I have been skinny for almost my whole life.

All throughout my early childhood I was an excellent runner. A beanpole that spent all day outside running around, playing sport or imaginary games. I was never strong, but my medals on Cross Country day made me feel better.

Then I got sick.

At the worst, I was a twelve-year-old kid who weighed 29kg. There was nothing of me. After finally becoming healthy again, I was no longer fit as a fiddle and couldn't run all day. Unfortunately, this period lined up almost exactly with the start of high school.

Never in my life have I felt so insecure. All I could think about was covering up my skeletal physique until I fixed it. I spent a large portion of every week in the gym, and ate everything I possibly could. Slowly, I began to gain weight — the problem was it wasn't in the way I wanted.

It's taken me a long time to learn the art of a successful bulk, and I'm still not perfect at it. Bulking isn't easy, and bulking without excess fat gain is incredibly difficult. Luckily for you, I've got some suggestions based on my own mistakes.

Eating Quality Over Quantity

It's so easy to think, "if I just eat more, I'll get bigger." That's not wrong exactly, but the "bigger" you're after might not be the outcome if you're not eating well. Tracking what you eat can seriously help you stay on track, and it's not as complicated as you'd think. If you eat in a consistent caloric surplus (200-300 calories more than your maintenance) and hit a protein target of 2g per kg of bodyweight while keeping fat intake moderate, you'll build significantly more muscle than fat.

Don't Neglect Cardio Altogether

Cardio doesn't have to mean a full-body HIIT session every day. A 20-30 minute incline walk at a moderate pace is enough. It helps your body burn off some of the excess fat you've consumed, without burning through the protein you need to actually build muscle. Does cardio slow your bulk? Maybe slightly. But it's worth it to make sure the weight you're gaining complements your physique, not ruins it.

Frequency of Meals

This is more of a general bulking tip. Hitting your calorie target can be tough if you're already eating a lot. Eating five smaller meals spread a couple of hours apart is far easier than force-feeding yourself until you feel sick, three times a day. If you want to make it even easier, make one meal liquid calories — a smoothie, for example — since it's much easier to consume more that way.

Ultimately, a bulk takes time and it's never 100% perfect. But follow these and you'll make sure it's muscle going on, not fat.

The version of me covering up his body in that first year of high school couldn't have imagined getting here. If that's where you're at now, know that it changes — you just have to do it properly.

— Nate