Food For Weight Gain: Tips To What, Why And How To Choose

While one side of the globe is paralyzed by a rising number of overweight individuals, the other has an equally worrying amount of underweight people. The latter scenario is just as dire and fraught with problems as the former. According to a study, clinically underweight people were found to have a mortality risk nearly twice as high as that of obese people, suggesting that being underweight may be more dangerous to your health than being overweight. Adverse health effects of being underweight include impaired immunological function, an increased risk of infection, osteoporosis, fracture, and infertility. It's associated with a wide variety of additional health risks. Many different factors can push a person to be overweight or underweight. However, in addition to a personalized exercise plan and professional medical advice, specific foods can help individuals trying to gain weight. 

Causes of being underweight

Diverse ways to use food for weight gain 

Whatever motivates you to bulk up, you can choose from several practical approaches.

Amp up calorie intake

The effective way to gain weight is to consume more than your body requires, a process known as creating a calorie surplus. Eat 300–500 calories more than the calculator estimates you need daily. Aim for a daily calorie intake of 700–1,000 calories over your maintenance level if you want to acquire weight rapidly. Remember that calorie counters are simply approximations. The number of calories you require daily may vary by several hundred, give or take. Learn your caloric intake by keeping track for a few days or weeks. 

Also Read: 5 Nutritious Smoothie Recipes For Healthy Weight Gain

Consume more protein

Grilled meat with veggies, Image Source: Pexels

Optimal development requires a diet rich in high-quality proteins from animal sources. Meats, fish, eggs, certain dairy products, legumes, nuts, and sev of other foods are all excellent protein sources. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 1.1–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for individuals who engage in moderate to vigorous physical exercise to support skeletal and muscular development and physical strength. Protein intakes of up to 3.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day are thought to be acceptable for people in good health. If you find it challenging to acquire enough protein in your diet, protein supplements like whey protein may help.

Eat more carbohydrates and fats

If gaining weight is your first aim, load up on carbohydrate- and fat-rich meals. Consume a balanced diet that has protein, fat, and carbohydrates at every meal. Dietary approaches like intermittent fasting may not be the best choice for you. While this diet plan has many health benefits, including helping you lose weight, it also makes it very difficult to consume enough calories to put on weight. Eat three square meals a day, and t when you can, supplement those meals with healthy, high-calorie snacks.

Energy-dense meals

Try to plan your diet so that most of it consists of unprocessed foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans. Yet, because of their greater satiety compared to processed junk meals, these foods might make it more challenging to meet calorie needs. Adding many spices, sauces, and condiments can make them palatable. Calories can increase if toppings are added. Foods high in both protein and fat should be prioritized. 

Add dried fruit and nuts to your snack mix. Some examples of nuts include almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and peanuts. Consume enough full-fat dairy products such as whole milk, yoghurt, cheese, and cream. Meats, including chicken, beef, hog, and lamb, are also acceptable; fatty cuts are an option. Place your trust in tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams. Dark chocolate, avocados, peanut butter, coconut milk, cereal, and trail mix are high-energy meals. 

Nuts and nut chocolate, Image Source: Pexels

Add weight-gain shakes

Snacking between meals works well for weight gain when you include a few calorie-dense drinks. Weight gainer shakes are a good option if you're having trouble packing the pounds. These are loaded with calories, carbohydrates, and protein. Prepare them with whole or full-fat milk, nuts and nut butter like peanut butter. The cream is an optional addition. 

Conclusion

Weight gain diet food or supplements aid in getting the job done. But only sit around doing something other than binge eating. You may be able to gain weight if you combine a high-calorie diet with rigorous resistance training. For optimal outcomes, it is also recommended to seek the advice of medical experts, nutritionists, and fitness coaches.