Generally, you cannot gain weight in just one area of your body, but you can change your current diet to help you gain weight. If you want to gain weight in your thighs and buttocks, you might have a naturally slender build called an ectomorph build. This body type is usually slim, with little muscle.
If you have any serious health issues, get medical clearance from your doctor before changing your diet.
Determine How Many Calories a Day to Eat
If you think you are too angular and want to gain weight in your thighs and hips, you may be eating less than you burn. According to the American Heart Association, to determine how many minimum calories you need a day, multiply your weight in pounds by 15 if you are moderately physically active. If you are sedentary, multiply by 13. If you learn you are eating less than the recommended number of calories, you can gradually increase the amount you consume over several weeks.
Eat a Whole Foods Diet
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, healthy adults are advised to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains including millet, brown rice, quinoa, oats, low-fat dairy, legumes, eggs, nuts and non-saturated fats including olive, sunflower and flaxseed oil.
To gain weight, you could eat from each of these food groups. Avoid eating junk food made from refined white sugar, flour or that is high in salt and saturated fats. The overconsumption of salt and saturated fat can increase your risk for heart disease.
Consume Adequate Protein
Consider eating more protein to gain weight in your legs and hips. According to the Centers for Disease Control, females aged 19 to 70 need about 46 gm of protein daily. Males of the same age need about 56 gm of protein a day. If you are eating less than the recommended amount, consider eating lean proteins including beef and poultry with all visible fat removed, eggs, legumes with whole grains for a complete protein, and non- to low-fat yogurt, milk and cheeses. Nuts and nut butter are good sources of protein and heart-healthy fat. A typical serving of two tablespoons of peanut butter provides 190 calories and about 10 g of protein.
Consider Eating Several Smaller Meals Daily
To gain weight safely, consider eating a high-protein breakfast every day and several smaller meals and snacks throughout the day. Doing so will help you increase your total calories and keep your blood sugar level while making it easier for your body to digest smaller amounts of food at a time.
Sample Day of 1,500 Calories
Eat protein at each "mini-meal" and also for snacks. You don't have to eat a steak: Nuts, nut butter on crackers or yogurt are all high in protein. A sample day might include a soft-boiled egg and two slices of toast with half a tablespoon of flaxseed oil for breakfast; a morning snack could be half a cup of non-fat Greek yogurt and a small banana; lunch a cup of whole wheat pasta, a cup of spinach, half a cup of pasta sauce and 4 oz of grilled chicken; and an afternoon snack of ¼ cup almonds. Dinner could be a 4-oz broiled salmon, half a cup of brown rice, a cup of steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. A night snack might be a cup of air-popped pop corn. The total calories for this day is about 1,200 calories. To add more calories, replace the evening snack with a tuna fish sandwich for 250 calories or pizza made with an English muffin with low-mozzarella and pasta sauce, also at 250 calories. That would give you about 1,500 calories total for the day.
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