How do I gain muscle/weight?

How do I gain muscle/weight?

The connection between muscle gain and weight loss is probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of health and fitness. Adding muscle to your body helps you to lower your body fat percentage in a variety of ways; however, these effects are often indirect and can be confusing. With a little bit of straightforward information, you can connect the dots between muscle gain and weight loss and increase your results (and your motivation to exercise). In general, eating more protein and getting more calories—while still keeping an eye on nutrition—is a good way to combat weight loss. Try these tips to help keep the weight on. Before beginning any new exercise regimen, consult your doctor.

Add Healthy Fats

Some fat is necessary since it cushions your internal organs, helps you to assimilate vitamins and stores energy for use later on. Many individuals have a body mass index that is higher than 24. A body mass index of 25 to 29 means you are overweight, and 30 and above puts you in the obese category. Too much fat hides your muscle and gives you a soft, shapeless appearance. "You're adding more flavor but adding a compact source of calories that's very efficiently metabolized, so it helps the effort of breathing." Try tossing a salad in olive oil instead of just having plain steamed veggies, or marinating meats in an olive-oil-based vinaigrette. Fat does not burn calories; it stores them. Pound for pound, fat takes up more room than muscles, which increases your overall size.

Muscle

Muscle gives your body its strength, shape and definition. It's also very metabolic, since each pound of muscle can burn up to 50 calories per day. The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In this way, adding muscle to your body through resistance training helps you to become a higher-calorie-burning individual. This helps you lose weight that is fat without sacrificing muscle gain.

Pick lean meats

"You need some protein, so pick lean meats, because the fat in meat would be more saturated and higher in cholesterol," says Dr. Gerbstadt. "Marinate a nice lean cut of meat in vinaigrette and make a London broil or a stir-fry, where you're adding healthy fat [by cooking in oil] and not using the animal fat."

Eat more eggs

Eggs are full of healthy nutrients and don't take much prep work, a plus for COPD patients, who often don't have the energy to prepare elaborate meals. The protein in eggs can be very helpful in adding bulk to a COPD patient's diet.

Consume more nuts

Nuts [are] a really nice, concentrated source of healthy fats, and they really boost up calories. They are also packed with antioxidants, which have lots of heart-healthy benefits and fight inflammation.Try spreading peanut butter on toast or bagels, tossing nuts into salads or stir-fries, or even just eating them by the handful.

Add Dairy—sparingly

Some sources recommend adding cheese to sandwiches, pastas, and casseroles, or mixing dried milk powder into recipes.  Cheese certainly is a concentrated source of calories; but, dairy fat isn't necessarily the best thing for COPD patients' arteries. Nuts and vegetable oils are a better source of fat, but there's no reason to avoid some dairy.

Weight Loss 

During weight loss, you want to lose the fat and keep (or even add) muscle. The best way to accomplish this is to have a small, daily calorie deficit of approximately 300 calories, add in resistance training exercises three or four times a week and perform cardiovascular exercise 150 minutes per week. It takes a 3,500-calorie deficit to lose one pound of fat, so this combination should give you a steady weight loss of approximately two pounds per week. Again, don't start this or any new regimen without first consulting your doctor.

Genetics

The ability to gain muscle and to lose weight varies from person to person depending on their genetics. Some individuals are naturally predisposed to put on muscle easily, while others may have to work harder at it. The same goes for how you lose and gain fat. Learn about your body type and use exercise techniques that work with your body and personal fitness goals. This is best done with the help of a professional trainer, after consulting your physician.