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While most people think exercising is only for weight loss, it is actually as effective for weight gain too! It’s time to stop stereotyping workout as a weight loss only resort. Do you know anyone who eats and eats but never seem to put on weight? They need to know that exercise can help them achieve their weight gain goals.
But first things first – they need to know if they’re underweight and for that, they have to calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI). If the BMI is below 18.5, the person is considered to be underweight, while the normal measure is between 18.5 and 24.9. Working out will help gain weight by increasing the muscle mass, as muscle is heavier than body fat.
Aerobic or anaerobic?
While your personal trainer or the on-site trainers at your gym will set aerobic and other calorie burning workouts for weight loss regimen, they will recommend and set anaerobic exercises for weight gain. This is because anaerobic exercises use muscles at high intensity in short duration. Weight training is one anaerobic workout mostly recommended and proven to be highly effective for weight gain.
Weight training
In order to gain weight, one should focus on free weight exercises which target on large muscle groups. Free weights put stress on muscles and stimulate the maximum number of muscle fibers, leading them to expand in size. Resistance training exercises such as dead lifts, squats, barbell rows, bench presses, bar dips, and pull ups are the best weight training exercises for building muscle mass.
By targeting the larger muscles of the body, muscle mass will be added in greater and more effective quantity. Push-ups are most effective for adding weight to the upper body while squats and lunges are great for the thigh muscles, standing heel raises for the calves, crunches for abs, and pull-ups for the arms and back. Of course, it is worth mentioning here that is not wise nor is it safe to plan a weight gain regime, or any workout regime for that matter, on your own. It is recommended that you seek the professional help of personal trainers or on-site trainers in gyms and fitness studios in your area.
Diet
To gain weight, one should eat more calories than their body can burn off. Muscles need high calorie fuel and exercise to grow and get larger. For that, one needs a proper weight gain diet to complement the workout regime. An unplanned diet will lead to the workout resulting in caloric burn and no muscle built.
Proteins are crucial for muscle building so increase protein intake and lower down on carbs. Consult an expert nutritionist or dietitian on how many calories you need per meal, how many meals you ought to have in a day, and how many hours should you maintain between meals.
Above all, consistency is of prime importance. It takes a while for weight to show and some people tend to lose patience and quit. Trust the plan of your trainer, work on it diligently, and follow the diet plan designed by your dietitian or nutritionist religiously. Patience always bears sweet fruits!
