Etobicoke personal trainer

 I was always the skinny, weak child growing up.

 For the first six years of my life, I dressed as Superman virtually every other day since Superman personified strength, stature, and power. qualities I was lacking.

 Gaining weight and gaining muscle is still a huge issue for me now.

 I would respond to anyone who would say, "It must have been lovely to be slender growing up," by recalling my characteristic flat top, my small stature (5'2" till I was 16), four years of braces, and two rounds of Acutane treatment, assuring I still had the full adolescent experience:)

 I was cut from the high school basketball team, which for me felt like the end of the world, and that was the turning point. In reaction, I quickly joined a gym with the intention of building up my strength and muscle.

 But in my eagerness, I loaded up way too much weight for a set of bench presses, and within the first five minutes, I nearly hurt myself. Thankfully, I made it through, and that's when I first fell in love with strength training.

 I committed the next six years to working out in a gym, devouring every muscle and fitness publication I could get my hands on, and faithfully downing protein shakes. and the only results I saw were a paltry 3 pounds of muscle gain.

 I thought, "I'm one of those individuals who can't gain weight."

 I had no idea that I was going about it incorrectly.

 I chose to attend the free sessions despite thinking I was an expert (I mean, six years of gym training, right? I read the muscle magazines! I was already in great shape! ), just for fun.

 I'm so glad I did, too!

 My exercise program was greatly simplified by the with personal trainer Etobicoke, and I doubled my food intake.

 I initially felt he was crazy, but I chose to try it.

 I put on 18 pounds (as shown in the photo below), increased the strength in EVERY lift, and felt more confident than I ever had in my life in under 30 days.

 Then it dawned on me: there must be a better approach.

 This insight caused a profound change in my perspective of how the body functions, how to gain muscle, and where I should concentrate my efforts.

I spent the next seven years learning as much as I could about muscle building.

 I recently set off on a grand 35,000-mile adventure across the world. I managed to further add muscle and get into good shape while on that trip even though I didn't have access to a gym for six months (as seen in the photo below).

 My entire world was once more turned upside down.

 I learned that although though a good gym workout will surely hasten the process, gyms are not a requirement for gaining strength and muscle.

 I had ultimately, somewhat ironically, changed from Steve Rogers to Captain America after enduring several more years of ups and downs. (There's a backstory.)

 I'm still not the world's biggest guy, and I never will be. And that's just OK with me!

 I've learned from my experience that anyone can grow muscle, even tiny nerds like me.

 You will struggle with genetics along the road if you are thin and want to gain weight, but don't let that stop you.

 Anything is possible.

 All of the knowledge I've gained over the previous 13 years is condensed in one post today, including all of my mistakes, successes, failures, and misadventures.

 Eat More Food—It's the Most Important Step for Building Muscle

 As the saying goes, eating habits are just as important to muscle growth as exercise:

 Focusing on your diet and doing out twice a week for 30 minutes may be more beneficial for building muscle than working out hard six days a week while eating poorly.

 This lesson really touched me.

 I spent four years in college doing out five days a week for 90 minutes at a time with the aim of getting bigger.

 I carefully drank protein shakes because I thought it was the proper course of action. I did get stronger, but I never really developed much muscle.

 The first thing I inquire about when someone contacts me in frustration about their inability to acquire weight is their diet.

 The person frequently thinks they are eating enough when, in fact, they are not.

 Here is the unassailable fact:

 You are not getting enough calories if you are not gaining weight.

 Your body consumes more than 2000 calories a day just by being (and that's before including exercise and cardio, which we'll discuss in a moment). Your body needs plenty of calories to function properly, therefore you must saturate it with calories to start the muscle-building process.

 Everybody's daily calorie needs for bulking up are different, based on things like movement, fidgeting, and the weight you want to gain:

• It might be 2,500 calories per day for certain people.
• Others may need 3,500 calories each day.
• even 5,000 calories each day for some.

 Although I favour a "Balanced Plate" approach rather than counting calories, I think monitoring calories for a few days might be a fantastic place to start for beginners.

 Calculate an average by tracking your calories using programs like MyFitnessPal over a few days.

 You'll probably find that you're eating a lot less than you anticipated.

 FIRST, UNDERSTAND YOUR CALORIC NEEDS.

 Aim to eat 300–500 calories more per day than your calculated Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) throughout the course of the following two weeks to see how your weight changes (and to document your progress with photos!).

 If you don't see a growth in size, continue the method while consuming an additional 300–500 calories daily.

 You can choose how much weight you want to gain each week based on your workout regimen, genetics, current body weight, and the muscle you want to add.

 Results will vary from person to person, and perspectives on how quickly muscle can be produced are divided:

• Some experts advise gaining roughly 1 pound (.5 kg) of muscle every week under ideal circumstances.
• My personal experience suggests that 2 pounds (1 kg) every month is a more reasonable estimate.
• According to a 2016 study, strength training could improve lean mass by 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) over the course of 8 weeks.

 No matter how quickly you want to bulk up, if you're feasting while strength training, it might be advantageous to add some fat along with muscle. Your confidence and direction can be positively impacted by more glycogen, a small amount of fat, and water retention.

 Therefore, disregard any websites or methods that say you can "gain 40 pounds of muscle in two months."

 It's a gradual, steady journey unless you're using enhancements—steroids, not Hawaiian Punch.

 While it is possible to see huge changes in a short amount of time, like when I gained 18 pounds (8.1 kg) in 30 days, I wouldn't recommend gaining a lot of weight quickly in a month. Choose to acquire 0.5–1.5 lbs as a more sustainable weight gain strategy. (0.25-0.75 kg) regularly each week for six months... and keeping that weight off!

 I am aware that this is not going to be simple.

 Nothing is more demoralizing than devoting over six months to a workout plan and thinking you're doing everything correctly, only to step on the scale and see no change!

 

What Foods Can You Eat to Gain Weight?

 Let's look at how to prioritize different nutrients in your diet:

 Protein is first priority.

Protein is essential for repairing muscle once it has been broken down. Several sources of protein are:

• options for meat, including hog, bison, and steak.
• poultry, including turkey, chicken, and duck.
• eggs.
• cheese and dairy products.
• salmon, tuna, and shrimp are examples of fish and shellfish.
• sources of protein from plants, such as chickpeas and black beans.

 Your health, degree of exercise, and desired level of muscle growth all influence the recommended daily intake of protein. It is recommended that people of a healthy weight strive for consuming at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (or 2.2 grams per kilogram) when engaging in physical exercise to develop muscle.

 Here is a breakdown of how much protein is present in various dietary servings:

•  About 30 g of protein make up 4 oz (113 g) of chicken.
•  Salmon weighing 4 oz (113 g) has roughly 23 g of protein.
•  About 28 g of protein make up 4 oz (113 g) of steak.

 2 on the list: carbohydrates

 You need carbohydrates to give your body energy and fuel for your muscles. It's critical to consume enough calories, largely from carbohydrates and fats, to maintain muscle growth. 

Foods high in carbohydrates that are good for gaining weight include:

•  Rice
•  Quinoa
•  Oats
•  Veggies and legumes
•  The sweet potato
•  Yams
•  Normal potatoes
•  Whole-wheat pasta
•  Granola bread

 Starchy carbs are equivalent to one cupped hand (uncooked) or two cups (cooked), depending on how they are prepared. Additionally, it is advised to include fruits in your diet if you want to gain weight.

 3 on the list: fat

 In the absence of carbs, fat can act as a substitute energy source and is an essential macronutrient for maintaining biological processes. Consuming the appropriate amount of healthy fats will help you reach your fitness objectives. 

Healthy fat sources include:

•  Avocado
•  Almonds
•  Walnuts
•  Nut macadamia
•  Almond oil
•  Nutella butter
•  Almond butter

 When ingested in moderation, saturated fats can also be a component of a healthy diet. 

Saturated fat sources include, for instance:

•  whole milk
•  fatty dairy
•  cocoa butter
•  butter made from grass-fed animals
•  fatty beef slices
•  lard
•  the size of your thumb is around the size of a serving of fat.
•  4th on the list: vegetables

Vegetables must be a part of your diet. Vegetables high in fibre help with digestion, especially when you're eating a lot. The size of a serving of veggies is around that of your fist. 

The following veggies can be included in your meals:

•  Broccoli
•  Broccolini
•  Cauliflower
•  Spinach
•  Kale
•  Spiralized squash
•  Belgian spuds
•  Zucchini
•  Cucumber
•  Carrots
•  Onion
•  Asparagus

 

To sum up, in order to efficiently gain weight:

 Add 500 calories to your total daily energy expenditure calculation.

 Aim for consuming 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound (2.2-3.3 grams per kilogram) of body weight per day.

 Consume a combination of carbohydrates and fats to make up the leftover calories.

 Consistently consume vegetables to improve meal digestion.

 If weight gain isn't happening, up your intake of carbohydrates and/or lipids.

 In the end, bulking effectively requires modifying your diet to make sure you're getting enough calories to effectively put on weight, with an emphasis on the ideal ratio of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and necessary veggies.

 Which supplements ought I to use to gain weight? Increasing your calorie intake.

 Consider these suggestions to help you reach your objectives if you're having trouble consuming enough calories each day to bulk up on healthy foods alone:

 

"HOW CAN I SPEED UP MY BULKING PROCESS WITH SUPPLEMENTS?"

 Real food should always take precedence over smoothies and powders, even though the majority of supplements are generally not advised.

 However, if you're eager to speed up your bulking process, these two supplements are worth taking into account:

Our article on protein and protein shakes offers customizable advice to optimize calories in a smoothie without overtaxing your blender. Protein Powder: An efficient approach to increase your protein and calorie consumption, promoting muscular growth.

 Creatine is one of the two supplements (together with protein) that I personally recommend on a daily basis because it is known to assist muscles retain more water[6] and boost IGF-1, a hormone that is essential for muscular growth[7].

 Contrary to what certain muscle magazines may imply, there is typically no need to prioritize additional supplementation beyond these. It's significant to remember that many of these magazines have ties to dietary supplement businesses.

 Here are two key suggestions to aid your efforts in bulking up:

 1) Accept Liquid Calories: Using liquid calories can help you fulfill your daily caloric needs by giving you a significant caloric boost without making you feel unduly full. My personal custom-made "Powerbomb Shake," which is described in our Protein Guide, accounts for a sizable amount of my daily caloric intake.

•  Water, 16 ounces.
•  Three servings of Quaker Oats (120g)
•  1.5 servings of frozen spinach (120g)
•  1.5 serves (120g) of frozen mixed berries
•  2 scoops of Optimum Nutrition Vanilla Whey protein powder

 Breakdown of the macronutrients:

•  Energy: 815 cal
•  70g of protein
•  107g of carbs
•  Fats: 12g

 I make this smoothie in a Vitamix blender, which was a wise purchase given its dependability and efficiency. Use full milk, coconut milk, or almond milk in place of water if you want to consume more calories. To increase calories and fats even more in the quest for additional muscle, add a squirt of olive oil.

 2) Encourage Your Body to Eat More: If you're cooking rice, gradually increasing the amount by 1/4 cup each week. By actively encouraging your stomach to accept more food, even when you're not especially hungry, you can achieve this.

 This is comparable to the need to push your muscles beyond their comfort zone in order to promote growth, even if it might be unpleasant and make you feel like you're going to explode. Your stomach will gradually adjust to handle an increase in calorie intake if you start by gradually adding more food to your daily diet.

 Conclusion: Focus on eating real, healthy foods, but if you want to bulk up faster, think twice about using protein powder and creatine pills. Adding liquid calories and progressively raising food amounts will also help you reach your caloric targets for bulking up.

 Get Stronger to Increase Muscle Size

 Your muscles break down during strength training and then regenerate, which increases their strength and resilience as they adjust to the stimulus placed on them.

 To sum up:

 Concentrate on developing your strength if you want to expand your muscles.

 By consistently increasing the weight, sets, or reps, you increase the difficulty, which forces your muscles to change and get stronger.

 This underlying idea, called "progressive overload," is important. You'll see muscle gain if you adhere to a progressive overload plan while making sure you're getting enough calories.

 There are two strategies you can use when bulking up:

 Approach A: Bulk for bodybuilders

 Adopt a bodybuilder-style workout regimen that emphasizes isolation exercises that concentrate on one area of the body at a time. An example of a normal timetable might be:

•  Chest on Monday
•  tomorrow: legs
•  tomorrow: shoulders
•  on Thursday:
•  Arms and Abs on Friday
•  Although these exercises are efficient, they need a significant amount of gym time, requiring 5–6 days of training per week.

 Method B: Power and Muscle

 Focus on full-body exercises that include compound movements like squats and deadlifts, which allow for thorough muscle engagement.

 The vast majority of your muscles are stimulated during each training session.

 This strategy places a big emphasis on getting incredibly strong in the following important exercises:

•  Squats
•  Deadlifts
•  Upright Presses
•  The bench press
•  Torso rows
•  Dips
•  Push-ups
•  Pull-ups

 You'll see targeted muscle growth if you prioritize strength increases during these activities and maintain an optimal calorie intake.

 Path B is preferred over Path A because we believe it to be safer and more expedient. Path B requires only 2-3 days of training each week as opposed to Path A's 5-6 days.

 Mark Rippetoe is a fervent supporter of traditional barbell training and is the author of "Starting Strength," a book that anyone interested in the exercises indicated should read (Path B):

 Why?

because it produces outcomes.

Maintain your dedication to regular eating and exercise.

 Plans for Bulking Up for Skinny Guys

 We include a sample training plan to help you get started on your quest toward bulking in our post. After a dynamic warm-up, perform the activities listed below:

 Bulk-Up Workout on Monday:

•  4 sets of 5 repetitions for squats
•  4 sets of 5 repetitions on the bench press
•  3 sets of 10 wide-grip pull-ups
•  3 sets of 60 seconds on the plank

 Workout for Wednesday's Bulk-Up:

•  3 sets of 5 reps on the deadlift
•  3 sets of 5 repetitions on the overhead press
•  3 sets of 10 inverted bodyweight rows
•  3 sets of 10 repetitions for hanging knee raises

 Bulk-Up Workout on Friday:

•  3 sets of 5 repetitions for front squats
•  3 sets of 10 repetitions for weighted dips
•  Chin-ups with weights: 3 sets of 10 reps
•  Three sets of 15 reps for reverse crunches

 Recall that the most important thing is to get stronger; the rest will come. In order to bulk, nutrition is crucial, and any strength training program will promote muscular growth.

 Depending on your goals, the following set and rep techniques are advised:

•  1–5 repetitions for power and strength
•  5-8 reps of strength and some size
•  8–12 reps of size and some strength
•  12+ repetitions of muscular endurance

 Don't worry too much about taking the right course. In addition to a well-crafted strength training program, proper nutrition is essential for bulking.

 Several research offer clarifications:

Compared to higher volume workouts (lower weight, more reps), higher intensity workouts (heavier weight, low reps) build more muscle mass.

 Compared to lower volume workouts, increased volume (more exercise sets per week) results in more mass.

 Bodyweight exercise is beneficial, but weight training produces better "bulking up" outcomes.

 Basically, you should lift heavy weights for three to four sets of five repetitions, choose a weight that is hard enough for you to complete the required number of reps, and push yourself with bodyweight exercises. The emphasis should be on following a plan consistently and making sure to eat enough calories.

At the conclusion of your workouts, feel free to include bicep curls, tricep extensions, or calf raises. Give the big lifts top priority and work on increasing your strength in them.

 To guarantee good technique and acclimation to the movements before lifting greater weights, start with the bar and gradually add 5lb increments each week.

 Lifting higher weights for strength requires a rest period of 2-3 minutes; for muscle size and endurance, the rest period is 60-90 seconds.

 Avoid overexertion to prevent overtraining and potential injury, keeping in mind the words of 8-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney: "Stimulate, don't annihilate." With the right nourishment, muscles can be built.

 You're not alone if you're feeling overwhelmed and looking for assistance. After a few months, review your progress and make any necessary adjustments based on how your body is responding.

 

The Skinny Guys Bulking Up FAQ

The first question: "I'm concerned about bulking up too much, what should I do?"

This worry is widespread, yet being too big takes a lot of time and work. Significant muscular mass is not something that happens overnight. Gaining enough weight to be deemed "bulky" might be a desirable problem to have if weight gain is difficult. Simply change your diet to address an increase in body fat if you detect it.

 When in doubt, consume more calories than you would normally. When in doubt about whether to eat, choose more calories.

 The second question is: "I don't want to follow conventional advice, what should I do instead?"

 Feel free to use the strategy you prefer. Try it out for a month and track how your body reacts. Continue your selected course of action if you experience improvements in terms of physique, strength, and general health. If not, read this post again and put the advice you learned to use.

 The third question: "Can I bulk up as a vegetarian or vegan?"

Certainly. Don't forget to eat enough protein and calories to assist muscular growth. Protein-rich vegetarian alternatives include beans and almonds. If you're a vegetarian, you can obtain extra protein from dairy. It can be a little trickier for vegans to get enough protein, but products like almond butter can help. Look into alternate plant-based proteins.

 The fourth question is: "What's the ideal number of reps and sets for workouts?"

 Schemes with a lot of reps and few sets can advance. However, diet is more important and accounts for 90% of the improvement. The idea is to make a decision, monitor your progress, and gradually increase the load you're moving, whether it's your own body weight or added weights.

 The fifth question is: "Can I simultaneously improve size, speed, endurance, and flexibility?"

 It's difficult to increase size and endurance at the same time. Think about prioritizing muscular growth before adding endurance exercises. Even while include endurance exercises, keep up a high caloric intake and strength training. Choose cardio techniques that call for brief rests between quick, vigorous exercises.

The sixth question is, "Is it necessary to eat every three hours?"

No, you are not need to eat frequently. Meal time is less important than total daily caloric and protein consumption. Condensing meals into a narrower window has certain advantages. If getting enough calories is challenging, however, spacing out meals could be beneficial. Find a schedule that works for you, even if it calls for fewer but larger meals.

 The seventh question: "Which workout routine is the best among conflicting advice?"

Simplify your strategy to prevent overextending yourself. Concentrate on building muscle, consuming more calories, and getting enough sleep. Your fitness journey should be broken down into simple, attainable milestones and goals. Start, keep careful track of your development, and make adjustments as you go. Continue with your existing strategy if you're growing in size and strength. Keep in mind that the key to growth is starting and making modifications.