A man may be too thin due to genetics, excessive exercise or an illness. Regardless of the reason, gaining weight requires you to increase your calorie intake above what you burn. Gaining weight in a healthy manner helps you fill out your frame with lean muscle, rather than just fat. Even thin men are at risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels if they consistently eat unhealthy foods.
Step 1
Determine your daily calorie needs to maintain your current weight. Go to a website like MyPyramid.gov and click on the My Pyramid plan tab. Fill in your age, weight, gender and height for an estimation of your daily calorie needs.
Step 2
Add 500 to 1,000 calories to your number from step one to gain one or two pounds per week. For example, if you need 2,500 calories to maintain your weight you should consume between 3,000 and 3,500 to gain weight. Read food labels to get a sense of the number of calories you are eating. You may not want to write down everything you eat, but try to estimate your daily intake by using a calorie-counting site.
Step 3
Choose healthy, whole foods to fill out your calorie needs. Eat extra servings of lean proteins, whole grains, starchy vegetables and unsaturated fats at your three major meals, says registered dietitian, Joanne Larsen, on Ask the Dietitian. Choose foods like chicken breast, extra lean beef and eggs; brown rice, whole-grain pasta and whole wheat bread; and peas, corn and sweet potatoes. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to your pasta before eating, spread peanut butter on toast and waffles and add nuts to oatmeal or cereal.
Step 4
Make smart choices at fast food or chain restaurants. Do not add calories with chips, sugary sweets, ice cream and French fries or risk gaining fat only and not getting all the nutrients you need. Select healthy takeout like rotisserie chicken, soft tacos on whole wheat tortillas and grilled fish sandwiches. Eat them with baked potatoes, a side of chili or a chunky chowder for extra calories and nutrition.
Step 5
Snack often during the day. Do not rely on energy bars and meal replacement drinks that often contain lots of sugar, saturated fat and unregulated supplements for extra calories. Pack a cooler with easy, portable options like deli meat, low-fat cheese, pouches of water-packed tuna, nuts and dried fruit. Think about your day ahead so you do not find yourself having to resort to junk food to fill your calorie needs.
Step 6
Drink calories. Have a glass of milk between meals. Whip up a fruit smoothie made with frozen fruit, 100 percent juice, protein powder and nut butter in a blender, suggests Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. of MayoClinic.com. Avoid drinking with meals as it may fill you up and prevent you from taking in enough calories warns Zeratsky.
Step 7
Weight train with heavy weights consistently. Build lean muscle with free weights that activate multiple muscle groups at once, says Anthony Ellis of Iron Magazine. Replenish any calories burned with a post-workout meal containing protein and carbohydrates--good options are a whey protein smoothie, a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread or a bowl of whole-wheat cereal.
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