There is no “proven” laboratory formula for gaining quality muscle weight but the commonalities of every weight-gain nutrition regimen are the same: high calorie, high protein. It’s going to take more than skinless chicken breasts and organic spinach to put on appreciable amount of muscle and any serious powerlifter, strongman or bodybuilder will tell you the same.

To get big you gotta eat big…or rather, bigger than you thought. John McCallum, a legendary bodybuilding writer during the 1960s and 1970s, prescribed drinking the following get big drink daily, in addition to three big meals.

2 quarts of whole milk

1 serving weight gainer (more if you want to gain faster)

2 cups of powered skim milk

2 whole eggs

4 tablespoons of peanut Butter

Half brick of chocolate ice cream

Banana

4 tablespoons of malted milk powder

6 tablespoons of corn syrup

Blend ingredients together and voila! Drink throughout the day in addition to three big meals.

McCallum’s approach works for adding bulk. The potential downside is that it can be too effective and, for most trainees, can result in gaining unwanted body fat. For the mesomorph with a fast metabolism, this will work. And if you think that your body type or training intensity and frequency can keep up, then by all means, give it a go.

For everyone else, a more measured approach to big eating is required. But please remember McCallum’s protocol next time someone says that they, “Eat everything in sight but can’t gain weight.”