What diet to adopt to gain weight?
Thinness, like being overweight, can be problematic. It is not systematically accompanied by health problems (such as anemia or amenorrhea), but it is sometimes a real complex. Also, some people seek to gain weight, synonymous for them with an external sign of health. But how to gain weight, and is there a special diet to gain a few pounds?
What are the motivations to follow a diet to gain weight?
1- Slimming complex
Some people are thin, even thin, but this thinness is constitutional (BMI less than 18.5). It is stable, is not accompanied by any eating disorder and does not cause any health problems. Constitutional thinness is due to heredity, bone and/or fine bones. However, it can be the subject of complexes, often caused by social stigmatization and derogatory remarks. The person is “accused” of anorexiaor dietary restriction to keep their weight low. Moreover, repeated reflections on the frail constitution can cause significant psychological damage and general malaise, motivating weight gain.
2- Muscle mass gain
The current trend of very muscular bodies (renewed popularity for fitness and bodybuilding) may influence some people togain muscle. Therefore, it is not a question of gaining weight strictly speaking, but rather of developing a visible muscle volume. A muscular body is often associated with an image of good health, virility for men, dynamism, mastery (starting with that of one’s body), or even a social marker – 82% of people belonging to the quarter of the wealthiest households have a sports practice, compared to 59% in the most disadvantaged quarter(1).
3- Health issue
Finally, we may want to get fat to be healthier. Thinness can be consecutive to adisease: type 1 diabetes, cancer, chronic bowel disease, thyroid disorders, HIV … To recover better immune defenses and avoid any risk of aggravation of the pathology, the person seeks to gain weight.
Is there a diet to get fat?
1- Starting postulate
First observation: it is first of all a question of being frank with oneself and asking oneself the question “Is it really necessary for me to get fat?”. If the desire to gain weight only responds to external injunctions, and not to a real need to be healthier, it is better to think twice before embarking on a high-calorie diet.
Second observation: if the need to gain weight is real, it may be interesting to subscribe to a high-calorie diet. Moreover, this diet should not endanger health and should provide valuable nutrients for the body.
2- Enrich your diet
To gain weight, it is a question of adopting a high-calorie diet. But beware, high-calorie menus must be composed according to the nutritional recommendations of health authorities, that is to say:
- 20 to 25% of daily caloric intake at breakfast (400 to 600 kcal)
- 30 to 35% of daily caloric intake at lunch (600 to 850 kcal)
- As much for Dinner
Another recommendation: a high-calorie diet must provide the body with all themicronutrientsit needs to function optimally, without altering the quality of blood markers (cholesterol, blood sugar …). Thus, the food bolus must provide(2):
- 40 to 55% carbohydrates
- 35 to 40% lipids (mono- and polyunsaturated preferably)
- 15 to 30% protein
- 25 to 30 g offiber/ day
To do this, it is interesting to bet on good spontaneous nutritional intakes, opting for energy-dense foods:cheese, meat, wholemeal bread, rice, pasta. If they are not enough, you can also enrich your diet, by completing a “basic” dish:
- Add croutons, a little fresh cream and/or grated cheese to the soup .
- Add ham, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, corn, olives and/or seeds to your raw vegetable salad.
- Enrich a mashed potato with an egg yolk and butter.
- Eat your yogurts with honey, chestnut cream, bananas or dried fruits.
So many food additions to gain weight, without being harmful to health .
What foods make you gain weight?
How previously mentioned, it is essential to opt for richfoods, which will allow you to gain weight without being harmful to the body. These foods include:
- Peanut butter : it is very caloric, but provides the body with good fats, proteins and essential nutrients (vitamins B3 and E, zinc, manganese, copper, phosphorus and magnesium). It can be added to sauces, to the device of a cake, but also be eaten raw on bread or accompanied by a fruit.
- Dried fruits: in full, dried fruits and oilseeds are an excellent source of calories and nutrients (unsaturated fats, proteins, fibers). So you can easily add currants and walnuts to a salad, or prunes and almonds to a lamb tagine.
- Starches: Bread, rice, and pasta can help you gain weight without risking a spike in blood triglycerides. On the other hand, it is still preferable to opt for low GI complexcarbohydrates , such as wholemeal bread or brown rice.
- Eggs : the eggis an interesting food, both for its nutritional qualities (vitamins A, B, D, E, selenium, zinc, fatty acids, proteins), and for its ability to be cooked in multiple ways. In addition, it is easy to incorporate into any type of preparation.
- Poultry : unlike some meats, poultry is a healthy way to gain weight because it is not too high in fat, but contains enough Proteinto help build muscle mass. Rich in group B vitamins, iron, zinc and selenium, poultry is easy to cook and can be eaten hot or cold.
- Vegetables: Chickpeas, white beans and split peas are all good options for gaining weight. Rich in carbohydrates and protein (lysine), they are very nourishing. They can be cooked in soup as well as in salads or mashed potatoes.
- Bananas : a fruit with moderate caloric density, rich in potassium and vitamins, which allows healthy weight gain. Bananas areusedin many preparations. The plantain version can be used in savory preparations, while the classic fruit can be eaten as is or used as a base for the preparation of banana bread or smoothies.
- Avocado: this is a naturally fatty and high-calorie food. It helps to gain weight, while being beneficial to health. In a salad, on the hand, in a milkshake or in guacamole,avocado is a good option to gain a few pounds.
Example of a typical high calorie day
If you want to gain weight, you will have to adopt high-calorie menus – 2000 kcal for a woman, 2500 for a Mantag. Here is an example of a typical high calorie day:
- Breakfast: 4 slices of wholemeal bread with nut butter (peanut, cashew, almond), 1-2 slices of ham or 1 boiled egg, 1-2 fruits, 1 tea or 1 coffee, cottage cheese.
- Lunch: a salad of raw vegetables and seeds with a homemade vinaigrette and 1-2 slices of wholemeal bread, a generous portion of spaghetti bolognese (with 150 to 300g of pasta and 150 to 200 g of minced meat), cottagecheeseor 50 g of Camembert, 150-200 g of seasonal fruit, water-based hydration.
- Snacks: a banana and a handful ofdried fruits (apricot, fig, almond, hazelnut).
- Dinner: vegetable soup with grated cheese and 1-2 slices of cereal bread, salmon (150-200 g) baked with root vegetables (sweet potato, parsnips, carrot),yogurtwith fresh cut fruit and honey, water-based hydration.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.