There are many reasons people want to gain weight. People with a body mass index of less than 18.5 (approximately 107 pounds on a 5-foot-4 frame) are at an increased risk for infertility and even premature death, according to a study cited on medicalnewstoday.com. Gaining weight quickly is a simple math problem: Increase calories at the rate you wish to gain weight. To gain one pound you'll need to increase your calories by 3,500. So if you would like to gain two pounds per week, add 7,000 calories to your diet or an additional 1,000 calories per day. Gaining weight healthfully is a taller order, but it can also be done.
Extra Meals
An additional meal in the late evening can help you gain weight. Peanut butter and jam on whole-grain bread with a glass of whole milk will give you an additional 500 calories, which will allow you to gain one pound per week if you do that every evening. Choose a meal you like, figure out the calories using a counter such as those available at sparkpeople.com and add this meal to your day.
Bulk up Meals and Snacks
Use full-fat foods whenever possible. Consider adding a milkshake to your lunch (a 12-oz. chocolate fast-food shake has 440 calories) a couple of days a week. When possible, though, choose healthy fats. Olive oil has 40 calories per teaspoon; half an avocado has 161 calories. You can also prepare healthy smoothies at home and toss in a scoop of protein powder to up the calorie count.
Drink More
Calories in juices, milk and smoothies will fill your stomach with high-calorie foods and are a better choice than water or diet sodas, according to a hand-out from the Student Nutrition (and Body Image) Action Committee at UCLA, authored by nutritionist Sheri Barke, MPH, RD. The article suggests making every ounce count by drinking high-calorie beverages with meals and between meals.
Cut the Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant that will help you to burn calories. Cut back on plain tea and coffee, but feel free to indulge in specialty coffee drinks such as a flavored mocha, which can add up to 400 calories to your drink.
Eat Nuts
Nuts are a great snack that will add healthy calories to your day. One cup of cashews has 786 calories, and a cup of peanuts has 828 calories. Nuts also give you valuable protein to help build muscles and tissue while you're gaining weight, instead of just adding fat to your middle.
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