10 Ways to Increase Your Daily Calorie Intake in a Mass Building Diet
In order to get big you have to eat big. You've probably heard that phrase a hundred times by now. The concept sounds simple enough, but it's often easier said then done. Most of us lead such hectic lifestyles these days that finding the time to prepare and eat enough food can be quite a challenge, especially when on a mass gaining diet.
Since increasing your caloric intake is such an important aspect of a mass building diet, I thought I would write an article that outlines the easiest ways make it happen. You'll notice that I never mention consuming junk food, because although it does promote weight gain, it's unhealthy and will add on body fat instead of muscle.
Here are the top 10 ways to increase your caloric intake-without eating junk food:
1) Drink a night time protein shake - This tactic has worked wonders for many people, and can be a fantastic way to consume an additional 400 - 800 calories.
All you have to do is prepare your shake before bed time, set your clock for about five hours after your go to sleep, down your shake, and go back to sleep. Two scoops of casein protein in water or milk is ideal for this middle of the night snack. Make sure you don't consume too many calories in this shake however, as you might have trouble sleeping.
Trevor Reed is a big fan of this method. Check out Trevor Reed's muscle transformation.
2) Snack between meals - Constantly snacking is another great way consume additional calories throughout the day. Eating is anabolic, and eating more often is a great way to encourage the body to get in to "muscle building mode".
Any time you have the opportunity to eat more food, go for it. Have portable foods like nuts, hard boiled eggs and fruit easily accessible so that you can munch on them while in the car, at work or at home.
3) Add oils to your meals - Adding oils to your meals will instantly add many calories. Extra virgin olive oil, flax oil and oil blends are the top choices for adding to salads or other dishes. If you are planning on adding oil to foods while you cook, consider using coconut oil as it does not break down as easily as other oils do at high temperatures.
Just remember that unlike carbohydrates and protein, fat has 9 calories per gram which means that the calories can add up very fast. So fast that if you aren't careful, you may start storing the excess calories as fat.
4) Use whole fat dairy products - Use whole milk and full fat yogurt for your shakes, and eat high quality full fat cheeses. If you're trying to gain weight, low-fat won't cut the mustard!
If you consume dairy regularly, consider organic dairy products to avoid the nasty antibiotics and other chemicals found in the non-organic variety.
5) Consume meal replacement supplements - If you aren't already doing so, you're missing out on some easy calories. Meal replacement supplements are a fast meal that can add up to 400 calories or more per serving. A bar or shake makes a great snack in between meals.
6) Drink juice instead of water - Water has no calories, while juice has about 200 or more per serving. Even replacing two cups of water a day with juice could add up to 500 additional calories to your diet, and if you're a hardgainer, every extra calorie counts!
7) Eat nuts and seeds - These high protein snacks are portable, easy to consume, and taste delicious. Nuts and seeds are loaded with protein and heart healthy fats. In addition, they are very high in calories.
Almonds and walnuts are particularly beneficial in the nut department, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds are excellent choices when it comes to seeds. Try mixing them with full fat organic yogurt and honey for a delicious high calorie treat.
8) Add whole oats to your protein shakes - Oats are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and are loaded with calories. They blend up easily in shakes and are an excellent addition to your favorite shake recipe.
9) Avoid liquids before meals - Too much water or any liquid for that matter will decrease your appetite. Make sure you don't consume too much water (or any liquids for that matter) before meals.
10) Eliminate Booz - Alcohol consumption is absolutely out of the question. Eliminate it from your diet entirely if possible. Although it is full of calories, these empty calories do nothing for your body from a nutritional standpoint, and excessive alcohol intake will promote muscle loss and fat gain.
There you have it. 10 simple ways to consume more calories in your mass building diet. Now you have no excuses! No matter how busy you are you should be able to implement most of these tips in to your daily nutrition regimen, and supercharge your muscle gains!
*If you'd like to learn more about bodybuilding nutrition, check out this step by step guide that will show your how to design a bodybuilding diet
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