Being skinny may not be as dangerous as being overweight, but it can still cause self-confidence issues. If you want to gain weight and define your curves to create a more shapely body, you need to focus on diet and performing proper exercises. By lifting weights, you can build muscle in the areas you need it most--the chest, shoulders, butt, hips and thighs. As far as your diet goes, the healthy approach involves avoidance and acceptance.
Step 1
Increase your caloric intake and eat more often. Determine your daily caloric intake and add another 250 to 500 calories to it. To help make it easier to obtain these extra calories, eat every two to three hours throughout the day.
Step 2
Eat foods that are high in quality calories and nutrients. Avoid burgers, fries, doughnuts, candy, cakes, crackers, cookies and white flour products. Consume fruits, starchy vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean meats, dried fruit, low-fat dairy products, fish, whole grains and beans.
Step 3
Press a barbell to do bench presses. Lie on the bench and grab the bar with a wide grip. Push it off the supports and hold it directly above you. Lower the bar down to your chest, push it back up until your arms almost lock out and repeat. Lightly touch your chest when you lower the bar.
Step 4
Sit in a workout chair to do shoulder presses. Hold dumbbells just to the sides of your shoulders with your palms facing forward. Push the weights up and toward each other. Stop the dumbbells an inch apart, slowly lower them back to the starting position and repeat.
Step 5
Stand with your feet hip-width apart to do lateral raises. Hold dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing. Slightly bend your elbows and maintain that bend as you raise the weights up to your sides. Stop when your arms are parallel to the floor, slowly lower the dumbbells back down and repeat. Do not let the weights bang into each other.
Step 6
Execute a set of squats inside a squat rack. Duck under the barbell and let it rest on your upper shoulders. Grab the bar with a wide grip and lift it off the supports. Take three steps back for clearance and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body down by bending your knees. Stop when your thighs parallel the floor, stand back up just short of locking out your knees and repeat.
Step 7
Lunge across the floor while holding dumbbells. Step forward with your left foot and lower your body down by bending your knees. Stop when your left thigh parallels the floor and your right knee is an inch above the floor. Stand back up, step forward with your right foot and lunge again. Alternate lunging with each foot leading.
Step 8
Fasten a pair of ankle weights to your lower legs to do standing abductions. Place your hands on your hips or against a stationary object. Lift your right foot off the ground and raise your leg laterally in the air as high is you can. Slowly lower it back down and repeat. Do a set and switch legs. Keep your legs straight when you are raising them.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform 10 to 12 reps and four to five sets of your weight training exercises. Work out three days a week on nonconsecutive days.
Things You'll Need
- Bench
- Barbell
- Workout chair
- Dumbbells
- Squat rack
- Ankle weights
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