weight gain; muscle
I lived most of my life believing that i needed to lose weight, as if being a few pounds lighter was going to help me achieve anything.
then i feel in love with powerlifting. a sport that requires a ton of time in the gym and a careful eye on diet, yet cultivated such a positive relationship between my mind and my body.
instead of wishing my body looked a certain way, i began to see it as strong, as powerful, as something more than a ‘look’. since getting into the sport, i have gained 15 pounds. a year ago, even a five pound increase on the scale would have upset me. but i feel nothing but proud, strong and motivated to continue to get stronger and continue to grow into the best and happiest version of myself. even if that version does not meet standards i once had for myself.
to gain muscle mass - you gotta eat.
and you gotta eat the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. this ratio is personal, it depends on a ton of individual factors which is why you should not be following blindly after someone else who achieved results doing things one way. listen to your body, be patient, and learn as you go.
obviously, gaining muscle means gaining weight which means gaining fat.
to ensure minimal fat gain, be sure the majority of your calories are coming from whole foods and you are not too high over maintenance calories.
here are some foods to incorporate into your diet that make gaining muscle mass a little easier;
