How to Gain Weight the Mark Wahlberg Way
Summer is right around the corner, which means lazy pool days and beach vacations are on everyone’s mind. Along with that, though, you may start hearing friends say, “If only I could lose those extra five pounds before we go to the beach.” You smile and nod, but really you’re thinking about how much you really want to gain weight. Not just any weight, though, weight in the form of lean, toned muscle tissue. Speaking of lean, toned muscle, one man in particular comes to mind: Mark Wahlberg.
Wahlberg has always been known for his lean, ultra-ripped physique, from his debut as a rapper in the 90s to his career as a Calvin Klein model to his current role as an actor, producer, and hustling entrepreneur. In fact, for his role as a bodybuilder in the film Pain & Gain, Wahlberg had to pack on 40 pounds of muscle. So if there’s anyone that knows how to add on pure muscle weight, he’s the guy. Check out the tips below to learn how to gain weight the Mark Wahlberg way.
Focus on strength training
To gain weight the Mark Wahlberg way you’ll have to train the Mark Wahlberg way. And his training isn’t for the faint of heart. Tom Dowd, 25-year GNC veteran and co-founder of Performance Inspired Nutrition, says about Wahlberg: “He’s famous for his ferocious workout regimen – if I stay in his guesthouse, we work out at 4AM, and he kicks my ass.”
Even if getting up for a workout at 4AM isn’t an option for you, incorporating strength training into your workout routine is a must if you want to gain weight. When Wahlberg bulked up 40 pounds for his role in Pain & Gain, his workout routines included exercises such as jumping rope, cleans, snatches, deadlifts, squats, rows, and presses. These types of exercises will get you the most bang for your buck when it comes to gaining weight in the form of muscle.
If you’ve been lifting for a while and aren’t gaining the weight you want, Men’s Health explains that, “you’ll build the most muscle quickest if you focus on the large muscle groups, like the chest, back, and legs.” Deadlifts and squats are just two examples of exercises that involve large muscle groups. In fact, if done correctly, deadlifts can build mass and strengthen all major muscle groups, which is why bodybuilding.com refers to them as “The King of Mass Builders.”
Dedicate time for rest
If you already have a dedicated routine and schedule for lifting, but still aren’t gaining the weight you want, it may be because you aren’t giving your muscles sufficient time to rest. When you don’t give the muscles adequate time to rest in between sets, they will start burning calories instead of using those calories to build muscle. Bodybuilding.com suggests to allow for 1 to 2 minutes between sets to make your workouts less metabolically challenging.
When we say dedicate time for rest, we aren’t only talking about between sets. In order to gain weight the Mark Wahlberg way, you have to ensure you are getting adequate sleep. Why? While asleep, our bodies help us to gain weight by raising levels of human growth hormone (HGH), synthesizing proteins (if you consume protein before bed), using the reduction in energy consumption to build muscles, and restoring brain cells to improve our mental alertness. (Bodybuilding.com)
Eat the right kind of calories and eat a lot of them
When it comes to eating and gaining weight, you need to take in more calories than you expend. However, the key is to eat the right kind of calories. Because we can all sit on the couch with a bag of Doritos watching Netflix for a few hours, right?
So what are the right kinds of calories? Bodybuilding.com suggests, “Do your best to consume nutrient-dense, calorie-rich food. Fats and oils, nuts and seeds, avocado, red meat, whole eggs, full-fat dairy, and oily fish are great choices for getting a lot of calories without having to fill your stomach to the brim.”
Calories in the form of protein are also important for gaining weight in the form of lean muscle. When determining how much protein to ingest daily, Men’s Health advises to “Shoot for about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.”
To gain weight the Mark Wahlberg way, you’ve got to use those nutrient-dense, calorie-rich foods to feed your workouts. For his role in Pain & Gain, Wahlberg was consuming an impressive 12 meals a day! Extreme, yes. But it worked! On an average day when he’s not preparing for a specific role, Wahlberg tells Prosource that he adheres to a very strict diet, eating 5 to 6 high-protein and healthy carb meals and snacks every day. The lesson here is to eat clean and eat often.
Don’t forget the supplements!
In addition to his clean diet, Wahlberg uses supplements to further boost his performance and gain massive muscle weight. In an exclusive interview with ProSource, Wahlberg shares that in addition to his normal 5 to 6 daily meals, he will add in 2 to 3 of the Performance Inspired protein shakes.
Additionally, Wahlberg uses the Explosive Pre-Workout 20 minutes before a workout. It’s important to use a pre-workout supplement because it enables your body to start the process of building new muscles during your workout. Kevin Tipton, Ph.D., an exercise and nutrition researcher at the University of Texas in Galveston, tells Men’s Health, “Since exercise increases blood flow to your working tissues, drinking a carbohydrate-protein mixture before your workout may lead to greater uptake of the amino acids in your muscles.” Lastly, Wahlberg shares that he ends his day with Performance Whey when he needs to power down but still needs protein.
