Where for the majority of the nation is battling to shift the weight, for some it's about a need to step on the scales and notice a bigger figure, but there are a lot of mistakes made by those new to exercise that can leave them even smaller and feeling down in the dumps...

Nine out of ten times, when I sit down and consult with a new client, 'lose weight and tone up' are among the first words uttered in a frenzy of motivation and need for quick results. 'But I don't want to have big muscles' shortly follows, generally if the client is female and looking for a more slender figure. From time to time though i'll be approached with different goals; to increase weight, build muscle and build a better awareness of nutrition. It's not surprising that without the correct supervision the majority of 'skinny' people who participate in exercise end up on a downward spiral, losing even more weight and this can have a snowball effect in terms of their emotional and health state. But why is this?

Unfortunately personal trainers aren't around in all fitness centres and even if they are, not all new members decide to take advice before beginning a new programme. Particularly with those who are underweight it's even more vital to request information. Poor inductions by those not properly qualified and/or information being not properly received and implemented promotes users burning fat in the gym opposed to increasing fitness levels and building muscle which will increase weight. Coupled with the mindset that 'it doesn't matter what I eat, I never put on weight', it's not surprising that by the time it's taken for the member to realise that they're not doing the right thing, they've already lost weight and are feeling more depressed than when they walked in.

Nutrition is a massive part of anyone's training regime, especially for those underweight - the effects of not eating can be devastating on the body and a lot of the time health is compromised by the desire for a better look. But most of the time the choices made are down to poor education - we can maintain a healthy lifestyle and have the body we desire. We don't get in a car for the first time and expect to be able to drive so how can newcomers to the fitness world be expected to know what to do if they're half-heartedly thrown into this environment with little but a couple of magazine articles and fitness DVDs as an information source? Only the other day I was in the changing room and after a session a member reached into his bag for a post-exercise meal, a mass-produced pasty! Little did he know that his meal; processed, high in salt and containing enough muscle building protein to feed the body of a door mouse was a nutritional disaster. Unfortunately though this is the norm for those who don't think to gain the information they need to build size. Our bodies don't respond to this kind of food - they react to natural sources of nutrients in their original form. We need to fuel our training sessions pre and post exercise. For those who are underweight, sure, high metabolism can result in burning high amounts of calories taken in, but by adopting the method of eating in high quantities of natural carbohydrates, fats and proteins we can start to think about training and how this will play the second role of our desired weight increase.

Training method is generally poor throughout the nation and that's why I developed the Training Buddy software to develop good form and technique for resistance exercises, vital when looking to put weight on vioa. Unfortunately though there's so much more people need to learn, not just about the amount of times we lift a weight, but the types of exercises we need, their order, their intensity and the recovery times required. A good example of someone who has taken my advise is loyal client Andrew Elston, 40 from Devon:

Andrew, who towers above 6ft came to me; he wont mind me saying, quite skinny with the need of increasing his profile as a model. A couple of agencies had commented on his physique which at the time was lacking in muscle. Andrew called upon my help in January 2007 and since this time has managed to put on a huge 20kg, most of which is pure, solid joint and bone supporting muscle. But it hasn't come without some serious hard work. He's one of my most dedicated clients, throwing himself into the gym with me four times per week in a current split of high intensity interval training and three days of muscle building. This has been coupled with a strict eating plan that began with him filling out a food diary for a week and then looking at why his weight has never managed to tip over 90kg for years. But his hard effort continues to be rewarded, he's feeling better and more confident than ever.

Andrew's nutrition is based on my Lunch Box diet but he eats a lot more of it and builds in more carbohydrates like wholemeal pasta, rice and bread, fueling his tough training regime. Obviously as his size increases his need for more calories rockets especially proteins such as fish, chicken and meat, eggs etc to rebuild muscle. As soon as I was comfortable that Andrews attitude to food was right and his training technique correct we started building in some supplements such as mass Whey Protein (essential for building muscle pre, during and post exercise) and creatine (for muscle recovery, building etc, nerve cell function. Is naturally produced by the body but more is required when participating in exercise).

As Andrew continues to pack on the size I want others to learn that putting on weight is possible but gain the correct advise before taking yourself into exercise and possibly ending up with a more negative result than when you began.

Simon's Top Tips for Weight Gain:

  • Have a somebody qualified look at your nutrition or use my Food Diary service at http://www.theheatfitness.co.uk/pages/nutritionalassess.html
  • Gradullay increase your intake of wholesome natural foods
  • Build in a resistance (weights) and fitness programme with a fitness professional or email me for help, I can develop a personal programme for you so that you understand how your body works!
  • Avoid exercising without eating more as this will lose you even more weight
  • Set realistic weight gains and take it slowly, eat regulary
  • Email me about how The Lunch Box Diet can work for you even if you want to put on weight