If you decide that you need to gain weight, you should try to do it in a healthy manner instead of just getting fat by eating snack cakes and other fatty, high-calorie foods. Choosing to eat foods that contain a lot nutrients without containing a lot of fat can help you bulk up without blowing up.
Time Frame
When you are trying to gain weight, you should eat often. Ideally, you will eat three large meals and three large snacks each day. Your day must start with a hefty breakfast, then you should eat every two to three hours. A weight gain of about 1 lb. per week is ideal because you are likely gaining muscle weight instead of fat weight when you gain at this rate.
Diet Components
Just because you are trying to gain weight doesn't mean you can just eat anything you want. You have to focus on eating healthy food choices that will fuel your body while you gain weight. For example, you should eat white meat chicken instead of dark meat chicken. Whole grains, fresh vegetables, dairy products and fresh fruits are also necessary components of your diet. Because you are trying to gain weight, you can choose to incorporate healthy fats into your diet, such as those in nuts, nut butters and avocados.
Exercise
In addition to eating healthy foods, you have to exercise to ensure you are gaining healthy weight. Strength training exercises, such as Olympic lifts, squats, deadlifts and lunges are ideal when you are trying to gain weight. You also need to incorporate some aerobic exercise, such as swimming or full-court basketball, into your daily exercise plan. Ideally, you will work out at least five days per week for 30 to 60 minutes per day.
Warning
Unless you are underweight, you shouldn't start a weight gain program. To be classified as underweight, you must have a body mass index of less than 18.5. Your body mass index is an estimate of your body fat composition based on your weight and your height. If your body mass index is within the normal range, or if you have any health conditions, talk to your doctor to determine if gaining weight is appropriate for you.
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