by Health Dr. 1 on Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:03 pm
There are a number of different strategies and supplements that have been proposed for this reason, some of which appear to work well for some people and some that are less successful. There are, however, a few basic considerations that you need to think about. I assume that you want to increase your muscle mass and not simply add weight or fat to your body. In order to do this you must strength train. For most people, this means lifting weights. It can be done through other types of work as well; the point is that you must offer more resistance to your muscles than you typically encounter. I would suggest working with a personal trainer or other person that is experienced in weight training in order to learn proper form, stretching techniques, and to prevent injury.
In addition to working out regularly, you must provide enough calories and protein in order to maintain muscle growth. You will probably see some gains in strength if you don’t consume enough calories, but you probably will not gain a lot of weight. It is even possible that you could lose a little bit. Most strength athletes recommend eating at least 5-6 meals throughout the day. I would recommend a diet that is composed of mainly whole foods, preferably organic, including a lot of raw foods. This type of diet can be supplemented by protein drinks in order to boost protein and calories. Hemp, egg, and whey protein are 3 very popular choices for protein; whey is probably the most popular among athletes. I would suggest a protein that comes from organic sources with a minimum of processing, especially exposure to heat. Be aware that most weight-gain drinks contain a tremendous amount of sugar and artificial chemicals; these are not the best choice. I would suggest a whey protein known as Pro Serum or Whey Ahead. It is organic and processed using a low-heat process that is designed to maintain many of the other health benefits that whey can offer. Other supplements such as glutamine, branched-chain aminos, and free-form aminos can also be very helpful. Two particularly beneficial times to take protein drinks are within 20 minutes after a workout and just before bed. This can help to minimize the break down of muscle tissue due to fasting.
I would also suggest a multi-nutrient mix such as IntraMax to provide basic nutrients that your body requires, especially if you increase your metabolic rate. There are other supplements out there that are probably very helpful, but if you do not give your body the stimulus for muscle growth and then provide the basic nutrients for it then none of the other stuff is going to be very effective.
