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No more grueling force-feeding
For those who have a fast metabolism and are trying to gain weight or put on muscle, you must eat.
1. Stop doing high-intensity cardio
I used to do cross country, hour-long spin classes (sometimes multiple in a day), and long-distance running. I no longer do these things because they make it more difficult to maintain muscle mass. I was kissing all my muscle gains goodbye when my workouts were cardio-intensive.
What do I do for cardio? I walk a lot, and I add cardio warm-ups to my workouts. Furthermore, I take the stairs when possible.
Cardio is only going to burn calories. To gain weight, you need to retain as many calories as possible. Retaining also helps you not have to eat more food.
The more cardio you do, the more food you will have to eat on top of the extra food you’re already getting in.
For some, this will be fun. For others, this will be a gruesome experience.
2. Add healthy oils to the top of your meals
Once you finish prepping your meal, add some oil on top right before you dive in.
It’s healthier not to heat certain oils. So just throw it on top of your food when you’re finished cooking, adding additional fat and calories to your meals.
3. Add The Goodness To Your Regular
Add ice cream to your protein shakes (this tip was received from a fellow bodybuilder).
4. Extra Eating Out
Lucky you. You can get away with eating out more regularly.
Add extra treat meals to your diet. Instead of never eating out or only eating out once a week, eat out 2–3 times a week, or have 2–3 days a week when you get in your regular meals and add two meals outside your usual diet.
5. 1 Muffin A Day
Something I’m doing now is an extra muffin each day. I don’t always feel like eating them, but for the most part, I eat at least one a day.
This adds energy to my workouts and helps me get in extra carbs.
6. Increase The Palatability Of Your Meals
What meals are the easiest for you to get down and eat in high amounts?
These are the meals you want in your diet, so you can consistently get in the extra calories you need.
The easier it is for you to get down food, the easier it will be to gain weight/muscle mass.
The harder it is for you to get down food, the more grueling the weight gain process will be for you.
If you don’t like red meat but enjoy fish, try eating fattier fish such as salmon.
If you don’t like rice but enjoy quinoa and sweet potatoes, go for these.
You don’t have to pick foods just because they are calorie dense. Choose foods that you enjoy to make the weight-gaining process more enjoyable.
7. Don’t Force Feed (If Possible)
Sometimes I will add 2–4 burgers on the weekend to help me gain muscle, but only when I’m in the mood for them. I try not to force-feed myself because that creates unhealthy emotions around food and the weight-gaining process.
If I’m not hungry, I don’t eat. I understand this can hurt my gains, but I rather be happy instead of stressed out. But when I am hungry, I take 100% advantage of it and eat as much as possible.
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This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.