Healthy Weight Gain

So many of the articles on this site are focused on weight loss, but putting on weight does not necessarily mean that you are doing something wrong.

In fact, many times I get my clients to remove their conception with weight simply because muscle weighs more than fat so relying on weight as a success measure really sets you up for failure especially if you are training with weights.

Let’s take a look at some common myths and break them down so that you can set yourself up for success when it comes to making sure you are on the right path to being the best and healthiest you possible.

Healthy Weight Gain: Myth 1 Debunked

“I’m not seeing a major shift in weight loss so I must be doing something wrong”. As in the above remind yourself that muscle weighs more than fat and a better state of mind would be for you to ask yourself if you did all you could that day to eat a healthy diet plan and get in at the minimum 30 minutes of exercise. If you follow this rule you will re-instate how good you feel about yourself when you have eaten well and trained hard that day. This feeling is what you should put all your energy in as it will push you through even the hardest times when your motivation is lacking or you are feeling down. Get that drive and ride it to success.

Healthy Weight Gain: Myth 2 Debunked

“If I’m training with weights I’m going to look too bloated or chunky”. For the ladies this is especially of a regular concern as they think that just lifting weights will make them look masculine. The reality is that putting on muscle is quite a challenging and long process that takes complete dedication and focus to happen.

In order to gain muscle weight you also have to be eating considerably more so simply maintain your intake and continue to train with weights and you will get the toned look that we all desire! Also ladies, you just don’t have the same levels of testosterone as men do so you aren’t going to all of a sudden bulk up and be as muscular as the guys.

Guys out there remember to watch your intake so you don’t overdo it during your muscle gaining phase as most guys I know get ravenous and lose track of how many calories they are taking in because they are using muscle building as an excuse to eat whatever they want.

Healthy Weight Gain: Myth 3 Debunked

Although higher repetitions with resistance training means more calories are burned, lower reps does not mean that you will instantaneously gain muscle.

For healthy muscle weight gain you will need to consistently add variation to your workouts. Lower reps, but heavier weights and greater rest periods or high reps with less weight and less rest periods are a good way to change it up.

Go for 6 week cycles of either to keep your muscles guessing and always track your progress.

Healthy Weight Gain: Myth 4 Debunked

“If I’m not sore after a workout, I didn’t train hard enough.” This is a big misconception because the longer you train the more your body will adapt and soreness will reduce especially as you become a fitter person.

This is a good indicator though that you should switch things up, because as soon as you try a different weight or movement you will notice that you will get sore again, and this kind of soreness is what indicates that your muscles will grow and get stronger.