I receive this question often from young men and women in their teens and early twenties: how do I gain weight? I remember when I was that age, gaining weight was difficult, but it can be done with a proper diet and a strength-training program.
Weight gain is something that is not easy to do correctly, as you probably know already. People who cannot gain weight usually have a high metabolism, which makes gaining so hard. The key to weight gain is to do everything BIG. You have to eat big and lift big, in order to get big. This is your new motto! Many people think weightlifting is the key to gaining weight, and while it is an extremely important part, your diet is just as important.
To put it as simply as possible, there are five simple steps to gaining weight:
1. Calories IN: Count how many calories you eat in a normal day. Do not change anything, just eat as you normally would and count how many calories you consumed. This is extremely important, so try to be as exact as possible. Weigh yourself. If you are not gaining weight or losing weight, this number is your baseline caloric intake.
2. Eat BIG: Starting the day after you counted calories, eat 500 calories more than you normally do. For example, say that the day you counted calories, you counted 2,000 as your baseline. For the rest of the week, you would now eat 2,500 calories per day. Instead of eating 3 big meals per day or eating all day, all the time, spread those calories out over 5–6 smaller meals. Eat one meal every 2 ½ to 3 hours. To get big, you have to eat big! Remember that. Make sure you are getting these good calories from good carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
3. Weightlifting: Get in the gym and lift! This is another important step to gaining weight, so make sure you are doing it correctly.
4. Weigh Yourself: At the end of the week, weigh yourself. You will notice you are gaining just after one week! Now, do not expect to see a 10 pound increase. Gaining anymore than 1 or 2 pounds each week is unhealthy and means you are putting on way too much fat. Instead, look for 1 or 2 pound gains at the end of the week. While this might not sound like much, remember that you can be gaining 5–8 pounds per month, so be patient.
5. Adjust As Needed: Here is an important one. At some point, you will stop seeing weight gain. When this happens, you will have to eat even more. When you stop gaining for at least 2 weeks, it means it is time to start eating an extra 250 calories each day. Every time you see you have not gained weight for at least 2 weeks, add an extra 250 calories, until you have reached your goal.
NOW, even more important: KEEP WORKING OUT! Do not just eat to get big. Lift to get big, too!
More Important Tips for Gaining Weight
Stay away from too much bad fat! We need good fats, from fish oils, nuts, olive oils, etc. Even though weight gain is your goal, get rid of the chips and candy. No more fast food, nothing fried. You should stick to high protein/good fat foods like tuna fish (and other seafood), chicken breast, turkey, ham, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables.
Carbohydrates are an important asset as well. Add in good fruits and vegetables, although you may want to add in some milkshakes/protein shakes after meals to top off the calorie addition.
Drink water! Drink around one gallon per day, more if you can. While this is a lot of water, it will better allow you to gain weight. Just make sure you sip it throughout the day, rather than consuming quarts during meals. That will take up space in your stomach.
Foods That Will Assist with Weight Gain
Below is a list of foods you will want to eat to gain weight:
Eat these in moderation if you are trying to lose weight, but add additional helpings if you are trying to boost your caloric intake to 2,500–3,000 calories or more per day in order to gain weight—even more if you are very active during your workouts.
Milkshakes (Whole/2%)
Salad dressing
Mayonnaise
Cheese
Burgers
Raisin Bran Cereal
Oatmeal
Crackers
Croissant
Peanut butter and jelly
Club sandwiches
Bagel
Cream based soup
Prime rib
Steak
Ice Cream
Chicken
Ham Steak
Fish
Nuts, Almonds
Beans, Peas
Potatoes
Carrots
Bananas
Protein drinks