Ectomorph

[amista]

HI Cathe,
I love your workout tapes!! I have been doing them for quite some time now. I am 46 years old and am in very good shape, except that I am very thin. Always have been. I know that I need to lift heavy to increase size but it seems that no matter what i do that is not going to happen. I can't decrease cardio because there is heart disease in my family history- and I wouldn't anyway. I eat very clean and eat aprox. 2000 to 2500 calories per day. I know some people would consider me very lucky but whenever I see a pic of myself I realize just how thin i look. I am not looking to gain alot of muscle mass but some definition would be nice. I typically do a four day split and 3/4 days of light cardio ( 30-40 minutes stair stepper, run etc) . I also am active in my down time.. dog walks, hikes, gardening and golf.

 

[jansherman]

Amista,

I'm also quite thin and an ectomorph. I've found that lifting heavy weights about 4 times per week has kept me lean and given me exceptional muscle definition. Another factor in gaining muscle and not fat is what, how much, and when you eat. To gain muscle you need protein, about 25 grams, 6 times per day. Eating 5-6 small meals is ideal, as it keeps your body fueled for your activity, but keeps portions under control so that you're not flooding your body with more calories than it can use.

I don't know what your diet is like, but you might want to try having 3-4 oz. lean protein and complex carbs (veggies, oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice) at about 3 hour intervals. Go easy on the carbs (bread) and pretty much eliminate anything that comes in a box or package.