For some people, gaining weight is just as hard as losing it. These are the folks who have a thin build and are coined as "hardgainers." Although being thin does not cause as many risk factors as being obese, it can still take its toll on levels of self confidence. This in turn can lead to eating binges on high-fat, high-calorie foods that offer little in the way of quality nutrition. You can gain weight and eat healthy by making some adjustments to your diet and visiting the gym.
Step 1
Stock up on energy-dense foods that are healthy. Nuts, seeds, olives, avocados, oils and nut butters are high in calories, and they make good additions to your meals. Avoid fast foods, deep fried foods, commercial baked goods and processed meats.
Step 2
Increase your overall caloric intake. Find out what your daily intake is by referring to an online resource like CalorieKing. Track all forms of calories you consume from both liquids and solids and add 500 calories to this total.
Step 3
Drink high-calorie beverages with and in between your meals. Opt for fruit juices, milk, nectars and sport drinks instead of soda and processed sugary drinks.
Step 4
Consume multiple meals throughout the day to make it easier to get your increased calories. Eat meals that are balanced with protein and complex carbohydrates. Baked salmon with two yams and two servings of Brussels sprouts is a dinner example.
Step 5
Prepare high-calorie smoothies for quick meal replacements. Use ingredients like frozen fruit, nuts, seeds, whole milk, soy milk, yogurt, protein powder, almond butter and honey. As an example, pour 8 oz. of vanilla soy milk and 8 oz. of natural pineapple juice into a blender. Add a frozen banana, a scoop of protein powder, a 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, a tbsp. of honey and three ice cubes to the pitcher than blend it thoroughly. This comes out to approximately 700 calories.
Step 6
Eat a snack in the evening before going to bed. Mix a bowl of granola with chocolate soy milk and 1 tbsp. of peanut butter. You can also whip up a couple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made with whole-grain bread. Use an all-natural jam or preserve that is made from fruit sugar.
Step 7
Lift weights to build muscle mass. Perform compound exercises that involve more than one muscle group. Bench presses, military presses, deadlifts, tricep dips and lunges are examples of these. Aim for 10 to 12 reps, three to four sets and lift the heaviest weights you can handle. Work out three times a week.
Things You'll Need
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Olives
- Avocados
- Oils
- Fruit juice
- Milk
- Soy milk
- Nut butters
- Frozen fruit
- Honey
- Blender
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