Defying the Odds: 3 Top Tips to Gain Weight with a Speedy Metabolism

We’ve all heard of the 3 different body types when we first start to train. You have the endomorphs, mesomorphs and the ectomorphs:

• Endomorphs tend to have a rounder or softer body shape and may have a bit more body fat.
• Mesomorphs have a more muscular and athletic body type, with an easier time gaining and maintaining muscle mass.
• Ectomorphs are usually lean and slim with difficulty gaining weight or muscle.

Like many gym newbies, I had characterised myself into the hardgainer (ectomorph) category as it was always extremely difficult for me to gain weight. After multiple years learning about fitness and nutrition, here are my top 3 tips to gain weight if you have a fast metabolism.

1. Utilise High Calorie Dense Foods

“I eat so much food but still can’t gain weight”. If I had a dollar every time I heard this, I might actually be able to afford groceries in Sydney for a week. Jokes aside, this remark has come out of too many mouths, including my own. Once I gained a little bit more knowledge on calories and nutrition as a whole, it was quite surprising to see how much weight you can truly put on. High Calorie Dense Foods!

High calorie dense foods refer to foods that contain a lot of calories, but when digested, doesn’t really feel like that (thus allowing us to eat more food). For example, pasta, peanut butter, rice, nuts - all of these foods provide exceptional nutrients and are extremely easy to digest.

2. Mass Gainers (can) actually help!

There are many mixed opinions on Mass Gainers but I am here to tell you exactly what you need to know about them! I won’t go into too much detail as it’ll need its own separate blog post. But to summarize, mass gainers need to be used as tools, not built upon reliance. When we talk about gaining weight, the law is being in a calorie surplus. If we consume 3 mass gainer shakes a day, and a banana - I can almost guarantee you will NOT gain weight. Mass gainers give us the convenient option to get calories in quickly on TOP of our regular nutrition. 

3. Focus on getting stronger

Muscle is an expensive tissue! When you push your focus towards getting stronger and progressing in your lifts - your body will yearn for more food because it needs those calories to keep up. Many individuals approach gaining weight by just stuffing food in their mouth without actually training hard in the gym. Remember, nutrition and physical activity come hand in hand. 

And that concludes our 3 top tips to gain weight. If you happened to take anything away from this blog, be sure to let us know!

EQ Team,