Getting Big the Right Way

I spent most of my life as a scrawny - mom's word - kid. I have a small frame and the muscle structure to match. I have gotten used to the idea that there will always be someone stronger than I. I learned to deal with this in two ways. First, I focused on the things my body could do well, such as running and biking. Second, I let them do all the heavy work. Turns out, I am kinda lazy. I understand what drives the guys that want to change themselves and get big.

Adding muscle when you are small takes more than going to the gym a few times and looking at yourself doing curls in the mirror. You need to work as hard to get big as most need to lose weight, and it will take longer. The first thing to come to grips with is the fact that you are an animal. Nature does not like waste - how many fat monkeys do see? When you gain a pound of muscle it requires more calories to maintain, so your body will not want to keep it long. You have to commit to this new lifestyle as a permanent part of your life. If you don't, your work will be lost almost right away.

Once you have decided that this is your goal, and you are training to achieve it, there are some supplements that can help you out. I have written about the core four, protein, creatine, glutamine, and arginine in the past but you will need more help to get to your goals. I would look first at your post work out/ recovery shake. I suggest that you get 30 grams of protein with about 60 grams of carbs in that shake. I would then add 5 grams of creatine. That seems to work the best for the guys I help. Any more protein and it will likely be flushed down the drain. The carbs are needed to recharge your muscles and control your insulin. Most people do not realize that insulin is the most anabolic hormone in the body. Controlling your insulin is a great way to improve the gains you will earn from you workouts.

Ideally, that will be the only shake of the day. You need to eat your calories, not drink them. Eat a balanced diet that has enough calories based on your metabolic rate to gain muscle at a controlled, slow and steady pace. Fast gains are fast loses. Remember you are change your body and it has been many years in the making already.