I am celebrating weight gain. What? Really Deanna? How can you celebrate weight gain in a world where we are told to lose weight and stay small?

WRONG!

I have been gaining weight on purpose, and here is why you may want to do the same;

More muscle is always the answer.

If you are looking to put on muscle mass you may have to get comfortable with seeing the numbers on the scale go up.

Seeing the scale jump may scare you, but listen ladies, that doesn’t mean you have to get “fat" or "bulky" or whatever term you use when you think of someone gaining weight.

Dialing in your calorie intake and training so you are gaining at a rate of 0.5-1% body weight per month is a nice sustainable guideline.

This slow and steady rate will minimize fat gain, but you will gain some fat. (and fat isn't bad)

Currently I don’t count calories. Perhaps if I did I would optimize my muscle growth, but it just doesn’t fit my lifestyle right now as a former chronic dieter. Instead I hit a protein goal, eat intuitively, and take my weight once a month. From there I adjust intake up or down. This could look like an extra scoop of whey protein, or 4 oz of meat, with a couple of rice cakes or a large piece of fruit.

I train 6 days a week, for 45 minutes each session, including my Sunday Lift and Bitch workout with Feminist Figure Girl. We like to split the workouts into body parts. Chest and arms, Back/Deadlifts, Glutes- Hamstring focus, Shoulders, and Legs- quad focus. I only do cardio ( sprints) 1 day a week, but I walk as much as possible.

Takeaways:

-Weight is just a number, it doesn’t define who you are

-If you are looking to put on mass, embrace the new number. and yes, a new clothing size.

-Lifting weights does not make you bulky. (Eating too much makes you bulky)

-Aim for 0.5%-1% increase in body weight per month while eating and training for lean gains.

If I am feeling hungrier on training days, like I mentioned above, I will eat more food. Sometimes I add an extra serving of carbs post workout. ( 1/2 cup oats or a banana) some evenings I drink wine....it is about moderation of all foods.

Your body will need more or less depending on the intensity and duration of your  workouts.

Pick a goal, get a solid plan from a credentialed coach, eat and train, get plenty of sleep and watch what happens.

CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY!

Let's GO!

xFitbabe