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10 Natural Ways To Gain Weight

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There may be times in our lives when we feel like we could have been a little bit lighter. Most people we know have goals to occasionally lose a few extra pounds.

However, the opposite also holds, where people are genuinely looking for ways to gain weight rather than lose it.

To gain weight quickly, a majority of people binge on junk food. Taking in junk food might indeed make you gain weight faster.

But it won’t provide the body with the essential nutrients that it needs and also you won’t get a healthy weight gain.

Junk food’s salt, sugar, and fat content could harm your body and affect your health in ways you couldn’t comprehend.

Like weight loss programs, weight gain requires a healthy balanced strategy.

If you are underweight, you must be looking for a weight-gain program and this article may exactly gonna help you with that.

The following natural ways could help you gain weight in a healthy manner

Natural Ways To Gain Weight

  1. Choose Foods With High Calorie And Low Volume

    It will be much simpler to get more calories in a smaller serving rather than attempting to gulp a huge portion of a meal at once.

    Low-volume meals allow you to get more energy without the need to eat that much because they are very high in calories but are available in smaller portions.

    There are several high-calorie low-volume nutritious foods available that could[1] meet your increased nutritional requirements.

    Some examples of such foods could be dried fruits, wheat germs, nuts, healthy fats and oils, peanut butter, starchy vegetables, flax meals, etc.

    Carbohydrates, proteins, and oils from whole foods could be extracted to produce concentrated micronutrients.

    It will help you to provide sufficient calories without taking up a lot of room.

  2. Have Healthy Drinks

    A good technique to put on weight is to have as many healthy drinks as possible between meals.

    However, it is advisable to avoid drinks immediately before mealtime to make room for solid food.

    You may switch out your regular glass of water for a healthier smoothie or a delicious fruit juice.

    Creamy, thick soups are also great options rather than having a soup only with a clear broth.

    Curd, whole milk, fruits, and avocados are a few high-calorie nutritious ingredients you could[2]add while making your drink.

    A nut is also a fantastic source of calories, and smoothies are excellent ways to include them.

    Consuming healthy drinks might also help you to slow down your metabolism, which could eventually help you in gaining weight naturally.

  3. Try To Be Consistent

    The most difficult yet crucial aspect of following a weight gain program is consistency. Most people lack this aspect and hence couldn’t see any results.

    Healthily gaining weight is not something you could put a few weeks of effort into and then expect to get long-lasting results from.

    Without consistency, there could be no change, growth, or advancement. Therefore, it’s highly essential to pick a diet you could adhere to.

    You might also hire a nutritionist so that they take over the crucial task of making your diet plan.

    You could spend more time in the gym building muscles and less time planning your meal.

    Lay the groundwork, concentrate on eating healthfully, and continue your regular exercise most of the time. Try to be patient, and your results will appear.

  4. Skip Unhealthy Calories

    Simply drinking or eating to meet your calorie target could put you at risk of unhealthy weight gain, which further raises your risk of developing health issues.

    While eating more calories might be a part of your strategy for swiftly gaining weight, it’s crucial at the same time to keep an eye on what you are consuming as well.

    For instance, you might experience a fiber or vitamin shortage, both of which affect your health negatively.

    Ideally, you should[3]stay away from carbonated beverages, diet sodas, and alcohol. These are nutritionally useless foods.

    Instead, you could opt for better calorie-efficient alternatives like soups or vegetable drinks that you could incorporate into your weight gain diet.

  5. Build Muscles

    In terms of weight, muscle is heavier than fat. You would notice a gradual rise in your weight as you begin to add more lean muscle to your body.

    Also, your body may[4]look more even and toned as your muscles grow. Therefore, muscle building is a better way to put on weight.

    Practice muscle-building activities, such as push-ups, step-ups, triceps dips, shoulder presses, bench presses, squats, and a lot more regularly at your gym.

    It is also advisable you speak with your fitness instructor in the gym.

    He will be the best individual to lead you through a thorough workout regimen after understanding your weight gain objectives.

  6. Choose Foods High In Proper Macronutrients

    Healthy, whole foods are more satisfying than processed foods, therefore, while choosing what to eat, be sure to choose high-protein and high-carbohydrate foods.

    Whole nutritious foods are incredibly effective at promoting weight gain. You might[5]see incredible results if you could combine them with appropriate quantities of healthy fats.

    In actuality, fats are a rich source of calories, so try to make an effort of including healthy polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats in your meals.

    Canola oils, walnuts, olives, avocados, and salmon are some excellent sources of healthy fats.

  7. Avoid Soft Drinks And Switch To Milk-Based Beverages Instead

    Despite their high-calorie content, a lot of consumers prefer sugary, fizzy drinks.

    But they contain a lot of sugar and have little nutritional value, which is linked to a greater risk of developing chronic illnesses.

    Instead, drink a glass of whole milk to get more vitamin D, calcium, and protein. You also have the choice to go for plant-based milk if you do not like to drink cow’s milk.

    Although the number of calories of plant-based milk is smaller, you could[6]still benefit from the vitamin D and calcium it contains, which are vital for weight building.

    If you like to prepare your meal, feel free to make your milk-based beverage at home so that you could have more control over the ingredients.

    Cold coffee, smoothies, thick shakes, and milkshakes are some possible beverages that could be made in healthy ways by incorporating healthy ingredients.

  8. Have Protein Shakes And Bars

    Trying to gain weight makes it challenging to consistently ingest calories all the time. Therefore, using protein shakes and bars could be a great technique in this situation.

    Protein bars and shakes consumption is also a good way to increase weight and enhance your protein intake.

    They could[7]be purchased in any departmental shop or even be homemade.

    These delicious snacks provide a concentrated dosage of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins, without making you feel lethargic.

    To find out the exact calories in each serving and whether it meets the standard requirements of your weight-gain plan, have a look at its ingredients list.

    Also, search for additional sugars as well.

  9. Never Skip Breakfast

    When we skip breakfast, our bodies enter a state of survival or fasting, which promotes a reduction of appetite.

    Hunger could be controlled by eating breakfast and overindulging in food containing bad calories could be avoided.

    Since the gap between dinner and breakfast is very vast, your sugar levels are normally low by the time you wake up.

    Therefore it needs to be raised so that your body works efficiently.

    It is important to consume strong food items and would[8]help boost your energy level along with prevent weak appetite.

    So select whole-grain granola bars, a smoothie made with whole milk and fresh fruit, or a bowl of heart-healthy oatmeal.

    Making a breakfast schedule, keeping weight gain in mind, for each week might be very beneficial if you have a habit of skipping breakfast in the morning.

  10. Incorporate Omega-6 And Omega-3 In Your Meals

    Omega-6 and omega-3 stimulate your body’s endocannabinoid system which helps to increase appetite and thus causes weight gain.

    Your body obtains omega-6 and omega-3 acids from wholesome foods that keep your body in good shape.

    They also serve as appetite stimulators and increase your calorie intake.

    To ensure you are consuming enough of these fatty acids, there are numerous natural supplements available, such as algal oil, cod liver oil, and fish oil.

    You could[9]easily add them to your salad dressing, smoothie, and coffee.

    You could add them to your protein drinks as well, thus giving yourself a delicious flavor and encouraging healthy weight gain.

    Medium-chain triglycerides, shortly known as MCTs, are oily lipids. Palm kernel oil and coconut oil are used to make it.

    Medium-chain triglycerides are a good source of omega acids and are known to boost appetite. You could get MCT oil benefits by incorporating it into your diet.

Conclusion

Everyone will have different objectives, though generally speaking, a healthy weight increase could be somewhere between half a pound to one pound each week.

Lift weights, increase your protein consumption, and focus on eating a lot of nutrient-dense meals high in energy if you need to gain weight healthily and safely.

Before making any changes to your regular diet and exercise regimen, always talk to your doctor.

A trained dietician might assist you in creating the best strategy to achieve your weight gain
objective.

References/Sources

Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.
 
  1. Dariush Mozaffarian,Tao Hao,Eric B. Rimm, et al. Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men N Engl J Med. 2011 Jun 23; 364(25): 2392–2404.doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1014296
  2. Maintaining a Healthy Weight Available from: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/maintaining-healthy-weight
  3. Joel Fuhrman The Hidden Dangers of Fast and Processed Food Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018 Sep-Oct; 12(5): 375–381.Published online 2018 Apr 3. doi: 10.1177/1559827618766483
  4. John W. Carbone,and Stefan M. Pasiakos Dietary Protein and Muscle Mass: Translating Science to Application and Health Benefit Nutrients. 2019 May; 11(5): 1136.Published online 2019 May 22. doi: 10.3390/nu11051136
  5. Ann G. Liu,Nikki A. Ford,Frank B. Hu, et al. A healthy approach to dietary fats: understanding the science and taking action to reduce consumer confusion Nutr J. 2017; 16: 53.Published online 2017 Aug 30. doi: 10.1186/s12937-017-0271-4
  6. Hanna Górska-Warsewicz,Krystyna Rejman, Wacław Laskowski, et al. Milk and Dairy Products and Their Nutritional Contribution to the Average Polish Diet Nutrients. 2019 Aug; 11(8): 1771.Published online 2019 Aug 1. doi: 10.3390/nu11081771
  7. George A. Bray,Steven R. Smith,Lilian de Jonge, et al. Effect of Dietary Protein Content on Weight Gain, Energy Expenditure, and Body Composition During Overeating JAMA. 2012 Jan 4; 307(1): 47–55.doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.1918
  8. Jess A Gwin and Heather J Leidy Breakfast Consumption Augments Appetite, Eating Behavior, and Exploratory Markers of Sleep Quality Compared with Skipping Breakfast in Healthy Young Adults Curr Dev Nutr. 2018 Nov; 2(11): nzy074.Published online 2018 Aug 28. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzy074
  9. Gerd Faxén Irving,Yvonne Freund-Levi, Maria Eriksdotter-Jönhagen, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation effects on weight and appetite in patients with Alzheimer’s disease: the omega-3 Alzheimer’s disease study doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.02055.x. Epub 2008 Nov 20. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19054188/

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