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Weight Gain Tips Interview
September 16, 2008
Here is a recent interview I did with fellow fitness colleague Josh Hillis.
Josh: Ok, so lets say a guy just finished my Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss program - he’s lost a ton of fat, he’s wicked rockstar lean, and he’s definitely added some muscle, but now he wants some weight gain tips to get huge and jacked and start a serious muscle gain program. Where does he start from a nutrition stand point?
Vince: My best tip on how to gain weight is that he needs to decide if he’s going to bulk progressively or aggressively. Ultra, ultra skinny guys (5-6% fat) who have really fast metabolisms and a really tough time gaining weight should go aggressive. Anybody with more than 10% fat should go progressive because a good standard, while bulking, is to never let your fat go above 13-15%
Guys with average genetics can build up to 3-4 pounds of lean muscle mass each month, which is safe weight gain, anything more will typically be fat. This allows ultra, ultra skinny guys some room to gain some fat that will be hardly noticeable.
Here are some more tips to gain weight from a nutrition standpoint: Uultra skinny guys should take their body weight and multiply it by 18 and that is there goal calories each day. If you’re around 13-15% fat then take your body weight and multiple it by 15 to determine your goal calories. To maximize the muscle:fat ratio I recommend to always eat clean and maintain a “fat loss” mentality when choosing foods. Stick to primarily oats, whole wheat bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits and veggies for muscle fuel. Stick to lean cuts of beef, fish and chicken for muscle growth. Balance out your meals with olive oil, fish oils, mixed nuts or natural peanut butter which are my staples.
Most supplements will be redundant if you stick to the foods above with a 50/35/25 breakdown (carbs/proteins/fats) so max out your results with real food before you consider any supplements.
Josh: What do you think is the biggest mistake most people make when they start their first weight gain program to build muscle?
Vince: They don’t finish it! Most guys just don’t give a program enough time to work. It takes years for your muscles to become hard, dense and thick (unless you’re on drugs or have amazing genetics). Sure, you can increase the size of your body but to really look impressive you need to be consistent year in and year out and just focus on small, incremental progress. Your weights should be going from the low end of the dumbell rack to the high end. You should be getting more work down in less time and your overall work capacity should be higher each year. Most guys try my program for a few weeks and then try another guys program a few weeks which prevents them from making any significant improvements in strength and conditioning. You need to view your weight training with the same attitude as if you’re an athlete. You wouldn’t play hockey for 2 months and expect to play in the NHL.
Josh: I’ve heard you mention a couple times certain benchmarks in terms of strength. How strong does a dude really need to be to get big?
Vince: It’s completely relative to the individual. For example, Ronnie Coleman needs to put on 10-12 plates a side just to warm up his legs on a leg press. I only need 3-4 plates a side but still make progress so it also depends on how big I want to get. Your absolute strength is not as important as making gradual increases every 1-2 weeks. I like to see a beginner increase his strength about 5% every 2 weeks for compound lifts until working with 80-100 pound dumbells is common on most lifts.
I do like to say, “How often have you seen a guy with small arms or a small back who can deadlift 400 pounds?” Not very often so you should always have a focus on getting stronger.
Josh: I’ve also heard you mention “Over Shoot Point” - how does that work?
Vince: First off, this advice will apply to about 90% of the ultra skinny guys reading this 90% of the time. it’s when of my most powerful tips to gain weight.
I recommend skinny guys over shoot their goal ripped look by about 25-30 pounds before they start cutting. So if you want to be a ripped and shredded 200 pound man then you’ll probably have to bulk till 225ish before you start cutting. You’ll have a substantial amount of muscle mass hidden and when you finally cut the excess fat you’ll look like a new person.
Josh: If we watched a guy following your program work out, what do you think is the first thing we would notice, that’s different from what most guys in the gym are doing?
Vince: Gaining muscle weight! Seriously, getting consistent results and they would be having fun. His shoulders would be rounder and traps would be getting thicker. His upper chest would be filling out and his upper arms would be tigher and more dense. If he maintains some cardio and keeps the bulk clean then his waist should stay nice and tight and will not fall victim of the “skinny fat syndrome” that most guys experience when they bulk up.
Josh: All the stories and after pictures on your website are amazing. Why do you think people get such phenomenal results with your programs?
Vince: They are structured and progressive and I provide an online DVD that shows you HOW to lift which most programs don’t do. They are easy to follow and are based on a few of the key cornerstones to muscle growth. The 84-day meal plans are one of the keys too because most guys think they “eat a lot” but are not coming close to being in a anabolic state. I put the whole package together for my skinny guys so that they are training smarter and not harder.
Click this link for more weight gain tips.
The Anti Diet Solution Plan
September 6, 2008
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I don’t watch TV too often (except for 24, The Soprano’s and Entourage) but I was flipping the stations and was reminded of how much weight loss has become a North American obsession.
You don’t have to flip many stations to get bombarded by new gadgets, pills, diets, books and programs endorsed by celebrities and you can get access to this stuff with three easy payments.
Perhaps you have tried one of these methods that are happy to take your money and you still never achieve your goal.
Sure, anything works in the short term but I am only interested in talking to you about stuff that works for the LONG TERM.
This reminded me of my new friend Isabel De Los Rios who I had the pleasure of meeting in Colorado and in Toronto a few months prior.
I was blown away and extremely impressed after she let me take a look at a program she put together at:
I consider her to be one of the most knowledgeable nutrition experts I’ve come across over the years.
I decided to interview her for you.
Vince: Why did you decide to write The Diet Solution Program when there is more than enough nutrition info out there?
Isabel: I decided to write the Diet Solution for that exact reason. People are being bombarded with nutrition information and either one of two things is happening: They are either being grossly misinformed with information that is the complete opposite of what is the truth or they are so overwhelmed with all of the good information and they just don’t know where to start.
What I did with The Diet Solution was take all of the BEST information out on the market today and compiled it in an easy to understand, easy to read and easy to implement program. Basically, took the best of the best and saved my readers hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars in research and trial and error.
Vince: You clearly state that soy is NOT a health food. Does this go for my friends who want to build muscle and lose fat?
Isabel: This goes for absolutely everyone, but especially for those who want to build muscle. I would even say the effects of eating soy will contribute to the exact OPPOSITE hormonal changes in your body that you want if building muscle is your goal. This is because most soy products on the market today contain phytoestrogens. These phytoestrogens mimic the effects of estrogen in the body and have been shown to
decrease the testosterone levels of rats, monkeys and other animals, including humans. It has been known for quite some time that soy lowers testosterone to the point that there is an old Japanese wives’ tale that says women punish straying husbands by feeding them a lot of tofu. Now what do you think that means?
If building muscle is your goal, definitely stay away from any protein powder or protein bar that contains soy or soy protein isolate. Make sure to read labels carefully as it is in more products than you think.
Vince: When choosing a protein powder, should I really be concerned about artificial sweeteners harming my body?
Isabel: Artificial sweeteners have been found to be one of the most toxic substances we can put inside our bodies. Besides the fact that it causes brain and metabolism dysfunction, they clog up your liver to a point where it can not fully function.
Why is your liver so important? Your liver is not only responsible for eliminating toxins from your body but it is also responsible for metabolizing fat. If it is so busy processing through artificial sweeteners (a harmful toxin), it will not spend a sufficient amount of time processing through the unwanted fat you are trying to lose.
Believe it or not, I have had clients give up Diet Coke and lose up to 10 lbs in 2 weeks!
Vince: In your program, you talk about good dairy and bad dairy. Any tip you can provide before I buy any more dairy?
Isabel: Dairy is one of the leading reasons most people can not lose weight or, worse yet, are constantly gaining weight. The shocking truth about dairy is that it is only healthy in its raw form. All of the pasteurized dairy in the supermarkets today are really keeping people fat and making them fatter. Besides the countless amount of research that has been done showing us how healthy raw dairy is, the proof is really in the thousands of people and children that are overweight or obese and drinking several glasses of pasteurized milk each day
Vince: Eating organic food is really expensive. Is it worth the extra cost or completely over rated? Will it really make a difference in building muscle faster and losing fat quicker?
Isabel: The answer to this question takes us back to the function of the liver. The pesticides, antibiotics and hormones that are being added to most foods are clogging up our livers. Again, a clogged up liver can not burn fat. And worse yet, will continue to store fat. Yes, organic food may be a bit more expensive. But most of my clients notice their grocery bill is the same once they eliminate the expensive cereals and “so called” expensive diet foods they were eating before.
Vince: The last thing I want to share with my friends is another “diet program.” How is your nutrition program different and who would be a perfect candidate for your nutrition program?
Isabel: My nutrition program is the best way and the only way most people should be eating. It is not some crazy fad diet, nor is it some extreme crash diet. It is how everyone should be eating on a daily basis, as mother-nature intended. What most people don’t realize is, if we ate they way our ancestors ate centuries ago, we would all be lean and healthy. It is the over-commercialized and toxic processed foods in our
countries that are keeping everyone so overweight and unhealthy. Does it really seem healthy to sign up for a diet program that makes you buy their food and only their food? Or to nourish your body with fake powders and bars? That’s really not how are bodies were designed.
What I teach in http://www.AntiDietPlan.com a is exactly what your body needs to maintain a lean and healthy body for a lifetime.
What is the biggest benefit of following your nutrition program and does it come with meal recipes and meal plans?
The biggest benefit of my nutrition program is that it is made up of all real food. It also recommends that you eat good healthy portions of food and that you should NEVER be hungry. If you are walking around hungry, you are doing something wrong. You are most likely starving your body of the nutrients and whole foods it needs.
I have done all the hard work for you. I have put together all of the healthy principles into easy to follow meal plans, no matter what your starting point is. I have also included 61 of my favorite meal recipes so that you can always keep your nutrition program delicious.
Vince: How important is it to eat based on your metabolism and eat the right foods for your metabolism? Do you touch on this in your program?
Isabel: Eating the right foods for your metabolism is so important, that it is the difference between losing weight and not losing weight. We are all individual and so are our metabolisms. In order to pinpoint exactly which meal plan will work best, I have included a Metabolic Typing Test so my readers can determine exactly how they metabolize food and which foods are “fat burning” foods and which foods are “fat storing” foods. The results of this test have been a true “AHA” moment for thousands of people, finally, maybe for the first time, finding why they have not been able to shed their unwanted fat before.
END OF INTERVIEW
If you want to eat the healthiest diet possible for your specific body and learn to stay lean for life, make sure to read through Isabel De Los Rios’ program at:
In my strong opinion, this is MUST-READ resource if you care about your health and your family and want to really optimize your muscle building and six pack quest.
I learned more in this program than I did during my nutrition classes at University!
Your friend and coach,
Vince DelMonte
White Water Rafting Part 1 and Part 2
September 4, 2008
Okay, I meant to send my white water rafting adventures to you a few weeks ago. This post has nothing to do with building muscle or losing fat.
My younger brother put together some footage of our trip. I’m sending part 1 and part 2 and you can meet my youngest brother Mikey, my middle brother Adrian and our buddy Andrew.
White Water Rafting (prequel before the rapids)
White Water Rafting Part 2 (the rapids!!!)p
Feel free to post some comments too and laugh at me when I throw the paddle out of the boat at 3:42 because for some reason I thought it was going to knock my teeth out.
The soundtrack to both video’s is really good too.
If you only have time to watch one then watch part 2 which shows me attempting to swim… LOL
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to start sharing the new muscle building programs (there are two of them) that I’ve been using to squeeze out SUPER short workouts that have have allowed me to maintain my physique all summer without spending hours in the gym.
Most likely, lifestyle is probably more important than the way your body looks but that does not mean you can’t have one without the other. Don’t let anyone tell you that. Most likely they don’t know how to train properly or make the most of their gym time if they believe that.
I can’t wait to share these two new muscle building programs I’ve been using to maintain my strength and muscle size while spending LESS time in the gym than ever.
Enjoy the videos and have a great weekend,
Vince DelMonte
Treatment For Sciatica
September 2, 2008
I got some free gifts for you today…
If you have ever suffered radiating pain running down the back of your leg that just won’t go away then you probably have sciatica and I have an article that discusses treatment for sciatica and how to treat it effectively, by my friend Jesse Cannone.
Click here for the article
Click here — Sciatica: What Causes It and How to Treat It Effectively
I guarantee you that what you are about to read will likely be far different than what you have read or heard anywhere else!
Also, I made a huge mistake recently…
I was supposed to include a bonus product called The Ultimate 10-Minute Warm Up in my six-pack program but my video editor thought it was supposed to be a free You Tube video so posted it there.
I don’t feel right about charging for it since it’s been on You Tube for free for some time now so here it is… (this routine can easily save you hundreds of dollars in therapy)
The Ultimate 10-Minute Warm Up
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This is far more powerful than static stretching and is a very cutting-edge way of priming the nervous system before you lift your weights or do cardio. It only takes 10-minutes and will create mobility and flexibility in all your major joints.
Let me know what you think by posting your comments and posting a rating for this video. I would be very interested in hearing your own comments.
Kids are back in school today (most places) and this is the time to get a new routine if you’re in one right now…
Train hard and train even smarter,
Vince DelMonte
3 Muscle Building Tips for Miachel Jordan and Nikki Hilton
September 1, 2008
Sorry for not writing as soon as I got back from Vegas last Thursday night. It’s hard to believe a place like that actually exists!
I honestly don’t think I could do anymore than the 48 hours I spent but I had an amazing time with 10 of my fitness buddies, some of whom you know from my newsletters like Mike Geary, Ryan Lee, Craig Ballantyne, Jeff Anderson and some other great guys.
Last Wednesday night we went to LAX night club in the Luxor and saw Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson and Nikki Hilton who all recognized me and invited me into their private booth guarded by a 6′9 bouncer so they could ask me for some muscle building advice. LOL I wish! However, if I did get the chance to share some muscle building tips with Jordan and Hilton who are both classic hard gainers, here is where I would start:
1. Treat each set like an all out sprint.
Have you ever tried sprinting as fast as you can for 400 meters, which is one time around a high school track? You’ll be lucky to get to 300 meters before you start sucking for air. Training to failure during an exercise is like sprinting all out around the track. You’ll probably only be able to do 8-10 repeats which is why your muscle building workouts should be shorter. The harder you train, the less you can stand. Typically, you will only need 3-4 super intense workouts per week to maintain your muscle mass or grow new muscle mass depending on your caloric intake.
2. Rotate your reps around every few weeks.
Your body will adjust to reps and sets faster than any other training variable like rest periods, tempos or exercises. The more variety you can incorporate into your program, the less chance of your body plateauing and adapting. During some of my muscle building workouts, I’ll have you rotate through workouts that consist of 5×5, 4×10, 3×15, 6×6, 4×12, 2×20, 10×3, 5×8 etc You’ll constantly be stimulating all your different muscle fibers to ensure maximal muscle growth. With the first tip above, treat each set like it’s an all out sprint and stop “pacing” yourself. Your weight training workouts should not be treated like a marathon.
3. Stick to the bread and butter movements.
Anybody who has used my No Nonsense Muscle Building program with loads of muscle building tips will know that my exercise selection is not very fancy. I stick to all the “bread and butter” movements that emphasize horizontal pushing (chest), horizontal pulling (mid back), vertical pushing (shoulders), vertical pulling (lats), hip dominant (deadlift variations) and quad dominant (quad variations) exercises. You’re not going to see any Bosu balls or balance boards or rocking chairs in my mass programs. Just the good old fashioned exercises that allow you to load up the bar with the most weight and “give her.”
I nicknamed Vegas, the “City of Superficial” since so much emphasis is stressed on out ward appearance but I have to admit that it feels pretty good chilling by the pool, cruising the strip and hitting the clubs and feeling confident about your appearance and physique.
I don’t think “Skinny Vinny” (my nickname before I gained 41 pounds of muscle) would have enjoyed himself in Vegas as much because I still remember how insecure I was about my scrawny frame and never being able to find a shirt that “made me look big.” Now, I don’t worry about that.
Click here to learn my muscle building techniques.
I used the first 29-week program to gain 41 pounds of drug free muscle in six months and now it’s your turn. Especially, since it’s already September!
Train hard and train even smarter.
Vince DelMonte