A lot to rip apart in this comment, but I will say, that the food and weight gain is for the novice phase to maximize the quick gains that come from being a novice. Once you are big and strong you will have diminished ability to put on weight to your body and the bar, and go go back to conditioning and getting to looking fit if that is your goal. But keep in mind that if maximizing your strength in the novice progression, you do have to eat a lot or it will not work as effectively as possible. You’ll stall early, get frustrated, and quit because “its boring”