Stew Smith and Nick Barringer PhD (nutrition) discuss eating to gain weight for the "hard gainer". We define the term plus discuss training and eating options that best put on lean muscle mass. We also share a post from his instragram page: https://www.instagram.com/nickbarringer.phd.rdn/

I highly recommend following Nick if you want to get smarter with training, nutrition, recovery, and even cool tactical fitness science.
From his page: Want to Gain Muscle, Not Fat? The Science Says...

Intentional weight gain isn’t about “dirty bulking” — it’s a strategic process that few truly master. Recent research shows that even with a calorie surplus and resistance training (RET), gaining mostly lean body mass (LBM) is no easy feat. ⚖️💪

Here’s what the evidence reveals:

🔥 Target Gain: 0.23–0.45 kg (½–1 lb) per week — any faster, and you’re likely packing on fat.

🍽️ Surplus Sweet Spot: +350–500 kcal/day, ideally from nutrient-dense, energy-rich foods like nut butters, dried fruit, and liquid calories (think smoothies over solids!).

🏋️‍♀️ Train Smart: Muscle growth happens across a spectrum of rep ranges, but training volume is the kingmaker. Mix it up, train to failure occasionally, and hit total rep targets (30–60 per session).

🥤 Fuel Strategies: Liquid calories can help sidestep satiety barriers. Think fruit smoothies, whole milk, and carb-protein shakes to stay in surplus without feeling stuffed.

🧬 Still not gaining? You’re not alone. Some athletes are “non-responders” due to adaptive thermogenesis — your body fights weight gain via increased metabolism and reduced appetite. That’s why personalized approaches matter.

🚨 Bottom Line: Gaining clean mass takes more than protein shakes and reps. It’s a fine-tuned balance of surplus, smart training, and metabolic awareness.

Ref:Larson-Meyer, D. E., Krason, R. K., & Meyer, L. M. (2022). Weight gain recommendations for athletes and military personnel: a critical review of the evidence. Current Nutrition Reports, 11(2), 225-239.


Check out other videos of combat swimmer stroke, workouts, and other spec ops related training. See http://www.stewsmithfitness.com for more information about military, law enforcement, special ops, fire fighting training programs.