I don't really have a secret on how i did it, i was surprised myself.
during the time i gained my weight i worked out twice a day, in class at high school and then after work i went to the gym around 9:30 to 11:00-11:30. I lifted weights 4 outa 7 days, and then i played basketball heavily for 2-3 hours on saturdays/sundays.
My diet consisted of NO fast food, no pop, no candy bars basically no good tasting things.
I am Russian so my mother makes a lot of healthy food. chicken soup is my favorite!!!
to be honest, if i would have a reason for how i gained 20 pounds and lost 7% body fat i would say it was being motivated to change.
back in September my girlfriend at the time dumped me, she gave me her reasons and just walked away. I have to say, during that part of my life I felt worthless,weak, and unsatisfied with my life. The break up really took a big hit on me, i was very attached to this girl and i was very stupid to do so but of coarse i wouldn't change the past if i could. I picked up an extra day at work so in order to earn money for the gym and decided to join, in fact i just walked into LA fitness and told them "set me up with a membership, i want to know the various activities you offer and how i can improve myself". Right off the bat i signed the contract with 100 $ off registration fee's and went to work. In my mind i just kept thinking that the more i lift the bigger i get the more she will regret dumping me. thats exactly it, i started working out in order to make my ex girlfriend feel bad about her decision. A month into the work out i started receiving compliments at school, girls would look at me smile and keep walking, eye contact was all over the place, there was a time when a girl was talking to me she had to go so she just put her hand on my bicep and said call me later, she squeezed my bicep and said "wow". Compliments kept me going. I would strive to lift more then I can, at the school class i lifted light weights not too tough, but at the gym i would load myself with weights always everyday pushing 5 pounds more. I think believing in myself that i can push more weights and never setting down for a certain amount of weight allowed my body to develop itself.
Motivation is a big factor in getting bigger, not just saying i want to get big, but going to the gym and seeing Yourself bigger in the mirror, feeling bigger. It sounds cheesy but no matter how much bigger i got even if it was being able to see a little definition in my bicep i got ****y and happy.
I have a friend who is embarrassed that he is small, he doesn't like people looking at him while he benches light weights because he cant bench heavier weights. that is not the attitude you should have.
Everything I wrote up above contained my own bias, there are alot of factors in gaining weight and losing body fat, for me motivation was major.
Find out what makes you stronger inside and focus on it, stop looking at those big guys with eyes of amazement on how large their muscles are and look at yourself. Its amazing what a compliment can do. Don't be afraid to give them also.
LOL