Posted ByEugeneDifficulty gaining bulk will not resolve itself. A hard gainer has to work hard for every ounce of mass, for every ripple in his or her physique. Ectomorphic body types do not convert calories into a mass as easily as their mesomorph counterparts do – that means that you have to eat a lot, but more than that, you have to make every meal count.
Portable Anytime Snacks
Bodybuilders are busy people, and hard gainers cannot afford to skip meals. Always keep a few high-octane snacks on hand so that you can cram those calories whenever hunger comes knocking.
Make sure you have something for after a workout, between classes, before running out the door in the morning, etc. The following options are downright classics. An ectomorph cannot go wrong with these essentials:
- Bagels – High in calories, tasty with cream cheese
- Hardboiled eggs – All the protein you could wish for
- Peanut butter – Fats, calories, protein
- Cottage cheese – Protein, amino acids for post-workout repair
- Smoothies/shakes – Fill in the macro gaps with a quick snack
Never leave home without something to fuel your physique. Bulking is an all-day endeavor, even on your rest days. At the end of this guide, we’ll help you collect the right tools to make sure that your portable snacks stay fresh and within reach.
Substantial, Satisfying Meals
Ectomorphs and hard gainers benefit most from meals that are light on the stomach but dense in calories and nutrients, but that does not mean that you have to stick with trail mixes and protein shakes. Branch out – enjoy the fitness lifestyle. Real meals have the benefit of satisfying the palate so you don’t get bored with the bland bulk staples.
Are you ready to change the way you gain? Half of the battle is getting started! This quick guide will help you turn your weight gain diet plan into a workable shopping list.
Decide which foods will fit your macros most, and then hit up your favorite cookbook for combination ideas so you do not have to feel like you are eating the same things every day. Some tasty, easy-to-combine, satisfying yet nutrient-dense options to consider:
- Whitefish, tuna, lean steak
- Brown rice, simple pasta
- “Superfoods” vegetables like spinach and avocado
- Olive oil, bleu cheese for taste and fats
How can a busy bodybuilder find time to eat “real” meals? Invest in a slow cooker, or even two! Satisfying meals do not come from a plastic pouch. Satisfying meals come from the kitchen. Set your slow cooker in the morning before you leave for work, or perhaps the night before, and let the cooker do the rest. We’ll talk more about meal preparation tools in the next section.
The Right Tools for the Job
Make life easier by making mealtime preparation part of your daily routine. this PhenQ review indicates why failure to plan your meals can lead to some pretty awful temptations: fast food, vending machine snacks, quick fixes that have nothing to do with your macros along with a successful way through which you can avoid this. Ectomorphs should never waste their hunger when packing on calories is so important to success.
Go shopping at least once a week so your ingredients are always fresh and tempting. Set up a quick meal prep station somewhere convenient in your kitchen – keep your measuring cups, scales, knives, blenders, mixers, and other tools together in one spot so that you can whip up all your food for the day in one go. Set it and forget it.
Invest in a high-quality lunchbox with effective cooling technology so you always have something appropriate to eat at all times. Never leave home without a snack. This part does take trial and error (most lunch boxes fall far short of expectation) but once you find the right one, you’ll never have to worry about hitting up the gym vending machine after a workout ever again. You won’t feel that temptation to order from some burger joint on a lunch run with coworkers or classmates.
Make Nutrition a Priority
Never stop looking for new ways to improve your nutrition plans. Your gains may hit a plateau, or your stomach might get tired of a small rotation. There is nothing more important than motivation – if you are enjoying your meals, you have more motivation to keep those good nutrition habits.