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4. Eat Multiple Meals

Since you're now eating 4000 calories per day, your next best bet would be to eat 6 meals a day. Although this may seem like a lot, it really isn't. Do the math. If you divide 4000 calories into 6 smaller meals a day, then each meal will consist of approximately 660 calories.

Trust me when I say that 660 calories isn't a lot. Although it takes a lot of discipline, eating smaller and more frequent meals will pay off in the end. Another reason to eat smaller meals is for the release of insulin. When you consume food, your blood glucose levels will rise.

To counteract this, your body will release insulin to lower blood glucose levels to help keep the body in a state of homeostasis. As you now know, insulin is the body's most anabolic hormone. The more, the better. So basically, you want as much insulin secretion by the pancreas as possible. After all, you want to be big, right?

5. Eat Enough Good Fats

One mistake wannabe lifters make is to not eat enough good fats. When I first began lifting and eating seriously, I would try my best to steer away from fats. Little did I know that fats were actually important in growth. One good thing to know about good fats is that there is a direct relationship between fat and testosterone levels.

A perfect example of this is when bodybuilders diet down for a show, so to speak. They are limiting their caloric and fat intake to achieve that stage condition. However, when they are on this restrictive diet, it is impossible for them to grow.

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That is why bodybuilders "bulk up" and then "cut up" because it's either one or the other. Good sources of fat is salmon which contains omega-3 fatty acids, essential fatty acids, flaxseed oil, and conjugated linoleic acid.

6. Eat A Good Preworkout Meal

The best thing to consume before a workout is a meal consisting of slow burning carbs such as pasta and rice. The reason is that slow burning carbs take longer to convert into glucose thus keeping blood sugar levels relatively consistent.

This keeps your body from having an energy crashing allowing you to train longer and harder. Be sure to combine this meal with a healthy serving of good protein as well to maximize gains.

7. Consume A High Quality Postworkout Meal

The meal right after you train should be high in fast burning carbs and protein. The ideal candidate for this would be a protein shake coupled with some form of sugar. Personally, I prefer Gatorade mixed with creatine and strawberry Ny-Tro Pro 40. When you train, you put your body in a catabolic state.

You destroy it so that it can build itself back bigger and stronger. However, if you don't supply the raw building blocks, then how can your body efficiently repair itself?

For the average person, a 40 g protein shake and 75 g of carbs is plenty. Just make sure you don't waste any time and slam the drinks down as soon as you finish training. Leave the chatting for after you consume those drinks.

8. Drink Plenty of Water

One of the most overlooked factors in exercise is adequate water consumption. This should be a no-brainer since water comprises up to 70% of the body and if you're dehydrated, your muscle size suffers as well. I believe that one pound of muscle can hold up to three pounds of water. Now if you add it all up, that's a lot of size.

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9. Use Supplements

If you can afford to use supplements, then by all means do so. Why? Because they work! However, I would stuck with the basics such as protein powders, creatine, glutamine, joint formulas, and multi-vitamins. The bottom line concerning these supplements is that they work provided that you work.

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10. Rest

The number one overlooked factor in building a better body is rest. If you don't rest, then how can your muscles grow? Our bodies need the stimulus to grow such as intense training. Once this happens, our bodies are essentially "broken down."

Afterwards, it needs the proper nutrients and recovery time to grow bigger and stronger so that it can be broken down again. So if you're not resting any, then I would suggest you set aside a day or two of rest each week. And remember, rest days are rest days. Nothing more, nothing less.

Until next time

Phano Paul Som