Body Beats

Need to gain some lbs? Here’s some info on how to do it in a safe, natural, and healthy way…

You want your extra weight to come from muscle and not fat. However, it’s highly likely that you will add a little fat while you’re attempting to gain muscle, but there are ways to minimize the amount of fat you could gain. It takes about 2,500 calories to add a pound of muscle, so you need to consume an additional five grams of protein each day for every five pounds of muscle you want to gain. Take it slow and increase your calorie intake by only about 400 calories per day. If you don’t see the results you’re looking for, up your intake by 50 or 100 calories per day.

Remember…you want your extra calories to come mostly from healthy, lean proteins and whole-grain carbs. Don’t increase your calories with processed, sugary foods or drinks or you’ll pack on unwanted fat and not the muscles you desire.

Here’s some tips on how to put on healthy lbs and not have to resort to pill or bottle supplements:

Eat more protein – The amino acids in protein repair torn muscle tissue that are temporarily damaged after a strenuous workout. This process will increase your muscle mass and make your muscles stronger. To gain muscle in a natural, healthy way, you need to consume one gram of lean protein per pound of body weight every day.

Consume good carbs for fuel – Whole-grain breads, pastas, and rice and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes will give you enough energy for those intense workouts.

Hydrate – When you increase your protein, you must also increase the amount of water you drink. Consuming more than one gram of protein per body pound a day usually doubles urine output, which means you need to drink twice the amount of fluids.

• Chicken, turkey or pork w/o skin
• Fish such as salmon, tuna, halibut, & talapia
• Lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey
• Pinto beans
• Brown rice
• Plain sweet or white potatoes (omit the bad calories you’d get from sour cream & butter)
• Fresh veggies…particularly the dark, leafy greens.
• Fresh fruits…especially berries which are loaded with anti-oxidants.
• Oatmeal
• Fat-free milk and other dairy products like yogurt.