The Weight-Gain Meal Plan: Eat To Bulk

There has been a tremendous amount of reader feedback with one common question: "How do I pack on mass?" Since I unfortunately can't outline individual plans for each reader who emails me, I thought I'd give a full week meal plan that will at least give you some ideas on how to get through the work week. I will continue to do this throughout the upcoming weeks and will intermix these plans with some ideas for weight loss too. Good luck!

Eating 4000 calories each day may make you feel like a bear that is getting ready to hibernate during the winter, but when you build serious muscle than when the small amount of fat storage that comes along with gaining extreme muscle can be hidden underneath your winter clothes. Keep your eye on that mirror; there's no better way to monitor your gains.

Day 1

Breakfast (Macros: 750 calories, 35 g protein, 90 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Oatmeal (raw)

1 1/2 cups

Milk (skim)

1 cup

Dried Cranberries (or raisins)

1/2 cup

Flaxseed Oil (cinnamon flavored flax oil works well with oatmeal too)

1 tbsp

Mid-Morning Snack (Macros: 500 calories, 30 g protein, 30 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Milk (skim)

1 cup

Fruit (with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter)

1 large piece

Mozzarella Cheese (low-fat)

1 stick

Lunch (Macros: 600 calories, 74 g protein, 16 g carbs, 30 g fat)

Egg Salad (on 2 whole-wheat pitas)

2 cups

Banana

Afternoon Snack (Macros: 600 calories, 38 g protein, 80 g carbs, 2.5 g fat)

Yogurt (low-fat vanilla)

1 cup

Cottage Cheese (fat-free)

1 cup

Blueberries

1 cup

Wheat Germ

2 tbsp

Honey

1 tbsp

Dinner (Macros: 700 calories, 45 g protein, 70 g carbs, 20 g fat)

Salmon (grilled)

6 oz.

Sweet Potato

1 large

Green Beans

1 cup

Milk (skim)

1 cup

After Dinner Snack (Macros: 600 calories 30 g protein 35 g carbs 16 g fat)

Protein Shake (peanut butter smoothie)

1 serving

Day 2

Breakfast (Macros: 625 calories, 40 g protein, 90 g carbs, 6 g fat)

Waffles (whole-grain)

Syrup (pure maple)

2 tbsp

Cottage Cheese (low-fat)

1 cup

Strawberries

1 cup

Mid-morning Snack: Peanut Butter, Banana And Honey Sandwich (Macros: 600 calories, 25 g protein, 85 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Bread (whole-bread)

2 pieces

Peanut Butter

2 tbsp

Banana

Honey

2 tbsp

Milk (nonfat)

2 cups

Lunch (Macros: 700 calories, 25 g protein, 125 g carbs, 11 g fat)

Pasta

1 serving

Vegetables

1 serving

Milk (nonfat)

1 cup

Afternoon Snack (Macros: 650 calories, 50 g protein, 45 g carbs, 28 g fat)

Meal Replacement Shake (Mixed with 1 cup non-fat milk, 1 cup frozen fruit and 2 tbsp flax oil.)

1 serving

Dinner (Macros: 700 calories, 55 g protein, 95 g carbs, 5 g fat)

Turkey

8 oz.

Sweet Potato (or yam)

2 large

Collard Greens (or swiss chard)

1 cup

After Dinner Snack (Macros: 400 calories, 40 g protein, 45 g carbs, 5 g fat)

Pudding (high-protein)

1 serving

Day 3

Breakfast (Macros: 700 calories, 30 g protein, 60 g carbs, 20 g fat)

Omelet (2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites, 1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheese, 1/2 cup diced)

1 serving

Bread (12-grain)

2 slices

Milk (nonfat)

1 cup

Orange

Mid-Morning Snack (Macros: 700 calories, 40 g protein, 100 g carbs, 5 g fat)

Tuna

1 can

Brown Rice

2 cups

Salsa

to taste

Plum

1 medium

Lunch (Macros: 650 calories, 55 g protein, 80 g carbs, 10 g fat)

Sandwich (2 slices 12-grain bread, 8 oz sliced turkey breast, 1 thin 2-oz slice low fat provolone cheese, fat-free honey mustard, lettuce, tomato.)

Grapes

1 small serving

Afternoon Snack (Macros: 675 calories, 50 g protein, 80 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Meal Replacement Shake

1 serving

Milk (skim)

1 cup

Fruit (frozen)

2 cups

Dinner (Macros: 650 calories, 38 g protein, 43 g carbs, 14 g fat)

Pork (chop, grilled)

6 oz.

Broccoli

1 cup

Brown Rice

2 cups

After Dinner Snack (Macros: 458 calories, 32 g protein, 42 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Protein Shake

Fruit

1 large piece

Brown Rice

2 cups

Day 4

Breakfast (Macros: 615 calories, 49 g protein, 71 g carbs, 15 g fat)

Waffles (Oat bran waffle mix, skim milk, and whey protein. Make a half serving of waffle mix, following the package directions and add 2 scoops of pure whey protein. Cook in a waffle iron, or flat in a skillet like a pancake.)

1 serving

Milk (skim)

1 cup

Mid-Morning Snack (Macros: 658 calories, 40 g protein, 84 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Protein Shake

Milk (skim)

1 cup

Fruit

2 large pieces

Lunch (Macros: 610 calories, 44 g protein, 77 g carbs, 14 g fat)

Tuna Sandwich (2 slices 12-grain bread, 4 oz tuna-drained, 1 thin 2-oz slice cheddar cheese, non-fat mayo, lettuce, tomato.)

Pear

Afternoon Snack (Macros: 658 calories, 40 g protein, 84 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Protein Shake

Milk (skim)

1 cup

Fruit

2 large pieces

Dinner (Macros: 389 calories, 40 g protein, 27 g carbs, 14 g fat)

Chili (chicken)

1 bowl

After Dinner Snack (Macros: 458 calories, 32 g protein, 42 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Protein Shake

Fruit

1 piece

Day 5

Breakfast (Macros: 615 calories, 49 g protein, 71 g carbs, 15 g fat)

Pancakes (buckwheat)

1 serving

Milk (skim)

2 cups

Blueberries

1 cup

Mid-Morning Snack (Macros: 658 calories, 40 g protein, 84 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Protein Shake

Milk (skim)

1 cup

Fruit

2 large pieces

Lunch (Macros: 610 calories, 44 g protein, 77 g carbs, 14 g fat)

Sandwich (2 slices 12-grain bread, 4 oz sliced ham, 1 thin 2-oz slice reduced fat Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mustard.)

Apple

Afternoon Snack (Macros: 658 calories, 40 g protein, 84 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Protein Shake

Milk (skim)

1 cup

Fruit

2 large pieces

Dinner (Macros: 450 calories, 34 g protein, 52 g carbs, 20 g fat)

Burger Patty (homemade, on a whole-wheat bun)

Milk (skim)

1 cup

After Dinner Snack (Macros: 458 calories, 32 g protein, 42 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Protein Shake

Fruit

1 piece

Day 6

Breakfast (Macros: 761 calories, 51 g protein, 88 g carbs, 20 g fat)

Breakfast Burrito (Scramble 2 whole eggs + 4 egg whites mixed with 1/2 cup salsa, 1 cup diced peppers and 1/2 cup reduced fat pepper jack cheese. Sauté eggs and add to 4 whole wheat tortillas; top with salsa.)

Grapefruit

Mid-Morning Snack (Macros: 495 calories, 12 g protein, 108 g carbs, 3 g fat)

Oat Bran (Made with 2 cups low-fat milk, dash of cinnamon and topped with 1/2 cup raisins.)

2 cups

Lunch (Macros: 620 calories, 20 g protein, 101 g carbs, 16 g fat)

Frozen Burritos

Carrots

1 serving

Afternoon Snack: Triple Decker Peanut Butter And Banana Sandwich (Macros: 4 625 calories, 19 g protein, 77 g carbs, 27 g fat)

Sandwich (3 slices whole grain bread, 3 tbsp peanut butter, 2 bananas. Top each slice bread with 1 tbsp peanut butter, slice banana place between bread.)

Soup (black bean)

1 cup

Dinner (Macros: 674 calories, 36 g protein, 50 g carbs, 13 g fat)

Tuna Steak

6 oz.

Pasta (whole-wheat, with 1 cup favorite marina sauce, mixed with steamed broccoli.)

1 cup

Milk (low-fat)

1 cup

After Dinner Snack (Macros: 736 calories, 66 g protein, 71 g carbs, 16 g fat)

Meal Replacement Shake (With 2 cups low-fat milk and 2 cups frozen fruit plus 1 tbsp flax oil. Add water to desired thickness.)

Day 7

Breakfast (Macros: 640 calories, 43 g protein, 77 g carbs, 18 g fat)

Bagel (multi-grain, topped with 2 tbsp reduced cream cheese and 4 oz smoked salmon)

Pear

Mid-Morning Snack (Macros: 348 calories, 26 g protein, 44 g carbs, 8 g fat)

Crackers (whole-grain)

1 serving

Cottage Cheese (low-fat, dip crackers in cottage cheese)

1 cup

Lunch (Macros: 590 calories, 62 g protein, 55 g carbs, 12 g fat)

Ham (2 slices whole-grain bread with 2 oz. reduced fat cheese, sliced tomato and lettuce. Top with honey mustard.)

6 oz.

Vegetables (sticks)

1 serving

Milk (low-fat)

1 cup

Afternoon Snack (Macros: 736 calories, 66 g protein, 71 g carbs, 16 g fat)

Meal Replacement Shake (With 2 cups low-fat milk and 2 cups frozen fruit plus 1 tbsp flax oil. Add water to desired thickness.)

Dinner (Macros: 680 calories, 52 g protein, 97 g carbs, 8 g fat)

Burger Patty (homemade sirloin burger, on whole-wheat bun)

6 oz.

Vegetables (steamed)

2 cups

Sweet Potato

1 large

Milk (skim)

1 cup

After Dinner Snack (Macros: 241 calories, 24 g protein, 28 g carbs, 4 g fat)

Ham (2 slices whole-grain bread with 2 oz. reduced fat cheese, sliced tomato and lettuce. Top with honey mustard.)

6 oz.

Cottage Cheese (low-fat)

1 cup

Mixed Fruit (canned)

1 cup

Weight-Gain Meal Plan: Sample Week 1

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

About the Author

Chris Mohr, Ph.D., RD