you eat on your bulking phase? Is like hamburgers or B-Ques o.k. to eat?

Answer

Yes, you will gain more total bodyweight when bulking up if you don't do any cardio and eat what ever you want. However, a lot of the extra weight will just be excess bodyfat. I would much rather do a clean eating bulking program and include moderate cardio sessions about 3 times per week. You won't gain as much total bodyweight this way, but the weight you do gain will be more high quality muscle. It will also make it a hell of a lot easier to get lean when you switch your efforts to a dieting phase later on down the road.

Now when I say clean eating, that doesn't mean that I won't treat myself every now and then. But keep the junk food in moderation. Gallons of ice cream is not an ideal bodybuilding diet :-) Going from one extreme to another, from super strict when pre-contest dieting, to a fat pig when in the off season is just not healthy.

Question

Hey Lee - Great website. Very interesting articles on training and nutrition, and links to other good sites, too. Thanks for all the information.

I was wondering if I could get your take on my particular situation: I'm 29 years old, 5' 10", 165lbs. I've been working out for the past 3 years and have put on about 15 lbs. in that timeframe, some muscle and some fat. Honestly, I have a bit of a gut. I don't eat too poorly, but do eat some things like chips and sweets a bit here and there, and do some drinking maybe one night a week on the weekend.

I work out in the mornings generally, and I usually eat a banana and granola bar for breakfast and a protein shake. Lunch is usually a turkey/ham sandwich and pretzels, or a tuna wrap and pretzels. Dinner is usually another protein shake, a chicken dish or some type of red meat (burger or steak) with maybe some beans on the side or rice.

For all the heavy reps I do in the gym, I feel my parts don't grow that fast, and while everyone tells you that you can lift all you want, but you need to eat, too, I feel that I do eat a lot of the proteins I need, but that my gut is growing faster than my body parts that I'm working out. And I do change up my workout routine pretty regularly. Basically, I feel that sure my arms and legs are growing a bit (albeit slowly), but my gut is growing even faster.

My goals are A) To get a little bigger in the arms, chest, back and legs etc..., but I also want to lose the gut. I really shouldn't have a gut for a guy with my size frame. I know if I hit the cardio like crazy I could start to lose the gut, but I've tried that before, and I usually lose some of the muscle mass I've worked hard to build. So, I don't want to do that, and I don't want to be a buck fifty. That's too light. I guess my real goal is to be a solid (no gut) 170/175. That would be great!

Any suggestions? I'm even open to supplements, but do not want to take any epedra-based products, cuz I really don't want the shakes, if that makes sense.

Please let me know your thoughts. I'd greatly appreciate your advice.

Thanks,
Eric

Answer

Hi Eric,

In order to be 170+ lbs. with low bodyfat you will to first bulk up to at least 190 lbs. and then diet back down to 170 lbs. This is the way that all bodybuilders do it.

For example, when you see a middleweight bodybuilder in a contest that weighs 175 lbs. ripped, most likely he was over 200 lbs. and had a soft gut several months before the contest and dieted down to that weight.

I am sure you have heard people talk about someone who was overweight, started working out, and people then say that "he turned his fat into muscle". Well that is not how it works, but by being overweight there was also a lot of muscle mass under that fat and by losing the fat you can see the muscle underneath.

You have to look at the big picture. It is a 2 step process, get big and strong first, then get lean and ripped second. If you try to do both at the same time you will not make as good of progress.

To help minimize the fat gains you should stick to eating clean wholesome foods. Avoid eating chips, sweets, junk foods, etc. Increase your protein intake to at least 250 grams per day. Increasing your protein intake is one of the best ways to gain muscular bodyweight.

One of the best and cost effective ways to get extra protein in your diet is with protein powders. Having 3 protein drinks in addition to 3 high protein food meals per day will help you easily meet your protein requirements. You can get 10 lbs. of Optimum Nutrition Whey Protein for $50. This works out to only $5 per pound of high quality protein.

Question

Hi Lee,

I'm 23 years old, 180lbs, 5''7' and I've been training for about 3 years. I work out 4 times a week very heavy and I take 210 grams of protein. I've gained muscle but not as like i would want to. I want to take something that will make me blow up like you. I don't want to take prohormones or steroids because they will make me grow tities and I don't want that. Can you give me something else that can make me blow up really fast. Thanks so much.

Desperatly In need,

Joe

Answer

Hi Joe,

From the sounds of it you have already made some good progress. It takes time to build muscle mass. I have been working out regularly since 1990.

But one of the best mass building programs that I have found that delivers solid results in the matter of a few months is the "Bio-Genetic Muscle Building Program". Everyone that I know of who has followed this system has made excellent gains in both size and strength. I suggest that you check it out and try it for yourself.

Question

Hi Lee,

Thank you very much for all the useful info. I just had three quick questions.

- Is it okay to mix the protein powder with 2% milk and/or ice cream as I see that some people suggest just skim milk?

- You said that the best times to consume the protein powder are after a workout and before bed correct?

- Also I'm pretty sure that I read at your site that the only muscle group you can workout everyday are your abs is this correct also?

Answer

Yes you can mix protein with 2% milk and ice cream. This will be a great high protein, high calorie drink that will help you gain size and bulk.

You should have a protein drink with your breakfast to start your day with a good supply of protein, you should have another one after your workouts, and another in the evenings before bed.

The abs generally can recover quick so you can work them several times per week. But how often you work each muscle group depends on the type of workout routine that you are doing. For example, if you did a really long workout with lots of different exercises it will take longer to recover then if you did a short workout with fewer exercises.

One of my favorite muscle building workout programs is the "squats and milk program". This routine will help you quickly pack on some solid bodyweight.

Question

Dear Lee,

I am a 200 pound amature bodybuilder. I read your tips everyday but just can't find the right thing that will help me. I am trying to turn all my fat into muscle and gain more shape. I was hoping you could give me a tip on how to achieve my goal.

Answer

You can't turn fat into muscle. Fat and muscle are two completely different things. One can not become the other. You need to decide what is the most important goal for you right now, building muscle mass or losing bodyfat. You can not effectively do both at the same time. You need to focus on one thing at a time. That is why competitive bodybuilders have phases in their training where they focus on building muscle size, and phases where they focus on getting lean and ripped for competition.

I have a good article on my website that you should read called "Should I lose fat or should I gain muscle?".

Question

Hi Lee.

I just visited your web-site and I am very impressed with the information I received. I just have a question. I am 35 years old, 5'6" female. I have three children and weigh 120lbs. I work out 4-6times a week. I do Step Aerobics 2 of those days, cardio and weight training the other days. I am trying to build muscle mass because my legs, arms and shoulders are very thin. I have noticed some differance in my body since I've begun working out 4years ago, but I want to be a little more "cut" when I'm not flexing my muscles. I try to "push" myself and lift more each time, but sometimes I get so sore and it lasts for 3-4 days. I've read that if I take a glutamine supplement that should help and increase my protein. I usually do cardio before my weight training. Is this a recommended thing and do you have any other advice on muscle soreness. One of the areas I'm trying to build up and have the most trouble with is my butt and the back of my legs. They seem to hurt the most and take the longest time to recover. I want to increase the weight I use to really build muscle, but I'm afraid of the pain I will be in later.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You!
Kim

Answer

Hi Kim,

You need to eat a high protein diet in order to build lean muscle mass. At your size you should aim to eat 200 grams of protein per day. Yes, I know that this seems like a lot of protein, but it gets easier to eat a high protein diet as you get used to it. Protein powders such as Optimum Nutrition Whey protein will make it easier and a lot cheaper to get extra protein in your diet. Eating extra protein will also speed up your recovery and help reduce muscle soreness.

To gain more size you should only focus on weight training. Your 2 step aerobics classes per week are enough cardio and will help keep you in good cardiovascular shape. This along along with a high protein diet will help increase your muscle size and strength.

Question

I play football for a high school and I was the middle linebacker for JV. I am going up to varsity now and I am definetly not big enough to start. I need to get bigger and ripped but mainly bigger and I was wondering what a proper work out, diet, and supplements that aren't bad for you (like protein) are that will help me get bigger and stronger.

Answer

One of the best and fastest ways to pack on solid muscular bodyweight and increase strength is the 20 rep squat routine. I have the complete training and diet plan outlined on my website at: http://www.ironworkout.com/20_rep_squat.h tm

Question

Hey Lee,

I'm 18 years old and I am going on 3 years of working out. I have noticed everything growing except my arms. I try to use different exercises, but nothing seems to work. I get enough rest, i eat right, but i just need your opinion on what you think works best for arm growth. I'm not about even to think about steroids, i just think that's dumb. I'm 5'11 and weigh 188. What do you think i can do about my arms?

I work out 5 days a week.
Mon-Chest
Tues- Back
Wed- Arms
Thurs- Legs
Fri- Shoulders

Every day after my workout i consume cell-tech and 30 min later i use Nitro-tech. Is that bad to use? Later in the day i eat tuna and later i have pasta for carbs. I'm not really sure how much i consume exactly.

I do 3-4 sets for all these exercises

For chest i do bench, incline, decline and flys.
Back i do pulldowns, seated row, and a couple machines.
Arms- Curl with straight bar, triceps pulldowns, preacher curls, skullcrushers w/ cambered bar, seated dumbell curls, dips, and i use the cables for biceps.
Thursday- squats, leg extensions, leg curls, leg curl for hamstrings and calf rises
Friday- shoulder press with dumbells, seated raises, shrugs, front dumbell raises

Please get back to me thank you so much

Dan

Answer

Hi Dan,

You will need to get more serious about your diet if you want to get bigger and more muscular. Simply guessing how much you eat day in and day out will not cut it. When you start feeding your body the right amount of protein, carbs, fats, and calories you will make faster gains in the gym. Bodybuilding champions are made in the kitchen :-)

A good book to help you learn how much protein, carbs, fat, and calories are in the food you eat is "The Complete Book of Food Counts" you can get this at http://www.amazon.com This book is 800+ pages and has nutrition info for practically every single food you can think of.

You also need to get a food scale such as the one at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/194/1544.htm so you can weigh and measure how much you are eating. Simply guessing or eating until you are full is not good enough. You need to measure exactly how much you are eating and write it down. This will make gaining muscle a lot easier. Most guys fail to make gains in size and strength simply because they don't keep track of their nutrition. I know because I was like this myself when I started. It was only when I started keeping track of my food intake that I was able to make some solid gains in size and strength.

To gain muscular size you should eat:
250 grams of protein per day
450 grams of carbohydrates per day
100 grams of fat per day
(This will equal approx. 3700 calories per day)

Eat 5-6 times per day so each meal should contain 50 grams of protein, 90 grams of carbs, and 20 grams of fat. Some of your meals will be bigger then others, but these are good numbers to aim for with each meal.

Protein powders such as Optimum Nutrition Whey protein at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/81/986.htm will make it easier and a lot cheaper to get extra protein in your diet.

Your workout routine look good. But here are a few suggestions:

Try using dumbbells for your bench presses instead of a barbell. You can alternate back and forth by using dumbbell bench presses for a couple weeks and then using barbell bench presses for a couple weeks. Dumbbell bench presses will really work the smaller stabilizer muscles in your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

With your back workouts you should include chin ups and dead lifts. Chin ups will help build up your back and arms. Dead lifts will really help thicken your back and make you bigger and stronger all over.

With your arm workouts do less exercises, but really focus on make strength gains in the basic movements.

Here is a good arm routine you can try:
Barbell curls: 2 warm up sets, 2 heavy sets of 6 reps
Tricep push downs: 2 warm up sets, 2 heavy sets of 6 reps
Dumbbell curls: 3 sets of 10 reps
Over head dumbbell extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps
(you can see a pic of the last exercise at: http://www.ironworkout.com/ohdb.jpg)

Each arm workout if you can complete the heavy sets of 6 reps with good form, up the weight by 5 lbs. for your next workout. You can use this same idea with your other body parts as well. Instead of trying to do a lot of exercises. Focus on making steady strength gains in the basic exercises. A bigger muscle is a stronger muscle, getting strong is the key to getting big.

I have good training article that you should checkout at: http://www.leehayward.com/workout_programs/index.htm

Question

hey lee.. i'm 22/m, 140 lbs, 5'10. i lift heavy 3 days a week and eat like an animal(only clean foods though). I just started eating like this and have noticed a little body fat appearing on my abs and face. could i do like a 30 minute jog a few days a week to counter the fat accumulation, or would that destroy my muscle and metabolism? I've read that the more muscle you have the more bodyfat you burn, so if i do cardio will i actually gain bodyfat in the long run? i'm confused.

thanks a lot man

Answer

At your size you should focus on bulking up, don't worry if you gain a little bodyfat in the process. Most people limit their muscle gains simply because they are afraid to gain a bit of fat. It is much easier to lose fat then it is to build muscle. Anyone can get lean within 6 months of dieting (unless they are extremely fat to begin with). But it takes several years of hard training to build a thick muscular physique.

This year I bulked up to my heaviest bodyweight ever 240 lbs. at 5'7. Yes, I put some extra fat on in the process. But my size, strength, and muscle thickness went through the roof. I have been dieting now for the past few months getting ready for a bodybuilding contest that is coming up on Dec. 4. I am currently 205 lbs. and 6% bodyfat. I plan on weighing in at 195 lbs. ripped at the bodybuilding contest.

The only way to get big and muscular is to bulk up and gain as much size and strength as possible. Then diet down to lose any extra bodyfat that you gained in the process. You can't stay lean and get big. It just doesn't work that way.

I suggest that over the winter you focus on bulking up and get your bodyweight up to about 170 lbs. then in the spring you can start dieting and doing more cardio to get lean and cut for the summer. Most people like to cycle their training this way because everyone wants to be lean and look good for the summer time.

Question

hey lee-

i had a question about a new MASS diet i am starting. i am 6'2" 215, and i have lifted for about 2 yrs. my goal is to get ridiculously huge, and i finally have the time/money to do so. the diet i am starting (from this month's FLEX) is this: days 1-5, eat a ratio of 2:1 protein g/carbs g per pound of bodyweight, days 6-10, 3:1 p/c, days 11-12, 1:2 p/c, and days 13-14, it recommends to eat as much as you want, though basically clean. my thought is that since my metabolism is pretty slow, should i alter this diet a bit, as in adding a bit of cardio after my workouts, or cutting back on the carbs slightly, or....?? could you recommend the best way to stay lean while on this diet, or should i not worry about it, and just get some days of cardio in, in between the 2 wk cycles of this diet??

thanks very much for your help, and if you have ANY other suggestions such as hints and help to get as huge as possible, i would definitely appreciate it!

thanks very much in advance,

tim gereg

Answer

Hi Tim,

I read that article as well. I suggest that you follow the diet plan exactly as it is outlined. Don't change a thing. If your goal is to get huge then you need to pack on all the size you can. Worry about fat loss later. It is easier to lose fat then it is to build muscle. Most anyone can get lean within 6 months of dieting (unless they were totally fat and out of shape to begin with). But it will take several years of hard training to build thick muscle mass.

You should add in some cardio at least 3 days per week just to keep yourself in good cardiovascular shape. But focus on getting big now. Worry about fat loss later. If you are looking for a good mass building workout program I suggest that you check out my 12 week workout at: http://www.leehayward.com/workout_programs/index.htm

Question

Hello Lee,

I'm 26 and I am extremely thin and I don't know why, I'm thinking that maybe it's because I grew up on asthma medication. I just saw your page on back workouts after searching on this subject.

I've been doing some exercises and it seems like my lats are getting bigger just towards the upper part and it seems like it kind of makes me look even more disportionate because the mid-part of my chest (ribcage) is still thin. You know what I mean??? I've just been doing bent rows so far with 2 one gallon water containers, but I'm concerned that I'll just get bigger at the very top portion of my chest, but not the ribcage portion. Have you seen this before and do you have any suggestions?

Believe me when I say I would so much appreciate it...

In advance, thank you...

chris

ps i guess my question is if you know of anything that will increase the width of the ribcage portion of my chest, via back or whatever.

Answer

Hi Chris,

The reason you are underweight is because you are not eating enough. You need to increase your food intake in order to gain weight. The best way to do this is to eat more frequently. Don't go any longer then 2 hours with out eating something. Have 3-4 meals per day plus snacks in between meals. Keep track of your food intake and monitor your weight. Weigh yourself once per week at the same time (i.e. every Saturday morning). Aim to gain at least 1 lb. per week. If you are gaining at least 1 lb. per week then keep your eating the same because it is working. However, if you don't gain at least 1 lb. per week then you need to eat more food until you are gaining.

You should get a membership at a local gym and get one of the personal trainers at the gym to set you up on a good beginners weight training program. This is the best and fastest way to build muscle. Lifting water jugs at home is better then nothing. But it is nowhere near the quality of workout you can get at a gym. At the gym you will have access to exercise equipment that can work all major muscle groups and build an even and proportional physique.

Question

Hi Lee,

I have visited your site and I was wondering if you might able tohelp me with?? Im skinny guy, height 5.9ft weight 136lbs, My main aim is to put up as much weight as possible within a faster time. Nutrition supplement or steroids would be fine with me.

Thanks,
Kon

Answer

Hi Kon,

I highly recommend that you follow The Bio-Genetic Weight Gain Program. This is an excellent weight gain system that will help anyone put on solid muscular bodyweight and increase their strength. Every single person that I know of who has seriously followed this system has made awesome progress. Bodyweight gains of 20 lbs. in just a few months are typical for most guys with the Bio-Genetic Program.

You can check it out for yourself at: http://www.drugfreemuscle.com

Question

I currently weigh 121 pounds and have 24% body fat, I would like to lose body fat and replace it with more muscle. I am trying to increase in chest/back at least 3", fill out my quads/hams and a little more in the arms 2 more inches with visible definition. Wouldn't toning shrink me down? I have tried to stay in the rep range of 8-10, maybe I'm impatient.

Lisa

Answer

Hi Lisa,

There is really no such a thing as "toning" all you can do to change your physique is build muscle and / or burn bodyfat. Whether or not you gain size or lose size depends on your diet. If you eat more calories then you burn, you will gain weight. If you eat less calories then you burn, you will lose weight.

I have a couple articles that you should check out:

How Many Calories Per Day?

12 Week Workout Program

The info and tips in these articles will help you to add lean muscle and fill out your body.

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