Coaches Corner – How to Increase Calories on a Bulk

A lot of our content here on the Coach's Corner has focused on weight loss, because that is what many of our clients approach us to work with them on. But if you're someone who needs to focus on putting on weight and you have a hard time doing it, these tips are for you.

Later this month, we will give you some tips on how to slowly reverse out of a fat loss phase into a gaining phase, if you're someone who has lost a significant amount of weight but is ready to gain some healthy weight back.

Tip #1: Eat Breakfast
If you're trying to hit 3,000 calories per day to gain mass, you'll have a hard time hitting all those calories if you start eating late in the day. So start eating as early in the day as possible. Eggs, avocado, yogurt, bagels, and cheese are great foods to incorporate into your breakfast as they are high in calories and protein, and are nutrient dense. When you start your day with a meal, it'll help get your appetite going. It's the opposite of intermittent fasting, where you delay your first meal of the day so that you consume all your calories in a smaller window of time.

Tip #2: Drink Your Calories
One of the easiest ways you can increase your calorie consumption if you need to pack the pounds on, is to take advantage of shakes. It is much easier to drink an 800 calorie shake than it is an 800 calorie meal if your appetite is low. You can make a quick and calorie dense shake with protein powder, milk, peanut butter, and oats. You could even add some whole grain breakfast cereal to the shake for fiber and extra carbs. You can also use intra workout carb sources such as gatorade and powdered cyclic dextrin to add extra carbs and calories.

Tip #3: Switch Up Your Protein Sources
We all know us gym folks love chicken breast. It's high in protein and low in fat. But, if you're trying to gain weight, switch to more calorie dense sources of protein. Chicken thigh, 85% lean ground beef, steak, pork, and salmon are all great sources of protein with higher amounts of fat. Salmon is not only delicious, but an awesome source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Tip #4: Add A Little Dirty Food
When you're someone like Coach Rob, who is the textbook definition of a hardgainer, it can take a lot of calories to add mass. To gain 100 pounds in ten years of lifting, Rob was eating 4,000-6,000 calories per day. Of course you want to source as much of your food as possible from whole sources of protein, carbs, and fat, but if you're appetite is low, but you've hit your protein and still have calories left to hit for the day, don't be afraid to add in the occasional burger, pizza, and ice cream.

by Hidden Gym Trainer Rob Hines