When you’re dieting for mass or fat loss, an easy way to formulate a plan is to think about dieting for the body you want, not the body you currently have. This can help you adjust caloric intake and your training to fit your goal. Essentially, the pieces become part of the larger puzzle. Meaning, if you favor your diet over your training (or vice versa), you won’t get the outcome you want. However, these tips can help you put on mass the right way …

Carb Up

To keep your energy up you need to feast on plenty of carbs. (FYI: the best pre-workout supplement, Pre Game Formula, and our Energy Formula are two more great ways to ramp up energy.) Simple and complex carbs — fast and slow-digesting carbohydrates, respectively — should be consumed with a couple of things in mind: when are you going to train, and how far out from your training are you? Closer to your workout, a quick-digesting carb may provide the energy boost needed, whereas a few hours out a slow-digesting carb that provides lasting energy may be the answer.

Weight Gain

If you’re not seeing results, step back and look at your program as a whole. Are you eating, sleeping, and training enough? If the answer is yes, consider a weight gainer supplement. Just keep in mind that it’s going to be more calories, so first try keeping your diet as-is before sucking down a weight-gainer. Also, as we mentioned in a previous P4 blog about creatine, its use can lead to putting on water-weight. It’s nothing to be concerned about, but it’s something to keep in mind.

Eat Often

Smaller meals eaten throughout the day is go-to advice to ward off hunger cravings and keep metabolism moving. But all of our bodies are different, so it’s on you to experiment and note what eating methods works best for you. For starters, try eating every three hours. If it’s not working, adjust that or add more snacks — a handful of peanuts, almond butter with an apple, etc. — into your day.

Scale Back Your Cardio

We know, it’s not a diet tip per say, but it goes hand-in-hand with your diet, and it’s important to know that if you want to build mass you need to cut back on cardiovascular work. Why? You’ll end up burning too many calories. Thing is, cutting back on cardio needs to be factored into how much food you’ll be taking in to achieve your goal.