The Best Way to Gain Weight as Muscle Instead of Fat

The best way to gain weight is to eat about 300 to 500 calories above maintenance every day, get 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, and lift weights three to five times a week with steady progression. Aim to gain 0.25 to 0.5 percent of your body weight a week.

Why can I not gain weight?

I was a skinny guy. I weighed 125 pounds at 21, and by age 32 I weighed 210. I know the feeling of clothes hanging off you and people telling you to eat a sandwich. Here is what I have found with myself and with clients:

• “I have a fast metabolism.” Usually it is inconsistent eating. Most underweight people I work with eat far less than they think. Skipped breakfast, a small lunch and one big dinner is not a lot of food.
• “I eat whatever I want.” Eating a whole pizza once a week does not make up for six days of small meals.
• “Some people are naturally skinny.” Genetics set your starting point, not your finish line.
• “I will get fat.” Not with a moderate surplus and a real training plan.

If you have lost weight without trying, have stomach problems or an eating disorder history, see a doctor first.

How many calories should I eat to gain weight?

Start by tracking what you eat for a week or two without changing anything. If your weight is flat, that is your maintenance. Then add 300 to 500 calories a day. Very skinny people who are struggling may need closer to 500 to 800 at the start.

Reviews on bodybuilding nutrition suggest a modest surplus, gaining roughly 0.25 to 0.5 percent of body weight per week, to build muscle while limiting fat gain (Iraki et al., 2019). Bigger surpluses mostly add fat (Slater et al., 2019).

If your weight has not moved in two weeks, add another 200 calories.

How much protein do I need to gain muscle?

About 1.6 grams per kilogram a day covers most people, and up to 2.2 g per kg is a reasonable upper target (Morton et al., 2018). For a 140 pound (64 kg) person, that is about 100 to 140 grams a day. Split it across four or more meals of 25 to 40 grams (Schoenfeld and Aragon, 2018).

The rest of your calories go to carbs, which fuel your training, and fats. A rough split that works for most of my gaining clients is 25 to 30 percent protein, 45 to 50 percent carbs and 25 percent fat.

How do I eat more when I am not hungry?

• Eat every three to four hours. Set reminders if you need to.
• Drink some calories. A shake with milk, oats, banana, peanut butter and whey is 600 to 800 calories you barely feel.
• Use calorie-dense foods: nuts, nut butter, olive oil, whole eggs, rice, granola, dried fruit, whole milk, cheese.
• Add a little olive oil or butter to rice, potatoes and vegetables.
• Eat your biggest carb meal after training, when appetite is usually higher.

What does a day of eating look like for gaining weight?

About 2,700 calories and 180 grams of protein:

• 7 am: 3 whole eggs and 2 egg whites, 1 cup oats with a banana, 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 10 am: whey shake, an apple, a handful of mixed nuts
• 1 pm: 6 oz chicken breast, 1.5 cups jasmine rice, vegetables with olive oil
• 3:30 pm: banana and a scoop of whey before training
• 5:30 pm: after training, 1.5 cups white rice with 5 oz lean ground beef or turkey
• 8:30 pm: 1 cup Greek yogurt with granola and berries, or cottage cheese and peanut butter

How should I train to gain weight?

Lift three to five times a week and get stronger on the main lifts: squats, deadlifts or Romanian deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, rows and pull-ups. Do 10 to 20 hard sets per muscle group per week. Keep cardio to two short easy sessions so it does not eat into your surplus.

For more, read can you gain muscle without gaining fat, muscle building essentials and my own story, from skinny to muscular. If you are a very light man or woman, the Ghost guide and Trim guide give full plans. Or take the XPL quiz.