High protein, low carb, high fat,
low fat,
supplements, eat every 2 hours, divide your meals up into specific
percentages, etc...all types of variations of your typical bodybuilding
diet aimed at allowing you to build muscle with a weight gain diet...
More than likely you've
been told or have read over and over again that
in order to gain serious muscle
weight
you "must" eat a very
high
protein diet....you "must" use certain supplements....you "must" avoid
sweets, like chocolate candy bars...etc., etc.
So, then, why is
it that you have literally millions and millions of dedicated
individuals that follow all of these
"bodybuilding
/ hardgainer /
muscle mass" diets to the letter, day after day, week after
week, month
after month, year after year, yet when they look at themselves in the
mirror, they still look no different???
Everyone seems to think that is how all the pros do it.
That's the "correct" way of eating to gain
muscle weight
.
Well, if that were the case, why aren't we seeing any results from that
sacrificial, monk-like form of eating or dieting?
As I've stated in many articles time and time again, don't follow what
you read....follow what you observe.
Read that last sentence again.
It may be one of the most physique-changing sentences you'll ever read.
It sure was for me.
Why do I say that?
Well,
become someone that observes what those that have had success do, not
what's politically correct or what the popular thinking is, not
necessarily what the true way of how to gain weight is.
See what people are actually doing in the
real
world to gain and build
muscle mass.
Then, imitate it.
Case in point:
Mariusz
Pudzianowski, multiple-time World's Strongest Man Champion, and
probably the most well-built, muscular, ripped, in-shape champion (if
not the most well-built), is a perfect example of what I'm talking
about.
Not only does this man have the strength of an ox, but he has the
ripped, defined, muscular look.
That's very, very rare in the world of Strongest Man competition.
Most powerlifters are very large in overall size, and extremely strong,
but they are also very fat.
Most don't have any visible muscle definition.
A lot of them have humungous waist lines, especially when you get into
the heavy weights and super heavy weights.
But
to see someone the has the best of both worlds, a ton of muscle along
with very low amounts of body fat, while being extremely powerful, is
very rare.
In a recent Flex Magazine issue, they detail some of the top World's
Strongest Man competitors.
With Mariusz, they ask him how he eats and trains.
What does he do to have the muscle and strength that he possesses,
which is down right phenomenal.
(By
the way, this guy is 6' 1" in height, yet weighs an unbelievable 320
pounds....all while showing off very defined muscles and abs!!!)
What he says about his eating is straight up eye-opening....and
myth-busting.
I quote him directly, from Flex Magazine,..
"My energy comes from my diet.
Breakfast is 10 eggs and two to three pounds of bacon.
Between meals, I eat lots of candy.
In the morning, it will be several 3 Musketeers and / or Snickers bars;
I need them for energy.
Lunch...is a double meal of a Polish pork chop, sauerkraut and
potatoes....then...more chocolate.
.......At 3 or 4 am, I wake up and have more chocolate..."
Now, he does also mention that he has a couple of more meals containing
meat, sauerkraut, potatoes, and......more chocolate.
But what I want you to see is that he eats chocolate candy bars all day
long, even in the middle of the night.
He's not big on drinking a bunch of protein powders or shakes.
If you look at it, his diet is high in protein, high in carbs, and high
in fats.
Look at it.
Two to three pounds of bacon everyday!
(Gee, and I thought bacon was a big "no-no", at least according to the
internet and mags).
Yet,
everyone says you have to have high protein, low to moderate carbs, and
no sweets on a regular basis....."because it will sabotage your
bodybuilding goals".
Yeah right!!!!!
Now, I'm not saying that this same diet would work for you in
particular.
The purpose of my referring to this example is to get you to think
outside the box.
Don't be afraid to not "follow the crowd".
Find out what works best for YOUR particular body type and genetics.
Do what others with success do in the real world.
You may find that eating a ton of bacon or chocolate candy bars doesn't
work out for you.
Or, you may find that it does.
How will you know unless you actually test it?
"Don't knock until you try it".
You may find that you need to be strict with your eating to acheive
your muscle weight gain goals.
You may find that you don't.
Don't be afraid to experiment, you just might stumble upon something
that surprises you!
Sincerely,
Jonathan Perez
Cleveland Firefighter
Certified ACE / IAFF / IAFC Firefighter Peer Fitness Trainer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jonathan Perez has
written many articles exposing the many weight training and diet myths
being spread about in the bodybuilding industry and on the internet.
His eBook,
"From Skinny
To Muscular!", has helped many naturally skinny individuals gain
muscle size and weight by detailing the training strategies and eating
techniques that actually work at building muscle, instead of strength.
Many of Jonathan's other articles are located here:
Read These
Articles To Help You Gain Weight.
Gain
Muscle!
