HardGainer’s Diet: A Complete Meal Plan
In a follow up to the Advanced Nutrition Guidelines, and incorporating information from the Guide To Protein, Guide To Carbs, and Guide To Fats, this is Complete Meal Plan for a HardGainer. If you haven’t read the other Nutrition articles I strongly suggest you go back and read them first, as this article builds off that information, and I don’t want to be getting too deep into details that have already been covered.
I will cover a “day in the life” sort of layout, where you can shift meal timings and serving sizes to meet your daily routine and current weight. I want to emphasize that this is a very realistic diet plan, in the sense that a person on an average income, who goes to work or school, can pull off this diet. If you are looking for one of the “ideal” diets, with exactly 50 ounces of chicken, beef, or fish every meal etc. go to your local store and pick up your favorite bodybuilding magazine. I studied those diets for years, only to realized they are only really applicable to professional bodybuilders, and those of use who are super dedicated with a large bankroll to cover it.
As mentioned in the Basic Nutrition Guidelines, you need to eat 6-7 smaller meals spaced 2-3 hours apart:
Meal #1-Breakfast: 8:00am
- Whey Protein Shake (50 grams Protein)
- One of Either Oatmeal, Grits, or Sugar Free Cereal (40 grams Carbs)
- Glass of Milk (10 grams of Protein)
Meal #2-Snack: 10:00am
- Peanut Butter Sandwich (15 grams protein, 40 grams carbs, 20 grams fat)
Meal #3-Lunch: 1:00pm
- 1 cup of Chicken, Beef, or Fish (50 grams protein, 5 grams fat)
- 1 cup rice or potatoes (40 grams carbs)
- 1 cup Vegetables (20 grams carbs, 10 grams fibre)
- OR Tuna Sandwich (25 grams protein, 40 grams carbs, 5 grams fat)
- Glass of Milk (10 grams protein)
Meal #4-Snack: 4:00pm
- Peanut Butter Sandwich (15 grams protein, 40 grams carbs, 20 grams fat)
- Banana (10 grams carbs)
Workout: 5:00pm
Meal #5-Post-Workout: 6:00pm
- Whey Protein Shake (50 grams of Protein)
- 2 tablespoons Dextrose of Waxy Maize (15 grams carbs)
- 1/2 cup Rolled Oats (30 grams carbs)
Meal #6-Dinner: 8:00pm
- 1 cup of Chicken, Beef, or Fish (50 grams protein, 5 grams fat)
- 1 cup rice or potatoes (40 grams carbs)
- 1 cup Vegetables (20 grams carbs, 10 grams fibre)
- Glass of Milk (10 grams protein)
Meal #7-Before Bed Snack: 11:00pm
- Whey Protein Shake (50 grams of Protein) (if above 200lb)
- 1 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese (50 grams of Protein)
Total Protein: 260 grams
Total Carbs: 335 grams
Total Fat: 55 grams
Following this high protein and high carb diet, Hardgainers can expect to gain 3-5 pounds per week. Slowly start building up to this ideal meal plan by adding in a small meal each day until you reach the required 6-7.
Like I said before, 85% of Bodybuilding and getting huge is Nutrition. This involves preparing food ahead of time, and making sure your fridge is always stocked.
I encourage everyone reading this to try out this diet for a minimum of 2 weeks and report back to me. You will see mass gains, you will gain muscle, and you will feel better about yourself.
How badly do YOU want it?
July 5th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
I would love to give this a try. I need something to work because I need to gain a lot of weight.
July 27th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Does this meal plan apply to non-workout days? If not what would the difference be?
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:25 am
foo,
This meal plan can easily be applied to non-workout days. Take the meals as listed, but in Meal #5, don’t add the Dextrose or Waxy Maize to your shake.
People often end up skipping that extra post workout protein shake on non-workout days, which is a big mistake considering it is on your off days that your muscles need the most protein to build and repair muscle.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:30 am
You’re doing a good thing with this site. I’m glad I came across it by just Googling it. Is that a word? Anyway. I’m going to give this a shot. Maybe my Dad WAS right when he said he used to eat PEanut butter and Jelly sandwiches back in the day when he was needing to gain weight.
I’ll do my best to keep track of weight and such. I’ll stick with the diet for a month. And try to update you every week. Feel free to e-mail me, so I can be in touch. I’m 138lbs and 5′10 at the moment. Have been training with a new routine now. Kind of like your 12-6 pyramid ideas. But 8,6,4,2 and then 50% of the first until failure. With just basic, old school lifts. Deads, bench, squats, bb curls, pulldowns, dips, you get the point. Last night I did 205lbs for my 2 rep weight. Perfect form, no cheat, and man it felt good.
I say that, to say this: I too feel that nutrition is the most important thing in any individuals fitness regimine(sp). I have tried a lot of different nutrition plans that I’ve found in the mags, and they work so, so. But I need one that is budget minded and simple. I don’t have a fridge here at work, so I need to only bring things that need to stay cool and eat them for my 10am. Blah blah.
I’m going to give this a shot and let you know what gains I see.
Do an article on WATER INTAKE. That too is very important to simple everyday life, regardless of lifting weights. JUST AN IDEA!
Peace.
August 14th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Here’s a meal plan I wouldnt mind having critiqued. I am 183 lbs 5′10″ (note started training at 160 and the 183 is not cut). Goal is to hit 190-200 then cut down. Questions are 1) Thoughts/Critiques in general 2) I worry I am gaining more body fat than muscle. Where should I cut? Or should I even worry about it until 190-195 and then cut down (cutting should be relatively easy - I participate in MMA). Any thoughts would be great!!!
515:
10 oz egg whites
1 c oats
1 bannana
1 scp whey
8 Size on (Creatine)
6 Mass (Aminos)
2 Nitrix
1 Megamen (Multivitamin)
1 CoQ10 with Hawthorn
630 workout (10 gms glutamine)
730
3 scoops whey
1 med potato
6 Mass (Amino)
2 Nitrix
10:30
10 oz egg whites
1 whole wheat bagel
12:30
7 oz chicken
2 cups whole wheat pasta
3:30
10 oz egg whites
1 scp True Mass (Protein/carbs from BSN)
2 c Oats
6:30
6 oz chicken (Switch up with steak/fish)
1 c aspargus
1 mega men (multivitamin)
6 Mass (Amino)
1 Fish Oil
1 Chromium Picolinate
9:30
2 scoops caseine
1 scoop whey
2 Nitrix
2 Novedex (testosterone booster)
August 17th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Ryan,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. First of all, that is a very well thought out diet, and its refreshing to see someone who takes so much time and effort to do that. Everything looks good except for your last meal. It seems like it would be quite the feat to take 3 scoops of protein down like that. Have you thought about having perhaps a cup of cottage cheese or yogurt at this meal, and then having say 1 casein scoop and 1 whey scoop. Other than that, your diet looks great!
From my experience, its best to overshoot your target weight, and then slowly cut down once per year. You don’t want to get in the habit of gaining 10 pounds and then trying to cut down 5 more. You just end up spinning your wheels like that. If your at 183 right now, I suggest you bulk to around 200, and then cut down slowly to a nice lean 195.
If you have any more questions let me know!
August 27th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
hey man, i have been peaking like mad, and i need to switch things up. so i plan on bookmarking your site, and using it for 4 weeks to see what i can come up with.
one question though. when you say one cup rice, do you mean one cup cooked rice? because i’ll put one cup brown rice and 2 1/2 cups water into my rice cooker, and supposedly i’ll get 3 1/2 cups rice.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:57 am
somedude,
I mean 1 cup cooked rice. Try to use brown or whole grain rice.