What Should I Take to Increase Body Size?: The Complete Guide

December 26, 2025 •

4 min read

For individuals aiming to gain mass, a safe and sustainable rate is approximately 0.5 to 1 pound per week. This means planning your nutrition and exercise wisely if you are asking what you should take to increase body size.

Quick Summary

To increase body size, focus on a calorie surplus with a balanced diet of protein, carbs, and healthy fats, alongside a consistent resistance training program and targeted supplements like protein and creatine.

Key Points

Calorie Surplus is Essential: To gain size, you must consume more calories than you burn, ideally 300-500 extra calories daily to promote muscle growth while minimizing fat gain.
Prioritize Protein Intake: Consume 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day to provide the building blocks for muscle repair and growth.
Master Your Macros: Balance your diet with a strategic ratio of protein, carbohydrates (for energy), and healthy fats (for hormone function) from whole food sources.
Embrace Resistance Training: Implement a consistent workout plan focused on compound exercises like squats and deadlifts to stimulate maximum muscle growth through progressive overload.
Leverage Supplements Wisely: Use supplements like whey protein for convenient protein intake and creatine to boost strength, but ensure they supplement, not replace, a solid diet.
Value Rest and Recovery: Muscle growth happens outside the gym. Ensure you get 7-9 hours of sleep per night and include rest days to allow for repair and growth.

The journey to increase body size, often referred to as bulking, relies on a strategic combination of diet, exercise, and recovery. Simply eating more without a structured plan can lead to unwanted fat gain instead of lean muscle mass. The key is creating a moderate calorie surplus while ensuring your body receives the optimal balance of macronutrients and the proper training stimulus to support muscle protein synthesis.

The Pillars of Increasing Body Size

To build and sustain muscle mass, you must master three fundamental principles: achieving a calorie surplus, optimizing your macronutrient intake, and staying properly hydrated.

The Importance of a Calorie Surplus

A calorie surplus is consuming more calories than your body burns, providing the excess energy needed to fuel muscle growth. Aim for a moderate surplus of 300 to 500 extra calories per day to promote muscle gain while minimizing excess fat storage. Calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) can help you determine your baseline calorie needs and plan your surplus accordingly. For faster weight gain, some may aim for a larger surplus, but this can increase fat gain.

Mastering Your Macronutrients

Macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats—all play distinct and crucial roles in building body mass.

Protein: This is the most vital macronutrient for muscle repair and growth. Aim for a daily intake of 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to support muscle protein synthesis. Spreading protein intake throughout the day can maximize this effect.
Carbohydrates: As the body's primary energy source, carbs fuel intense workouts and replenish muscle glycogen stores depleted during exercise. Prioritize complex carbohydrates like oats, quinoa, and sweet potatoes for sustained energy.
Fats: Often overlooked, healthy fats are essential for hormone production, including testosterone, which is critical for muscle growth. Sources include avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.

The Role of Hydration

Water is essential for optimal muscle performance and nutrient transport. Even mild dehydration can negatively impact exercise performance and hinder recovery. Aim to drink at least 2 to 3 liters of water per day, and more if you are training intensely. Drinking high-calorie fluids like milk or smoothies can also help boost your calorie intake without feeling overly full.

Key Foods to Fuel Your Growth

Your diet should focus on nutrient-dense, calorie-rich whole foods. Some of the best options include:

Whole Eggs: A convenient and affordable source of high-quality protein and healthy fats.
Fatty Fish (e.g., Salmon): Excellent protein source, rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids that support muscle health.
Red Meat: Contains high-quality protein, essential vitamins, and natural creatine, all of which aid muscle growth.
Nuts and Nut Butters: Calorie-dense and packed with healthy fats and protein, perfect for snacks or adding to meals.
Full-Fat Dairy: Full-fat milk, Greek yogurt, and cheese provide a balanced mix of protein, fats, and carbs.
Starchy Vegetables and Whole Grains: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and quinoa offer complex carbs to fuel workouts.

Supplements to Support Your Goals

While whole foods should form the foundation of your diet, certain supplements can help meet your needs more conveniently, especially when it's challenging to consume enough calories and protein from food alone.

Whey Protein Powder: A fast-digesting, complete protein ideal for post-workout recovery. Adding it to smoothies or meals is an easy way to increase protein and calories.
Creatine Monohydrate: One of the most researched supplements for muscle gain. It helps increase muscle strength and size, and replenishes energy stores for high-intensity workouts.
Weight Gainers: High-calorie supplements designed for those who struggle to eat enough food. They contain a blend of protein, carbs, and fats to boost your daily intake.

Sample Supplement Comparison


Feature	Whey Protein	Creatine Monohydrate	Mass Gainer
Primary Goal	Post-workout recovery and high-protein intake	Increase strength, power, and muscle mass	Maximize calorie intake for weight gain
Calorie Density	Low to Moderate	Very Low	Very High
Key Macronutrients	Protein	Not a macronutrient; aids energy production	High carbs and protein blend
Best Used	After workouts or between meals	Before/after workouts, or any time of day	Between meals or as a meal replacement
Target User	Those needing a protein boost	Anyone aiming to improve strength	Individuals struggling to gain weight with diet alone

The Right Training Regimen

Resistance training is the catalyst for muscle growth. Without it, excess calories will likely be stored as fat. An effective program should include:

Compound Exercises: Movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, providing the greatest stimulus for overall growth.
Progressive Overload: To continue gaining size, you must consistently increase the challenge to your muscles by lifting heavier weights, increasing reps, or adding sets over time.
Isolation Exercises: Supplement your routine with isolation movements, such as bicep curls or leg extensions, to target specific muscles.

The Importance of Rest and Recovery

Growth and repair occur when your body is resting, not when you are training. Adequate rest is non-negotiable for increasing body size. Prioritize 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night and include 1 to 2 rest days per week to prevent overtraining and allow for muscle recovery.

Conclusion

To successfully increase body size, a multi-faceted approach is required. This involves establishing a consistent calorie surplus through nutrient-dense foods, optimizing your macronutrient intake, and structuring a regular resistance training routine with progressive overload. While supplements like whey protein and creatine can support your goals, they should complement, not replace, a well-planned diet. Prioritizing rest and recovery is just as important as your time in the gym. By consistently following these steps, you can achieve healthy and sustainable gains in body mass. For detailed workout inspiration, check out this guide on the best exercises for muscle gain from PureGym.

Frequently Asked Questions

Focus on a moderate calorie surplus of 300–500 calories per day to promote muscle gain over fat gain. Pair this with a consistent resistance training program, as lifting weights directs excess calories toward building muscle mass instead of being stored as fat.

For individuals looking to build muscle, a recommended protein intake is between 1.6 and 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. For example, a 70kg person should aim for 112-154g of protein daily.

Weight gainers and whey protein serve different purposes. Whey protein is primarily a protein source for muscle repair, while weight gainers are high-calorie products with a blend of carbs, fats, and protein, intended for those who struggle to meet their caloric needs through food alone.

Yes, you can gain size without supplements by consuming enough whole foods to meet your daily protein and calorie requirements. Supplements like protein powders are meant to be convenient aids, not a replacement for a healthy diet.

Progressive overload is the principle of gradually increasing the stress placed on your muscles over time. It is crucial for continued growth because your body adapts to stimuli; without increasing the challenge, your progress will plateau.

Rest is critical for increasing body size because muscle repair and growth happen during recovery, not during the workout itself. Inadequate rest can hinder progress and increase the risk of injury.

You should not avoid cardio entirely. Low-impact cardio like walking helps maintain cardiovascular health and can stimulate appetite. However, limit intense cardio that burns too many calories, as this could prevent you from achieving your necessary calorie surplus.