Eating a greater number of calories than you burn can help you gain weight. While increasing portion sizes at meals is one strategy, including more high-calorie foods at meals and snacks can also help. Pizza is a high-calorie food, but many versions lack significant nutrients to support muscle growth, a desirable form of weight. Make your own healthy pizza, and focus on other healthy foods to support a positive increase in weight that will make you look and feel better.
Significance
Using healthy foods to gain weight supports muscle growth. Being underweight takes a toll on your appearance and your energy levels. Junk foods do not supply the nutrition you need to make these improvements. Needing to pack on pounds does not give you license to consume foods full of sugar, sodium and saturated and trans fats. You are still vulnerable to health problems, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, which result from over eating these unhealthy options.
Pizza
Many restaurant and frozen pizzas contain refined flours and saturated fats, which may cause you to gain weight because of their calories, but do not always support a healthy body. These commercial pizzas also contain sodium, artificial ingredients and preservatives. If you are committed to ordering out, look for pizzas with a whole wheat crust and low-fat cheese. When purchasing frozen options, select pizza with a pronounceable ingredient list. Skip toppings high in saturated fat, such as sausage and pepperoni, and opt for grilled vegetables instead. You will still consume about 200 to 250 calories per slice with a healthier pizza.
Homemade
Consider making a homemade pizza to make it even healthier. Purchase or make a whole wheat dough and top with marinara and low-fat cheese. Add dollops of ricotta cheese to boost the calorie count. Top with peppers, onions, grilled eggplant and cooked lean ground turkey. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top before serving for a dose of heart-healthy oil and extra calories.
Other Foods
Other healthy foods for weight gain include nuts, low-sugar granola, dried fruit and whole wheat pasta. If you crave junkie foods such as hamburgers, fries and chicken nuggets, you can do healthy makeovers of these foods as well. Use extra lean beef and serve your burger on a whole wheat bun with low-fat cheese and sliced avocado. Bake sweet potato fries by tossing wedges of the vegetables in olive oil and salt and roasting at 425 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Dip chicken tenders in a whole wheat flour, then eggs and then whole wheat bread crumbs. Saute in a hot pan coated with olive or canola oil -- sources of unsaturated fat. Serve with mashed potatoes made with olive oil and low-fat milk. Enhance the potatoes with dry milk powder to boost the calorie count.
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