I know many people are concerned about losing weight or maintaining their current weight, but some people struggle to gain weight and eat enough to be healthy. If you think simply, it is just a matter of consuming more calories than you are burning. Research also suggests that you need to consume an extra 500 kcal/day in order to gain 1 lb (0.45 kg) in a week. While it is well known that extra weight is unhealthy, being underweight is also unhealthy.
Some tips for healthy weight gain are:
1) Eat frequently throughout the day (meals and snacks)
2) Have food readily available wherever you are (pack snacks)
3) Eat larger than normal portion sizes
4) Choose calorie dense foods (granola, bagels)
5) Focus on including healthy fats (peanut butter, walnuts, almonds, olive oil, salmon, tuna)
6) Drink calories (milk, juice, smoothies)
7) Don't drink water right before a meal because it will fill you up
8) Include beans and legumes in your diet, they are calorie dense and high in carbohydrates and protein
It is important to look at your day and figure out where you could eat more or add more calories. That could just mean sprinkling your breakfast with dried fruit. You also don't want to skip meals and snacks.
Start by setting yourself an achievable goal such as eating breakfast everyday. Once you master that move on to something such as having a bedtime snack. It is important to remember that you want to gain weight in a healthy way, you should not just start eating all kinds of junk food because while it is calorie dense, it lacks nutrients. Create habits that you can stick to.
Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com
