Weight Gain Diet and Nutrition
If you’re naturally thin, then a proper weight gain diet becomes absolutely crucial in your endeavor to gain healthy, lean muscle mass. Probably far more so than your weight training program. The purpose of this article is to outline the fundamentals of a good weight gain diet and then we’ll look at specifically what and when you could eat over a sample day.
First up, is something you’ve almost certainly heard before…
Consume More Calories
The only way to gain weight whether it’s fat or muscle, is to consume more energy than you expend. There is no escaping this basic law of human anatomy regardless of how many explanations you hear to the contrary. Admittedly some of us have faster metabolisms than others but that simply means that those who do need to eat even more again.
The basis of any weight gain diet should contain nutritious, high calorie foods. If you find to hard to put on weight then the greatest challenge you face is to consume enough energy without feeling full all the time. Don’t worry it can be done… quite easily!
So how many calories should you consume? Well, there’s probably a separate formula for everyone who asks the question. Some base it solely on your weight and age, others take lean mass into account and the most complicated have you recounting every bit of activity during a typical day…
There’s a short article at the bottom of this page that has some formulas for calculating your caloric needs. It also briefly explains basal metabolism and why it’s important.
To sum up, calorie counting isn’t much fun and this is not something you have to do long term. Once you establish a quantity of food and energy that maintains your ideal weight, you will know instinctively how much to eat each day.
Protein
The issue of how much protein we should consume incites fierce debate between Nutritionists, Bodybuilders and Sports Scientists alike. We’ll leave the debate for another article dedicated to the protein issue. For now…
Just know that Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recommends 50g of protein per day for the average male adult and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 56g. But this is for the average sedentary Westerner…
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein intake is 0.8g per kg or 0.36g per lb of bodyweight. A 140lb person would need to consume about 51g to meet their RDA. Sports Scientists concede that athletes and bodybuilders need more than this and conservatively recommend up to 1.5g per kg or 0.7g per lb of bodyweight. However…
If you talk to the vast majority of bodybuilders they will advocate a much higher intake than this. And they have some convincing arguments. In fact although in the minority at the moment the anecdotal evidence from bodybuilders is being backed up by some credible research. According to many lifters, coaches and some sports nutritionists an ideal weight gain diet should contain up to 2g per kg or 0.9g per lb of protein. This might seem like a lot but don’t forget you are consuming more calories than the general population and those calories have to come from somewhere. Is it unhealthier that they come purely from carbohydrates or just from fat? It’s probably best it it comes form all three.
So why is protein important?
From a weight gain perspective protein is made up of amino acids. There are 20 in total and 8 essential amino acids must come from food. Weight training increases the demand for amino acids and will break existing muscle down if it does not get enough from a weight gain diet. Without adequate protein, and more specifically, amino acids muscle gain is unachievable.
Good sources of protein include fresh and canned fish, lean cuts of red meat, chicken, turkey, low fat milk and yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, egg whites, soy products and whey protein powder.
Carbohydrate
Any weight gain diet worth its salt will contain plenty of unrefined carbohydrates. Just because you’re increasing your protein intake does not mean you should omit or even limit your carbohydrate intake.
Carbohydrate, which is converted into glucose and glycogen in the body, is the only macronutrient that can supply your body with an immediate source of energy – essential for any type of training.
Good sources of carbohydrate for a weight gain diet include whole meal bread, potatoes, brown rice, pasta, couscous, fresh and tinned fruit and dried fruit.
Fat
Certain dietary fats are crucial to both your well being and your ability to gain weight. One gram of fat contains more than twice the number of calories than 1g or protein or 1g of carbohydrate. A tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil contains as many calories as a banana for example so it makes sense to incorporate good fats into your weight gain diet. What is good fat?
Without going into too much detail about how fat is subdivided, the fats you want to consume are monounsaturated fats found in olive oil and avocados, and polyunsaturated fats found in oily fish, flax, sunflower, safflower and cod liver oil and some raw nuts.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) are what the health care professionals love to talk about. And with good reason. EFA’s also known as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are found in polyunsaturated fats, particularly oily fish. As well as having a numerous health benefits they also play an important role in muscle building.
In short, a weight gain diet containing fish like mackerel, tuna and salmon (to name a few) or supplemented with a product like Flaxseed oil will not only help you build muscle but will keep you alive longer too.
Meal Frequency
Finally, forget about eating 3 large meals a day with a few snacks. The best approach to an effective weight gain diet is to eat 5 or 6 small meals a day. Separate them by 3 hours so your stomach has time to digest each meal fully. If your goal is to consume 3300Kcals a day I would eat 3 larger meals of about 700kcals and 3 smaller meals of about 400kcals. You will find an example in one of the articles below.
One last point before we wrap up. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. They are the richest source of vitamins and minerals (particularly antioxidants) and have both health and weight gain implications.
The elements above have the most influence of your level and rate of weight and muscle gain. There are other important factors we haven’t touched on such as vitamins and minerals, fiber, water, alcohol and cholesterol… all very important to your health.
Now that you have a good grounding of what an effective weight gain diet should incorporate you can use this article as a starting point for reaching your weight goals.
 Tired of being skinny? Finally a proven weight gain system with step-by-step instructions to help you gain weight fast and naturally. Click here to find out what I think about the program. |
Similar Posts |
October 4th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Hey I read all of this and I follow all this but I can’t gain a pound? How can I do this?
December 17th, 2007 at 9:31 am
I need a good free, and natural way to gain muscle weigth.!!
January 10th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
great website, great tips, only website you dont have to pay for ha
July 21st, 2008 at 4:34 am
i needed a diet to follow, please send me a diet to gain weight, thanks
July 24th, 2008 at 10:12 am
hey, i weighed 55kgs when i joined gym almost 3 months back & still i weigh the same ,can u send me the proper diet to be taken so i can gain weight and buuild up muscle
July 24th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
for some people cutting out wheat from your diet completely may improve mineral absorption. In my opinion the main reasons people cant gain weight:
1. poor mineral/ vitamin absorption- usually after taking antibiotics (kills good bacteria in intestines) or not consuming enough foods with ‘good’ bacteria ( kefir, fermented products)
2. lack of correct exercise
3. enough caloric intake – carbs / fats
4. 3 meals / days….fewer meals a day may help slow down metabolism…while eating more will usually do nothing..
5. low vitamin A and D (from natural sources, supplements don’t always cut it)
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:00 pm
This is a sample meal plan that you should follow constantly. It was provided by Anthony Ellis from http://www.gain-weight-muscle-fast.com/mass-diet.html. You should google search Anthony Ellis for excellent advice – he really knows what he’s talking about. (also check out his book – “Gaining Mass“)
It provides 2,440 calories, 234g of protein, 182g of carbs and 81g of fat:
8am — Meal 1
Myoplex, 1 tsp flaxseed oil
432 calories, 42g of protein, 25g of carbs, 14g of fat
11am — Meal 2
4 Whole Eggs w/ 1 cup of hash browns
440 calories, 28g of protein, 36g of carbs, 20g of fat
2pm — Meal 3
6 oz. chicken breast with 1/2 cup of rice
319 calories, 50g of protein, 23g of carbs, 7g of fat
5pm — Meal 4
4 whole eggs in a flour tortilla w/salsa
367 calories, 24g of protein, 17g of carbs, 20g of fat
8pm — Meal 5
Myoplex, 1tsp flaxseed oil
432 calories, 42g of protein, 25g of carbs, 14g of fat
11pm — Meal 6
6 oz grilled tuna with large baked potato, 1 cup of veggies
450 calories, 48g of protein, 56g of carbs, 6g of fat
October 10th, 2008 at 3:28 am
Guys can u please suggest me a good weight gain diet,,but the onlything is that i am a strict vegetarian..i have started taking whey proteins from the last 2-3 days..my weight is about 56 kgs and height about 5 feet 10 inches..
Need serious advice but strict VEG diet..HELP ME !!
October 18th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Hey Guys this is a nice site. I just read all the information and advice you have given for weight gain and I think it will really help me.
But still I will be more thankful if u can suggest me a diet schedule. I eat meats but can’t regularly do this because it’s not possible in my family but I can manage having eggs in meals regularly.
Well my age is 22 yrs and height is 5 feet 7 inches. But my weight is just 50 kg and my body physique is bad being frank. But yeah overall I can carry myself quite well and I even shot for few serials n ads.
So can u please help me out. Thanks awaiting a reply. Godbless.
October 27th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Hi dudes and dudees, lolz…
Any way myself is sunnie. i just went through all the above stuff. and reely i enjoyed reading it till end…
But being an absolute naive in medical terminologies i would rather ask you to give me a precise advice to gain weight.
Em 22 years old boy, 5″10′ hieght and wieght is aprox. 54 kgs… what should i do to gain wieght rapidly????
November 8th, 2008 at 2:31 am
i think eating 3 meals a day will help to gain weight instead of 5/6 meals aday,because it will slow down the metabolism, do rest of our digestion machine,and maximal mineral absorbtion. does anyone ever try eating 3 meal perday and gain weight?
we cannot rely on 6meal a day because i think it make our digestion will exhaust, poor.also it’just created by a person that each person is different.
also is that calorie surplus is important? each diet guru say it is,but isn’t a fact that change the fact?
November 13th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I’m a 34 yr old, mother of one, weigh 80 pounds. Please help draft a precise weight gain menu for me!
November 28th, 2008 at 1:17 am
You must eat allot of complex carbs, google complex carbs and start a plane to eat eat eat. lots of fish, tuna and chicken, rice, learn what foods burn fast and what burns slow, IE fast burning carbs and slow burning carbs. i am lean rite now and it is so hard to put on weight, but i want muscle weight, i consume 3000 to 3500 calories a day just to maintain, but i need about 5000 calories a day to put on some size. and three meals a day wont give you 5000 calories.
December 11th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Hey. Im eating stacks trying to put on weight ASAP. Averaging around 3250 calories or around 13500 kjs. Ive put on like 4kg in like 2 months! But the problem is, its all going to my stomach as fat, and not to my upper body where its really wanted. Ive started doing some weights recently but is there any other way to make myself build less fat and more in upper body area? Maybe incease protein?
December 11th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
No, you need 6 MEALS!!! Trust me I’ve been skinny my whole life until I ate and worked out right.
You need 6 meals a day because if you have 2 meals in 1 go, half that meal will be used as waste and fat storage.. Yes your metabolism will rise but who care when your eating the right amount of calories!
It’s simple, more GOOD calories than what you burn off.. The VERY, VERY hard bit is finding out what = the right amount of calories and working out works for you! Took me a good year and even still I learn as I go along, but at least I’m finally gaining. I’ve been at 79KG but got sick recently and partied too hard and lost 4KG fat and water a bit of muscle. I’ll gain it back fast though
December 15th, 2008 at 3:01 am
you don’t need anything complex; rice, wheat bread, eggs, peanut butter, canned tuna, canned vegetables, lots of milk. ground beef; just track your calorie consumption; if you can’t cook for yourself how about canned tuna and peanut butter sandwhiches? if you can’t gain wieght after 2 weeks add another meal. everyone wants to gain lean muscle mass and not fat but its really difficult to do. just focus on one goal. here are some meal ideas
breakfast:
three eggs – 200 cal
2 slice bread -200
banana – 100 cal
juice 100
snack – whey shake 350
spoon pb 100
meal 3
rice 200
ground beef -200
cup milk 100
bananaa -100
meal 4
sandwhich 400
milk 100
meal 5
canned tuna – 100
canned veggies
2 tbl spn peanut butter- 200
milk – 200
meal six
whey shake – 350
i gained 10 pound in three weeks from a diet like this. ofcourse some of it is fat; but its not blubbery type fat i used to have when i was drinking alot of sodas and coffee and sitting around all day. i do 3 hours of strength training per week.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Good on ya Tim great advice!
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:08 am
Hi im jimmy from singapore. 6months back, I was 84KG. i wanted to go for diet. so i jogged everyday, i dont eat any meals… Just FRUITS (for me Honeydew and Apples) thats all for a day. I lost about 3kg a week by doin it. Its tought but its worth it.
Now im 69kg i wanted to build up some muscles. so i bought Whey protein 100% at GNC shop. After a week goin to gym. I was kinda scared coz i turned up 71-72kg. Is it normal? or something is wrong? my weight is gettin heavier after goin gym and takin protein powder.
HELP PLEASE.
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:04 am
I’ve had a super-fast metabolism all my life. I also have a hefty appetite, but never weighed more than 80 lbs. I started drinking Kefir (fermented low-fat milk), and within one (1) week, I gained four (4) pounds; within ten (10) days, I reached a healthy 87 lbs. I’m on the 2nd week, and have full control over reaching my optimal weight. And I’m packing on the healthy mass. Kefir contains beneficial enzymes and bacteria that help break down proteins into essential amino acids, and also digests fats, carbohydrates, vitamins & minerals so they are better absorbed by the gut. It enhances your immune system and has a profound effect in improving your digestion. It’s also known to promote overall wellness, restore normal bowel function (ideal for those suffering with constipation) and contributes to longevity.
I have a lot more energy, my complexion has improved, and I have full control over reaching my desired weight. Kefir from Nancy’s or Lifeway can be found at Whole Foods or Mother’s Market.
Best of health to all.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:23 am
Okay so i’m 15 years old and weigh 97lbs. I play soccer and im a cheerleader so i stay physically active constantly. I’m skinny and I just get so self conscious about my legs and butt. Everyone says i have toothpick legs :( its rather depressing. So please schedule me out some kind of guideline to follow so i can gain weight.
February 1st, 2009 at 7:20 pm
I am some serious proof that a skinny guy can put weight. About 3 or so yrs ago i weighed around 65kg at 6ft tall. The key i believe is balance. You can’t expect to gain weight after 3 months; you should be looking forward to achieving weight gain after at least 6 months of sticking to your plan. And even longer after that. One of the big changes i made to gain weight was to cut back on the turps. Every time i had a big night i would lose weight and it still happens to me now. i now weigh 83kg and i aim to get to 87kg.
These are my tips that helped me:
1. Eat healthy and stick to the 6 meals a day routine
2. Make sure your work out is split so you only work specific muscle groups. eg: Monday: Back and Biceps, Wed: Chest and tri’s, Fri: shoulders and core and do a warm up like 7min on an exercise bike before your workout.
3. Make sure you complete a serious leg session once a week. Eg: Squats, leg press, calf raises, lungers. This is very important.
4. Don’t be a hero and try to lift more weight than you can handle. You will hurt yourself and it won’t be anywhere near as effective as lifting lighter weights the correct way.
5. Watch other ppl and don’t be scared to ask for help. There are a lot of wankers in gyms so avoid them, but doing yours exercisers correctly is so important. You will walk out really feeling the burn.
6. REST! This is a must, your muscles don’t grow in the gym, they grow when you rest.
Sample diet:
Breakfast:
Oats and Honey, Egg on toast, Juice
Mid Morning Meal:
Protein shake, If that’s not an option, 220g baked beans, 200g yogurt & fruit eg: Apple or banana
Lunch:
Tuna sandwich or chicken or rice plus fruit or salad
Afternoon:
Avocado on dried biscuits and unsalted nuts.
Dinner:
Steak, chicken, rice, pasta. Its doesn’t matter which one just make sure you have lots of veg as well.
During the day:
Drink plenty of water and don’t be scared to have a glass of milk.
One last thing:
Something else that worked for me that not many ppl know is the importance of a midnight snack. Seriously, if you can drag yourself out of bed for 5min at one in the morning and have a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk your will accelerate your results.
Good Luck, and remember it can be done.
February 6th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
i’ve just browsed through this sites..and reading your stories gave me hope! i have been so desperate in gaining weight…i am 20 yrs old..5′5 in height and works night shift..i am now 100lbs..hope your tips would work on me.
February 7th, 2009 at 11:02 am
My weight is 56kg and height is 5′9. My skin is very thin, nerves are coming out while doing workout, i have very less fat,my legs are becoming thin day by day. i used to go gym but for the last three months i have stopped doing workout. so please help me out and tell me necessary diet
February 24th, 2009 at 4:13 am
Hi, I just went through your site, this is the first time i’ve actually looked on the net for advice in regards to gaining weight. i didn’t think there was alot of help for a person in my situation since all the popular diets and everything on tv is for losing weight rather than gaining it. I’m 20 and rough around 5 foot 7 or 8. i think i should weigh about an extra 20 kilograms before i can start working out for the first time. i admit i really don’t know what to do and who to ask for help about this. my current diet consists of mainly vegetables and whatever nearby junkfood that is most convenient since i’m mostly vegetarian (only eat white meats), is there a suitable substitute for read meats? I do not wish to place all my hopes in you but i do realise that my current weight is in no way healthy and i have no idea how to beat my fast metabolism. If you could help me in this endeavor, i would be very much appreciate your every effort
February 24th, 2009 at 4:44 am
Hi Cody,
I recently blogged about gaining weight on a vegetarian diet. You should find the article a good read.
Good Luck!
February 24th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
The tips in this article are really useful to find out your body type before building muscle mass and gaining weight.
March 1st, 2009 at 4:44 pm
How much will affect not to follow the diet on weekends???
I’m pretty lazy during the weekends…I get up late really late…so I eat at very different hours.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:43 am
I’m 18, 5′8″, weighed 66KG at the start of my routine.
I am naturally stocky and have found that I can build muscle mass very quickly.
I have been eating the following each day, for about a month:
1) 7.30AM – Cheerios and a glass of orange juice.
2) 10.30AM – Peanut Butter and Tuna sandwich on Wholemeal bread and a Banana.
3) 1.30PM – Chicken with Rice and Peas.
4) 4.30PM – 3 Eggs and an apple.
Spend 2 hours in the gym, about 75 minutes of weights and 45 minutes swimming.
Also 10 minute cycle to and from gym.
5) 7.30PM – Salmon with Broccoli, Mash potato and Cauliflour in cheese sauce.
6) 10.30PM – Chicken sandwich and a Banana/Apple.
This is an incredible amount for me to eat as I used to have just two meals a day, a sandwich at about 12PM, then my dinner.
Things are going well at the moment though, bulking up fast!
I also cut out all the crap from my diet.
March 15th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
I’m 19yrs old, 6.4 ft tall and weigh 11 and a half stone. I’ve always been tall and skinny, but i don’t like my body. I eat healthy and lots of food but don’t seem to put any weight on and is frustrating. I’ve just joint a gym and really keen on gaining muscle mass but need the weight to gain. Can some one please help?
March 16th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
I’m 13 years old about 5.1 feet tall and weigh 100 pounds. I want to grow and to gain muscle mass in order to help me exceed my current results in ski racing. I’ve been trying to gain weight over the last 2 months by eating more but it’s not helping. I have a very fast metabolism I play a lot of sports like tennis, basketball, soccer, floor hockey, volleyball, badminton etc… But the sport I know I can really excel in is Ski racing which is why I want to have stronger legs and abdominals and more weight to help me go faster in speed events. Can someone please help me in establishing a diet.
March 19th, 2009 at 2:41 am
I’m 15 years old. I’m 5′8 and I weigh 144 pounds. I know I am not as small as some of the other people here but at my last weigh-in for football testing, my coach told me that I needed to boost up to at least 160 pounds before next season if I wanted to hang with the varsity guys the coming season. My goal is 155 pounds and then working my way up. I just need to know what to eat to get the job done.
March 20th, 2009 at 8:13 am
i am 31 weigh 54 ht is 5 7. pls sugest me a good diet 2 gain weight as i am very thin n i work in a call center.
March 22nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I am 31, 6′2″ and for years I weighed 68kg with no variation. I used to burn calories like there was no tomorrow, seeing my ribs and thin arms was not the most attractive thing for women. So when I was 28 I decided I was going to get bigger! No more stick boy for me. After 3 years I’m now at 95kg when I went back home for my family reunion people hardly recognized me. I think the one thing you need to gaining healthy mass is your diet eat alot. ALOT! Not garbage either if you dont have a structured diet with oats, rice, chicken, fish, etc and supplementation with protein shakes and creatine your never going to get bigger. Healthy carbs, proteins, and fats is the only way to go.
For the Ladies: Dont be afraid of the weights, get a gym partner and dont be intimidated by the guys in there. Attend a reputable gym with a supportive staff that will assist you and give you proper guidance on how to lift. Report any “meatheads” immediatly to the staff.
For the guys: want huge guns and to get bigger overall? Get big Quads/Hamstrings. Not kidding about this. Plan for years too not some quick 90 day plan thats illusionary. I see alot of guys hitting the bench press all the time wondering why they are not HUGE. When they need to be hitting the squat rack.
For the kids: if your under 21 dont stress too much your still developing. No need to stress I see comments from 15 year olds here and its worrysome.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
i am 15 years old and i weigh between 35 and 37 kg, this is 77-81 pounds, it keeps changing. i am 5 foot 1. my bmi is extremely low and i have always been short and underweight ever since my doctor records have began. i am fed up and have had enough of not being about to fit into clothes and my prom is coming up, i have a dress but don’t quite fit into it. i will look like such a fool if i turn up and it doesn’t fit, i could get it tightened but i really want to put on about 9-10 pounds. to be honest, there are lots of days when i hardly eat anything but this is because i am always exhausted and tired, i can barely get up and do anything. and to top it all of i have a high metabolism. any advice?
April 9th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Hey darl what you need to do is have food with a high amount of protein and carbohydrates you should be eating . pasta, breads, egg, fish, red meat and you should be eating at least 6 to 8 times a day, to start achieving these results as to gain weight you need to make sure you are eating over your daily kilojoules intake yours would be roughly about 6 to 7 thousand and to gain weight you should aim to eat about 8000 to 9000 kilojoules.
April 13th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I am 14 and I weight 85 lbs i wrestle varsity high school wrestling at 103 pound weight class and i got killed all season long weighting 85 pounds and i really dont want that to happen this year i need to get to 103 lbs before next year what should i do?
April 16th, 2009 at 4:48 am
Hi! I’m 17 and turning 18 this May. I weight only about 50kg and I’m 5″8 in height. Most people when they see me, they always say I’m thin and skinny. Well, I know that but what can I do.
I’ve been trying to gain weight since I gained consciousness on this particular issue. But until then, it is not happening. I’ve been surfing the net for possible articles to help me with my problem. I read some weight gain tips and somehow I find difficulties in you know, following them especially when it comes with the food. Can anybody help me with this?
I need a schedule for my weight gain diet you know? Oh! Before i forget, I don’t have much money to buy expensive foods. And also, I’m not sure if a recommended food is available in the market. Please help.
May 10th, 2009 at 12:37 am
OK my name is Dre and after a long stint in hospital at age 20 i only weighed 57kgs 5ft 10 coming back i realized i had to put weight on rapidly because i was weak from lack of exercise, instantly got vitamins, fish oil, weight gain supplements and ate 3 large meals a day did not eat fatty foods like chips, coke, chocolate, but did eat lots of ice cream based drinks with weight gain supplements.
I agree that this can be expensive but massively effective the key to working out is motivation work with someone and consistency is the only way, now if money is any issue and time do your best and make small goals, and EAT BREAKFAST.
I now weight 73 kilos and have the body of a pro athlete at 22, i was a sick kid always tiny was called bones, now im happy so have a go, its not a diet its a way of life.
June 30th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Hi there I’m a 25 year old male that has never been happy with my weight which is 57kg I’m 186cm in height and have tried most weight gain products that are available,I have been asking my doctor if there is anything I can do but just got told its not a problem they deal with as there are no health issues being underweight unless you are annorexic,with a bmi below 16 and female all I could think was what a load of bull it can’t be healty I’m having cronic thorasic backpain and other joint problems which my blood tests always come back clean for so I can only put it down to my weight can anyone help me with a diet and excersise regime as I am starting to get depressed about it