Those who are underweight face a unique challenge of trying to gain weight. Genetic or medical conditions can make it really hard for someone keep weight on. The difficulty is not only putting on the weight, but putting on the right weight. Too much fat can cause health problems or cause discouragement regarding your physical appearance. Treat weight gaining just as serious as dieting and always consult with your doctor beforehand.
Step 1
Take in more calories than you currently consume. Write down everything you are eating for a couple of days and determine how many calories you eat per day. There are 3,500 calories to a pound. If you need to gain 2 lbs., add 7,000 calories to your diet per week.
Step 2
Eat at specific times. For example, eat high-calorie meals every 2 hours from the time you wake up until you go to bed. This reduces the amount of time your body has to burn any calories between meals. You may want to set your alarm clock in the middle of the night to consume something like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The more calories you can get in throughout the day, the more weight you will put on.
Step 3
Make healthy food choices. Trying to gain weight does not mean you should eat super-sized burgers and fries everyday. These types of foods are high in saturated fats and sodium. Eating too many unhealthy foods can cause problems such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol putting you at risk for heart attack or stroke.
Opt for lean meats and fish such as chicken, turkey, tuna, or salmon. Choose whole grains, such as oatmeal, wheat bread or brown rice. Your body will process these foods much better than junk food while still providing calories for weight gain.
Step 4
Start a weight-training program because muscle weighs more than fat. Pyramid your sets for muscle hypertrophy (increase in size). For example, set one would be 10 lbs. for 10 reps. Set two would be 15 lbs. for eight reps. Set three would be 20 lbs. for six reps, and so forth. Always give each muscle group two to three days of rest before working again. During this resting period is when the muscle repairs itself and builds up bigger and stronger.
Step 5
Consume high-calorie protein shakes in between meals. It may seem fun to eat a lot of food at first, but after a while it can get tiring. Shakes are a fast and easy way to consume a lot of calories. You will also need the extra protein to maintain muscle hypertrophy.
Tips and Warnings
- Experiencing rapid weight gain could cause stretch marks, so keep your skin moisturized.
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