Your Ultimate Guide To Healthy Weight Gain

There are numerous motivations for desiring to increase one's weight, including being naturally slender due to genetic factors or having a high metabolism. Furthermore, being underweight might signify inadequate nutrition or underlying health issues.

People seek to enhance muscle mass and increase overall body weight for various other purposes too. It's crucial to comprehend the reasons behind being underweight.

Underweight can be characterised in several ways. It may indicate a low weight relative to height, defined by a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5. Alternatively, it could mean being 15 to 20% below the typical weight for one's age.

There are numerous factors that may prevent you from achieving your desired weight. Recovering from illness or natural weight loss with age are two examples. 

It's also common for athletes to aim to increase weight through muscle gain.

Nevertheless, it is important to gain weight in a safe manner. This involves consuming more foods rich in nutrients and adopting a generally healthy lifestyle, including sufficient sleep and minimising stress whenever feasible.

Whatever your reasons may be for wanting to gain weight, there exist a multitude of approaches you can employ.

Calculate Amount of Calories Required

In order to understand your current position and the way forward, calculate your daily calorie expenditure accurately. You can use a calculator or a fitness tracker for this purpose. 

The number of calories your body needs depends on several factors including age, gender, weight, and activity level.

To determine your specific daily calorie requirements, consider using a calorie calculator or seek advice from a registered dietitian. This will establish a baseline for the calories you should consume to gain weight.

Increasing your calorie intake beyond what you burn is essential for gaining weight. Creating a calorie surplus—where your daily intake exceeds your expenditure through activity and metabolism—is key. This surplus provides the additional energy needed to support muscle growth and store extra nutrients.

So can you eat whatever you like to increase your calorie intake?

No. It is of vital importance to gain weight in a healthy way.

It's important to strike a balance by choosing nutritious foods to ensure that the weight gained consists mostly of lean muscle rather than excess fat. Consulting with a healthcare professional or dietitian can help you determine the appropriate calorie surplus and develop a personalised plan to achieve your weight gain goals while maintaining overall health.

In addition to Body Mass Index (BMI), which categorises weight status (Normal, Underweight, Overweight/Obese), it's crucial to consider body composition. Body composition evaluates the proportion of fat, muscle, and other tissues in your body.

While BMI offers a general assessment, it doesn't account for body composition variations. For you convenience, we have listed down the way to calculate BMI -

To calculate BMI, divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in metres.

BMI classifications are as follows:

• Normal: BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
• Underweight: BMI below 18.5
• Overweight or obese: BMI above 24.9

4 Tips to Gain Weight in a Healthy Way

(i) Increasing Calorie Intake : The key to gaining weight effectively is to create a calorie surplus, which means consuming more calories than your body expends.

You can determine your calorie requirements using this calorie calculator.

For gradual and steady weight gain, aim to consume 300–500 calories more than your calculated daily expenditure. If you're aiming for faster weight gain, target around 700–1,000 calories above your maintenance level.

It's important to note that calorie calculators provide estimates, and individual calorie needs can vary by several hundred calories per day.

While you don't need to track calories indefinitely, it can be beneficial to monitor your intake for the first few days or weeks to gauge your consumption. There are numerous tools available to assist you with this process.

(ii)Increase Intake of Proteins : Consuming adequate amounts of high-quality protein is crucial for optimal growth, development, and overall health.

According to recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), adults should aim for a daily intake of 50 grams (g) of protein. 

However, individual protein needs can vary based on factors such as age, gender, and medical history.

Rich sources of protein include:

• Meats
• Fish
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Legumes
• Nuts

Protein supplements like plant protein will be beneficial if you struggle to meet your protein requirements through diet alone.

It's important to note that protein can also help reduce feelings of hunger and appetite, which may make it challenging to consume enough calories for weight gain.

Consulting with a healthcare professional can help determine if increasing your protein intake would support your goal of gaining weight safely.

(iii) Increase Intake of Carbs : Consuming carbohydrates (carbs) alone won't necessarily lead to weight gain, but they can be an effective way to increase calorie intake.

Examples of foods rich in healthy carbohydrates include:

• Oats
• Quinoa
• Fruits such as oranges, bananas, and blueberries
• Sweet potatoes
• Buckwheat

Carbohydrates are essential for a well-rounded diet. The recommended daily intake can vary based on factors like age, gender, and overall health. Generally, experts suggest that 45% to 65% of your daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates.

(iv)Consumption of Energy Dense Foods : It's essential to incorporate plenty of energy-dense foods into your diet—these are foods that pack a lot of calories relative to their weight.

Enhancing your meals with spices, sauces, and condiments can make them more appealing and easier to consume in larger quantities. Toppings can also boost calorie intake.

Here are some energy-dense foods that can aid in weight gain:

• Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and peanuts
• Dried fruits like raisins, dates, prunes, and others
• High-fat dairy products like whole milk, full-fat yogurt, cheese, and cream
• Healthy fats and oils such as extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil
• Grains like oats and brown rice
• Meats such as chicken, beef, pork, and lamb, including fattier cuts
• Tubers like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams
• Other energy-dense options like dark chocolate, avocados, peanut butter, coconut milk, granola, and trail mix

If your goal is to gain weight, you might consider minimising your intake of vegetables and fruits. The fibre in these foods can induce a feeling of fullness more quickly, potentially reducing your appetite for energy-dense foods.

Other Healthy Lifestyle Tips

(i) Weight Gain Exercises : If your goal is to build muscle mass, consistent strength training is essential. This helps convert the calories and protein you consume into lean muscle, rather than fat.

(ii) Smoothies/Shakes: Steer clear of beverages lacking in nutrients or calories, such as diet soda. Instead, opt for nutrient-dense smoothies or shakes that provide a blend of high-calorie, nutritious ingredients, especially when you're on the move. Meal replacement drinks can also support your weight-gain goals.

Create satisfying smoothies by combining oats, fruits like bananas and berries, nut butter, seeds, and your preferred liquid. You may experiment with flavours by adding cinnamon, cocoa, or a shot of espresso to diversify the taste!

(iii) Don’t Miss Out on Sleep: Getting a full 8-9 hours of sleep supports healthy weight gain by promoting optimal hormone regulation, including growth hormone and cortisol levels. It enhances muscle recovery and repair, aids in nutrient absorption, and reduces stress, all of which contribute to improved overall metabolic function and energy balance conducive to weight gain.

(iv) Avoid Consuming Nicotine: Quitting nicotine aids healthy weight gain by improving appetite regulation and metabolism. Nicotine withdrawal reduces metabolic rate and cravings, making it easier to consume adequate calories. It also improves taste and smell senses, enhancing enjoyment of food. These factors combined support gradual and sustainable weight gain.

Conclusion

In summary, achieving healthy weight gain involves understanding your motivations, calculating calorie needs accurately, and adopting a balanced approach to nutrition and lifestyle. Whether aiming to combat underweight conditions or build muscle mass, creating a calorie surplus through nutrient-dense foods and adequate protein intake is crucial. 

Balancing carbohydrates and incorporating energy-dense foods like nuts, dairy, and healthy fats helps ensure weight gain is primarily lean muscle mass. Additionally, regular strength training promotes efficient calorie utilisation for muscle development.

Beyond nutrition, prioritising sufficient sleep supports hormonal balance and metabolic function conducive to weight gain. Avoiding nicotine in all forms especially cigarettes and e-cigarettes further aids this process by improving appetite regulation and enhancing the enjoyment of nutritious foods. 

These holistic strategies not only promote gradual and sustainable weight gain but also contribute to overall health and well-being.

By integrating these principles into your lifestyle, you can effectively achieve your goals for healthy weight gain while nurturing long-term vitality and physical resilience.