3 Months to Mass

Anyone with experience in the mass-gain department - and we mean muscle mass, not the lumpy
kind that accumulates around your midsection - knows the biggest obstacle to getting big isn’t always
in the gym. No one is saying heaving heavy weights is easy, but what’s even harder is making sure all
that work isn’t for naught. That means eating, then eating the same thing again, day after day.

Many mass-gain meal plans - or any diet, for that matter - seem to drag on with no end in sight as
you cut into another chicken breast, masticate the last spoonful of your 47th bowl of oatmeal and
chug yet another protein shake on the 60th day of your 12-week get-big sentence.

Our strategy, on the other hand, gives you options and changes things up in Month 2 and again in
Month 3, depending on your progress, which is the key to this plan. Because nothing beats an
eternally drab diet like seeing bona fide results.

The Fundamentals
While we provide a few food alternatives (see “Diversify Your Meals” on page 196), here are some
foods we highly recommend you eat every day during this program. For one, three whole eggs and
three egg whites for breakfast are critical to mass gains. One study from Texas A&M (College Station)
found that subjects who ate three whole eggs per day for 12 weeks while weight training almost
doubled their muscle mass gains and more than doubled their strength gains, compared to those
who ate no more than one egg per day.

And salad for lunch, you ask? That’s right. Research shows a green salad with a meal can enhance
blood flow to muscles during exercise. Of course, you can’t do without your whey protein. Taken
before a workout, whey has been found to elevate energy levels while in the gym (allowing you to
get more reps) and boost muscle growth after. Better still is mixing whey with casein postworkout.
Researchers at Baylor University (Waco, Texas) found that this combination better stimulates muscle
growth than whey alone. Before bed, casein protein is a must, particularly one containing micellar
casein, which can take up to seven hours to digest. That means your body gets a slow and steady
source of amino acids through most of the night, preventing it from breaking down your muscles for
their amino acids, which are then converted to fuel for your brain during sleep.

Walnuts, peanut butter, mixed nuts, avocados, salmon and olive oil are all important as well because
they provide healthy fats that help your joints recover after grueling workouts. Keep unhealthy fats
to a minimum.

We’re not breaking new ground here; the foundation of this plan is a fairly typical mass-gain diet.
After the first month, you’ll assess your progress and either stay the course with the original meal
plan (Mass Plan A) or switch to option B or C, depending on how much you’re gaining and where.
Before you start, however, you’ll need to take measurements of your biceps, thighs and waist. Gains
in these areas will be the basis for your dietary changes each month
Mass Plan A (Month 1)
With this plan, you’ll consume more carbs and protein, as well as more overall calories, on workout
days than on rest days. Your fat intake, however, will be slightly lower on workout days since fat can
interfere with the flow of blood to your muscles. Specifically, you’ll eat 20-21 calories per pound of
bodyweight, or about 3,700 calories, per day. (Note: These diets are designed for a 180-pound guy
but should suffice for those between 160 and 200 pounds. If you’re above or below this range, use
relative amounts to adjust the food intake for your bodyweight.) Your protein consumption will hit
almost 2 grams per pound of bodyweight, or about 360 grams, and your carbohydrate numbers will
match this. Your fat intake, on the other hand, will be about 0.5 gram per pound of bodyweight, or
about 90 grams.

Rest Day Meal Plan

On rest days, your calorie consumption will drop as you throttle back on carbs and protein. Your fat
intake, however, will go up, specifically healthy fat, which is important for joint recovery. Moreover,
when you’re trying to add mass and drop bodyfat at the same time, you have to trick your body into
getting bigger. These variable-calorie days do just that, preventing the body from adjusting to the
same intake levels. On these days, you’ll eat about 16 calories per pound of bodyweight, or just less
than 3,000 calories. Your protein numbers will be slightly more than 1.5 grams per pound of
bodyweight, or about 300 grams, while your carb intake will plummet to less than 1 gram per pound
of bodyweight, or about 170 grams. Fat levels rise to just more than 0.5 gram per pound of
bodyweight, or slightly more than 100 grams.

Month 2
Assessment time. Take your waist, arm and thigh measurements again and compare them to your
starting numbers. While the diet is designed to work well for the average 160-200-pounder, you may
need to do a little tweaking to accommodate your personal physiology and biochemistry. Regardless
of which meal plan you follow on workout days, keep your rest-day diet the same. With your new
measurements, use the following criteria to guide you during the second month:
>> If your biceps and thighs have increased in size but your waist has stayed the same, keep following
the diet outlined for the first month.
>> If your biceps and thighs have increased in size but your waist has decreased, switch to Mass Plan
B.
>> If your biceps and thighs have stayed the same but your waist has decreased or stayed the same,
switch to Mass Plan B.
>> If your biceps, thighs and waist have all increased, switch to Mass Plan C.

Month 3
Time to assess your progress again. Get out that tape measure - you know the drill. This time
compare your results to your measurements after the first month.
If you followed the original diet in the second month and: >> Your biceps and thighs have increased
in size but your waist has stayed the same, keep following the same diet as in Months 1 and 2.
>> Your biceps and thighs have increased in size but your waist has decreased, switch to Mass Plan B.

>> Your biceps, thighs and waist have all stayed the same, switch to Mass Plan B.
>> Your biceps, thighs and waist have all increased in size, switch to Mass Plan C.
If you followed Mass Plan B in the second month and: >> Your biceps and thighs have increased in
size or stayed the same and your waist has stayed the same or decreased in size, keep following Mass
Plan B.
>> Your biceps, thighs and waist have all increased in size, switch to Mass Plan C.
If you followed Mass Plan C in the second month and: >> Your biceps and thighs have increased in
size but your waist has stayed the same, keep following Mass Plan C.
>> Your biceps and thighs have increased in size or stayed the same but your waist has decreased,
switch back to Mass Plan A.

Food For Thought

Our three-month mass-gain program, with its Plans A, B and C, may seem complicated, but make the
commitment to follow it and you’ll be much more likely to see positive results. The alternative -
taking a one-size-fits-all approach for three months and not allowing for adjustments - can leave you
spinning your wheels. Nothing is more frustrating than working hard and eating right, only to see no
results. If you prefer not to settle for that, you’ve come to the right place.

MASS PLAN A
TOTALS: 3,731 calories, 359 g protein, 380 g carbs, 86 g fat

BEFORE BREAKFAST
1 scoop whey protein (mix in water)
1 medium banana

BREAKFAST
3 whole eggs + 3 egg whites
2 cups cooked oatmeal

MORNING SNACK
8 oz. low-fat cottage cheese + 1 cup sliced pineapple
6 whole-wheat crackers + 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

LUNCH
8 oz. turkey deli meat
4 slices whole-wheat bread (make sandwiches; feel free to add low-fat mayo and/or mustard)
2 cups green salad + 2 Tbsp. low-fat balsamic vinaigrette

PREWORKOUT SNACK
1 scoop whey protein (mix in water)
1 large apple

POSTWORKOUT SNACK
2 scoops whey protein +
1 scoop casein protein (mix in water)
1 medium plain bagel + 2 Tbsp. jelly

DINNER
8 oz. top sirloin
1 large sweet potato
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 cups green salad +2 Tbsp. salad dressing (olive oil and vinegar)

NIGHTTIME SNACK
1 oz. English walnuts
2 scoops casein protein (mix in water)

MASS PLAN B
TOTALS: 4,017 calories, 386 g protein, 415 g carbs, 90 g fat
THIS MEAL PLAN INCREASES YOUR CALORIC INTAKE TO JUST MORE THAN 22 PER POUND OF
BODYWEIGHT, OR SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 4,000 FOR THE DAY. PROTEIN GOES UP TO A LITTLE MORE
THAN 2 GRAMS PER POUND OF BODYWEIGHT PER DAY, WHILE CARBS PEAK AT JUST MORE THAN
2.25 GRAMS PER POUND. FAT STAYS THE SAME AT ABOUT 0.5 GRAM PER POUND. MOST OF THESE
GAINS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY ADDING AN EXTRA SCOOP OF WHEY TO YOUR BEFORE-BREAKFAST
MEAL, A FEW EXTRA WHOLE-WHEAT CRACKERS TO YOUR MIDDAY SNACK AND A CUP OF COOKED
OATMEAL TO YOUR BEDTIME MEAL. THE EXTRA CALORIES FROM THE PROTEIN AND CARBS WILL
KEEP YOU GROWING IN THE NEXT MONTH.

BEFORE BREAKFAST
2 scoops whey protein (mix in water)
1 medium banana

BREAKFAST
3 whole eggs + 3 egg whites
2 cups cooked oatmeal

MORNING SNACK
8 oz. low-fat cottage cheese + 1 cup sliced pineapple
9 whole-wheat crackers + 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

LUNCH
8 oz. turkey deli meat
4 slices whole-wheat bread(make sandwiches; feel free to add low-fat mayo and/or mustard)
2 cups green salad + 2 Tbsp. low-fat balsamic vinaigrette

PREWORKOUT SNACK
1 scoop whey protein (mix in water)
1 large apple

POSTWORKOUT SNACK
2 scoops whey protein +
1 scoop casein protein (mix in water)
1 medium plain bagel + 2 Tbsp. jelly

DINNER
8 oz. top sirloin
1 large sweet potato
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 cups green salad + 2 Tbsp. salad dressing (olive oil and vinegar)

NIGHTTIME SNACK
1 oz. English walnuts
1 cup cooked oatmeal
2 scoops casein protein (mix in water)

MASS PLAN C
TOTALS: 3,246 calories, 345 g protein, 313 g carbs, 66 g fat
IF YOUR BODYFAT LEVELS TEND TO RISE EASILY, THEN MASS PLAN C WILL HELP LEAN YOU OUT
WITHOUT COMPROMISING YOUR MUSCLE GAINS. THIS PLAN DROPS YOUR DAILY CALORIE COUNT
TO ABOUT 18 PER POUND OF BODYWEIGHT, WHILE KEEPING PROTEIN AT ABOUT 2 GRAMS PER
POUND AND DROPPING CARBOHYDRATES TO ABOUT 1.75 GRAMS PER POUND. YOUR DAILY FAT
NUMBERS WILL DIP BELOW 0.5 GRAM PER POUND OF BODYWEIGHT. REMOVING SOME BREAD
FROM YOUR LUNCHTIME MEAL, CUTTING OUT CARBS AT DINNER AND DROPPING THE WALNUTS
BEFORE BED CAN ACHIEVE THESE REDUCTIONS.

BEFORE BREAKFAST
1 scoop whey protein (mix in water)
1 medium banana

BREAKFAST
3 whole eggs + 3 egg whites
2 cups cooked oatmeal

MORNING SNACK
8 oz. low-fat cottage cheese + 1 cup sliced pineapple
6 whole-wheat crackers +1 Tbsp. peanut butter

LUNCH
8 oz. turkey deli meat
2 slices whole-wheat bread (make sandwich; feel free to add low-fat mayo and/or mustard)
2 cups green salad +
2 Tbsp. low-fat balsamic vinaigrette

PREWORKOUT SNACK
1 scoop whey protein (mix in water)
1 large apple

POSTWORKOUT SNACK
2 scoops whey protein +
1 scoop casein protein (mix in water)
1 medium plain bagel + 2 Tbsp. jelly

DINNER
8 oz. top sirloin
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 cups green salad +2 Tbsp. salad dressing (olive oil and vinegar)

NIGHTTIME SNACK
2 scoops casein protein (mix in water)

REST DAY MEAL PLAN

TOTALS: 2,941 calories, 303 g protein, 172 g carbs, 113 g fat

BEFORE BREAKFAST
1 scoop whey protein (mix in water)
1 medium banana

BREAKFAST
3 whole eggs + 3 egg whites
1 cup cooked oatmeal

LATE-MORNING SNACK
1 scoop whey protein (mix in water)
1 cup cooked oatmeal

LUNCH
1 can white tuna + 1⁄2 cup cottage cheese
2 cups green salad + 1 Tbsp. salad dressing (olive oil and vinegar) 1⁄2 cup granola

MIDDAY SNACK
1 scoop whey protein +
1 scoop casein protein (mix in water)
1 oz. mixed nuts

DINNER
9 oz. salmon
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 cups green salad + 1⁄2 avocado + 1 Tbsp. salad dressing olive oil and vinegar)

NIGHTTIME SNACK
2 scoops casein protein (mix in water)