How skinny guys build muscle
You may be a genetic ectomorph—in other words, “thin”—but want to be a genetic mesomorph, where your biceps bulge out of your shirt like an inflated balloon. Even though your lean physique will likely stay with you for the rest of your life, there’s still a way for you to become ten times stronger than Ronnie from Jersey Shore.
First, hit as many muscles as possible. Don’t isolate yourself to one movement like the bicep curl—you’ll only strengthen your bicep. But doing a chin-up will not only build your bicep, it’ll build your back, core, shoulders, and chest too. Also, emphasize the front squat and deadlift, which hit your interior and posterior chain. You have to understand that working out doesn’t come with results right away—many times people wait months before they’re satisfied with their “gains”.
When you work out, try to use a weight that’ll allow you to accomplish six to 12 repetitions. Remember, if you’re not eating right, your workout won’t matter. If you just busted out an unreal leg session and can barely move, but the next thing you eat is a cookie, you just wasted your workout—good job, bud. Eat as much protein-based food as possible after your workouts and stay away from sweets.
How to say “no!” to sweets
Kids are eager to go out on Halloween and collect as much candy as possible. When they get home, they are ready to scarf it all down in a single sitting—or maybe that was just me. What you weren’t thinking about at the time were the repercussions of consuming that much sugar and what it does to your body. Yes, as a child you could get away with it because your metabolism was at its peak, but now all it does is satisfy your tongue and then sit in your stomach as a blob of fat. You’re using energy on something that doesn’t help the healthy maintenance and growth of the body.
A trick to saying no to sweets—which also applies to other unhealthy meals like pizza and pop—is to say, “I don’t eat that,” rather than, “I’m not allowed to eat that right now.” The words “I don’t” will give you a sense of empowerment and control, affecting your future behaviours, as well. When you tell yourself, “I don’t,” you see yourself at the helm of your decisions, but when you say, “I can’t,” you think a higher authority is restricting you. Nobody likes higher power, and I guarantee you’re going to rebel. So, if someone comes up and asks you if you’d like to have a soft drink, say, “I don’t drink that stuff!”
