A fast metabolism can be both a blessing and a curse for guys. On one hand, they can eat anything guilt-free while avoiding obesity related diseases. But on the other hand, they can’t gain weight and get the toned, well-built physique they want as easily or efficiently as other men. These kind of people are ectomorphs, body types that use calories so efficiently that developing muscle growth is nearly impossible. However, a combination of good nutrition and a specific weight training program can help in building muscle mass.

Watch your Calorie and Protein Intake

One major factor to building muscles with a fast metabolism is diet. A guy with a fast metabolism should increase his food intake, maybe even double the meals he eats every day. But this should be done with the supervision of a nutritionist or a doctor.

Some nutritionists and fitness experts have recommended eating your corresponding weight in protein will help build body mass. For instance, if a guy’s goal is to weigh 150 lbs, then he should eat 150 grams of protein a day. He should also increase the amount of calories he consumes daily. One way to do this would be to consume 20 times his current weight in calories for 2 weeks. After which, he should increase it to 22 times for another 2 weeks.

This is undoubtedly very challenging, as well as expensive. One way to meet your goal is to focus on high calorie foods like fruits, nuts, nut butters and whole grains. Mixing calorie dense foods in one’s diet is simpler than just eating more. Choosing high-quality, fresh food over processed, low-quality food also adds more nutrients that can help boost muscle growth.

Choose your Exercise Regimen

This high calorie, high protein diet must be complemented with a good exercise regimen designed by an experienced personal trainer. This may entail exercises that target particular muscle groups as well as core training. Weight training workouts that emphasize heavy compound lifts are also recommended. Fitness experts are of the opinion that people with fast metabolisms will find that lower reps done with heavier weights are quite effective in stimulating muscle fibers to grow.

How often you should visit the gym depends on your fitness plan but weightlifting every other day will give muscles the chance to recover between intense workouts and facilitates muscle growth. Cardiovascular workouts are also recommended but not as often or as intense since the goal is to keep the fat, not expend it.

Going from a lean frame to a more muscular one will take time and a lot of effort and commitment. Some might even need a year to see satisfactory changes. Take advantage of the numerous online resources and support groups to aid you in your quest. Do whatever it takes to motivate you, like keeping a journal, tracking your calorie or protein intake or taking pictures of yourself regularly to keep a record of any improvements. By the time the year ends, you can see how far you’ve progressed. You can even use your photos and journal to share your success story and help inspire others to also get the body that they’ve always dreamt of.