How can you achieve healthy weight gain without gaining excess fat as well? Is it even possible to gain weight in a healthy way? In a world where most people are trying to lose weight for better health there is a portion of the population that needs or wants to gain some weight. Their reasons vary. If you are trying to gain weight this article will highlight some tips to help you do just that.
Make it a point that you will stick to your weight gain plan no matter what. Set your sight on your desired weight and don’t stop until you get there. If you slip along the way and miss a meal or two don’t let that stop you. Allow yourself some mistakes. Just get back on track and stay with your plan.
You need to be as dedicated to healthy weight gain as someone who is trying to lose weight. Eating extra calories that you are not used to day after day can be a real hassle. It’s necessary though so you have to find the motivation to stick with it. What will drive you to see it through?
In order to gain weight you will have to create a caloric surplus. This means eating more calories per day than you burn off. This is not easy in the beginning because you are not used to it. It can be just as difficult to stuff yourself with food to meet your extra calorie requirement as it is to deprive yourself of foods to cut your calories. Here are some tips to make it easier for you:
1. Eat at least 6 meals per day. Smaller portions per meal vs. three large meals will help you consistently take in the extra calories that you need.
2. Eat foods that are packed with quality calories such as complex carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
3. If you have trouble eating enough food in the beginning to reach your caloric goals then just add a few hundred calories per day until you start to gain weight.
4. When I advise someone to lose weight I suggest that they drink 8 ounces of water right before eating. This tricks the body into feeling fuller so they won’t eat as much at mealtime. The opposite holds true for gaining weight. Minimize the liquids before and during eating. This will allow you to eat more at each sitting.
5. If you are having trouble consuming enough calories per day for healthy weight gain add a protein shake in between meals somewhere throughout the day. A good protein shake can often add several hundred calories to your total without a great deal of fat.
6. Don’t give up, no matter what. Keep your eye on the goal you have set for yourself and don’t stop until you achieve it.
7. You should plan 1 to 2 cheat meals during your week. This allows you to satisfy your cravings for the foods you really love. If you are eating 6 meals a day that is 42 meals per week. Your healthy weight gain won’t come to a crashing halt if two meals out of those 42 are cheat meals.
8. Every few months you can even plan to take a full week off from dieting. This might coincide with a week off from weight training as well. This time will allow your muscles to rebuild. It’s also a good time to get your mind back in the game so when you start training and dieting again you will go in fresh.
9. Be as strict as you need to be. You may not be the type of person that has to adhere to a rigid plan. If you can achieve results while remaining less strict than someone else then stay that way. If you aren’t very disciplined and you aren’t gaining weight because of this then you will have to be more strict in your dieting.
Certainly everyone is different and will respond differently to a healthy weight gain diet. Make adjustments as necessary to your diet. Keep accurate records of what you are eating. If your weight gain stalls you can refer to your records to know where you have to make changes.