By Wellness Author
The weight gain equation is simple: consume more calories than you burn. Despite its simplicity, accept that gaining weight is difficult. People frequently feel that filling their stomachs with tempting junk and fried foods would do the trick, but unfortunately, this simply leads to other ailments such as diabetes, heart problems, and fat in all the wrong places. If we have a fast metabolism or do high-intensity workouts frequently, and do not eat enough to meet our demands, we may put ourselves in a calorie deficit. This makes it harder to gain weight. Adopting a weight gain diet and adding 500 extra calories each day, ideally through calorie-dense foods and snacks, should provide us with the extra calories we require to gain weight.
So here we are discussing the best weight gain foods to eat on the weight gain diet.
It's not just proteins we need; a suitable combination of carbs with them also helps our body grow healthier and stronger muscle mass. So, here's what we should eat on a diet plan for weight gain.
Polyunsaturated fats found in nuts & seeds contribute healthful calories to our diet. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Consume a handful of nuts daily or sprinkle chopped nuts on top of dairy, curd, or veggies. If one doesn't like munching on nuts, nut butter can help us get more calories. A spoonful of peanut butter, for example, contains around 100 calories.
Potatoes are well-known, appetizing options for gaining weight quickly. It is a low-cost choice that gives additional calories to our bodies. This food includes carbohydrates and calories that help to replenish muscular glycogen reserves. Many of these starchy foods contain carbohydrate sources that also give essential nutrients and fiber, along with complex carbs that can help support our gut bacteria.
Avocados are high in monounsaturated fatty acids. They also have vitamin K, potassium, and fiber. One avocado contains more than 200 calories, making it an excellent method to add calories without sacrificing nutrition. Add avocado slices to sandwiches or make guacamole to serve with baked tortilla chips. We may also try adding avocado to our favorite smoothie recipe.
Pasta is nutritious but also high in calories, which helps us acquire weight quickly. We can eat a savory and delicious meal of pasta for lunch, supper or even as a snack! Pasta is a calorie-dense carbohydrate option that can be used as a base for various dishes. 2 cups of cooked pasta contain over 400 calories.
Whole eggs are a dietician's favorite option for weight gain & muscle building because eggs are high in protein, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. We should consume the entire egg since the egg yolk is extremely healthy. There's no reason to limit egg consumption if we don't have an egg sensitivity – we can easily consume three eggs daily if we wish. In reality, many bodybuilders have six or more meals every day. Eggs are quite versatile and can be prepared in various ways, such as boiling, poaching, frying, baking, and scrambling.
Adding more fat to our diet is a good way to boost calories, but make sure we use healthy fats. One such good source is olive oil which is high in monounsaturated fats and can be used to introduce more calories and taste to dishes. Canola oil has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats, making it a great multipurpose cooking oil. Walnut and grape seed oils are great for salad dressing.
There are numerous foods and supplements available to help us in gaining weight. Instead of overindulging in sugary or fatty foods, consider high-calorie foods that give energy and muscle mass without all of the bad fats that might harm us.
Ectomorph. (Classic hard gainer) An ectomorph is someone who has a slim frame and may struggle to put on weight. Ectomorphs typically have long thin limbs, and shoulders are typically thin with little width. On the other hand, an endomorph is the polar opposite of an ectomorph, who has a huge build and stores fat due to the existence of more body fat cells, or a muscular mesomorph has a healthy metabolism and appears to have good genetics for muscle building. So it is important to know and understand our body type. Different body types necessitate different training methods and diet plans for weight gain.
Stuffing our faces with pizza and cake isn't the way to acquire weight. There are some tried-and-true methods for gaining weight naturally and healthily, which go like:
Because our muscles do not recover as quickly as those of an endomorph, we should limit our gym visits to 3-4 times per week.
This will ensure that we eat a tiny surplus and do not continue to burn more calories than we consume.
Replace popcorn with high-calorie nuts such as walnuts or pistachios instead.
Rather than trying to pack a lot of calories into a few meals, frequently eat throughout the day to ensure that we are getting those calories into our bodies.
Many petite people are continually on the move. They speak quickly, think quickly, and move quickly. Allow the body to relax and sleep more. This will allow our metabolism to “chill out.”
Putting on weight is not just adding kilograms to the scale it's about growing muscle mass and a proper amount of fat to feel fit, strong, appropriate, and energetic. Optimizing a diet plan for weight gain, and eating the right weight-gain foods in a calorie surplus is key. Yes, it is difficult, but if we are prepared to put in the effort, it is possible.