Content provided in partnership with

Appetite for construction: eight tried-and-true methods for increasing appetite to build more muscle

Flex, Nov, 2004 by Chris Aceto

Mike Matarazzo and Jay Cutler are not hardgainers. Besides having both grown up in the Boston area, the two mass monsters have something else in common--they know how to eat! Matarazzo was one of the first monster eaters of modern bodybuilding, consuming 6,000 calories a day in the offseason; his contemporaries thought 4,000 was a lot. Cutler has never been shy about eating, either. He frequently takes in 10 small meals a day, enabling him to flood his body with nutrition every two hours around the clock--during the offseason and while dieting for a competition.

More Articles of Interest: The hunger hormone? An appetite stimulant produced by the stomach may lead to...; Calorie quest: how can a hardgainer with a small appetite eat big?; Monster mass: build the perfect beast with this maniacal nutrition and...; Mass-building pyramid: prioritize your nutrition—and get freakin'...; Slow and steady

Those who can eat a lot have a natural advantage over those with smaller appetites--it's easier to grow when you naturally overfeed your body. That isn't the case for many bodybuilders. Hardgainers are bodybuilders who tend to have a tough time eating more calories than they need for maintenance. That's what this month's column addresses: eight ways to trick and coax your body into consuming more calories. Once you can increase your appetite and take in more calories, it's much easier to add quality mass.

1 | Dump fiber Fiber, the indigestible substance found in beans, veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and other foods, is beneficial for health. Fiber provides a "full" feeling. That's fine for dieters, but it can get in the way when you're trying to add muscle mass. Fibrous foods not only tend to be harder to chew and swallow, but they may be eaten in place of more calorically dense foods, such as starchy carbs. Fibrous foods also stay with you longer, slowing down digestion, so that your body doesn't cue you to eat your next meal as soon. All in all, taking in fiber is excellent as a weight-loss strategy, but not as a mass-gaining tactic. Nutritionists recommend eating 25 grams (g) of fiber a day, but when growth is your goal, avoid foods that are high in fiber.

2 | Eat starchy carbs One of the best strategies for building mass is to take in plenty of starchy carbs: white rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, bagels, cold cereal and Cream of Rice. These foods help you put on size. First, it's easy to eat a lot of calories from starchy carbs, helping you to increase your daily caloric intake. Second, carbs are stored as glycogen in your muscles. They help drive water and other nutrients into your muscle cells, encouraging muscle growth. For most bodybuilders, a diet of 50-60% calories from carbs is ideal for a growth phase. A ratio of at least 2:1 carbs to protein is also associated with higher testosterone levels. Just be careful to watch your waistline. Starchy carbs encourage bodyfat storage; it's all about finding the balance of calories and carbs that's right for you.

3 | Drink fruit juice Fruit juice provides concentrated calories and simple carbs; drinking it is an easy way to quickly take in a large number of extra calories. Drinking a cup of juice 30 minutes before a large meal causes a quick rise in blood sugar followed by a rapid decline. This in turn triggers appetite. So, having a glass of apple or grape juice before a large meal could help you finish that meal. You'll have the wherewithal to eat it all.

Fruit juice can also be a part of your preworkout and postworkout nutrition. Combine 60-80 g of simple carbs from fruit juice with 30-40 g of whey protein for an excellent energy booster and muscle builder.

4 | Overeat at night If you overeat once a week or even once every five days or so, you may be surprised by how your body responds. Often, when you eat a huge meal right before bedtime, you will wake up starving in the morning. This is due to several factors. The meal dramatically increases the release of insulin, the appetite-stimulating hormone, and stretches your stomach. This in turn expands the gut. Meanwhile, elevated insulin levels not only drive most of the food into muscle stores (of course, some is stored as bodyfat, too), but they will also increase your metabolic rate. Occasionally spiking insulin, especially at night via a large whole-food meal that includes carbs, will help spike metabolism. You fall asleep with an expanded stomach and elevated metabolism, which will leave you surprisingly hungry the next day.

5 | Add artificial sweeteners Most people think of no-calorie sweeteners such as Splenda, aspartame and saccharin as diet aids to sweeten foods and control calories. However, studies indicate that such sweeteners might fall into the opposite category--as tools for adding size. How? Researchers have speculated these sweeteners spike insulin levels, one of the most potent influences on appetite. Just as you might salivate and "lick your chops" at the idea of a steak dinner, the body may automatically increase its insulin output when you use sugar replacements. In other words, although the sweeteners provide few calories, the perception that they are sweet causes your body to release insulin.

A recent study at Purdue University showed that rats fed artificial sweeteners ate three times more calories than rats given sugar. The bottom line is that you should add a mix of both calorie-providing simple sugars, such as honey or jam, to your hot cereal or cold white rice, along with a couple of packets of artificial sweetener.

Appetite for construction: eight tried-and-true methods for increasing appetite to build more muscle

Flex, Nov, 2004 by Chris Aceto

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Home & Garden

Most Popular Articles in Health

Most Popular Publications in Health