Believe it or not there are people who have trouble gaining weight (known as hard gainers). Most people would not only fail to see this as a problem; but would love to be in this position. Alas, keeping things in perspective, those suffering from this affliction feel the pain.
Okay, lets get right to it! Barring any physical challenges such as a medical condition, here are the steps you’ll need to implement to begin gaining weight healthily.
Assessment:
You’ll need to increase caloric intake to a level where you’re consuming more calories than you burn each day. The excess calories will be used by your body to build new tissue. In the process this tissue can be fat or it can be muscle. Our goal of course is to build muscle tissue. Log your meals for a week, omitting nothing from your log. We already know based on the fact that you are attempting to gain weight that you’re probably not eating enough. At the end of the week, find the average daily totals to give you your starting point.
Increase:
Increase daily caloric intake by 300 to 500 calories per day. If after a week or two you see no improvement, increase your intake again by 300 to 500. Do this until you see results. You may also use the basic formula of (18-20) x bodyweight = daily calorie intake. The percentages of protein, carbohydrates and fat will vary for each individual, but you can start with this basic formula; 30-55-15 (protein-carbs-fat) and adjust accordingly. It is important to recognize that the foods you consume will be the building blocks for your gains.
Meals:
Meals should be broken down into five or six smaller meals each day. Research suggests the body can better assimilate nutrients when they are consumed frequently in small portions. Frequent small meals also allows a more consistent stream of nutrients to the body keeping it in an anabolic (building) state.
We all know the importance of planning, and your meals are no exception. In fact planning your meals in advance will greatly simplify the process. Once you establish the food combinations necessary to reach your caloric needs each day, eat those foods regularly. When establishing these meals, put together a few combinations so you won’t have to eat exactly the same thing everyday (unless you choose to do so).
The key is to get in all your meals with the correct nutrient proportions for your goal. Although it is not imperative, you can use supplements, such as protein shakes, as meals. If the thought of sitting down to eat six times per day scares you, protein shakes are a viable option, and they are very convenient. I can’t stress enough how important your meals will be. As mentioned earlier, caloric intake is, although not the only requirement to gaining weight, a major contributing factor.
Tips:
- Don’t skip meals, but if you do, get your caloric needs in each day
- Avoid junk foods and empty calories
- Log your meals to allow for adjustments if necessary
- Pre-preparing your meals; this will not only save time, but elevate adherence
- Focus on the ultimate goal, gaining healthy weight
