Gaining weight has a number of negative connotations. However, many of these are undeserved. Putting on additional weight can be a good thing as long as that weight is muscle and not fat. Gaining muscle mass can improve your appearance, improve your health and provide you with additional strength. In this article I outline four things you should consider when trying to gain muscle mass:

1) DIET:- Most people who exercise frequently keep an eye on what they are eating. They control the quantities they are consuming and avoid certain types of food. To gain muscle mass you need to increase the amount of calories and protein that you are consuming. You may also gain fat in this process (as a result of consuming additional calories) but if you stick to a regular exercise routine you should soon lose this excess fat whilst maintaining the muscle you have gained.

Gaining fat initially is not a bad thing. The excess fat will give you the additional energy and calories required to gain muscle mass. Once you gain significant muscle mass you can always switch to a fat burning diet temporarily. Some athletes have reported that it is easier to lose their excess fat by following a fat loss diet for a short period after they have reached their preferred muscle weight and continuing with their same workout.

2) NUMBER OF MEALS:- If you are trying to gain muscle mass it is recommended that you eat more regularly with 5 or 6 daily meals. By eating more regularly you can saturate your body with amino acids and glycogen (gained from carbohydrates and proteins) and ensure that your body does not enter starvation mode (whereby it would start burning muscle tissues).

3) WEIGHT TRAINING:- Eating the right food is a step in the right direction but without proper training you will not gain muscle mass. In the beginning you should do all your weight training under the supervision of a trained instructor. They will be able to make sure you are doing the exercises in the right way, thereby avoiding injury. They will also be able to show you the best exercises for building muscle. For example, squats and presses are good ways to gain muscle mass.

4) OVER TRAINING:- Over training is a huge stumbling block for many people when trying to gain muscle mass. You need to rest so that your body has the time to repair your muscles and let them grow. To avoid over training try not to train for more than 2 hours in each session, make sure that you do not train for more than 2 days in succession and take a week's break for every 6-8 weeks of training.

Gaining muscle mass is a great but often overlooked way to improve your health and overall appearance. When you are a beginner building muscle can be difficult because you have so many questions and uncertainties concerning diet and exercise. However, with the right information it gets a lot easier. I hope this article has given you a few pointers and helps you in your quest to gain muscle mass.