Nobody wants to gain weight. This has now become a Universal Truth since everyone is focused on chasing slender bodies and a weight that matches those advertised by the fitness and glamour industry. A nicely-shaped and well-toned body is the ultimate dream for almost everyone, except maybe little kids. But even children are slowly becoming influenced by impossible body standards which is most definitely a global cause of worry.
Gaining Weight becomes a matter of prevalence with poor health, lack of desire or access to healthy foods or due to any other health ailments that results in underweight and extremely skinny bodies. Gaining Weight is equally difficult for people suffering from such problems as is losing weight for people suffering from obesity.
But the problem arises when people with naturally skinny yet healthy bodies are faced with social stigma and ridicule. So, it is important to define why exactly you’re trying to gain weight before forcibly adding excess calories and fat to your diet.
Being Clinically Underweight poses serious health implications and the person should take all measures to ensure return to a normal, healthy weight that’s best suited to their age, gender, and height. Even if you’re not underweight but still feel like you need to gain a few pounds to look and feel better, there are numerous healthy ways to eat the right foods and fulfil the lack of nutrients and fat in the body without overdoing it.
Whatever may be your reason or motive, remember to never compromise on health and to never go beyond your body type by overeating or relying on external chemicals and drugs to force your body to blow up.
Just like Weight loss, healthy Weight Gain demands time, effort, and patience. These combined with expert opinion, and a careful preservation of well-being will ensure that you gain your extra pounds safely, easily, and fast no matter which method you opt for.
Naturally thin or underweight people have small appetites and thus the main goal would be to increase appetite so that you can take in higher calories, fat, and nutrients. Increasing Appetite is not an easy task for someone who has spent years eating limited quantities. Forcing appetite increase has its repercussions and can disturb the delicate balance of your heath.
A straightforward approach to increasing your appetite and gaining weight is to consume more calories than your body burns every day. First, it’s important to understand your daily caloric intake and how it’s affecting your metabolism. People with a small appetite generally eat many portions of food containing insignificant calories hence they’re unable to gain weight. Simply put, gaining weight isn’t rocket science, you just have to train your appetite and your body to accept incremental amount of fat and calories until it begins to show on the weighing scale. The following 10 methods are effective and easy ways to gain weight that do not cause side effects or endanger health in any way:
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1. Five Meals a Day:
The simple truth for gaining weight fast as we have just understood is to increase the amount we eat every day. And this should be done in small increments, rather than sudden leaps to large proportions. One way to coax your body to accept large quantities of food without disturbing digestive balance is to increase the number of meals per day.
If you eat 5 meals per day instead of the regular 3 meals, there is a higher chance of increasing weight quicker. If each of these 5 meals are highly nutritious and contain the right number of calories, you will be able to see a steady improvement in your weight over time. However, each of these meals must be consumed in small proportions so that they’re most effective without being too harsh on a small appetite. Increasing your diet by 500 calories per day can help you gain at least a pound of weight each week. But this depends on your body type and the nature of activities you perform on a daily basis.
Since force-feeding yourself an extra 500 calories aside from your regular diet may seem like a lot for your body to handle so spreading them over the course of 5 meals per day is a fool proof way of ensuring the extra calories reach you without discomfort.
If you don’t feel like force feeding yourself 5 meals per day is a wise choice, try eating once every 3 hours. Your body takes a minimum of 3 hours to digest food which is why it is recommended to eat a small meal after every 3 hours. Eating every 3 hours ensures that you do not go hungry, thus eliminating the need to over-eat. It also enables an even spread of calories that will contribute to fast weight gain and improvement in overall vigour and vitality.
But more than increasing your meal count, focus on ensuring that your calorie intake is steadily increased and not getting spent in activities. While it is not strictly essential to follow the 5 meals per day plan, by combining calories and suitable macronutrient composition, you can scale up on the weighing machine irrespective of meal count.
In order to determine the exact number of calories you need to add to your diet that will help you gain weight, perform a Body Composition Analysis and calculation of BMR/RMR. These metrics will help you determine calorie count per day to be added to obtain weight gain of at least 1 pound per week.
You may find it initially hard to adjust to increase in calories but with steady focus on maintaining caloric intake, you will gain your desired weight in a few weeks’ time.
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2. Replace ordinary diet with a highly Nutritious one:
The biggest mistake weight gainers can do is consuming a diet high on trans fat in their bid to gain weight fast. This may be counter-productive since the goal is to reach a desired, healthy weight not to become obese or overweight.
People who are unnaturally skinny or underweight may be lacking essential nutrients required for normal body functioning. By fulfilling these lacking nutrients, there is hope for restoring the body’s lost vitality and achieving a weight appropriate to a person’s body type.
A highly nutritious diet is beneficial both for weight gainers as well as weight losers. Avoid junk foods like fries and burgers at all costs even though it may be tempting to gain easy weight from these highly addictive yet extremely unhealthy processed foods. Instead, add copious amounts of nuts, veggies, dairy products, eggs, and grains to your diet plan. Nutritious, calorie-dense food will accelerate your weight gain process as they’re high on healthy fats.
Lean Red Meat is an excellent choice for incorporating in your weight gain diet. Lean Red Meat contains high Protein, Iron, and Calories. But on the other hand, Red Meat has very high cholesterol which is why you should be careful to not overdo it. Although experts do not recommend red meat to be very healthy, it’s definitely helpful for persons suffering from eating disorders that desperately need a calorie boost.
Gaining Weight is faster when there is a high Protein Intake. Protein converts calories into muscle thus preventing fat accumulation. But it is also highly beneficial for gaining weight. Protein rich foods such as Meat, Fish, Eggs, Dairy, Legumes, Nuts, etc. are indispensable for weight gain. But Protein has one drawback when it comes to gaining weight. It is very filling and tends to reduce appetite which may slow down weight gain.
Protein must be combined with calories and proportions must be managed to make it effective for weight gain.
Protein is available as weight-gain supplements but may not be a healthy choice.
Other healthy food choices for gaining weight include Salmon; a Protein Collector, Butter, Tuna, and Fruit Juices.
Don’t forget to maintain incremental calorie intake until you’re reached your desired weight. Although vegetables are the healthiest thing you can ever eat, they contain less carbs, fat, and calories; which is why weight gainers must concentrate less on eating veggies and more on other foods.
Going from non-nutritious to highly nutritious meals can be tough at first but with careful planning, your body can adjust to the new diet and utilize all the vitamins and minerals to scale up on the weighing machine.
Instead of relying on supplements that may cause side effects eventually, incorporating a nutritious diet is the safest and most effective way to gain weight fast.
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3. Strength Training:
Exercise plays a crucial role in weight gain and if you’re trying to gain some pounds fast, then exercise is necessary. Strength Training is known to be highly effective for weight gain which when combined with a balanced diet rich in carbs, calories, and Protein; takes you faster towards your goal.
Strength Training exercises multiple muscles and joints and is the best form of exercise to boost weight gain if you’ve made a steady nutrition plan for yourself.
When you train your body to lift weights, testosterone is produced as a stress reliever. Testosterone builds muscle mass, thus contributing to weight gain.
Weightlifting works both ways, it helps lose calories and if done properly will assist you to manage your weight gaining diet.
Doing strength training to gain weight does not mean that you should turn into a bodybuilder overnight. You also don’t have to spend hours lifting heavy weights and over-exerting yourself.
Other forms of strength training exercises apart from weight lifting include Push-ups, Crunches, Lunges, Squats, Pullups, etc.
When you feel like you’re ready to scale up, add dumbbells, and exercises like squats and deadlifts to your strength training regimen.
The advantage of strength training to gain weight is that although your weight increases, the fat percentage in your body is always minimal. You will be able to notice the results within a few months of adequate strength training by calculating your body fat percentage and comparing it with the increase in weight.
Although you cannot accurately predict how much weight you will gain from strength training since many factors like body type, diet program, etc. come into play; it is an established fact that Strength Training exercises like weight lifting lead to increase in muscle mass which is directly linked to increase in body weight.
Muscle weighs less than fat so if you gain muscle from strength training, you will weigh more but will look much leaner and healthier than if you would gain a lot of unhealthy fat from overeating.
Other health benefits of including Strength Training in your exercise routine include enhanced bone density leading to healthier bone and body, higher endurance levels, etc.
You should prepare strength training programs with compound movements and shorter recovery times. If your strength training program contains three to five sets per movement or muscle group, you will see an increase in muscle growth faster.
When you combine intense strength training with a weight gain diet, it’s important to get adequate sleep every night for your body to adjust itself. Strength Training requires recovery for your body since there is a high level of stress involved on muscles. Inadequate sleep will render it ineffective. At least 7-8 hours of sleep are minimally required for strength training.
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4. Treat Yourself:
Weight Gainers have a definite advantage over weight losers since they have the freedom to eat anything they want without worrying about calories.
However, there is a fine line between eating to treat yourself and overeating unhealthy food.
While snacking is perfectly ok and even recommended when you’re on the road to fattening up, it’s important to watch what you put in your body.
Junk Food and Processed Foods of all kind are never ok but underweight people are allowed to indulge in an occasional burger without worry.
You can use the power of snacking to your advantage by choosing caloric food items that are not too unhealthy like Muffins, Yoghurt, Granola Bars, Sandwiches, Sliced Vegetables, Meat and Cheese between meals, or as an occasional midnight snack.
The objective is to gain weight quickly so snacking is actually pretty helpful when you’re trying really hard to follow a diet and exercise to gain pounds.
Nuts and Seeds like Almonds, Pistachios, etc., are the best snacks you can ever munch on, since they’re guaranteed to fulfil both your hunger and taste buds without adding unhealthy fat to the body. They’re high in healthy protein and calories and make the best crunchy snacks.
When it comes to snacking for weight gain, you’re allowed to stray a little. Fruits and Vegetables are always welcome, but crackers and bagels, cereals, and other traditional snacks such as dark chocolates, potato chips, will be beneficial for gaining weight.
Snacking is a smart way to gain weight fast and must be included in your diet plan. While snacking, it’s important to choose those foods which combine a healthy dosage of protein, fat, and carbs. Some smart ideas for snacking may include Granola Bars, Whole Grain Crackers with Hummus, Banana Bread, Yogurt with Flaxseed. You can get creative and make your own healthy snack combo for each day.
The main goal of weight gain is to create a calorie surplus in your body which can be achieved only be snacking between meals. Nutrition bars make good mid-day snacks and are usually recommended by dietitians and nutritionists for underweight people. There are plenty of commercially available nutrition bars that most bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts regularly consume. Although it may seem confusing to choose the best product, you can decide the best among the lot by carefully perusing the nutrient and ingredient list on the package.
But you should know that Nutrition Bars are packaged and processed food that come with additives along with the calories and nutrients. To avoid products with a lot of additives, search and find nutrition bars that contain whole nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. There is an abundance of recipes available for preparing your own homemade nutrition bars that are easy to make and serve as amazing weight-gain snacks.
5. Yoga:
Yoga is prescribed as the ultimate solution to all weight related problems, as well as a progressive and sustainable solution for weeding out problems pertaining to health and vitality, and promoting improved well-being.
You can use the power of Yoga to accelerate your weight gain efforts irrespective of all factors. Yoga has more than a few effective remedies to boost metabolism, increase appetite and help the body utilize the food that you eat to steadily arrive at a healthy weight best suited to your body type.
Since Yoga removes the effects of stress, and other factors that may be preventing weight gain; it will prove to be very helpful on your weight gain journey.
Before you search and find the best Yogasanas that are designed specifically for weight gain, it’s imperative that you devote time, space, and dedication to Yoga without which any effort will be ineffective.
Yoga is the best physical activity you can ever do throughout your life and outshines all other forms of exercises in effectiveness, if done right.
Sometimes, even a change in diet does very little to change your weight. This is where Yoga comes in handy since it provides that boost to render any new diet effective. Yoga eliminates the effects of any hereditary defect or disease which may be causing your weight gain diet and exercises to fail.
First, find an open place to do Yoga every single day, one that’s in the heart of nature and far away from dust and pollution. The biggest mistake weight gainers or losers do when it comes to Yoga is to disrupt consistency by skipping a day or two of Asanas. When you disrupt the flow, asanas become ineffective and Yoga becomes just a chore that doesn’t yield any results.
If you’re serious about gaining weight in the shortest time possible, commit to not skipping a single day, not until you’ve reached your weigh goal, at least.
Now let’s dig into the important asanas that promote weight gain:
Vajrasana involves sitting in a spine straightening position on your folded legs and is beneficial for weight gain since it boosts blood circulation, and improves digestion, and appetite.
Bhujangasana stresses the digestive system and brings about a change in appetite and metabolism while removing blocks to effective nutrition absorption by the digestive tract and the bloodstream.
Sarvangasana or the Shoulder-Stand Asana eliminates any problems related to indigestion and corrects hormonal imbalances that may be preventing weight gain. It also helps improve muscle strength.
Pavanmuktasana is another asana that relieves gas in the digestive tract that may be causing indigestion, constipation, and bloating; thus, improving digestion leading to weight gain.
If you do these asanas regularly and with full dedication, you will see an improvement in your weight gain pursuits in no time. Yoga is the answer to almost all physical ailments and there is no reason why you shouldn’t incorporate it into your weight gain plan.
6. Beverages to gain weight:
When you’re on a weight gain journey, it pays to leverage the power of drinks to speed up the process. There are more than a few ways you can use different beverages, juices, and drinks to add calories faster. While excess water has the tendency to weaken appetite, a healthy and strong liquid diet throughout the day comprising of Milk, Fruit Juices, Smoothies, etc. adds sufficient calories to your metabolism and aids weight gain.
Milk is a must for gaining weight. But drink whole milk instead of skim milk which is mostly useless in gaining weight. Whole Milk is abundant in fat and calories that you won’t get in other foods.
Other drinks like Coconut Milk and Peanut Milk are also high in calories and fat and it won’t hurt to have any, at least once a day.
Green Juices are most people’s nightmare but will be your greatest strength if you take them along on your weight gain journey. You can make your own green juice with healthy veggies. If you decide to consume store-bought green juices, be careful since most of them are just diluted with a ton of sugar added and absolutely no fibre present.
Although Protein Drinks are not specifically helpful for gaining weight, they’re popular for this purpose since they increase Protein in bloodstream. Among the best Protein Drinks recommended for weight gain, Whey, Soy, Egg, Vegetable Protein, and Creatine are the most helpful.
Hot Chocolate is a good weight gain beverage. Not only is it very inviting, a cup of hot chocolate everyday provides calcium and calories, which are both necessary for weight gain.
Of course, Tea and Coffee are the strongest liquid calories and a cup every morning and evening contributes an extra pile of calories. On the other hand, be wary of processed drinks made with artificial sugar and carbonated water since they amount to unhealthy weight gain and can make you obese or diabetic over time.
People all over the world are suffering from beverage related obesity so this can’t be stressed enough and you should learn to distinguish between processed and pure beverages.
Another disadvantage of beverages and juices is that they have very little effect on hunger satiation since liquid calories aren’t easily absorbed by digestion compared to solid calories. The excess sugar in beverages are also dangerous to health so caution must be exercised while drinking beverages to gain weight.
Fizzy Drinks, Alcohol, Processed Juices are notorious for quick and excessive weight gain. In a bid to gain calories as fast as possible, weight gainers make the mistake of relying on these unhealthy beverages. But a wise person knows that the best liquid food for weight gain are always Whole Milk, Protein Shakes, Fresh Fruit Juices, and Smoothies. At least a glass a day will suffice.
7. Guilty Indulgences:
We already know that to gain weight, you’re allowed to indulge in guilty pleasures since they’re helpful for gaining extra calories quickly.
But indulgence must be done in the right way else it might lead to overeating and can be detrimental to health.
If not done right, Guilty Indulgences may result in fat accumulation in problem areas like Thighs, Arms, and Stomach. Fat accumulation is the biggest risk for skinny people on a weight loss journey. This is why there is emphasis on equal distribution of calories through multiple meals and nutritious diet.
Indulgences must be timed and carefully chosen. Processed and Junk Foods do not come under Indulgences. Sweets made from Dairy Products are good choices for occasional indulgences.
Since weight gainers do not need to worry about a few added calories, occasional trips to restaurants, indulging in oily, buttery foods are perfectly all right and beneficial. Instead of greasy, processed foods, opt for restaurant cooked meals that are less harmful and more useful for gaining weight.
Holidays are the perfect occasions to enjoy some sweet indulgence. If your weight gain plan occurs during holidays and festivals, the better. While the rest of the world worries about all the calories they’ll have to lose once the holiday season is done and dusted, weight gainers can get ready to enjoy all the sweets and delicious treats without a worry in the world.
But try not to overeat since fat accumulated in pockets over the holidays are harder to lose and keep accumulating if not tended to. Our goal is to gain weight not become fat.
If you’re in a hurry with your weight gain plan, it’s perfectly all right to have at least one guilty indulgence per day in the form of dessert for dinner, skipping home cooked dinner and going out to eat, or a second helping of something.
Guilty Indulgences are a weight gainer’s best friend because unlike your regular diet, these have the power to override all other calories and become the main cause of weight gain fast.
Chocolates and Sweets in careful measure are your best guilty indulgences. Everyone loves them and they’re full of calories.
When you’re having an extra snack or you’re off to enjoy a nice meal at your favourite restaurant, make sure you enjoy it without any guilt since studies have shown that guilt-ridden eating isn’t very healthy and may cause excess weight gain.
Mid-night snacks are another great way to enjoy guilty indulgences. Search and find great recipes for midnight snacks. Midnight snacks ensure that your stomach remains full throughout the night and doesn’t enter starvation mode. Skinny people with high metabolism will find midnight snacking to be very useful since it makes for hunger-free, peaceful sleep throughout the night.
8. Eat Foods guaranteed to make you Fat:
The reason why dieters avoid certain foods like the plague is because they’re more likely to increase calories and fat in the body to an alarmingly high level than others. People on a weight gain journey have everything to benefit from consciously choosing these types of food than other low-calorie items that do little to nothing to weight.
Of course, these food items must be consumed in limited amounts since they’re extremely filling and hard to digest owing to immense fat and protein. Let’s look at some of them.
Indian Foods are high in calories and fat. Having a complete Indian meal is not for the weak. Every single Indian specialty has a unique combination of the most beneficial calories. If you don’t like to eat a lot of special Indian meals, it is highly recommended to do so, especially if you hope to see an increase in weight.
Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian meals are rich in calories and fat. Flatbreads like Roti and Naan contain a lot of calories and are very filling, making them an excellent choice for lunch or dinner.
Upma and Khichdi for breakfast ensure an incredibly satisfying breakfast guaranteed to replenish your energy levels to the maximum.
Rotis, spicy meat curries, and rice for lunch combined with a nutritious sabzi eliminates the need for cravings or snacks until late in the evening.
Even Indian snacks like Chats and Samosas are less unhealthy and are effective for weight gain compared to processed western snacks. Overall, an Indian diet is best suited for weight gain since it has everything necessary for a healthy, satisfying, and nutritious living.
When you make a conscious choice to replace ordinary meals by high-calorie, nutritious foods, especially those containing oil; your diet will bring the desired results faster and effortlessly. A teaspoon of oil contains 45 calories and is healthy because it contains less saturated fats and more of mono and poly unsaturated fats. Cook meals with vegetable oils like Sunflower, Olive, and Rice Bran to absorb these extra calories.
Calorie and Fat rich foods such as these single-handedly eliminate the need to eat multiple low-calorie meals per day, thus leaving you free to concentrate on improving other health aspects or exercising.
Rice is the cheapest and best food that will make anyone gain weight fast. Rice is an energy booster and having it for lunch or dinner makes for a full and incredibly satisfied tummy. Rice is not just filling but also very soothing to digestion and is calorie rich. In fact, it’s better than eating bread or flat breads made from wheat or maize. Cultivate the habit of eating rice and watch how your weight shoots up within a few weeks.
9. Avoid Tedious Physical Pursuits:
Skinny people struggle to go past their low weight because they have a high metabolic rate that expends all the calories and fat consumed with meals during the simplest of tasks. Each person’s body type is suited for different purposes and certain jobs or physical activities may not be the best fit for everyone.
If you are struggling with weight problems and you work or do exercises that demand intense physical strength and energy, maybe it’s time to slow down if not completely give up on these tasks.
Weight Gain requires that you conserve all the high calorie and fat diet you’re on, to allow your metabolic rate to adjust to all the extra food and your body to assimilate all the extra nutrition.
Sleep and Rest are vital for weight gain. Minimize Physical activities as much as you can. If possible, stay as much as you can away from stress, anxiety, pollution, and such woes of modern lifestyles which are notorious for wearing the body down and resulting in weight deficits.
While 8 hours of sleep are mandatory for weight gainers, a few extra hours of sleep in the afternoon or as an extension of your sleep at night will prove to be helpful.
Try to de-stress your mind by keeping worries at bay. Seek the help of Meditation and Yoga to do this. When both the mind and body are calm and refreshed, weight gain becomes easier. You could also indulge in some self-pampering by visiting massage parlours, spas, or beauty treatments as a form of revitalising both the mind and the body.
Most modern jobs entail impossible working hours, exposure to pollution filled city living, and lack of time or access to healthy, nutritious food. In such fast-paced living, fast food is mostly seen as a quick energy booster for sustenance which unfortunately has nothing to replenish the body’s nutrient store which is required to support important body functions. It is best to dissociate oneself from such extreme environments if it is causing weight problems even with proper food intake. You may be surprised to see a sudden improvement in your weight when you get away from such stress.
Avoid tedious physical exercises like Running or Cardio instead focus on strength training to conserve and manage energy.
10. Hydration:
The importance of Hydration cannot be stressed enough; not just for weight gain but for uninterrupted good health. Before you begin a weight gain journey, it’s important to rid the body of all toxins whether mental or physical. Drinking lots of water flushes out accumulated toxins and waste and prepares you for accepting more calories than what your body is used to.
Water has the tendency to fill the stomach and reduce hunger temporarily. If you’re trying to gain weight, its advised not to let water interfere with metabolism by drinking too much before or during meals.
There is a common misconception that drinking water leads to weight gain, but this is not entirely true. Water, in itself is a calorie-free drink but it sure does assist the weight gain process immensely. Although water doesn’t have calories, it does have weight which shows on the weighing scale. But this doesn’t mean that you should drink more than the recommended amount of water per day since the extra water is simply flushed out, serving no purpose.
In fast-paced living, pure water consumption is very less which is the main cause for loss of good health and rise of various ailments and diseases. Lack of enough hydration results in failure of your body to transport nutrients to every corner. Water intake must be maximum but should not exceed the body’s limit.
There are other ways of achieving hydration and at the same time increasing calorie count. Citrus fruits are incredibly hydrating and also serve as calorie additions. Eat plenty of citrus and non citrus fruits as well as fruit juices, milkshakes, etc. instead of drinking plain water always.
Tender Coconut Water is the best hydration you can ever get. If you live in a tropical climate, drink coconut water every day to compromise lost fluids and to replenish your body’s store of moisture and hydration without ever dipping below recommended levels.
Water is a critical nutrient for the human body and without it, all other nutrients are useless. A well hydrated body generally looks and feels full of life and radiates a positive aura, healthier skin, and boasts of a digestive system in perfect condition. Hydration is also helpful for muscle building and strength training for weight gain and is a must on any weight gain journey.