How to Eat Thousands of Calories to Gain Muscle and Weight (Not Just for Hardgainers) | Ep 269

Download my free Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint for the exact steps to structure your diet, calorie surplus, macros, and more to gain muscle at the optimal rate while minimizing fat gain or go to witsandweights.com/muscle . Take the 2025 Podcast Listener Survey to share your feedback and enter for a chance to win a FREE month of Wits & Weights Physique University! — Do you struggle to eat enough calories to support muscle growth? Have you tried "just eating more," only to feel sick or frustrated when the scale won’t budge? What if eating more calories could actually be enjoyable—even with dietary restrictions? Philip ( @witsandweights ) shares 12 proven strategies to help you break through plateaus and gain weight effectively. Inspired by listener Jim from Michigan, who tackles weight gain challenges while playing hockey in his 70s, Philip dives deep into strategies that fit any lifestyle. Whether you’re a “hard gainer,” have specific dietary restrictions, or simply want to build muscle sustainably, these tips will transform how you approach nutrition. With practical advice like adding calorie-dense foods, leveraging liquid calories, and making your meals more appealing, you will be empowered to fuel your body for growth without the misery of force-feeding. Today, you’ll learn all about: 3:34 Strategy #1: Adding calorie-dense food to your meals 5:08 Strategy #2: Incorporate liquid calories 6:17 Strategy #3: Enhancing meals with smart calorie boosts 6:50 Strategy #4: Focusing on the foods you enjoy 8:06 Strategy #5: Increase your meal frequency 9:15 Strategy #6: Don't drink water before your meals 9:52 Strategy #7: Embrace calorie timing 11:22 Strategy #8: Make your food visually and socially more appealing 13:28 Strategy #9: Have high-calorie snacks always available 14:26 Strategy #10: Sneak calories into drinks 15:43 Strategy #11: Plan your meals around fats 17:40 Strategy #12: Track and adjust by keeping it simple but systematic 19:43 Managing stress and recovery to improve appetite 22:59 Outro Episode resources: Gain weight episode: The Most UNDERRATED Fat Loss Secret Making You FATTER (and Sabotaging Muscle Gain Too) Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS Support the show 📱 Get Fitness Lab - Philip’s science-based AI app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training for people over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without guesswork. 🎓 Try Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support and accountability (free custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN ). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram