How to gain weight fast & naturally

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Gaining weight is not an overnight process. It takes consistent eating, patience, and some knowledge.

Every 6 out of 10 people in the world are either obese or overweight.

However, there are also many people fighting the problem of being underweight.

Both being overweight and underweight is a concern and could be bad for your health.

This article outlines the best way to gain weight or muscle mass fast – naturally and safely

How to Find If You Are Underweight?

A person with a body mass index (BMI) less than 18.5 is considered underweight. This is less than the body mass needed to sustain optimal health.

Inversely, 25 is considered overweight and over 30 is obese.

To find out where you stand on the BMI scale, use this calculator. (opens in new tab)

However keep in mind that this calculator only gives an estimate of your body mass index, because it does not take muscle mass into an account.

According to this calculator, being underweight does not necessarily mean that you are unhealthy.

Also, note that being skinny isn’t always mean that you have an underlying disease, it can cause due to poor eating habits, high physical activity, lack of access to food, and body type.

How to Gain Weight Fast – Naturally

There are two ways to gain weight – the healthy way and the unhealthy way.

Binge eating on burgers, fries, or donuts may help you gain weight, but it can worsen your health at the same time.

Gaining a balanced amount of muscle mass and subcutaneous fat should be your goal if you’re underweight, rather than gaining a lot of unhealthy fat.

Not only obese but normal-looking people also get type 2 diabetes, heart diseases because of their unhealthy eating habits.

Looking healthy from outside not always mean you are healthy inside.

Therefore, it is important to follow a healthy diet for gaining weight and live an overall healthy lifestyle.

Here are some effective tips to gain weight fast or muscle mass without affecting your health.

Eat in Surplus

The process is simple – for gaining weight you need to create a calorie surplus – that is – you have to eat more calories than your body needs.

Conversely, to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body needs.

Use this calculator to get an estimate of daily calories you need to gain weight.

Aim for 700 – 1000 calories more than your maintenance calories if you want to gain weight fast. 500 or less if you want to gain weight slowly.

Use MyFitnessPal or a similar app to keep track of how many calories you are eating.

You don’t have to count calories for your whole life but it’s a good idea to do it for the first few weeks to get an estimate of how much you have to eat.

Eat Plenty of Carbohydrates

Many people cut off carbs when try to burn fat.

But it’s a bad idea if your goal is to gain weight, because you have to eat more calories, and cutting carbs will make it harder to get enough calories.

According to the National Academies of Sciences, the diet should consist of 45 percent to as much as 65 percent of carbs.

Eat Frequently

Eating more frequently can help you take in more calories throughout the day instead of eating all at once.

Try to eat 5 meals per day or 3 meals and 2 servings of energy-dense snacks.

Spreading your calories into 5,6 meals can help you eat more and reach your daily calorie goal easily.

Eat Before Bed

Many people may find it counterproductive if it’s for weight loss but for weight gain you can take advantage of eating late at night.

Our body enters a fasting state if we don’t eat for 5-6 hours and that is what happens when we sleep. The body goes into fasting mode and uses energy from stored calories.

Going into fasting mode is helpful if your goal is weight loss, but for gaining weight, you need stored calories.

And, eating just before bed prevents the body from going into fasting mode, saves stored calories, and helps in weight gain.

Lift Weights & Gain Strength

Lifting heavy weights and building strength makes sure that excess calories go straight into muscle cells and you gain muscle mass instead of just fat.

Lifting weights can also increase hunger which is helpful if you feel less hungry or struggle with eating more.

Try to exercise 3-5 days per week. Lift heavy weights and focus on progressive overload.

Start with doing compound movements like dead-lifts, squats, push-ups, pull-ups, etc. Always do these exercises in the presence of an experienced trainer.

Eat Snacks High in Fat

High-fat snacks do not mean anything high in fat. I am referring here to fat snacks such as almonds, cashews, peanut butter, flax-seeds, etc.

Eating snacks high in fat can help you eat more calories and reach your daily calorie goal easily.

Because 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories which is almost double than calories in 1 gram of protein and carbs.

Additional Tips to Gain Weight

Eating more than your body needs and indulging in strength training are the two most important factors for gaining weight.

However, there are several other ways that can help you reach your goal faster.

Avoid drinking liquids before meals, this can fill your stomach and make it hard for you to eat enough calories.
Drink milkshakes instead of soda, soft drinks. Drinking milk or something like banana shake not only provides you with enough calories but with nutrition also.
You can also try this weight gainer shake. This is high in calories, protein, and carbs.
Use a larger portion. People tend to eat less when there is less food on the plate.
Use butter when cooking food. A way to add more calories.
Sleep well. Sleeping is more important for gaining weight and muscles.
Carry snacks with you wherever you go.

Healthy Weight Gain Foods

Foods make a whole lot of difference whether your goal is to lose weight or gain weight.

Eating certain foods in your diet can help you gain weight more effectively.

Here is the list of 9 foods you can include in your weight-gaining diet.

1 Week Sample Diet Plan For Gaining Weight

A diet for gaining weight should consist of foods which are both nutritious and high in calories.

Here is the sample diet plan for gaining weight you can follow –

Monday

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal + 2 whole eggs + 15 almonds
Snack: 1 cup of yogurt + 2 spoon flaxseeds + 1/2 cup of berries
Lunch: 1 cup of rice + 100 gm chicken thighs served with salad
Snack: 100 gms cottage cheese
Dinner: Salmon or Beef with long grain rice served with 1 cup salad
Before Bed: 1 cup milk + 2 spoon peanut butter

Tuesday

Breakfast: 3 slices whole-grain bread with 2 whole + 2 egg whites omelet. + 1 cup berries
Snack: 15 almonds + pancake
Lunch: 1 cup whole grain rice with 1 cup kidney beans + 1 cup broccoli
Snack: 1 cup quinoa + 1.5 cup of mixed fruits
Dinner: Brown rice with 100 gm chicken breast or salmon or beef served with salad
Before Bed: Same as Monday

Wednesday

Breakfast: 100 gm chicken sandwich on whole-grain bread served with 1 cup of fruits.
Snacks: 1 cup yogurt mixed with 3 spoon flax-seeds + 15 almonds
Lunch: Grilled fish or chicken breast served with salad + 1 cup rice
Snacks: 4 egg whites omelet with mushroom, spinach, and onions with 1/2 cup oatmeal
Dinner: 100 g bacon or 1.5 cup chickpeas curry with 1 cup long-grain rice served with 1 cup steamed broccoli
Before Bed: 50 g cottage cheese + 1 cup milk

Thursday

Breakfast: 2 whole eggs with smoked salmon or chicken breast or bacon on 3 slices whole-grain toast.
Snacks: 2 spoon peanut butter + 1 banana
Lunch: Oats pancake with 150g smoked chicken thighs
Snack: 1 cup quinoa + 10 almonds and a mixed cup of fruit.
Dinner: 100 g bacon or 150g chicken curry with 1 cup long-grain rice served with 1 cup mixed veggies
Before Bed: 50 g cottage cheese + 1 cup milk

Friday

Breakfast: Smoothie with oats, berries, milk, yogurt, and cinnamon
Snacks: 15 almonds + 1 cup yogurt + 1 apple
Lunch: 1 cup whole grain pasta cooked + 1 whole and 3 egg whites served with 1 cup steamed beans
Snack: 1 cup oatmeal + 1 cup of berries.
Dinner: 150 g Roasted chicken breast served mixed salad + 1.5 cup cooked rice.
Before Bed: 1 slice bread with two spoon peanut butter + half cup milk

Saturday

Breakfast: 100 gm chicken sandwich on whole-grain bread served with 1 cup of fruits.
Snacks: 1 cup yogurt mixed with 3 spoon flax-seeds + 15 almonds
Lunch: Grilled fish or chicken breast served with salad + 1 cup rice
Snacks: 4 egg whites omelet with mushroom, spinach, and onions with 1/2 cup oatmeal
Dinner: 100 g bacon or 1.5 cup chickpeas curry with 1 cup long-grain rice served with 1 cup steamed broccoli
Before Bed: 50 g cottage cheese + 1 cup milk

Sunday

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal + 2 whole eggs + 15 almonds
Snack: 1 cup of yogurt + 2 spoon flaxseeds + 1/2 cup of berries
Lunch: 1 cup of rice + 100 gm chicken thighs served with salad
Snack: 100 gms cottage cheese
Dinner: Salmon or Beef with long grain rice served with 1 cup salad
Before Bed: 1 cup milk + 2 spoon peanut butter

The Bottom Line

If you are just starting out, this weight-gaining diet may seem like a lot more eating to you, and yes it is.

But remember, your goal is to gain weight and for that, you have to eat more. It can be difficult for you to gain weight but you can do it if you want it.

If you are new to dieting and this seems so much eating to you, try eating as much as you can in the start then progress slowly.

I hope this guide will help you to gain weight safely and more efficiently. What’s your thought on this. Please share your opinion in the comment section below.

How to gain weight fast & naturally | Beginner’s Guide