If you want to get bigger and stronger, you’ve probably had to deal with the frustrating experience of not putting on any weight for weeks, even months.

The good news is that there are three big reasons why that usually happens, and all of them are within your control.

Let’s see what they are and, more importantly, what you can do about them.

1. You’re Not Eating Enough

Weight gain comes down to one simple thing:

Eating more calories than you burn. 

So, if you find that the scale hasn’t budged in the last weeks, then you need to start eating more food. If you always feel stuffed, try including more calorie-dense foods in your diet:

• Nuts and seeds;
• Nut butter;
• Salad dressings;
• Whole eggs;
• Dried fruits;
• Fatty fish and red meat;
• Full-fat dairy products.

2. You’re Not Training Optimally

Training for muscle and strength is a nuanced topic, and there are many variables to consider. But, so long as you cover the below criteria, you should be okay:

• Train all of your muscles;
• Train in a variety of repetition ranges (5 to 12; 12 to 15; 15 to 25);
• Focus on getting stronger over time;
• Give your muscles enough time to recover (at least 72 hours before training them again).

3. You’re Doing Too Much Cardio

Many people do everything right, yet can’t seem to put on much weight precisely because they either do too much cardio, move around a lot throughout the day or have an incredibly high Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT).

So, it’s essential to be objective and look at your daily life. If you’re doing too much cardio, cut back to no more than 30-60 minutes per week. If you tend to move around a lot during the day, try limiting that a bit. If that’s not possible, increase your caloric intake further to make up for it.